Month: March 2024

Electric Vehicle Charging in Winneshiek County

Publicly available electric vehicle charging has greatly improved in Winneshiek County and northeast Iowa. Within Decorah city limits, there are now sixteen level 2 chargers available for public use and two direct current fast chargers at Decorah Chevrolet. County- and region-wide, the situation has improved, too, with public chargers available in Calmar, Cresco, West Union, Lansing, and others. 

Level 2 chargers can recharge an EV in 3-8 hours depending on vehicle and charger speed, and are best suited for situations where people park their cars for extended periods of time, like workplaces, downtown areas, hotels, and locations catering to travelers. Level 3 fast chargers can fill an EV in as short as 20-30 minutes and are best positioned to support regional pass-through travel.

The transition to electric vehicles locally and regionally is still in its infancy, and it’s perhaps important to acknowledge the realities, and resulting benefits, of publicly available EV charging for this phase of the transition. First and foremost, a vast majority of those who have already made the transition to EVs or are currently contemplating doing so, have access to low-cost electricity in their garages and aren’t necessarily going to need public or workplace charging. In addition, EV ranges have grown by leaps and bounds over just the past few years. In 2023, the median range of available EV models was 270 miles, roughly on par or slightly below the gas-equivalent automobiles.

As a result, the need for workplace and publicly available charging for those living locally is perhaps less acute than it was several years ago when EVs were in their technological infancy. At the same time, when low-cost EV options become more widely available, the need for publicly available charging options for renters, condo owners, and generally those without access to home charging will grow.

Taken together, we believe Decorah and Winneshiek County are well-positioned to support the current phase of EV adoption. Below is a list of chargers available for public use in Winneshiek County along with the cost per kilowatt-hour (kWh). For reference, most EVs achieve 2.5 – 4 miles of range per kWh of charge, and an EV with a range of 270 miles has a 60-80 kW battery.

 

Location Charge speed per hour Cost per kWh
Decorah Chevrolet, 2 chargers 180 kW $0.49
Weis GMC Decorah, level 3 coming soon coming soon
State Street across from Fareway, 2 chargers 10.4 kW $0.31
Downtown Decorah at Decorah Area Chamber of Commerce 21.6 kW $0.31
Downtown Decorah behind Oneota Coop, 4 chargers 7.2 kW $0.31
Winneshiek Medical Center, 2 chargers 6.6 kW $.30
Sunflower Child Development Center coming soon coming soon
Preus Library, Luther College, 2 chargers 6.6 kW $0.23
Luther College Regents Center, 2 chargers 5 kW $0.23
Downtown Calmar 17 kW $0.29
NICC Calmar Campus 7 kW $0.29

 

Rhymes With Decorah Podcast: Rhymes With Decorah – Chad Elliott DCSD Culinary Specialist

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Join us on this episode of “Rhymes With Decorah” as we take an awesome opportunity to talk with Decorah Community School District Nutrition Director and Culinary Specialist Chad Elliott. 

 

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With deep roots in the Decorah area, Chad brings a background in the commercial food service industry to what may be any communities most important food source – school meals! It takes a village to provide the necessary meals to the DCSD, including 6 different facilities in different locations that require multiple offerings on any given school day. And for that, Chad is quick to point out his incredible staff that pull this task off on a daily basis.

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Local Foods have also been a huge part of Chad’s influence and vision on making sure that our youngest consumers in the community have opportunities to experience farm to school table foods in their daily meals. Partnerships within the district have even led to incredible programs like Tim Haye’s school garden program that provides thousands of pounds of fresh, grown on school grounds produce each year.

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You can keep up with all that the DCSD Nutrition Program is doing via their “Viking Galley” Facebook Page found here. 

A huge thanks to Chad and his crew for all of their work and vision to provide our most important resource with fresh, healthy, delicious daily meals while they are at school!

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Celebrate AAPI heritage with these events at Luther College in April

DECORAH, IOWA—Luther College will celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) heritage and contributions in April with a series of lectures, as well as performances and a fashion show put on by Luther students. The college will host a residency for a Chinese musician, calligrapher and martial artist. While May is widely recognized as the national AAPI month, Luther will celebrate in April. 

