Month: May 2023

Building Electrification: The Devil’s in the Details

Browsing Rewiring America’s website, it’s easy to get excited about the potential benefits of home electrification. Heat pumps, induction stoves, ventless heat pump clothes dryers, breaker boxes, rooftop solar, EVs, etc. All relatively straightforward, and most–with Inflation Reduction Act incentives–cheap and easy. Right? In reality, not so fast.  I was recently contacted by a Decorah couple to provide some recommendations for home electrification. The couple had the money and were

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Winneshiek County Supervisors Meeting – May 22, 2023

Thia is the full meeting.

00:00 – Lee Bjerke – County Engineer
Re: road matters

26:23 – Miscellaneous
30:15 – Action on Fatimetu’s salary increase
31:30 – Action on CBA amendments
33:04 – Discuss possible lease of office space at Spectrum
42:47 – Discussion/action on pending vacancy in the Engineering department

Dennis Myhre Retirement – Open House 5/25

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CITY OF DECORAH

PRESS CONTACT: KERI SAND, CITY CLERK 563.382.3651

DENNIS MYHRE RETIREMENT OPEN HOUSE 05/25/2023 7:30AM-9:30AM

Decorah, IA (May 18, 2023)- The City of Decorah will be hosting an open house to Celebrate Dennis Myhre’s retirement. Dennis has been with the City of Decorah for 50 years. The retirement celebration will be held May 25, 2023 from 7:30am to 9:30am at the Decorah Council Chambers. Bars and coffee will be served. Stop by to wish him well.

This is an official city press release. Modifications of any kind are prohibited without express written consent of the author. Any reprint or broadcast of this information must include this entire communication. 

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TWIN SPRINGS ROAD CLOSURE 5/23

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Decorah Street Department

Press Contact: Jeremy Bril, City Engineer, 563-382-2157

Twin Springs Road Closure on Tuesday 5/23

Decorah, IA (May 22, 2023) – The City of Decorah is notifying residents that Twin Springs Road will be closed to thru traffic on Tuesday, May 23rd. The road will be closed between Oneota Drive and 2106 Twin Springs Road. The closure is to allow for work to occur on Steyer Bridge.

Residents are encouraged to find alternative routes during this closure. Please call the Street Department at 563-382-2157 with any questions.

This is an official city press release.  Modifications of any kind are prohibited without express written consent of the author.  Any reprint or broadcast of this information must include this entire communication.

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Mychal Shed receives Luther College’s Jenson Medal

May 22, 2023

Luther College graduating senior Mychal Shed received the college’s Elizabeth A. and Paul G. Jenson Medal for the class of 2023. The announcement was made during the Commencement ceremony on Sunday, May 21. 

“I feel truly blessed and honored to win this award. The Jenson Medal is especially humbling for me because it came from my classmates and friends who deemed me worthy enough to represent Luther College and the amazingly talented class of 2023. These are the same people who I entered Luther College with as strangers, and now, four years later, we are leaving as friends, teammates, brothers, and sisters. This is an honor that I will forever cherish and hold near and dear to my heart,” said Shed. 

Luther’s Elizabeth A. and Paul G. Jenson Medal is presented each year to an outstanding senior, selected by the graduating class, who best demonstrates the ideals of the college through service to students and the college community. Established through an endowment gift from Luther alumni Paul ’48 and Elizabeth (Dybdal) Jenson ’49 of Vassalboro, Maine, the Jenson Medal supports Luther College’s mission of service.

During his time at Luther, Shed was a member of the men’s basketball team and was voted team captain. Additionally, he was the president of the Black Student Union and served on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and on Luther’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee. He also worked in the Admissions Office as a Lead Student Ambassador and was an active member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes organization. The role that was most fulfilling for Shed was serving as camp counselor/mentor for the Junior Norse Skills Camps. 

