Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInDUBUQUE Iowa (KCRG) - Two individuals have been charged in a shooting that took place in Dubuque on Sunday 20-year-old Davion Harris and 20-year-old Domani Stephenson have been charged with participation in a riot police responded to the 400 block of Rhomberg Avenue for a person who had been shot Investigators said the victim was assaulted by a group of four people before the shooting occurred Dubuque traffic camera footage revealed a blue Kia Forte stopped at 20th Street and Jackson Street Four men exited the car and knocked the victim to the ground the four men got back into the car and drove a couple of blocks away The driver of the vehicle then exited the car and grabbed a handgun from the car’s engine department The driver then found the victim in the 400 block of Rhomberg An individual in the car shot at the victim The victim was taken to a nearby hospital for gunshot wounds to his hand and leg The owner of the Kia was identified as Domani Stephenson Police were able to locate the Kia near Groveland and Burden Dubuque County officers and the Iowa State Patrol responded to Stephenson’s address in the 5000 block of South Mound Road in Sherill where they saw people leaving the home in a black Chevrolet Malibu An Iowa State Patrol officer stopped the vehicle from leaving and identified the driver as 18-year-old Ahlicia Finzel Stephenson and Harris were also in the car with Finzel Stephenson had a “Glock pistol with a loaded extended magazine and a machine gun conversion device which enables a firearm to operate in fully automatic mode.” Harris told police he was with the group of people involved in the fight at 20th Street and Jackson Street He also confessed that they were in the blue Kia before and after the fight traffic camera footage allowed police to identify Harris and Stephenson as participants in the fight Stephenson was also identified as the driver of the blue Kia Investigators are still trying to find the identities of the other two people in the vehicle who participated in the fight Asbury News Bellevue News Clayton County News Delaware County News Dubuque News Dubuque County News Dyersville News Jackson County News Peosta News East Dubuque News Galena News Jo Daviess County News Crawford County News Grant County News Iowa County News Lafayette County News Lancaster News Platteville News Field of Dreams Coverage All Bites and Brews More Caucus News Police said a shooting in Dubuque injured a man and led to the arrest of two people was transported by private vehicle to UnityPoint Health-Finley Hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening gunshot wounds Sunday Moore was treated for gunshot wounds to a hand and leg Dubuque Police Department arrest reports state that Domani D Sunday in Sherrill in connection with the incident Stephenson was arrested on a charge of unauthorized possession of an offensive weapon and participation in a riot Harris was arrested on a charge of participation in a riot Court documents state that officers responded at approximately 3:45 p.m Sunday to the 400 block of Rhomberg Avenue for a report of a shooting They learned that Moore had been taken to the hospital by a bystander and that a group of four individuals had assaulted Moore moments before the shooting A review of traffic camera footage in the vicinity showed a vehicle stopped at 20th and Jackson streets and four men exiting the vehicle These four men knock Moore to the ground and begin kicking and punching him The men then then return to the vehicle and drive for a couple of blocks before the “driver exits the vehicle and appears to grab a handgun from a concealed place in the vehicle's engine compartment,” documents state who was walking in the 400 block of Rhomberg Traffic cameras then show Moore stumbling away from the vehicle after an occupant of the vehicle “apparently shoots at him from within the moving vehicle,” documents state Stephenson was identified as the owner of the suspect vehicle Stephenson’s vehicle was located unoccupied in the area of Groveland Place and Burden Street Dubuque County Sheriff’s Department deputies and the Iowa State Patrol responded to Stephenson’s address in Sherrill and observed people leaving the home in a second vehicle An Iowa State Patrol trooper stopped the vehicle and identified Stephenson and Harris as passengers Stephenson was found in possession of a Glock pistol with a loaded extended magazine and a machine-gun conversion device which enables a firearm to operate in fully automatic mode Harris admitted that he was with the group of people involved in the fight at 20th and Jackson Documents state that Stephenson declined to speak with officers but traffic camera footage identified him and Harris as participants in the fight and Stephenson also was identified as the driver of the vehicle who retrieved a firearm from the vehicle's engine compartment Documents state that investigators continue to investigate the incident including the identities of the other two people who participated in the assault of Moore Email notifications are only sent once a day ISSN 2993-8384 (Online)ISSN 1041-293X (Print) Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Account processing issue - the email address may already exist Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account multiple fire departments and the Dubuque County Sheriff’s Office responded to a barn fire on Ridge Rd in Holy Cross The resident of the house was burning brush on his property when the fire spread to the barn and Sherrill Fire Departments successfully prevented the fire from spreading to nearby structures The damage to the barn and hay is estimated at $10,000 No injuries or harm to livestock were reported Linwood Cemetery overlooks the Point in Dubuque The city of Dubuque is subsidizing the Linwood Cemetery Association in the operation of the cemetery High up on the bluffs of the Mississippi River Linwood Cemetery serves as the final resting place of Dubuque’s Gilded Age ruling class Gothic mausoleums and tall obelisks put an exclamation point of art on their existence “All the big names in town are here,” said Rose Ames the office manager at Linwood Cemetery Association which operates the 145-acre burial ground on the bluff above the North End rows of more-modest headstones mark the graves of the middle-class dead before finally a blank hillside of grass grows atop the remains of the anonymous a mass pauper’s grave of those removed from Jackson Park Linwood Cemetery Association is celebrating 150 years of nonprofit ownership of the historic cemetery having taken over the burial ground in 1875 after the city could not maintain the grounds the cemetery voluntarily entered into a state receivership with the Iowa Insurance Division as its trustees realized it would soon run out of operating revenue and have to tap into its $1.5 million endowment fund without outside help it’s the city’s turn to assure the financial backing of the struggling cemetery having given up a court fight with the state of Iowa over responsibility for the public’s interest in the cemetery The cemetery association will continue operations of the graveyard but the Dubuque City Council approved a $110,000 general fund subsidy for Linwood The state will end its financial support June 30 “The state has the right to assign that responsibility,” City Manager Mike Van Milligen said Van Milligen said city attorneys were negotiating an arrangement with county attorneys for a micro-levy that would support a more permanent subsidy A levy of a few cents spread across city property owners could raise the $110,000 subsidy in the future creating a dedicated revenue stream without having to dip into the city’s general fund The city of Dubuque tried to resist responsibility for Linwood arguing in court against Dubuque County and the Iowa Insurance Division that cemeteries are the responsibility of townships the Iowa Court of Appeals ruled that the city of Dubuque was financially responsible for the insolvent cemetery and the city has ended its legal campaign and accepted responsibility for the cemetery “The city of Dubuque has the responsibility to keep them solvent,” Van Milligen acknowledged A change in end-of-life customs has upended the business model of Linwood and many cemeteries across the United States leaving the care for these hallowed grounds in jeopardy “The revenue source no longer supports the operations,” said Ken Miller Miller said traditional burials had been on a downward trend since the 1990s as an increasing number of people opt for cremation the number of cremations in Iowa eclipsed burials for the first time The cemetery’s costs are about $350,000 annually but its traditional revenue stream is now down to $150,000 Miller said Linwood saw the writing on the wall and entered into receivership voluntarily before the state would be forced to take over the cemetery and leave it in an even worse financial position Linwood also has responded by accommodating cremated remains in a trio of columbaria where patrons can purchase a niche to store the ashes Miller said the association had cut back on mowing in certain areas hoping to nurture a more natural and sustainable oak savanna habitat Less than half of Linwood’s grounds are occupied by graves but Miller shirked at selling off property “I would hate to see Linwood have to sell the land but I also know Linwood has to be serious about its financial capability.” the state has changed its investment rules for cemeteries allowing Linwood to seek higher-yielding investments and use more of that interest for operating expenses Twenty percent of revenues from burials and grave plots are put into the endowment fund to operate in perpetuity About $14,000 each year is currently added to the principal while about $60,000 of interest revenue can be used for expenses a new “Friends of Linwood” fund is being launched to more easily seek charitable contributions from foundations as well as individuals Ames said she hoped Dubuque’s founding families would step up noting their ancestors are buried in many of the impressive memorials on the hill Van Milligen said Linwood was part of Dubuque’s heritage and something the community wished to be maintained “It’s a big part of the community’s history and history has always been important to the community,” Van Milligen said Car enthusiasts walk through Vintage Torque Fest at the Dubuque County Fairgrounds on Saturday More than 100 vintage cars