Jaye Hobart, class of 2011, will give the Don Kemp Memorial Lecture in Social Work at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 2, in Baker Commons. Hobart’s lecture will focus on her non-traditional social work journey through the nonprofit sector. Among her many board affiliations, Hobart serves the HANA Center, a Chicago-area nonprofit that aims to meet the needs of Korean, Asian American and multi-ethnic immigrants; and the Korean Adoptees of Chicago organization.

Luther will host a residency for Master Wu Zhongxian, an accomplished Qin player, calligrapher, and martial artist, from April 9–28. He’s also a Daoist practitioner. He’s offering a variety of workshops throughout April that are open to the public; to sign up for events, email Scott Hurley at hurlsc01@luther.edu. 

“Master Wu Zhongxian’s visit provides the community with opportunities to experience classical Chinese art forms such calligraphy, music and martial arts, as well Chinese religion and medicine,” said Scott Hurley, associate professor of identity studies. 

The ISAA fashion show in 2022.

Luther’s International Student Association and Allies (ISAA) in collaboration with the Asian Student and Allies Association (ASAA) will host their annual Fashion Show at 7 p.m. Saturday, April 13, in the Center for Faith and Life Main Hall. The show will feature a wealth of talent and diversity. Tickets are available to purchase online and all proceeds from the show will be donated to Human Concern International to help the children of Gaza. 

“For me, this is a time I get to shine a spotlight on my heritage and my community. Often, people in minority communities have a hard time seeing themselves represented in the media, in leadership roles, doing things we dream about,” said Adrianna Tam, assistant professor of music and faculty advisor to ASAA. “Dedicating time to celebrate people – as we do for other heritage and history months – hopefully means that folks feel seen and worthy of being seen, with more curiosity, conversation, and compassion.”

Venerable Chao Hwei, a Taiwanese Buddhist nun and activist, will give a talk from 7:30–9 p.m. Wednesday, April 17, via Zoom. The talk will focus on her social justice activism, which includes advocating for LGBTQIA rights and gender equality. 

Sara Docan-Morgan will give a talk based on her book, In Reunion: Transnational Korean Adoptees and the Communication of Family, at 5 p.m. Monday, April 22, in Olin 102. She will discuss interviews with Korean adoptees who’ve reunited with their birth families, which reveals the complexities of family and identity, as well as how people define culture, family and self. 

Small Island, Big Song, a collective of renowned First Nation artists from across the Pacific and Indian Oceans, will perform music for Luther College’s Center Stage Series at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 23 , in the Center for Faith and Life, Main Hall. Small Island Big Song is a music, film and performing arts project that unites artists from islands across the Pacific and Indian Ocean through artistic collaboration. Tickets are available to purchase online. 

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. Learn more at luther.edu.

 

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Celebrate the 25th Anniversary of “The Straight Story” at Luther College in April

DECORAH, IOWA—Luther College’s Center for Ethics and Public Engagement (The CEPE) will celebrate the 25th anniversary of David Lynch’s “The Straight Story,” with a free screening and discussion with one of the film’s stars in early April. The film is based on the true story of Alvin Straight of Laurens, Iowa, who rode his lawn mower tractor across the state and part of Wisconsin to reunite with his estranged brother. 

James Cada, left, and Susanne Egli.

The CEPE will host a screening of “The Straight Story” at 7 p.m Thursday, April 4, in Olin 102. At 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 10, in the Center for Faith and Life Recital Hall actor James Cada, who played Danny Riordan in the movie, will be on campus to discuss the film. Along with Susanne Egli, associate professor of communication and leadership at St. Mary’s University, the two will also discuss the role of art as part of the public good. 

“The brilliance of ‘The Straight Story’ is that its complex characters and narrative positivity speak to audiences of all ages. And for folks living in this part of Iowa and the Midwest, it’s a rare chance to consider how our lives and values get represented on the silver screen,” said Andy Hageman, associate professor of English at Luther and director of the CEPE. “That helps us explore the values that may connect us in this part of the world, and it helps folks recognize that every identity represented in films shapes attitudes for good or ill.” 

