Local News

A moving tribute to Vietnam veterans is moving from Prairie du Chien to National, Iowa.

Beginning June 30, “The Moving Wall,” a one-half size replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C., will be displayed at the Clayton County Fairgrounds. The memorial can be visited 24 hours a day, beginning June 30 at 1 p.m. through July 5 at 8 a.m. However, exhibits will be open only from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.

Almost 253 feet long, the Wall displays the names of the more than 58,000 men and women who were killed in Vietnam, as well as those still unaccounted for.

There will also be a presentation by the American Rogues, the official band of the National Navy Seal Museum, living replicas of the Three Soldiers and Vietnam Women’s Memorial and a complimentary booklet that informs people about the war and about the nine Clayton County men that were killed there.

Five area high schoolers are competing to become royalty for the 2016 Blake’s Prairie Jr. Fair, which will be held at the  Bloomington Fairgrounds July 14-17.

Queen candidate Lexi Harper, daughter of Tara and Greg Harper, Glen Haven, is sponsored by the River Ridge FFA. Lexi has been an active member of the FFA for three years, was last year’s chapter treasurer and currently serves as the chapter secretary. Lexi was part of the national soils team, was a member of the state qualifying meats team and has done livestock judging. She owns four Angus heifers she shows at local fairs and larger Angus breed shows.

Five residents of a Prairie du Chien house were arrested early Monday, June 27, as a result of a search warrant. They are being held on drug-related charges, according to the Crawford County Sheriff’s Department.

During the early morning hours of Monday, the sheriff’s department and Prairie du Chien Police Department executed a search warrant for illegal narcotics at the residence on Norma Avenue. As a result, the adults who occupied the residence were taken into custody. They included Abby Hiles, 33; Alan Hagensick, 28; Corey Hagensick, 27; Anthony Hagensick, 34; and Monica Knockel, 36.

Also, a 1-year-old child who lived at the residence was taken into temporary physical custody for wellbeing and safety reasons, according to authorities.

Hiles faces charges of delivery of methamphetamine, possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, maintaining a drug house and recklessly endangering the safety of a child.

Editor’s note: This article is the second in a short series regarding methamphetamine and the serious problem of meth abuse in Crawford County.

By Correne Martin

By continuously throwing methamphetamine and other narcotics users in jail, utilizing solely Crawford County funds and resources, addicts don’t get the help they need and the root of the drug problem is not addressed. The only result is that the junkies spend a night off the streets.

“Crawford County is a small county with a big need,” said Circuit Court Judge James Czajkowski. “Yet our county does not have a social worker who is a drug and alcohol abuse counselor.”

The national trend, where success rates vary per county, is to rehabilitate drug abusers, as opposed to calling for jail or prison sentences, according to Crawford County Sheriff Dale McCullick.