“Working with the children at camp served as a challenge of patience, understanding, and connection—a challenge that I took pride in achieving. As an aspiring youth and adolescent social worker and school counselor, I know that these experiences will be similar to the day-to-day occurrences that I will face in my career. I am grateful for those campers, as they helped me learn a great deal about myself. They helped me learn how to communicate effectively with different youth, how to build and maintain genuine relationships and connections with them, and the most salient—they taught me how to become a better listener,” said Shed. 

Shed graduated with a degree in psychology. He is the son of Maya Sample and Marcus Shed and is from Teague, Texas. He said, “Coming to the rural Midwest was a concern of mine four years ago. Will I be accepted? If they do accept me, will they understand me? During my first semester at Luther these fears were alleviated completely. Now, after four years of deeply rooting myself in this community through genuine service, leadership, and love—I can wholeheartedly say that my peers have accepted me, understood me, and most definitely have supported me every step of the way.” 

This fall, Shed will attend the University of Chicago, where he has been accepted into the Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy and Practice to pursue his master’s degree in social work.

Ashley Benson, dean of student engagement, got to know Shed very well during his time at Luther. She said, “Myke is a dynamic human being. I remember meeting him when I interviewed at Luther. I have enjoyed watching him grow as a student leader and seeing the impact he has on his peers. He is valued by so many. He brings warmth and joy to any room he enters. I look forward to watching him grow as a graduate student and a professional. Myke truly deserves this prestigious Jenson Medal award that is woven into the fabric of Luther College.” 

About Luther College

At Luther College in beautiful Decorah, Iowa, students explore big questions and take action to benefit people, communities and society. Our academic programs, experiential approach to learning and welcoming community inspire students to learn actively, live purposefully and lead courageously for a lifetime of impact. 

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2023 Winneshiek Energy District Home Tour, June 10th

Tour area homes and learn about solar installations, heat pumps, energy efficiency, and sustainable building practices! Winneshiek Energy District is excited to partner with six Decorah area homeowners for self-guided tours, Saturday, June 10th from 1-4pm. Visit as many as you can in an afternoon (or perhaps all!) and come away inspired to implement these practices at your own home. Participants are free to come and go as they please, and homeowners will be on-site to share their experiences.

 

Dan and Linda Canton, 2746 West Ridge Rd, Waukon (roughly 13 miles east of Decorah)

Off-grid, 6.0kW solar, 5.0kW lithium iron-phosphate battery backup, backup LP generator, air source heat pump for AC and supplemental heating, in-floor heat, electric riding lawn mower, electric chainsaws, timber frame, energy efficiency, and much more!

Built with efficiency in mind, this timber frame, off-grid home features 6.0kW of solar connected to 5.0kW of lithium iron phosphate battery storage, a wood stove for heating and cooking, and mini split and in-floor radiant heat for backup. The Cantons have developed several creative solutions to combat the challenges of living off grid, like “banking” solar production through preheating and precooling, utilizing an electric riding lawn mower and electric chainsaws for harvesting wood.

 

Chris Frantsvog, 504 Jefferson Street, Decorah 

4.0kW solar, ductless cold climate air source heat pump, hybrid heat pump water heater, newly constructed energy efficient addition

This modest 19th century brick home coupled with a newly constructed SIP panel and brick veneered addition features rooftop solar on both the house and garage, a multi-zone Mitsubishi cold climate ductless heat pump, and a hybrid heat pump water heater. Old and new held in balance!

Rolf and Laura Peterson, 109 Crescent Ave, Decorah

Ducted cold climate heat pump, 6kW rooftop solar, wood stove, soon-to-be installed hybrid heat pump water heater

This home typifies what whole-home electrification might look like for those of us living in existing mid 20th century homes. The Petersons are in the final stages of converting all systems to electric and they plan to cap the gas line once the new heat pump water heater is installed. Two years ago the Petersons installed 6kW of rooftop solar and swapped their gas furnace with an LG ducted air source heat pump. Come learn from the Petersons and be inspired to do the same at your house!