Lynch, director of “Eraserhead” and “Blue Velvet,” surprised Hollywood and audiences by directing a G-rated film produced by Disney that is set in rural Iowa. The film stars Richard Farnsworth and Sissy Spacek along with Cada. It captures the feel of rural Iowa with the landscapes and dialogue. 

Cada and Egli, who has a theater career spanning around the U.S., will reflect on actors and artists who are based in the Midwest, but connected around the globe. The two will also share insights on the recent strike by SAG-AFTRA (the actor’s union) and the future of acting. 

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. Learn more at luther.edu.

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Patti Hetrick named as Luther College’s vice president for finance and administration

DECORAH, Iowa – Patti (Schroeder) Hetrick, class of 1984, from Minneapolis was named the vice president for finance and administration at Luther College, President Jenifer K. Ward announced this week.

The native of nearby Caledonia, Minn., and graduate of Luther brings a wide range of governmental, public sector and corporate experience managing large and complex operational infrastructures.

Patti (Schroeder) Hetrick

“Patti has a deep love for Luther College and a skill set developed over a long career in finance and administration in a variety of sectors,” Ward said. “Given the pace of change in higher education, we will be well served by her fresh perspective coupled with her genuine investment in the vitality of her alma mater.”

Hetrick will begin on May 1 on a half-time basis then full-time in June. Luther budget director Andrew Bailey will continue as the interim VPFA until May.

“Luther College has had a significant impact on my life, and I’m excited to return to the places and spaces I call home,” said Hetrick. “My studies at Luther College gave me a sense of grounding in a big world, and the skills to work with our community to ensure that Luther continues to thrive for generations to come.”

She joins Luther after three years as the chief financial officer of the Hennepin County Library System in Minneapolis where she oversaw the budget, contracts, personnel management, capital projects and operations for the 41 libraries which served 1.2 million county residents. In her position as CFO, she also worked as needed with the Hennepin County Library Board, Hennepin County Administration and the county’s Board of Commissioners.

Prior to the Hennepin County Library, Hetrick spent 13 years as the budget director for the Anoka County government, also in the Minneapolis metro area. She managed a $341 million budget along with operational tasks and providing updates to a wide range of constituencies. In this role she worked with the county administrator and the overall management team which provided services to the approximately 363,000 residents of Minnesota’s fourth-most populated county.

During her tenure, she also gained additional leadership experience as the interim library director for Anoka County, steering the facility through the Covid-19 transition of services.

Before joining Hennepin County, she had a similar position of budget director for Sherburne County, Minnesota, and its $80 million budget for the county. She also had her own consulting business for the decade before joining civic government.

Following her graduation from Luther, she started her career in corporate America working first with internal audit at Cargill in Minneapolis. She advanced to director of internal audit and special projects at G&K Services, a publicly traded corporation also in Minneapolis, for a decade.

With family nearby, Hetrick will be relocating to Decorah later this spring.

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. Learn more at luther.edu.

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Winneshiek County Supervisors Meeting – March 25, 2024

Agenda:

Pledge of Allegiance
0:00:07 – Amanda Webb – Hacker Nelson & Co
Re: FY23 Financial Report

0:23:04 – Michael Kueny – County Engineer
Re: discuss department work schedule and other road project updates

0:28:15 – Consent agenda: approve minutes, approve claims, accept and file departmental reports, approve liquor licenses, approve fireworks permits. Any matter on the Consent Agenda will be removed from the Consent Agenda and discussed as a regular agenda item upon the request of any Board member.

0:45:08 – Consideration of comments from the previous meeting’s Public Hearing, consideration of
bids opened at the previous meeting, and possible action on the sale of land in Freeport

1:12:39 – Continuation of discussion regarding the Public Health topic from the March 4th agenda

1:38:00 – Andy Van Der Maaten – County Attorney
Re: legal questions regarding agenda & other issues

1:45:47 – The meeting will adjourn to open the separate meeting for the Public Hearing
on the FY25 Proposed Property Tax Levy Rates

After the meeting for the Public Hearing on the Proposed Property Tax Levy Rates
Approximately 11:15 a.m. The Board will hold a separate meeting with the sole item of business to:
– Set the Public Hearing on the FY25 Proposed Budget

Become a member of the Decorah Municipal Band!

