Local archive
Traffic & Construction Middle Calmar Road
A 20-year-old Decorah man was taken to WinnMed with suspected minor, non-incapacitating injuries after his pickup left Middle Calmar Road near Lincoln Highway Road early Nov. 7, according to the Winneshiek County Sheriff’s Office.
Education
Seed Savers Exchange will continue its ADAPT community science program for four years under a new USDA-funded partnership led by the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Decorah-area and other gardeners can apply to participate in 2027 trials by Dec. 31, 2026.
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.
Education Luther College
Iowa senator-elect Josh Turek made an unannounced Oct. 15 appearance at Preus Library, where he met with Luther College students and Decorah residents while an early-voting station operated nearby.
Business & Openings Luther College
Kelly and Angie Tagtow have updated their wills to make Seed Savers Exchange a beneficiary, a decision shaped by decades of gardening, conservation work and relationships with the Decorah-area nonprofit.
Community
Decorah’s Wellness Weekend highlights local businesses and healthy-lifestyle concerns as the community moves into shorter days and the winter illness season.
Crime & Public Safety
Decorah voters approved a $20.9 million bond issue to fund a new fire station, while two contested Winneshiek County supervisor races were decided in the Nov. 3, 2026, election.
Traffic & Construction Montgomery Street
Decorah police arrested a 19-year-old Postville man after responding to a disabled vehicle on Highway 9 and reportedly finding THC vape products in the vehicle.
Education Luther College
Vesterheim will host a free holiday concert by Luther College’s Noble Brass Quintet on Dec. 9, 2026, from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Hanson Vesterheim Commons.
Crime & Public Safety
The Decorah Police Department has joined Iowa’s I-PLEDGE program, combining retailer training with supervised compliance checks to prevent tobacco, alternative nicotine and vapor-product sales to underage customers.
Traffic & Construction Twin Springs
Decorah Parks and Recreation plans to cut and treat Japanese barberry and buckthorn along the southeast corner of the Upper Twin Springs Trail on Oct. 28 and 29, 2026, if conditions permit.
Crime & Public Safety
Fredrick Jones, 46, of Decorah was arrested Sunday evening after police said they observed him driving a silver GMC Acadia on Highway 9 near the airport despite being barred from operating a vehicle.
Crime & Public Safety Luther College
Christopher Alan Southerland, 26, of Waukon, was arrested after police said he allegedly assaulted two people at the Yung Gravy concert in Decorah on Oct. 24, 2026.
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.
Business & Openings
Decorah Parks and Recreation will open registration for its 2026-2027 winter programs at 8 a.m. Friday, Nov. 13, according to a department announcement posted Oct. 22, 2026.
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.
Traffic & Construction Phelps Park
Decorah Parks and Recreation plans targeted treatments for Japanese barberry, buckthorn and Japanese knotweed at several locations in the Phelps Park and Carlson Park trail systems, with temporary closures and posted re-entry information.
Traffic & Construction Phelps Park
Japanese barberry and buckthorn will be cut and treated with glyphosate Wednesday and Thursday along portions of the Upper Broadway Trail and Upper Phelps Park Trail in Decorah’s Phelps Park trail system.
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.
Education Luther College
Author and journalist David Epstein spoke to students and Decorah community members at Luther College’s annual Farwell Distinguished Lecture on Sept. 24, discussing generalists, specialists, artificial intelligence and the value of liberal arts education.
Education Luther College
The award-winning all-woman brass quintet Seraph Brass will perform at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 30 in Luther College’s Center for Faith and Life Main Hall. The visit also includes a preconcert dinner and masterclasses connected to the 2026 Luther College Brass Symposium.
Education Luther College
Luther College has limited meal-plan swipes to one every two hours for the 2026-27 academic year while adding a cook-your-own egg station, continuing food events and considering new dining services on campus.
Education Luther College
Tickets for Luther College’s 2026 Christmas at Luther performances go on sale to the public at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 27. In-person concerts are scheduled Dec. 3-6 at the Center for Faith and Life in Decorah, with livestream and later on-demand viewing options also available.
Education Luther College
Dr. Rene Rocha’s Hispanic Heritage Month lecture at Luther College connected U.S. immigration policy, the 2008 Postville raid and the experiences of Iowa communities affected by interior enforcement.
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.
Education Luther College
An unusually wet, humid September brought mold reports from several Luther College residence halls in Decorah, including Miller and Dieseth Towers, Baker Village and the College Apartments. Luther says it has installed dehumidifiers, inspected buildings and treated affected vents, while students describe persistent growth, delayed Fix-It responses and concerns about their living conditions.
Crime & Public Safety
Decorah police arrested Chad Johnson on October 7 after a several-day search tied to an earlier alleged violent assault and multiple outstanding warrants. Police said he was taken into custody without further incident and transported to the Winneshiek County Jail.
Education Luther College
A federal memo has narrowed when international students can receive authorization for off-campus internships, creating uncertainty for more than 200 students at Luther College. The college says it is helping students understand the guidance and identify alternatives, including required practicums, campus research and study abroad.
Crime & Public Safety
Decorah Police are searching for Chad Johnson after officers responding to a welfare check at 701 Centrum Drive on October 6 said he left the residence on foot. Residents are being told to secure their homes and outbuildings, avoid approaching him and call 911 if they see him.