lined the fairgrounds sits by his classic car during Vintage Torque Fest at the Dubuque County Fairgrounds on Saturday Amy (second from right) and Travis Burwell (right) enjoy live music during Vintage Torque Fest at the Dubuque County Fairgrounds on Saturday People watch the mini bike races during Vintage Torque Fest at the Dubuque County Fairgrounds on Saturday Reflected in a classic car people walk through Vintage Torque Fest at the Dubuque County Fairgrounds on Saturday When Randy Johnson bought his now- restored 1940 Ford Deluxe coupe about four years ago bought the car from a man who was then in his 80s and had kept it nearly half of his life but never got around to finishing its restoration the man could not find the title and had to mail it to him later The name on the title was Johnson’s childhood neighbor and I used to play in it when I was like 10 years old,” Johnson said After two-and-a-half years of “sore fingers cussin’ and a lot of beer,” Johnson got the car on the road It made its second appearance at Dubuque’s Vintage Torque Fest this weekend have attended the event since its inception in 2010 The event at the Dubuque County Fairgrounds draws large crowds annually with all things vintage and mid-20th-century pop culture Hundreds of people were at the fairgrounds Saturday for the second of two days of cars Many brought their own vintage cars — over a hundred of which lined the fairgrounds — while others stopped by to admire them Vendor booths were all over the fairgrounds selling items such as scrap automotive parts or clothing first came to the festival five years ago to sell vintage clothing felt like they were missing out on the fun as vendors and later started coming as guests Vintage Torque Fest is the couple’s annual spring getaway “We’re just going to bring our ’54 Pontiac up and hang out with all the cool kids and just enjoy the vibe.” Joel Frye said the people the event draws are the couple’s main reason for coming back “We have met so many good friends and good people,” Joel Frye said and we just make that friend circle bigger and bigger every year.” Part of Saturday’s schedule of events was a pin-up contest during which contestants with big hair and big accessories danced and I just love the creativity in their outfits,” Brenda Frye said There’s a purpose behind the fun at Vintage Torque Fest — proceeds go to Bettendorf Iowa-based Helping Hannah’s Heart Foundation Aside from organizers donating event proceeds to the nonprofit pin-up show contestants also compete to raise money for the cause Paula Luv was dubbed “Hannah’s Sweetheart” by raising just over $2,000 or about one-third of the total raised by all the competitors the money is donated to the families of Norina Thorson and Rebel Sanchez two Iowa girls with congenital heart defects Marlene Johnson said the philanthropic aspect keeps them coming back annually as much as the cars “We like being around people that understand cars and (the event) is for a good cause,” she said Loras and Karen Watters were married at Assumption Catholic Church in Zwingle For the former Karen Michel and Loras Watters Karen Michel — now Karen Watters — grew up on a farm near Zwingle For rural Jackson County teenagers in the early 1960s dances were the social glue that held them all together community dances and family celebrations were always well-attended Loras attended his cousin’s graduation party “We kind of spied each other at that graduation party,” Loras but he heard all the happy noise the teenagers were making There were two girls sitting on a chair,” Loras said “They got up and I sat down and (patted my knees) Loras and Karen met again at a Fourth of July community dance in La Motte’s downtown pavilion their third time meeting was the beginning of their life together they ran into each other for the third time “He was standing in the kitchen,” Karen said “And I walked by with my girlfriend and winked at him.” Loras asked Karen if he could drive her home that night and they soon went on their first date with Loras’ brother “I had to figure out something,” Loras said They had only been dating a short time when Loras left for a six-month National Guard training He would serve more than 22 years in the National Guard and in the Navy Seabees Karen was hired as a keypunch operator at John Deere Dubuque Works “I really intended to work just for the summer,” she said She would remain a John Deere employee for 32 years after Loras had returned from his training the couple took a drive and made a stop at Karen’s home parish The two made their way into the empty sanctuary They were married at the church on June 12 and will celebrate their 60th anniversary in June They also have five grandchildren and one great-granddaughter where Loras worked for Kieffer Construction and Karen joined a carpool to commute to John Deere where he was a valued and talented carpenter and handyman Loras also got a job at John Deere Dubuque Works as an inventory auditor He eventually became a product support specialist remembers her parents were always supportive of her and her brothers’ endeavors and they have continued that support as their children grew up “And they have been so accepting and welcoming of our spouses and partners and are so gracious.” they decided to spend part of their time in Arizona built a second home not far from the first Loras and Karen are such dedicated ballroom dancers that they have a ballroom in their basement that Loras installed years ago They have also been the subject of magazine articles and covers about ballrooms “We were ballroom dance instructors even before we retired,” Karen said although Karen said they occasionally get calls from engaged couples who want to learn to dance for their wedding But they love to dance whenever they can and still give the occasional performance They also enjoy traveling and have checked six continents off their bucket list “We talked about (the possibility of Antarctica),” Loras said ‘Do we really want to go just to say we’ve been to seven continents?’ Traveling is harder as you get older.” where Karen helps with the occasional funeral dinner and Loras donates his handyman services to St Anthony’s “I’ve never given up the skills I learned,” he said Michelle said her parents have always been dedicated to each other and to their family “Their commitment to each other is obvious,” Michelle said They instilled great values in the three of us.” Karen said patience is a big part of the success of their long marriage Loras said one of the keys to their marriage is that it wasn’t love at first sight “I dated a lot of different girls,” he said “I had a lot of fun when I danced with (Karen) It wasn’t like a bolt of lightning-type thing Love That Lasts is a series highlighting local couples who have been married for around 50 years or more To nominate a couple to be featured in this series contact reporter Michelle London at 563-588-5655 or michelle.london@thmedia.com how long the two have been married and their wedding date family and friends may gather from 9:00 a.m Burial will follow at Immaculate Conception Cemetery in Kieler daughter of William & Adeline (Meoska) Kerkenbush Marie attended grade school at Immaculate Conception in Kieler she spent her high school years caring for them and later got her GED She was united in marriage to Richard “Red” Fens from 1962-1974 she married Paul Capesius & they were together until his death in 1987 who devoted her life to being a good mother and provider Her #1 priority was making sure her children were brought up with good values and beliefs Marie enjoyed working as an Avon Representative for several years while raising her children she cared for them as well from birth to school age She covered many horizons throughout her working years she worked as a Certified Nurse’s Aide at Mt She was awarded a “Certificate of Appreciation” for her many hours of service She also pursued the field of “Medical/Dental Office Assistant” and received a diploma through the Barton Home Study Program she went to work as a Domestic Engineer at The University of Dubuque for four years Regis Paper Company as a Corrugator Operator until retiring in 1984 once again caring and tending to the needs of children Marie served as a Volunteer Grandmother through the Foster Grandparent Program she decided to “hang it up for good” to spend more time with loved ones She had countless friends and enjoyed getting together every month for dinner with her “Red Hat” Club you would find Marie “dancing up a storm” at Melody Mill She also enjoyed a good card game and loved to socialize at family reunions everyone knew “You’d darned well better be there!!!” since anyone who knew Marie knew that shyness was not one of her characteristics She took crap from no one and she’d tell you so she was proud to be a bingo winner time and time again and truly enjoyed a game of euchre with her friends there She will be sadly missed by all who were fortunate enough to be a part of her life Marie was a devout Catholic and always had a prayer book in her hands she attended daily Mass in her living room and would not answer the door or take a phone call until the Priest had given the final blessing She was preceded in death by her parents; three sisters Richard “Red” Fens & Paul Capesius; her close friend Fens-Capesius Memorial Fund will be established The family would like to extend a sincere thank you to the healthcare workers at Stonehill for their care and compassion to Marie and to all of her family and friends close to her heart for their unending love and support over the years Funeral homes often submit obituaries as a service to the families they are assisting we will be happy to accept obituaries from family members pending proper verification of the death Search our full archives for obituaries going as far back as our microfilm records Reprints are delivered via email as PDF files Visitation will be from 4:00 pm until 7:00 pm on Tuesday 2025 at Hoffmann Schneider & Kitchen Funeral Home and Crematory The Funeral Service for Janice will be at 10:30 am on Wednesday Friends may call from 9:30 am until the time of service on Wednesday at the church Burial will be at Linwood Cemetery in Dubuque the daughter of Clarence and Gladys Walker Hovey Janice graduated from Cresco High School in 1959 Peter Lutheran Church where she volunteered in many capacities She and Jerry were foster parents for five years and were strong supporters of Children’s International Janice’s greatest joy