We are proud to announce our 2024 Decorah Municipal Band performance schedule! We will be performing at the Lawn Chair Night on June 13 which is in front of the Winneshiek County Courthouse at 7:00 pm and a possible shorter performance at Decorah’s 175th celebration on June 15. More information will be provided about June 15 as planning is organized.

The rehearsals for both performance will be on June 11th

We are open for new members in all sections!! Please fill out this form if you would like to play with the band this summer or in the future!!

https://forms.gle/FJ5XVw4Jpi9CxAri9

Please contact Jen Bliven at 712-541-8923 or decorahmunicipalband@gmail.com with any questions you may have.

Rhymes With Decorah Podcast: Rhymes With – Spring Inspire(d) 2024!

 

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Cover image by Anne Butera / MyGiantStrawberry.com

Join the WHOLE fam on this show for a rundown on the Spring 2024 Issue of Inspire(d) Magazine! Here’s Aryn’s editors letter for this issue as well. Don’t miss a tiny bit of this beautiful issue (inside and out!). Thanks for listening, reading, and supporting our mission of sharing positive news!

Find the new “Spring 2024” Inspire(d) Playlist here!

PATIENCE: WE ALL BLOOM IN OUR OWN TIME.

I totally hated the phrase “late bloomer” when I was a kid. I had two cousins – both a little older and infinitely cooler – who said I was “just a late bloomer.” They didn’t say it with malice, but boy, did it sting.

Now, decades later, I want to tell that pre-teen: It doesn’t matter. As long as you’re working on you, you’ll get where you want to be – or where you’re supposed to be – eventually. Keep at it.

Of course, there are many things we’d tell our past selves if we could. The theme for this issue is a gentle reminder: We all bloom in our own time. All we need is just a little patience (thanks, Guns N’ Roses). I dive into this topic in my infographic, “Patience in Bloom,” which leads into our spring mental health article by Olivia Lynn Schnur. Olivia gives us tips for avoiding the comparison trap, so we can continue our paths at whatever pace necessary. Hint: We need to get clear on vision and values.

It was vision and values that led Anne Butera to art. The Viroqua-based artist taught herself how to paint with watercolors at age 34, and today she is a prolific artist, online art teacher, and the creative behind the website and blog, My Giant Strawberry. Anne’s gorgeous artwork is featured on this issue’s cover. Read her story on page 16.

Anne’s blog also inspired us to create the spring paper project: a Giant Strawberry Box! You can use it as a May Day basket, a favor box, or just because it’s cute!

We promise your name doesn’t have to be Anne, Annie, or Anni to be in Inspire(d) Magazine, but we happen to have all those names in this issue! 

Annie Coleman was inspired by the summers she spent growing up at her grandparents’ Golden Horse Ranch resort north of Madison, Wisconsin. Decades later, she (along with some great help from her friends) opened Red Clover Ranch in rural Soldiers Grove, Wisconsin, where folks can attend creative, enriching retreats, fun events, local dinners, and more (pg 48).

And last but most certainly not least in the “Anni list,” Anni Weilgart, former long-time Decorah resident and teacher, is featured as our Probituary (pg 66). Anni turned 100 in 2023, and as interviewer Lindy Weilgart says, “she has fewer ailments and healthier blood values than all of us.” I love the wisdom in these Q&As (see all of them here).

There’s a lot to be learned from our Driftless Community Builders as well. Ernie Johnson brings people together through vintage collectibles and cars – and with interesting conversation – at Ernie’s Garage in Whalan, Minnesota. In Decorah, Molly Holkesvik has taught, coached, and led students (and some adults) in various forms of self- and world-discovery for two decades through classes, theatre, and travel. 

