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Tue
20
Jun

Austin brings passion for small towns to McGregor-Marquette Chamber


Kristie Austin took over as executive director of the McGregor-Marquette Chamber of Commerce on June 12. (Photo by Audrey Posten)

By Audrey Posten, North Iowa Times Editor

Kristie Austin has always had a passion for small towns. An avid traveler, she enjoys strolling their streets in search of unique shops and businesses. They’re where she gets most of her wardrobe.

“Small towns thriving is my thing,” she said, “and it’s nice to see them coming back.”

Austin will spread that passion for small towns and shopping local as executive director of the McGregor-Marquette Chamber of Commerce, a post she took over June 12.

McGregor and Marquette, she said, are uniquely positioned to thrive.

Tue
20
Jun

Ribbon cut on Casino Queen Marquette


Casino Queen management and staff, Marquette city officials, chamber representatives and Upper Mississippi Gaming Corporation directors gather for a ribbon cutting on June 16. (Photos by Audrey Posten)

Casino Queen President and General Manager Jeff Watson speaks at the ribbon cutting while Marquette Mayor Larry Breuer (left) and Casino Queen Marquette General Manager Don Ostert look on.

By Audrey Posten, North Iowa Times Editor

Lady Luck Casino had its grand re-opening as Casino Queen Marquette June 16, with a ribbon cutting including casino management and employees, Marquette city officials, Upper Mississippi Gaming Corporation directors and representatives from both the Prairie du Chien and McGregor-Marquette Chambers of Commerce. 

In October 2016, Isle of Capri Casinos, Inc., announced the sale of the Marquette casino to CQ Holdings, Inc., the parent company of the Casino Queen in East St. Louis, Ill. The Marquette casino, which has been in the community for 22 years, became part of the Casino Queen family in March.

Tue
20
Jun

Engineering plans for Marquette bench evacuation route to continue

By Audrey Posten, North Iowa Times Editor

An emergency evacuation route off the Marquette bench is moving closer to reality. At its June 13 regular meeting, the city council selected one of three potential grading options for the route and gave Bart Nies, with Delta 3 Engineering, the go-ahead to continue engineering plans.

The 3,800-foot-long route, Nies said, will begin at Walnut Street, in Marquette, and end in McGregor. Some parts are steep, he admitted, but none more so than any of the city’s current streets.

The grading option the council selected would include grading a 22-foot-wide route, but graveling only a portion of it. With 14 feet graveled, it would cost an estimated $410,000, according to Delta 3.

Tue
20
Jun

Sample regional wines, beers at Lazy River Fest


Sit back and relax and sample a variety of regional wines and beers at the Lazy River Beer and Wine Festival, held Saturday, June 24, from noon to 4 p.m., on the Marquette Riverfront. (NIT file photo)

Sit back and relax and sample a variety of regional wines and beers at the Lazy River Beer and Wine Festival. The eighth annual event, which is put on by the McGregor-Marquette Chamber of Commerce, will be held Saturday, June 24, from noon to 4 p.m., on the Marquette riverfront.

Five wineries and five breweries are slated to attend this year’s festival. The winery line-up includes Marquette’s own Eagles Landing Winery, as well as Empty Nest Winery from Waukon, Jennings Winery from Strawberry Point, Engelbrecht Family Winery from Fredericksburg and Dubuque Heritage Winery. Participating breweries are Potosi Brewery, Deb’s Brewtopia from Elkader, Kalona Brewing Company, Millstream Brewing Company from Amana and Another Road Brewing from Marion.

Tue
20
Jun

Lange to join Monona Council

By Audrey Posten, North Iowa Times Editor

The Monona Council, at its June 19 meeting, approved of the appointment of Heather Lange to fill the position on the council vacated last month by Randee Koenig.

City administrator Dan Canton said the appointment would last until the election this November. Lange could then serve the remainder of Koenig’s term, through 2019, if she chooses to run and is elected.

Speed sign

Tue
20
Jun

Contracts approved for new MFL MarMac staff

By Audrey Posten, North Iowa Times Editor

The MFL MarMac School Board approved contracts for several new staff members at its June 12 meeting. 

Samantha Corsbie will teach special education at the middle school next year, while Katie Kregel and Dacia Jacobsen will teach second grade. Second grade teacher Angie Pape will transfer to kindergarten.

In addition, contracts were approved for Brandi Crozier as a special education paraprofessional, Megan Schellhorn as assistant volleyball coach and Larry Walter as a bus driver.

Lunch payment policy

Tue
13
Jun

This weekend’s Monona Hay Days celebration will feature new activities


Monona Hay Days, held Friday and Saturday, June 16 and 17, will feature even more activities this year. (NIT file photo)

By Audrey Posten, North Iowa Times Editor

This weekend’s Monona Hay Days celebration promises to offer more fun for the family than ever before.

Several new features, booths and food vendors have been added this year, to go along with the regular slate of activities, noted Rogeta Halvorson, executive director of Monona Chamber and Economic Development and a Hay Days committee member.

“All over, it’s expanded. There will be something for everybody,” she said. “Every year, it gets better.”

Tue
13
Jun

NEIT continues to bring fiber optic to customers

By Audrey Posten, North Iowa Times Editor

Northeast Iowa Telephone Company (NEIT) is continuing to expand fiber optic within its service area, this summer providing the capabilities to all of its customers in the Farmersburg and St. Olaf rural exchanges, said Steve Hanson, director of business development at NEIT.

“We’ve been pretty busy lately,” said Hanson, who was the guest at Murphy Helwig Library’s monthly coffee house June 6. “We built out fiber in Postville last year, so we’ve just about completed the local territory.”

The communities of Monona (where NEIT is based), Luana, Farmersburg and St. Olaf have all had fiber to the home for several years, Hanson noted. 

Tue
06
Jun

Student service projects will help showcase Pikes Peak State Park


Hope Guyer (left) and Brenna Boland were two of the over 60 MFL MarMac high school students who performed projects at Pikes Peak State Park on May 23. (Submitted photos)

Juniors Derek Larson (left) and Gavyn Wade paint one of the 73 fire rings at Pikes Peak.

By Audrey Posten, North Iowa Times Editor

While Pikes Peak State Park’s stunning panoramas of the Mississippi River often make  a visit to the park memorable, it’s the little things that also leave an impact: sitting around a crackling campfire, sharing lunch with your family at a picnic table, watching kids explore the playground.

This year, all of those experiences will be enhanced thanks to over 60 MFL MarMac sophomores and juniors, who performed spruce-up projects at Pikes Peak on May 23.

The students split up into eight crews, accomplishing a multitude of tasks, said teacher Dan Anderson, who led the group with the help of Brandi Crozier.

Tasks completed by the students included:

Tue
06
Jun

McGregor Council discusses short-term vacation rentals

Ordinance would make practice OK, but require permit, hotel/motel tax collection

By Audrey Posten, North Iowa Times Editor

With the inception, in the past decade, of Airbnb and similar vacation rental booking websites, people have found an online marketplace to rent out their homes, apartments and other spaces, when they’re not in use, on a short-term basis. The practice has boomed, with Airbnb alone boasting over 3 million listings worldwide and over 160 million total guests.

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