was spending time with her children Family truly was of the utmost importance to her Lori (Jay) Schmitt of Durango; Scott Peter of Dubuque WI; 11 grandchildren; ten great-grandchildren with two on the way and many honorary grandchildren; two sisters she was preceded in death by one granddaughter Helen (Ed) Dotzler and Darlene (Orvin) Bakken Peter Lutheran Church or Hospice of Dubuque The family would like to extend a special Thank You to Katie Wethal and Hospice of Dubuque for all of their compassionate care A photo tribute can be viewed and condolences sent to the family by visiting Janice’s obituary at www.hskfhcares.com entrepreneur and Loras College graduate has entered the race for Dubuque City Council opting for a run for the seat representing Ward III has lived in Dubuque for 10 years after moving to town from Western Springs to attend college and has since pursued a career in accounting and property management Henick owns or manages apartments for about 350 tenants across eastern Iowa but I love Dubuque and I have the time and I think I would be good at it,” Henick said Henick said his focus would be on advocating for a smoother relationship between City Hall and small-business people and increased attention to ward-specific needs The Ward III seat currently is held by Danny Sprank and covers the northeast corner of Dubuque including the Point neighborhood and most of the North End Sprank has not yet announced whether he will run for another four-year term The general election for Dubuque municipal seats is Nov with a primary tentatively scheduled for Oct 7 if multiple candidates file for election Voters will elect a mayor and three council members to four-year terms Henick said Ward III has a lot of opportunities for infill and redevelopment but the small-time builders and entrepreneurs that could revitalize this area face barriers to realize their projects “I think there’s a lot of red tape for business owners,” he said … A lot of smaller developers are being discouraged from doing things because of where the city puts its focus.” Henick said the city could improve its day-to-day transparency while acknowledging that the city budget process this year had been transparent and thorough “I think I could be a good go-between for the business community and the government community,” Henick said Henick is not married and has no children save his 5-year-old goldendoodle McDonald Industries President and CEO Rob McDonald who hired Henick out of college and now serves as his campaign treasurer “I’ve known him for eight years and have seen him develop as a person a businessman and a leader,” McDonald said he earned a permanent position even before graduation because of his skill set and drive.” McDonald has been publicly critical of the city administration and City Manager Mike Van Milligen over the past few years with concerns about development and the maintenance of the city’s sanitary sewer system for which he helped lead a group of residents to successfully lobby the City Council for an additional groundskeeper and the deconstruction of the water tower Henick offered no criticism of Van Milligen or Sprank but did echo McDonald’s sentiments that Eagle Point Park has not been properly maintained “There’s a lot of deferred maintenance to be done,” Henick said noting the poor condition of the tennis courts and complaining about litter pickup at Hoffmann Schneider & Kitchen Funeral Home & Crematory The Mass of Christian Burial for Helen will be at 10:30 a.m Francis Xavier Catholic Church Cemetery in Dyersville the daughter of Edward and Frances Gansemer Meyer Helen served as a lunch administrator at Beckman Catholic High School for 25 years Helen was a devoted member of the Church of the Resurrection and past member of Basilica of St where her faith was an important part of her life She had a zest for living and filled her days with hobbies she loved; golf Helen also had a competitive spirit and never turned down a good game of Euchre Helen was an avid supporter of the Iowa Hawkeyes and enjoyed watching the Chicago Cubs with her husband She deeply cherished time spent with her children great-grandchildren and her great-great-grandchild While many people fill their homes with art Helen’s walls proudly displayed her most treasured masterpieces — the faces of her beloved family kindness and sense of humor will be dearly missed by all who knew her Jessica and Michael; 38 great-grandchildren; and one great-great granddaughter Carl “Joe” (Lois) Feyen; and three sisters-in-law A special thank you to Hawkeye Care Center and Hospice of Dubuque Memorials have been established to the Church of the Resurrection and Hospice of Dubuque A photo tribute can be viewed and condolences sent to the family by visiting Helen’s obituary at www.hskfhcares.com Friends may visit with the family after 9 a.m. Sandy’s full obituary may be viewed at www.teahenfuneralhome.com — DiAnn K Bowman-Portz (78) formerly of East Dubuque IL passed away peacefully on Monday April 28 Visitation will be from 4:00pm-7:00pm Wednesday May 7 at the Miller Funeral home in East Dubuque Viewing will also be available from 9:45am -10:15am prior to a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:30am Thursday May 8 daughter of Donald & Dorothy (Treanor) Hansen She married Dwaine Bowman in 1970 and later Charles Portz in 2006 She was a graduate of Senior High School and worked at Vallet Food Service as a bookkeeper until their closing in 2010 She cherished time with her family and friends DiAnn absolutely adored her boys & their families She was their biggest fan in all areas of their life She never ever missed a game or an activity where family was involved until her health began to decline It was often a hangout for all her son’s friends She was an avid shopper and had a wonderful knack for finding the perfect gift(s) for all occasions One of her favorite places to visit yearly was Las Vegas nieces & godchildren whom she loved as her very own Dear friends Ann (Tom) Beau and several in-laws in the Portz family DiAnn made the world a better place with her kind & generous heart She faced any adversity in life gracefully Her family would like to extend sincere thanks & gratitude to Dr for taking such wonderful care & assistance of DiAnn over the past 6 years We are forever grateful for your dedication & attention to her well-being Online condolences may be left for the family at www.millerfhed.com PHOENIX — We share with heavy hearts the passing of Richard Arthur Pope He will be dearly missed and remembered for the warmth and joy he brought to all Rich was a caring person who loved helping others One of his favorite pastimes was boating and jet skiing on the Mississippi River he faced a significant challenge when he had a stroke that left him completely paralyzed on his right side He also dealt with some challenging issues like aphasia he kept a cheerful spirit and a strong determination to make the most of life teaching outdoor skills like fishing and hunting He aimed to create lasting memories and a strong bond with Nick Rich discovered his creative niche: assembling intricate Lego sets with only one hand This hobby not only showcased his talent for design and construction but also highlighted his determination and adaptability in pursuing creative activities despite physical challenges He is also survived by extended family on the Carlson side Chad (Gina) Carlson and Bret (Chris) Carlson; and many dear friends Any shared reflections would mean so much to us Juanita Dawn Steichen (Connor) passed away peacefully in her sleep her hair looking beautiful and her signature feather in place—just the way she would’ve wanted she was surrounded by her beloved children celebrating the joyful engagement of her granddaughter Casey to Daniel (Goldberg) her last evening was spent enjoying a margarita at one of her favorite spots Juanita was the daughter of Juanita May Connor (Deneen) and Donald L She graduated from Galena High School — where surprisingly she played the flute- and later earned her nursing degree from St Her dedication to caring for others defined her career as she served faithfully as a nurse at Xavier and later Mercy Hospital until her retirement at age 65 and together they shared 45 years of marriage before his passing in 2002 She was blessed to find a second chapter of love with Lowell Wolter Juanita was a 40+ year season ticket holder and attended many bowl games from coast to coast She saw Caitlin Clark play live as a Hawkeye and never missed a football season thanks to the unwavering support of Bruce and Mark LeGrand who made sure she never missed a chance to cheer on her team Her one heartbreak: never seeing the Hawkeyes win a Rose Bowl But she’ll be watching from above when that day finally comes Juanita had a joyful spirit and a deep love of music She was proud of each of her children and grandchildren:Cynthia Steichen (Denver NE); Dawn Steichen Buscher and husband Richard Buscher (Dallas Her beloved grandchildren brought her endless joy and pride: Kayla Kenyon (Denver TX) and fiancé Daniel Goldberg; Connor Buscher (Dallas TX) and partner Katelynn Kennedy; and Connor Steichen (Omaha She is survived by her devoted sister and best friend Kathleen “Cassie” Ann Hollatz (Connor) of Minocqua She was preceded in death by her husband Glen John David Connor ( surviving Janet Connor of Galena) And her beloved late father in law Nicholas Steichen Juanita gave back to her community through her many years as a volunteer with the Colts Drum and Bugle Corps—a cause close to her heart. In her honor, donations may be made to: Colts Youth Organization, 2300 Twin Valley Drive, Dubuque, IA 52003563) 582-4872 https://colts.org/give Though we wish she could be here for future graduations we know she’ll be watching—cheering us on with love Special thanks to her long-term hair stylist and Angie McNamer who has always been a constant source of friendship and support for Juanita and her family Services:Service scheduled for Saturday May 10 IL 11 am service followed by a celebration of life at Shorty’s: 288 Sinsinawa Ave a Celebration of Life will be held on May 17 at Boyer Hall A private family graveside service will be held at Reeseville Cemetery in Green Island which would have been Barb and Wayne’s 65th wedding anniversary and to carry on Barb and Wayne’s legacy are: their two daughters and Shirley Dague all of Maquoketa; along with nieces The family thanks the staff at Hawkeye Care Center and Hospice of Dubuque for