You don’t have to travel too far to embrace the season with our spring ideas for fun, from peony picking to maple syrup sampling (pg 44). And speaking of maple syrup, you can learn about Iowa’s longest running business in this issue’s Sum of Your Business. We feature a Q&A with Jeni (Green) Melcher, the sixth generation of Greens to tap maple trees on their farm in rural Northeast Iowa (pg 56). (Fun fact: I grew up just up the road from Greens’ Sugarbush!)

We’re lucky to have so many cool things to do here in the Driftless. As you get out there exploring, watch for the various insects and arachnids move around again. You can learn more about the latter in conservation writer Craig Thompson’s piece on spiders (pg 62). They really are amazing (but still…shudder)!

You really are amazing too, readers! Thanks for joining us for another year of positive news! You’re the best. Read the entire Spring 2024 Inspire(d) online here, or see the story list below!

Looking forward,

Aryn 

 

 

 

 

 

Lake Meyer has a bright future thanks to local watershed improvement efforts

MEDIA CONTACT: Jennifer Kurth, DNR, at 515-639-8464 or Jennifer.Kurth@dnr.iowa.gov

CALMAR – Lake Meyer, a popular area for boating and fishing in Winneshiek  County, has a cleaner and clearer future thanks to a community-led effort.

The northeast Iowa lake had been placed on Iowa’s impaired waters list in 1998 due to declines in water quality from sediment runoff and increased phosphorus levels. These were affecting both the aesthetic conditions in the lake as well as impacting fish and other aquatic life through decreased visibility due to algae blooms and cloudy water.

“Sometimes the water would be really green and murky, it looked kind of like pea soup,” says Barb Schroeder, executive director of the Winneshiek County Conservation Board.

In 2013, farmers, landowners and government agencies joined together to launch the Lake Meyer Watershed Project, aiming to reduce sediment and nutrients reaching the lake by strategically placing conservation practices on the land and increasing the culture of conservation in the community.

A rock chute wetland added at the inlet of Lake Meyer helps filter runoff, and an additional grade stabilization structure upslope of the wetland area works to reduce sediment runoff from adjacent cropland areas. In addition, partners removed more than 700 dump truck loads of sediment from the lake bottom during wetland construction.

Landowners around the area installed 66 acres of filter strips, 5 manure storage systems, over 35,000 feet of terraces, 8 grade stabilization structures, 5 sediment and water control structures, over 4,000 feet of grassed waterways, 3 bio-swales, and 4 wetlands. These combined efforts prevented more than 3,300 tons of sediment and more than 2.15 tons of phosphorous from reaching the lake every year.

“The credit for the success really needs to go to the farmers who implemented conservation practices in the Lake Meyer watershed,” says Schroeder. “Thanks to them and the cooperative efforts of local and state agencies, we have clear water with great fishing. With those improvements, lake use has increased, adding to the local economy.”

DNR Fisheries staff also installed fish habitat structures, such as gravel spawning beds, fish cribs, and tree/brush piles, at various depths and locations in the lake. These structures can offer fish critical shelter during hot summer months, and structures placed in the deepest areas can provide excellent cover for winter panfish.

The watershed project has led to improved biological monitoring scores in the lake, showing increased water clarity and better habitat conditions for the lake’s fish and other aquatic species. The lake was removed from the impaired waters list in 2020.

“This really is a success story about how it takes an entire community to make things happen,” says Jennifer Kurth, DNR aquatic biologist.

The Lake Meyer Watershed Project was funded and supported by the Iowa DNR, the Clean Water State Revolving Fund and local landowners and farmers. Other partners include the Winneshiek County Conservation Board, the Winneshiek Soil and Water Conservation District, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, and the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship.

To learn more about the Lake Meyer success story, go to:

https://www.epa.gov/nps/success-stories-addressing-sediment-and-nutrient-sources-restores-Lake-Meyer

You can also find more Iowa success stories on the EPA’s website at:

https://www.epa.gov/nps/success-stories-about-restoring-water-bodies-impaired-nonpoint-source-pollution#ia and clicking on the Iowa map.

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