Porter House Museum, 401 West Broadway St, Decorah

4.5kW rooftop solar, four ductless heat pumps for climate control

Lack of climate control is the death of any museum collection. Come see how the Porter House Museum solved this vexing problem without adding financial strain to the organization’s bottom line. 4.5kW of rooftop solar paired with ductless heat pumps for air conditioning and shoulder season heating were designed and installed to complement this 19th century Italianate home, all while reducing the museum’s electric use. 

Kevin and Leslie Sand, 2597 Quarry Hill Rd, Decorah

14kW pole-mounted solar, two ductless heat pumps

Concerned with the amount of propane required to heat their home (and to say nothing of its ever increasing cost!) the Sands installed 14kW of pole-mounted solar and coupled it with two ductless cold climate Mitsubishi heat pumps. The Sand’s home is a great model for those trying to implement electric heating without existing ductwork.

Perry-O and David Sliwa, 2918 Middle Sattre Rd, Decorah (roughly 5 miles north of Decorah)

4.5kW solar, 1.5kW wind generator, plug-in hybrid vehicle, double wall construction, triple pane windows, passive house principles, in-floor electric heat, ductless heat pump for supplemental heating and AC, and much more!

Incorporating the lessons from living off the grid for forty years, the Sliwas built their retirement home in 2016 with efficiency as the guiding principle. The thoughtfully designed home features numerous passive house concepts like superior levels of insulation, winter solar gain through plentiful south-facing windows and summer shading through extended roof overhangs, and optimal site orientation. Requiring minimal energy to heat and cool, all systems are electric and are offset through on-site solar and wind production.

 

Winneshiek County Recycling Tips

Happy Friday everyone! As we head into the weekend, I wanted to provide some tips on how you can help the team at the recycling center.

1. For the safety of the staff, please don’t bag your recyclable materials. Bagged materials are sent to the landfill because the recycling team cannot identify the items.

2. Please ensure that your plastic beverage containers are empty when you place them in the plastic bin. Any beverage container that contains liquid will be sent to the landfill.

3. Only recycle hard plastics and ensure that they are marked with a #1 or #2. We can only recycle plastics marked with a #1 or #2 in Winneshiek County.

4. Please do not place soft plastic bags in our recycling bins. We cannot recycle them in Winneshiek County.

5. Please avoid placing screws, nails, and bolts in recycling bins. They can damage equipment. Please collect these items in a small container and bring them to the recycling center during business hours to give to the staff.

Enjoy your Friday and thanks to all of you that reuse or recycle waste materials! Keep up the good work!

June Book Discussions

Decorah Public Library staff are hosting five book discussions in June. The groups are open to the public and newcomers are encouraged to attend. Anyone interested should call the library at 382-3717 to learn more or to reserve a book. Zoom links are available on the Library’s website or you can email ktorresdal@decorahlibrary.org to be added to any of the six groups’ email distribution lists. Funds for multiple copy sets were generously provided by Friends of Decorah Public Library.  

 For more information, contact Tricia Crary (Friday Book Group), Zach Row-Heyveld (Cookbook Book Group) or Kristin Torresdal (Happy Hour, History, and Speculative Fiction Book Groups) at 563-382-3717.

Elsewhere

The Happy Hour Book Group will meet via Zoom Wed. June 14 at 5:15 p.m. to discuss Alexis Schaitkin’s “Elsewhere.” Vera grows up in a small town, removed and isolated, pressed up against the mountains, cloud-covered and damp year-round. This town, fiercely protective, brutal and unforgiving in its adherence to tradition, faces a singular affliction: some mothers vanish, disappearing into the clouds. It is the exquisite pain and intrinsic beauty of their lives; it sets them apart from people elsewhere and gives them meaning. Vera, a young girl when her own mother went, is on the cusp of adulthood herself. As her peers begin to marry and become mothers, they speculate about who might be the first to go, each wondering about her own fate.  