their compassionate care along with the excellent service and extraordinary empathy of Dr Special thanks to Charalin Simons for her blessings the past two years Tri-State Cremation Center is humbly serving the family Authorities said a Pennsylvania man sexually exploited a Dubuque County girl over social media Friday at Dubuque Law Enforcement Center on a warrant charging sexual exploitation of a minor dissemination and exhibition of obscene material to minors Court documents state the Dubuque County Sheriff’s Department late last year took a report of sexual exploitation of a minor in Dubuque County was engaging in sexually explicit communications with an unknown male via the social media application Snapchat An investigation identified the subject as Ojeda Snapchat records indicate sexually explicit chat messages and photos were sent to and received from both Ojeda and the girl’s accounts Ojeda also engaged in live calls with the girl Visitation will be from 3:00 pm until 7:00 pm Thursday 2025 at Hoffmann Schneider & Kitchen Funeral Home & Crematory The Mass of Christian Burial for Helen will be 10:30 am Friday at Church of the Resurrection with Father Phil Gibbs as the Celebrant and sense of humor will be dearly missed by all who knew her and Michael; 38 great-grandchildren; and one great-great granddaughter Dubuque’s struggling parking ramps are poised to get a major boost this summer with the planned renovation of a dilapidated garage and the long-awaited modernization of the fee-payment system the City Council will be asked to approve $5.8 million in funding for a major renovation of the city’s 1968 Iowa Street Parking Ramp where the north half of the third floor has been closed since an engineering inspection found it structurally unsafe located on the corner of West Eighth Street is the most heavily used because of its central location near Northeast Iowa Community College’s Dubuque Center “This construction will restore it while bringing up any other areas of concern,” said Dubuque Transportation Services Director Ryan Knuckey “Iowa Street Ramp is our fullest ramp in the city so there’s definitely a need for (repairs).” The construction estimate for the Iowa Street Ramp repairs is about $4 million with another $1 million in optional upgrades that should fall within the budget but are being bid separately from the core project to help contain costs The council is expected to award a construction bid at its subsequent meeting on May 19 Much of the money for the Iowa ramp renovations was already earmarked in earlier budgets the City Council has budgeted an additional $2.8 million in preventative maintenance for its seven parking ramps a figure that includes about $600,000 for the current project The parking system generates about $2.9 million a year but operates at a $2.4 million annual deficit about 45% to 49% of the parking system’s budget with property tax revenue through greater downtown tax-increment financing “This goal is if we get better payment equipment it’ll actually make some money rather than losing,” said Council Member Danny Sprank said the city’s current investment in parking ramps is “like buying a really expensive car and not driving it,” and has recommended selling off city lots for development until demand catches up with supply Leading Dubuque developer Gronen has plans to repurpose one city-owned parking lot at Fifth & Main for a mixed-use development with new retail space and upward of 100 apartments Knuckey said most ramps are half full or less but Mayor Brad Cavanagh pointed out that usage is expected to rise with an increase in downtown housing and the future opening of the University of Dubuque osteopathic medical school on Main Street which adds to the need to renovate the Iowa garage rather than consider reducing the system’s current overcapacity “I do not think it would be prudent to take parking away before all of this development is fully online,” Cavanagh said “I think people living and attending there will have an expectation of and need for parking I do think it is a wise investment of funds to rehabilitate the parts of the ramp that need it.” The parking system has long suffered from obsolete equipment that frequently breaks down and is incapable of giving real-time occupancy data to quantify Dubuque’s actual downtown parking needs “Our system doesn’t tell us the occupancy level during the day,” Knuckey said Even collecting payment from willing customers has been a challenge Knuckey said only two of the city’s parking ramps still have functioning payment systems for the public is free to the public but receives support from Diamond Jo Casino Knuckey said vendor Amano McGann will begin installing new parking-fee collection systems in the city’s ramps later this month beginning in the Millwork District at the Intermodal Ramp Despite its more recent construction in 2016 the technology at this ramp has already failed and customers pay through a makeshift kiosk system “The new equipment will give us real-time data on capacity in the ramps,” said Knuckey The transportation director expects the new technology to be installed in all six downtown ramps by the end of summer The Iowa Street Ramp improvements are scheduled for an October finish Dubuque City Council members will meet at 6:30 p.m in the second-floor chambers of the Historic Federal Building the council will hear from students enrolled in the Iowa Jobs for America’s Graduates program at Hempstead High School The meeting will be shown live on Mediacom cable channels 8 and 117.2, ImOn channel 5, at cityofdubuque.org/media and at facebook.com/cityofdubuque A full meeting agenda with links containing supporting documents can be found at tinyurl.com/DubuqueAgendas Hoover Elementary School in Dubuque will cease operations at the end of the current school year Mark Youth Enrichment has confirmed plans to hold its after-school programming at the Hoover Elementary School building for the 2025-2026 school year Mark officials had previously announced that they were in talks with Dubuque Community Schools about the possibility of moving the after-school program to Hoover which will close at the end of the current school year due to financial concerns and the school’s declining enrollment “We’re always trying to partner with our community to reach as many students as possible and meet their needs and after-school (care) is a big need,” said Dubuque Community Schools Executive Director of Elementary Education Lisa Feltes free play and an evening meal for kindergarten through fifth-grade students at Lincoln Marshall and Audubon elementary schools in Dubuque has been held at Boys & Girls Club of Greater Dubuque since 2023 Mark works with Regional Transit Authority and Trolleys of Dubuque to transport students from their schools to the program site Mark’s programs have been able to participate in the free weeknight evening meal provided by the Boys & Girls Club to students in their programs both programs have seen growth in recent years Mark Marketing and Development Coordinator Jon Aguilar said Friday that the two entities have simply “outgrown each other’s space.” we’ll have a lot more space to create experiences for our kids and they’ll be able to play outside and experience nature,” Aguilar said “I’m excited for what this new year will bring to see that Hoover’s going to have a new life.” Mark will provide transportation from Audubon Lincoln and Marshall to the Hoover site for families enrolled in the program Although Hoover will cease operations this month Irving Elementary School students in third and fourth grade will attend school at the Hoover site next year while construction occurs at Irving to replace the school’s HVAC system The project at Irving will bring air conditioning to the entire building Feltes said the Irving students and the St Mark program will utilize separate portions of the Hoover building Mark to utilize its portion of the Hoover building which will include classrooms and common spaces it’s about impacting as many kids as possible in the most positive way we can so this is a win for kids and a win for families,” Feltes said Registration for the 2025-2026 St. Mark After School Program for students not currently enrolled in the program will open on May 19. To register or for more information, visit stmarkyouthenrichment.org Police said a Dubuque woman left her 13-year-old child for multiple weeks while she traveled out of the country Thursday at Dubuque Law Enforcement Center on a warrant charging neglect or abandonment of a dependent person Court documents state police conducted a welfare check April 23 at Mitchell’s home on the child The officers asked the child where Mitchell was to which the child responded she was in the Philippines The child told officers he was in regular contact with Mitchell through social media and was getting groceries from Mitchell’s friend He said a former neighbor was supposed to be his “guardian” while Mitchell was out of town but the neighbor had not checked on him besides driving him to a basketball game who said she flew to the Philippines on April 4 due to a death in her family and planned to return April 26 Mitchell also said an adult renter living at the address was supposed to be present with her child but the renter told police she had not been present at the address possibly since April 8 in the Mary Frances Clarke Chapel at Mount Carmel Bluffs followed immediately by the Mass of Christian Burial Sister Donna was a pastoral care minister at Marian Hall in Dubuque She ministered as an elementary teacher in Chicago; Kansas City She was a preschool director and home tutor in David and a HeadStart teacher and family support aide in Steele She also served as pastoral associate and director of parish senior citizen ministry in Wichita to Walter and Ethel Rose (Somerhauser) Schauf — East Dubuque City Council members this week approved a balanced budget for the upcoming fiscal year with city officials praising the city’s progress toward financial stability Council members at Monday’s meeting approved the fiscal year 2026 budget which sees the city sitting at a cash position of $1.7 million in cash City Manager Bob Seitz said East Dubuque has eliminated the more-than-$1-million deficit in its general fund that was reported at the end of fiscal year 2023 after money from the city’s tax-increment-finance account and other city accounts was improperly used to cover general operational costs we had theoretical balances in our TIF