Local archive
Community
Residents in Decorah and across northeast Iowa may see low-flying aircraft beginning as early as November as the U.S. Geological Survey maps underground geology across the Driftless Area. The daylight flights will use passive scientific sensors, pause during winter and resume in 2027.
Community
Decorah’s Wellness Weekend highlights local businesses and healthy-lifestyle concerns as the community moves into shorter days and the winter illness season.
Community
Decorah Parks and Recreation will host a public prairie seed-collecting event at Decorah City Prairie on Thursday, October 29, beginning at 4 p.m.
Community Pulpit Rock
The fifth annual Decorah Gear Exchange raised $3,638.25 for Decorah Parks and Recreation during its two-day sale at Pulpit Rock Brewing Company.
Community Pulpit Rock
Dixie’s Biergarten, King Pin Entertainment Center, Pulpit Rock Brewing Company, Rubaiyat, T-Bock’s Sports Bar & Grill and Toppling Goliath Brewing Co. are participating in the Rotary Club’s Pints for Polio fundraiser.
Community
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is accepting applications for a 2027 seasonal Wildlife Temporary Worker position assigned to the Upper Iowa Wildlife Unit in Decorah. The job pays $15.25 an hour and includes habitat management, prescribed fire, wildlife surveys and physically demanding outdoor work.
Community Pulpit Rock
Decorah Parks & Recreation will host a free outdoor showing of Hocus Pocus at Pulpit Rock Campground on Saturday, Oct. 17, beginning around 7 p.m.
Community Pulpit Rock
Families can attend a Halloween trunk-or-treat event at designated campsites within Pulpit Rock Campground on Saturday, October 17, 2026.
Community
Winneshiek County is accepting applications from residents interested in filling vacancies on either the Planning and Zoning Commission or the Board of Adjustments. Applications are due by October 31, 2026.
Community
Decorah City Council’s first-reading vote would create zoning, utility and environmental requirements for any future data center or cryptocurrency mining center proposed in the city, but it did not approve a specific project.
Community
Decorah Parks and Recreation will host a free outdoor screening of <em>The Great Outdoors</em> at Will Baker Park on Friday, Sept. 25, 2026, beginning around dusk.
Community
Decorah Mayor Andy Carlson has proclaimed Sept. 17 through 23, 2026, as Constitution Week, urging residents to reaffirm the freedoms outlined by the nation’s founders.
Community
The Cadets rushed for 259 yards in a victory over Decorah, according to a Decorah News sports report.
Community Original Decorah
The Decorah Historic Preservation Commission has released two brochures, according to a Decorah News headline. The supplied article material does not include the brochures’ titles, subjects, release date or information about where residents can find them.
Community
Supporters of the Decorah Rotary donated $1,259 in tips from a pork chop booth to the Decorah Community Food Pantry, according to Decorah News.
Community
Diane Ott Whealy, who co-founded Seed Savers Exchange near Decorah, received the 2026 GardenComm Green Medal Sustainability Award for more than five decades of work preserving heirloom seeds and agricultural biodiversity.
Community Phelps Park
A campaign barbecue at Phelps Park brought together Iowa House candidate Jeff Thurlow and congressional nominee Lindsay James as Democrats focused on faith voters and “common-good issues” ahead of the 2026 election.
Community
The Decorah Water Department is scheduled to begin its fall hydrant-flushing program on Sept. 1, according to a report from Decorah News.
Community Water Street
Vesterheim has opened a Book of Condolence at Hanson Vesterheim Commons in Decorah following the reported passing of King Harald V of Norway on Aug. 28, 2026. The book is available during regular business hours through Sept. 13, and a digital option is available through the Royal Court of Norway.
Community
The Decorah Water Department will begin its routine fall hydrant flushing program on Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2026, with weekday work scheduled across the city from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Residents may see temporary water discoloration or experience slight pressure drops during the two- to three-week project.
Community
Seed Savers Exchange has released an archived episode of its “Sowing Connections” podcast featuring Neil Lockhart, a longtime gardener and seed lister who has grown, exchanged and helped preserve thousands of tomato varieties.
Community
Vesterheim will host a free online book-group discussion of Henrik Ibsen’s 1888 drama <em>Lady From the Sea</em> on November 11, 2026, from 7 to 8:15 p.m. Central time. Registration is required.
Community
Seed Savers Exchange’s third “Sowing Connections” episode explores how seeds, agriculture, food policy, markets and marketing influence what people eat, while highlighting the importance of preserving agricultural diversity.
Community
Vesterheim’s 2026 calendar lists five Free Second Saturday events, beginning Aug. 8 and continuing monthly through Dec. 12.
Community
Seed Savers Exchange has completed a 2025–30 strategic plan that shifts emphasis from rapid collection growth to long-term stewardship, including seed regeneration, refreshed supplies, better documentation and broader access.
Community
Seed Savers Exchange has launched an endowment with a $1 million founding gift from longtime seed advocate Amy Goldman Fowler, setting an initial goal of $5 million within five years.
Community
The WinnMed Auxiliary will hold a two-day used book sale in August to raise money for WinnMed’s new Reach Out and Read program, which provides books to families with young children receiving care at WinnMed.