How the South Won the Civil War: Oligarchy, Democracy, and the Continuing Fight for the Soul of America

The History Book Group will meet on the 2nd floor of the library Thurs. June 15 at 3:00 p.m. to discuss Heather Cox Richardson’s “How the South Won the Civil War: Oligarchy, Democracy, and the Continuing Fight for the Soul of America.” While the North prevailed in the Civil War, Heather Cox Richardson argues that democracy’s blood-soaked victory was ephemeral. The system that had sustained the defeated South moved westward and there established a foothold. Settlers from the East had for decades been pushing into the West, where the seizure of Mexican lands at the end of the Mexican-American War and treatment of Native Americans cemented racial hierarchies. The South and West equally depended on extractive industries-cotton in the former and mining, cattle, and oil in the latter-giving rise a new birth of white male oligarchy, despite the guarantees provided by the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments. 

 

Horse

The Friday Book Group will meet via Zoom Fri. June 16 at 2:00 p.m. to discuss Geraldine Brooks’ “Horse.” Kentucky, 1850. An enslaved groom named Jarret and a bay foal forge a bond of understanding that will carry the horse to record-setting victories across the South. New York City, 1954. Martha Jackson, a gallery owner celebrated for taking risks on edgy contemporary painters, becomes obsessed with a nineteenth-century equestrian oil painting of mysterious provenance. Washington, DC, 2019. Jess, a Smithsonian scientist, and Theo, a Nigerian-American art historian, find themselves unexpectedly connected through their shared interest in the horse—one studying the stallion’s bones for clues to his power and endurance, the other uncovering the lost history of the unsung Black horsemen who were critical to his racing success. 

Embassytown

The Speculative Fiction Book Group will meet via Zoom Wed. June 28 at 5:15 p.m. to discuss China Mieville’s “Embassytown.” In the far future, humans have colonized a distant planet, home to the enigmatic Ariekei, sentient beings famed for a language unique in the universe, one that only a few altered human ambassadors can speak. Avice Benner Cho, a human colonist, has returned to Embassytown after years of deep-space adventure. When distant politics deliver a new ambassador to Arieka, the fragile equilibrium between humans and aliens is violently upset. Catastrophe looms, and Avice is torn between competing loyalties—to a husband she no longer loves, to a system she no longer trusts, and to her place in a language she cannot speak.  

The Paper Menagerie”: “Good Hunting,” “The Literomancer,” and “Simulacrum.”  

Following the Speculative Fiction Book Group, the Speculative Short Fiction Group will meet at 6:15 p.m. via the same Zoom link to discuss stories 4-6 from Ken Liu’s “The Paper Menagerie”: “Good Hunting,” “The Literomancer,” and “Simulacrum.”  

 

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DHS Band to Play Outdoor Patriotic Concert Thursday

On Thursday, May 18th, the Decorah High School band department will be performing their annual “Outdoor Patriotic Concert.”  This concert will begin at 12:00 pm and will be located at the intersection of Washington and Water Street. 

The Decorah High School Concert Band will feature patriotic music, including a salute to armed forces, marches, gospel/spiritual, the “The Star-Spangled Banner,” and more. 

This free concert is open to the public. The community is invited to stop by to enjoy some great patriotic music and is encouraged to bring their lawn chairs.  In case of rain, this performance will be moved to the auditorium at the high school. Notifications will only be sent out if the concert is to be held in the auditorium due to weather. 

On Thursday, May 18th, the Decorah High School band department will be performing their annual “Outdoor Patriotic Concert.”  This concert will begin at 12:00 pm and will be located at the intersection of Washington and Water Street. 

The Decorah High School Concert Band will feature patriotic music, including a salute to armed forces, marches, gospel/spiritual, the “The Star-Spangled Banner,” and more. 

This free concert is open to the public. The community is invited to stop by to enjoy some great patriotic music and is encouraged to bring their lawn chairs.  In case of rain, this performance will be moved to the auditorium at the high school. Notifications will only be sent out if the concert is to be held in the auditorium due to weather. 

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Mr. Bliven remarked, “We are extremely excited to perform this patriotic concert this year.  Please stop by and see us while enjoying our beautiful downtown and all of the stores.”

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