accounts but we had no cash to be able to encourage development,” Seitz said at Monday’s meeting we have completely restored our TIF funds by bringing the city back into the black.” Seitz noted that various city accounts still need “adjustments;” for example the city’s water fund now has a cash surplus but the sewer fund is still operating at a deficit He anticipates both will be at a surplus by the end of the 2026 fiscal year Seitz told council members the budget calls for the city to limit borrowing pay in cash for capital items with a lifespan of less than 30 years and pay off market-rate debt early whenever possible “This is the first rule of holes: when you’re in one the council voted to finish paying off the mortgage from the 2018 purchase of the current City Hall at 261 Sinsinawa Ave “We had enough money left in this fiscal year that we’re able to spend $182,000 paying off the mortgage early,” he said “Our goal now is to focus on reducing our other debt the city purchased two firetrucks: a new truck which was funded through a zero-interest $350,000 state loan and a three-year $300,000 bank loan our next step will be to set up revolving accounts to buy vehicles on a rotating basis we’ve put off purchases of new vehicles for the public works and police departments,” Seitz said The budget for fiscal year 2026 includes an anticipated 30% growth in the city’s cannabis tax revenue after two adult-use cannabis dispensaries opened in East Dubuque within the past six months: nuEra Cannabis in December and Bridge City Collective in March Seitz said the projected increase is a conservative estimate “We don’t have any numbers to show us what’s going to happen going from one dispensary to three although we can anticipate an increase in revenue,” he said Mayor John Digman praised the work of city department heads coupled with an increased sense of accountability that he said has placed the city on “financially stable ground.” “We’ve addressed the financial deficiencies and corrected them tough decisions and common sense,” he said Dubuque Archbishop Thomas Zinkula celebrates the Chrism Mass held at Cathedral of St This marked the first Mass since the sanctuary underwent renovations Raphael campus will be featured as one of this week’s tours associated with Dubuque Main Street’s Architecture Days Clemente Bendimez (left) and Luke Tredinnick play during the Cinco de Mayo celebration May 4 Dubuque-based band Soulsa plays during the Cinco de Mayo celebration on May 4 A slate of events focused on Dubuque’s architectural history the screening of popular movies and a wave of musical performances highlight the free offerings in the tri-state area during the first full week of May The Telegraph Herald continues to showcase free community events in the area over the next seven days. Enjoy these local offerings without dipping into your bank account. Do you know of upcoming free events that should be featured in this space? Email Executive Editor Amy Gilligan at amy.gilligan@thmedia.com — Pioneer Steel Band Concert at University of Wisconsin-Platteville’s Brodbeck Concert Hall Iowa — “Moonshine by Moonlight: Iowa’s Bootlegging Legacy” at the Asbury branch of Dubuque County Library District Learn all about the state’s bootlegging history during this event featuring author Ann Hanigan Kotz who wrote “Moonshine by Moonlight.” The book “weaves together a fictional story of the bootlegging era while representing the authentic legacy of Iowa’s underground whiskey industry during one of the most raucous periods of American history.” RSVPs for the event are recommended but not required Iowa — “Kids Craft Club: Personalized Picture Frames” at the Epworth branch of Dubuque County Library District During this monthly craft program for kids attendees will make personalized picture frames — a perfect gift for Mother’s Day — Saxophone Studio Recital at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville’s Brodbeck Concert Hall Enjoy a night of vibrant music from UW-P’s saxophonists Iowa — “Craft Club: Golf Ball Bumblebees” at the Peosta branch of Dubuque County Library District Attendees will make golf ball bumblebee garden decorations Iowa — “Lessons from the Holocaust” at Cascade Public Library Historian Brad Wilkening will share his research of historical first-hand accounts of Holocaust victims and survivors and offer insight as to how these stories can influence a kinder — Brass Studios Solo Recital at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville’s Brodbeck Concert Hall The performance will feature soloists from UW-P’s brass studios — Dubuque — Frog and toad survey at Heritage Pond This is a citizen science opportunity focused on identifying the frog and toad species in Dubuque County parks Data collected will establish a baseline of information to monitor future population trends including several stops for careful listening and identifying the species calling Wear appropriate footwear for navigating in the dark and in wetter Bring a headlamp or flashlight if you have one — “Shades of Fun” (student-led program) at Platteville Public Library Join local university students to decorate a pair of sunglasses to welcome spring and sunny weather Iowa — “CreateTEEN” at the Asbury branch of Dubuque County Library District — The Outstanding Employee Recognition Evening at City Hall Auditorium In recognition of National Small Business Week the Platteville Regional Chamber will recognize outstanding employees of local small businesses The program speakers will be Cathy Buchanan area director of Golder Hospitality; Julie Klein general manager of Holiday Inn Express-Platteville; and Wayne Wodarz executive director of Platteville Regional Chamber Iowa — “Kids Craft Club: Personalized Picture Frames” at the Asbury branch of Dubuque County Library District Iowa — “CreateTEEN” at the Farley branch of Dubuque County Library District — East Dubuque’s Cruisin’ Thursdays car show downtown Also featuring live music from Driftless Twisters — Dubuque — Screening of “Anora” at Carnegie-Stout Public Library stars Mikey Madison and won five Academy Awards — Dubuque — Dubuque Audubon Society will host Dan Cohen who will give a presentation on the Bird Friendly Iowa program Social and sharing time will begin at 6:45 p.m Cohen worked as a naturalist for 15 years and was executive director of Buchanan County Conservation for 23 years communities can apply to be designated as bird-friendly Cohen will talk about the keys to a successful application and share photos and experiences from his work on Dubuque County rivers — Dubuque — Spanish-Speaking Fungi Hike at Swiss Valley Nature Center & Preserve Join us to explore the trails and fungi of Swiss Valley Attendees will work together to identify and learn fungi names in both Spanish and English They also can view the center’s new fungi exhibit 6 to 8 p.m. — Dubuque — Adult line dancing at Multicultural Family Center, 1157 Central Ave. For adults only. Learn new and classic line dances with Peggy & Ernest Jackson’s Adult Line Dancing Event. Register at https://forms.office.com/g/FLn5RDwtnM 9 a.m. — Maquoketa, Iowa — Birding hike at Prairie Creek Recreation Area, 1215 E. Summit St. On Migratory Bird Day, this easy hike hosted by Jackson County Conservation is for all experience levels and will offer tips and tricks on bird ID. Bring binoculars or borrow a pair. Dress for the weather. Register at 563-652-3783 or jrodewald@jacksoncounty.iowa.gov — Dubuque — Reading with Rover at Carnegie-Stout Public Library Children in kindergarten through third grade are welcome to read a short book to a dog in the Youth Services program room — “We’re Going on a Bear Hunt” at East Dubuque District Library This event features an interactive storytime focused on the classic book “We’re Going on a Bear Hunt” by Michael Rosen attendees will use their crafts for a library bear hunt There also will be snacks and the movie playing — Darlington Cinco De Mayo Fiesta Latina at the festival grounds on Main Street Adult soccer games will be held from 9 a.m — Screening of “Sonic 3” at Platteville Public Library but those younger than 8 must be accompanied by an adult Description: With their abilities outmatched in every way Team Sonic must seek out an unlikely alliance in hopes of stopping Shadow and protecting the planet.” The animated film is rated PG and runs 1 hour Thomas Weis performs Schumann’s Dichterliebe in his Faculty Vocal Recital at University of Wisconsin-Platteville’s Brodbeck Concert Hall Weis will appear with guest pianist Joseph Lecher — Dubuque — Dubuque Symphony Youth Ensembles spring concert at Steeple Square Join the Dubuque Symphony Youth String Ensemble Wind Ensemble and Youth Orchestra in their final concert of the season Donations to support the education programs are appreciated A series of free events this week will give attendees an opportunity to appreciate Dubuque’s historic architecture Architecture Days presented by Dubuque Main Street will be held from Monday to Saturday The events aim to increase awareness of architecture as an art form and to explore the rich architectural landscape of Dubuque Tours will be held at noon on weekdays during the week tour will occur at Dubuque’s Historic Federal Building tour will take place in the 1300 block of Central Avenue and will include the former location of Dubuque Bank & Trust and the former Heartland Financial headquarters The latter location was the site of Walsh Store from 1958 to 2000 The Rider & Lacy Block at 1706 Central Ave and will include the rectory and Fellowship Hall areas of the campus the annual Dubuque Historic Preservation Awards will be held on Tuesday night at the Cathedral of St The gathering time and viewing of the sanctuary begins at 6 p.m. The week’s worth of activities will conclude with a free walking tour on Saturday showcasing historic properties along Locust Street Parking will be available at the corners of West 10th and Locust streets and at the corner of West 11th and Locust streets The Grand Opera House in Dubuque will host a free family movie night featuring a popular prequel to “The Wizard of Oz.” with parking provided in the Iowa Street Ramp across the street “Wicked” is described as the “untold story of the witches of Oz.” It is rated PG and has a running time of 2 hours The movie garnered 10 nominations at the 2025 Oscars and won two awards: for best production design and for best costume design Michael Barron will be the Dubuque Fighting Saints’ top returning scorer next season after tallying 22 goals and 45 points in 61 games this season but as the Dubuque Fighting Saints prepare to res… I love the four seasons we experience in the tri-state area Every seasonal change brings the anticipation of both familiar events and new experiences The Fourth Street Elevator opened on April 1 Dubuque’s outdoor farmers market resumed yesterday And people who ride bikes are getting ready for new travels The Bike Co-op, the city of Dubuque, and others are partnering to bring Bike Week back to Dubuque after a four-year hiatus. It runs from Monday, May 12, through Sunday, May 18. You are invited to join a group ride, attend a meet-up event, or to visit a participating restaurant or bike shop. You can find all the details at BikeWeekDBQ.com The group rides include those for beginners Events include a bike maintenance workshop and a bike-in picnic at the Bee Branch amphitheater with live music and words from Mayor Brad Cavanagh Join the Urban Bicycle Food Mission to serve food to neighbors in need Seven restaurants and three local bike shops are offering deals to people who bike there. Bike shops are conducting free bike safety checks. Sign up at BikeWeekDBQ.com to register your participation and be entered to win prizes including bike lights it’s always a good time to work on New Year’s resolutions like exercising getting outdoors and spending time with friends we encourage you to take this opportunity to ride your bike for transportation: to work Nine schools signed up for this national event The Dubuque Safe Routes to School Committee encourages students and families from all schools to walk or scooter to school and enjoy the fresh air exercise and camaraderie of human-powered transportation During Bike Week, take a multi-modal trip by biking and riding a Jule bus. Those who utilize the bicycle racks on City of Dubuque fixed route buses will ride for FREE! If you would like to try using the bike rack, a Jule bus will be parked at the farmers market on Saturday, May 10, for people to practice. Need help planning your route or finding the nearest bus stop? Check out the Jule’s MyRide tool at myride.cityofdubuque.org While the Heritage Trail is the longest trail in the area the City of Dubuque maintains a 53-mile bike/hike trail system This system includes 28 miles of on-street routes and 25 miles of paved trails for walking The off-street network includes trails at the Bee Branch Chaplain Schmitt Island and Peosta Channel The on-street network includes bike lanes on Ninth and 10th streets and a section of the Mississippi River Trail through downtown the Historic Millwork District and the Washington Neighborhood Numerous plans and projects show Dubuque’s intentions to build a connected network of bike lanes and trails to allow safe The downtown bike lanes will be extended east to meet a new section of the Bee Branch trail The Central Avenue and White Street Corridor Study was adopted with the Multi-Modal Alternative planning for a wider sidewalk on Central and a two-way bicycle track on White The project to build an overpass over the railroad at 14th Street includes improvements for people walking and biking in that area The East-West Corridor Capacity Improvements Project which includes four proposed roundabouts along University Avenue incorporates bike lanes to facilitate bike travel across Dubuque Climate Action Plan and Dubuque Regional Bicycle and Pedestrian Network Plan are guiding documents While these projects will take time to implement there are many great ways to enjoy biking and walking in Dubuque in this season right now Jason Duba is an assistant planner with the city of Dubuque Planning Services Department coordinates the Dubuque Safe Routes to School Committee and serves on the Bike Week planning committee Brock Burch took one step closer to becoming the first Dubuque-trained player to compete in the Canadian Major Junior Hockey system The 15-year-old forward signed a scholarship and development agreement with the Swift Current Broncos of the Western Hockey League Swift Current general manager Chad Leslie announced the signing on Wednesday The Saskatchewan-based Broncos selected Burch in the 11th round “The development plan that Chad and the coaching staff have set up for me has been unbelievable the team culture was great when I went to Swift Current and just to play in the WHL … it’s unreal,” Burch said in an interview on the Broncos’ web site and I’m just trying to get in the gym to get bigger faster and stronger to give myself the best opportunity to make the team out of camp.” Burch spent this season with the Detroit-based Little Caesar’s 15-Only AAA program and contributed 15 goals and 23 points in 20 games in the Michigan Amateur Hockey Association He tallied five goals and nine points in six games at the OHL Cup tournament At the recently completed USA Hockey Nationals Burch recorded a goal and four points in helping Little Caesar’s win its division and finish 3-2-0 before bowing out with a 2-1 loss to the eventual national champion Rhode Island Jr “We’re excited to have Brock and his family in Swift Current,” Leslie said “Brock is an extremely competitive 200-foot player who has some offensive upside can score and will get into the hard areas to produce He competes on both sides of the puck and is just a guy that wants to be a player He’s motivated and cares about winning and cares about culture and all the little things that are going to make him a very valuable player for the Swift Current Broncos We feel extremely fortunate to have him signed and play and looking forward to his future with the organization.” Swift Current drafted Burch after he recorded 12 goals and 18 points in 23 games for the Victory Honda organization at the T1EHL 14U AAA level similar to where I grew up here in Iowa,” Burch said the passion for hockey in the community and around the rink was great and I just saw myself being a Swift Current Bronco “I see the WHL as a younger league that develops young players like myself Thanks to recent legislation changes within the NCAA Burch will still have the option to play college hockey following his time in the WHL the NCAA deemed Major Junior players ineligible because they receive a stipend for competing Brandon Molzof and Ethan Wilson to the fabrication department Drake George and Travis Holland to the sales department Kody Kaiser and Michael Kirk to the shipping and receiving department Joe Kearney and Kevin Cartee to the parts department Dakota Schueller to the production department Sydney Anderson to the human resources department hired Benjamin Kunz to its psychiatry and psychology department where he will provide diagnostic evaluations and psychotherapy appointed Andrew Vanderheyden as its new chief medical officer Forbes named the following certified public accountants from Honkamp on its inaugural America’s Best-In-State CPA List: Katie Thomas The American Hospital Association recognized MercyOne Dubuque Medical Center with a 100-Year Milestone Award for a century of participation and leadership in the association University of Dubuque was recognized as a 2025-26 Top-10 Military Friendly School and a 2025-26 Top-10 Military Spouse Friendly School among U.S private institutions that offer doctorate degrees Northeast Iowa Community College and University of Wisconsin-Platteville were designated as Military Friendly Schools at the Silver level in their respective categories; they also received Military Spouse Friendly Schools designations Items for People in Business can be submitted to Helen Waldmeir via email at helen.waldmeir@thmedia.com or at biztimes.biz/ Iowa: Currently serving as an E5 Sergeant in the Iowa Army National Guard Jon’s role in the powertrain shop for the 248th ASB (Air Support Battalion) involves not only performing maintenance and repairs on powertrain systems but also mentoring and supervising other enlisted soldiers in aircraft maintenance Jon’s journey into the military began unexpectedly Initially accepted to Iowa State University for architectural engineering a chance meeting with a National Guard recruiter at a career fair changed his path and aviation maintenance really interested me,” Jon recalls He decided to join the Iowa National Guard instead of pursuing his university education Jon developed a keen attention to detail and a strong sense of accountability “Working on aircraft for the military requires diligent attention to detail and quality of work on repairs People’s lives depend on the quality of the work I do on aircraft and I take that responsibility very seriously,” he explains These values seamlessly transitioned into his role at John Deere where he focuses on electrical hardware design and validation for the motor grader product line Jon’s pride extends beyond his own service All three of his children are also veterans “I never pushed the military on them; they made the decision to serve on their own I challenge you to find a prouder father out there,” Jon says with a smile His advice to his children was influenced by Navy Admiral William McRaven who stressed the importance of overcoming challenges by setting small beginning with the simple task of making their bed each morning Jon’s commitment to veterans doesn’t stop at his family He co-founded the Tri States Veterans Network in Dubuque an organization focused on connecting veterans and their families with each other we helped nine veterans and family members find jobs in the Tri-State Area One of them was a widow of a veteran killed in action That really felt good to help make sure those folks were taken care of,” Jon shares Also Read: Post-Harvest Field Management and Safe Grain Storage: Essential Practices for Farmers – IARI Advisory 📢 Reach Farmers, Share Your Story, and Grow Your Brand!Got news to share? A company story to highlight? Looking to launch an impactful advertising campaign?  Connect with us at info@krishakjagat.org or nimishgangrade@krishakjagat.org and make your mark 📢 Connect with 100+ Million Farmers! India’s leading farmers rely on Krishak Jagat’s Hindi website for trusted agriculture news, advisory and insights. Click here to explore! the world leader in civilian drones and creative camera technology today presented its fourth annual Agricultural Drone Indonesia: As part of efforts to continuously improve the Rice Crop Manager (RCM) Indonesia platform 16 April 2025, Sweden:  OlsAro a Swedish agtech startup developing crop varieties that are resilient to environmental stressors Copyright © 2025 Krishak Jagat You can see how this popup was set up in our step-by-step guide: https://wppopupmaker.com/guides/auto-opening-announcement-popups/ DBQ Pride recently hosted a “Know Your Rights” LGBTQ+ workshop in Dubuque Organizers said there was a good turnout to an event that was timely given the push they see against the LGBTQ+ community at the state and federal levels including by President Donald Trump’s administration Attorney Caitlin Cervenka provided pertinent legislative and executive branch updates and led the discussion of topics such as name and gender marker changes on official documents “We just keep trying to find innovative ways to educate ourselves” and prepare for whatever comes next one of the founders of the Dubuque nonprofit But it can be tough to know exactly what’s coming from the Trump administration … We get news (about anti-LGBTQ+ proposals) we find out that’s not really on the table anymore.” Trump has pushed to end the federal government’s promotion and funding of “gender ideology.” The president has signed executive orders regarding transgender rights such as banning transgender people from military service; he said in his inaugural address that his administration’s official policy is there are only two genders: male and female; and his administration recently canceled a wave of research grants focused on the health of gay describing it as ideologically driven science The moves regarding transgender rights have been heralded by Republicans Ashley Hinson and Mariannette Miller-Meeks In a social media post celebrating the president’s first 100 days in office during this term Hinson listed “protecting women and girls and ending the woke gender ideology in our schools and military” as one of his notable accomplishments The leaders of DBQ Pride and other organizations view the federal moves as attacks on the LGBTQ+ community Steuer said many of the actions targeted transgender people but they also are a warning of what could happen to other minority groups including other members of the LGBTQ+ community Republican state lawmakers passed a law removing gender identity from Iowa’s civil rights law as of July 1 Opponents of the law argued that it strips away rights and leaves whole classes of Iowans vulnerable to discrimination but supporters argued it protects the rights of women and girls “I have LGBTQ members of my family and friends,” she previously told the TH ‘No one had their rights taken away here.’ The courts told us that — because we had taken action to protect girls (banning trans girls from scholastic sports and banning transgender students from using school restrooms that align with their gender identity) — if we wanted to keep those protections we had to remove this language from our code.” Dubuque Community School Board members last month approved changes to several policies that remove gender identity as a protected class in compliance with state legislation and federal directives said at the meeting that the district was “forced” to make the change at risk of losing federal funding “This is not a partisan issue for me,” she said The idea of protecting and treating fairly all students all volunteers in our school district is about basic human decency and fairness.” Organizations such as DBQ Pride will continue to provide support for LGBTQ+ individuals A big focus of the organization’s efforts is planning for the annual DBQ Pride Festival set for June 7 at the Town Clock on Main Street Steuer said the group was a little uncertain about the reception it would receive as it started fundraising for the event Organizers have been “pleasantly surprised.” Steuer noted that they have received more donations and community members have been reaching out to see how they can support the organization either with the festival or the organization,’” she said Tuesday marked the 100th day of Republican President Donald Trump’s second term in office The Telegraph Herald spoke with local officials and residents from across the political spectrum along with stakeholders involved in issues key to Trump’s efforts to gauge their thoughts on his administration in its first 100 days and the local impacts of his policies but as the Dubuque Fighting Saints prepare to restock their roster as much as 243 points of offense could return in the fall who expect to turn over roughly half of the roster from a squad that went 41-18-1-2 and reached the Eastern Conference Final will build for the future in the two-day United States Hockey League Draft today and Tuesday Tuesday and continues until every team has filled its organizational roster “We’re always looking for the best players available — regardless of position — who fit our mold,” said Trevor Edwards who will oversee his first draft as Dubuque’s general manager after spending eight years as a scout and later director of player of player personnel “We’re looking for kids who can make plays “That’s in our culture and what our coaching staff tries to accomplish daily We’re looking for self-motivated kids who can perform at a high level But we want to be hard to play against in our own way Dubuque could potentially return 11 players including four third-year players in Charlie Arend Sean Barnhill and Dryden Allen are all expected to play at least one more season before beginning their collegiate careers The Saints usually have only one third-year player in a season but a logjam of rosters at the collegiate level will increase that number in the fall The NCAA will reduce roster sizes to 26 from 30-plus; the NCAA has one fewer Division I team after American International College dropped its program and those displaced players will have to find new homes; and NCAA legislation last fall made Canadian Major Junior players eligible “We’re excited about continuing our tradition and continuing to push for league championships while developing players at the same time,” Edwards said of a team that has finished above .500 and qualified for every postseason since returning to the USHL in 2010-11 just like we have holes to fill every year because of our sustained success.” Dubuque will send 13 players to NCAA programs in the fall The list includes goaltenders Jan Spunar (North Dakota) and Liam Beerman (Lindenwood); defensemen Josh Niedermayer (Colgate) James Mackey (Harvard) and Luke Malboeuf (Colgate); and forwards Heikki Ruohonen (Harvard) Gavin Cornforth (Boston College) and Jonathan Morello (Boston University) The Saints called up six affiliates — Bexultan Makysh Tommy Bleyl and Kane Johnson — to play games during the season and all could take steps toward the everyday lineup the USHL expanded Phase I of the draft from 10 to 15 rounds and increased the affiliates list of 2009-born players The moves will allow teams opportunities to build relationships with more players in the 16-year-old age range Players taken in Phase I are typically a year or two away from cracking USHL rosters Phase II will allow teams to address more immediate needs the Saints positioned themselves for success by hitting on their first six picks — Ruohonen Beerman and Jennersjo — while Ekman and Spicer were their eighth and ninth selections the Saints should be able to reload with six picks in the first four rounds of both drafts They have three fourth-round picks in both drafts “We’re in a good position to get the guys we need and want in this draft to restock the cupboard,” Edwards said “We’re optimistic that we won’t lose a beat and we’ll keep on humming along.” 1 pick overall after finishing last overall this season Team USA does not participate in the draft because it has its own selection process Miquel Jackson comes across a new scenario that comes with the territory of coaching a semi-pro football team in its inaugural season does he feel like the Dubuque Miners are starting from scratch along with co-founders Tony Hammel and Ken Johnson previously played semi-pro football in Dubuque And their staff features assistants with experience in arena football and the United Football League so to speak,” Jackson said Saturday morning when the Miners held their inaugural signing ceremony and introduced their roster at the Best Western Ballroom “We all have experience of building from the ground up and we’ve been in the football world before “That’s not saying anything bad about where we previously played and we have the foundation and the know-how to make things happen.” The Miners attracted just seven players to their inaugural tryout last spring but that number has swelled to nearly 30 this spring They hold two mandatory practices each week and hold a few optional practices to accommodate the players’ work and personal schedules Saturday’s event also served as a thank-you to the 21 local businesses who have signed on as sponsors and partners Army vet who played high school football at Dubuque Senior Sam Jaeger and Hunter Winner will also serve on the leadership group along with a rotating fourth assistant captain The roster includes players ranging in experience from NCAA Division I and Division III to high school “I’ve been a part of a lot of teams — football wrestling — and it’s always taken a long time for people to get together and form a brotherhood,” Kelly said and everyone knows his name by the end of practice it’s like they’ve had 100 practices together We’re coming together and putting in the work there’s always someone there to pick him up supportive and player-focused environment for athletes who are passionate about the game They will compete in the Midwest United Football League Johnson and Hammel played semi-pro football in Dubuque and have been talking about starting a program for roughly 10 years we decided it’s not going to happen if we don’t pull the trigger,” Johnson said “Things will just stay a dream unless you take action and now we’re two weeks away from playing our first game.” The Miners will open their inaugural season May 17 against the St Paul Pioneers at Burnsville High School in Minnesota on June 14 at Chalmers Field on the University of Dubuque campus The eight-game regular season concludes July 26 at Chicago “We’re not just a football team,” Jackson said but were also going to be heavily involved in the community that supports us We’re going to give back to the community as well whether it’s youth development for kids who are interested in sports or other volunteer opportunities.” Western Dubuque’s Brett Harris connects for a hit during an Iowa Class 3A playoff game last season Harris and his Dubuque County Minutemen teammates will play in the American Legion state tournament on Sunday Brett Harris loves the idea of competing for a baseball championship before the Western Dubuque High School season begins later this month a junior all-state pitcher/catcher committed to the University of Mississippi when the Dubuque County Minutemen play in the four-team Iowa American Legion state tournament at Linn-Mar High School The tournament was delayed by one day due to wet conditions on the diamond in the second semifinal after Linn-Mar and defending state champion Swisher square off at 10 a.m with the winner advancing to the Central Plains Regional in early August it’s everyone’s goal to go win a state championship,” said Harris who helped Western Dubuque win Iowa Class 3A titles as an eighth-grader and again as a freshman it’s pretty cool that you can be in that kind of situation where you can win one before you start your own high school season it gives you something to strive for during the high school season.” Harris and four other players — Western Dubuque’s Tanner Anderson and Dubuque Wahlert’s Will Pierro Bode Nagelmaker and Will Specht —return from last year’s team that dropped a 6-5 decision to Swisher in the Legion state championship game Swisher rallied in the late innings to defeat the Minutemen and finished second to Fargo in the Central Plains Regional missing the American Legion World Series by one win The state championship game took place July 27 in Cascade after inclement weather pushed it from early May until after the high school season All other Legion state associations play summer schedules but Iowa competes in the spring because it is the only state to play high school baseball in the summer “It was a pretty cool experience just to make it to the state championship game last year but our goal is to go even further than that,” Anderson said “The rewards that come with making it farther than the finals and the state championship are definitely something to look forward to and definitely motivating we’ve talked about how bad we want to make it back to state and go even further It’d be an awesome experience for us as a team.” Dubuque County takes an 8-1 record into the state tournament last weekend to win the three-team area tournament hosted by Linn-Mar “We’ve been playing really well,” Harris said we have a ton of talent from around the county on this team we’re super confident we can play behind them It’s a lot easier when the guys on the mound are throwing strikes “Coming so close last year motivates us a lot None of us have won a state championship with the Legion team before and we’d love to be able to do that and get to regionals.” Dubuque County’s roster also features Cascade’s Jackson Green Eli Fritz and Cooper Hummel; Dyersville Beckman Catholic’s Dylan Recker and Jake Schmidt; Dubuque Hempstead’s Will Steffen; Dubuque Senior’s Dawson Oppelt Drew Sullivan and Easton Felderman; Dubuque Wahlert’s Foti Rigopoulos and Brandon Cummer; and Western Dubuque’s Aaron Kraft and Ben Wernimont Head coach Ronnie Kramer said the Minutemen will have their hands full in the opener against Moville which draws players from eight different schools in the Sioux City area Dubuque County scored twice in the seventh inning to pull out a 2-1 victory “It’s not going to be a cakewalk by any means,” Kramer said and we know our pitching is going to be there I’d like to see us hit the ball a little more consistently Dubuque County’s 18-man roster includes 15 pitchers who logged significant innings for their high school teams a year ago They combined for a 56-26 high school record and 507 strikeouts in nearly 560 innings of work Dubuque County schools posted a 128-89 combined record last summer The Minutemen represent the Legion posts of Cascade Thanks for visiting The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here Dubuque County Authorities were called to a barn fire yesterday morning According to the Dubuque County Sheriff’s Office Sherrill Fire Department and Dubuque County Sheriff’s Office responded to 25387 Ridge Rd around 9:45 Sunday morning owned by 50-year old Bradley Kluesner was on fire Kluesner had been burning brush on the property and some of the embers spread to the barn causing it to catch on fire The only items contained within the barn were hay bales The fire departments were able to keep the fire from spreading to other nearby structures Damage to the barn and hay is estimated at $10,000 There were no injuries and no livestock harmed Maquoketa Valley Academic Excellence Banquet More Weather Details Iowa - As University of Dubuque students moved out of their residence halls at the end of spring semester last week Don't Dump in an effort to divert usable items from the landfill and redistribute them back to the community and even a bike were some of the 9.5 cubic yards of donations collected - close to a standard dump truck's worth The donations will be redistributed through the Dubuque Rescue Mission in the community or the Food Share Co-Op "Iowans generate 2.8 million tons of solid waste per year according to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) the IDNR completed a waste characterization study in Dubuque and found that over 10 percent of residential waste is textiles and packaged foods," said Ashley Noonan stewardship and sustainability coordinator at UD that's a lot of what they may choose to leave behind - bedding Don't Dump helps UD reduce our environmental impact by providing a convenient location for students to donate these items." Donation bins were placed in the common areas of residence halls also collected the donations and delivered them to the Dubuque Rescue Mission on one of the delivery days coordinator of student engagement and formation at UD as well as a graduate student in the master in management - organizational diversity and inclusion leadership program Don't Dump was a perfect opportunity to give back on campus I put stuff I did not want any more in Donate but I did not really know where they went after that it feels full circle to make sure donations are sorted and truly helpful to those who receive them," she said was inspired to give back to the community as Donate Don't Dump supports the Food Share Co-Op and Success Shop that her office oversees Some of the non-perishable food and drink donations that were redistributed to the Food Share Co-Op were immediately taken by other students because it helps students to not only think of others but to also help the environment," Rollins said "Instead of tossing perfectly good items into the dumpster they can instead spend a few seconds thinking of others who may be able to benefit from the items they no longer need It is a project that helps our wider Dubuque community and environment." Off campus partners also helped with the effort Green Iowa AmeriCorps assisted the Dubuque Rescue Mission to prepare for and process donations from students Through their thrift stores and community programs the Dubuque Rescue Mission will redistribute the items to community members Don't Dump is an important event for our campus because it allows us to help give back to our community sometimes without even realizing it," Powell said and things that students don't need anymore we are able to reduce waste and support others in need What might seem like clutter to a student can become a meaningful resource for someone else in the community which makes an impact beyond the UD campus." We recognise you are attempting to access this website from a country belonging to the European Economic Area (EEA) including the EU which enforces the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and therefore cannot grant you access at this time e-mail us at news@kwwl.com or call us at 319-291-1200 Iowa - The University of Dubuque has once again been recognized as a top school in the country for its commitment to student veterans and others in the military community UD was designated a 2025-2026 Top 10 Military Friendly® School and a 2025-2026 Top 10 Military Spouse Friendly® School both placing sixth in the private offering doctorate category "The University of Dubuque is a perennial recipient of a Military Friendly® School designation with it more often than not being ranked in the Top 10 and previously being named Number 1," said Retired U.S our sixth place in the category of private offering doctorate is indicative of our commitment to our veterans and their family members That includes this year's ranking of sixth in our category for Military Spouse Friendly® School as well The University of Dubuque is a proud supporter of our military UD has long been recognized as a Military Friendly® School It has been designated as such a school every year except one since 2011 Between the stellar job Rick Ernst does to ensure veterans can maximize their benefits and the University's commitment to the Yellow Ribbon Program a senior flight operations major who walked at UD's Spring Commencement April 26 Knutson is one of the 143 military-affiliated students at UD He joined the Active Duty Air Force in 2015 as an F-16 Crew Chief he separated from Active Duty and joined the Wisconsin Air National Guard as a Drill Status Guardsman so he could attend UD He is currently a Technical Sergeant (E-6) Institutions earning the Military Friendly® School designation were evaluated using public data sources and responses from a proprietary survey More than 1,800 schools participated in the 2025-2026 survey with 830 earning special awards for going above the standard UD offers unparalleled support to its student veterans That commitment dates back to World War II with the Navy's V5/V12 programs and continues today with a vibrant Army ROTC Eagle Detachment as well as a veteran support group for those studying on campus Dodge Veterans Center will celebrate 10 years of service The veterans center is one of the largest in the region and has study rooms It's where Ernst provides student veterans assistance to ensure they receive all their entitled benefits "The number one resource that has helped me get the most out of my education at the University of Dubuque is the Sergeant Jeffrey B "It provides a quiet space for studying and serves as a catalyst for camaraderie with other student veterans." The 2025-2026 Military Friendly® Schools list will be published in the May and October issues of G.I. Jobs magazine. The list can also be found at www.militaryfriendly.com and weightings were determined by Viqtory with input from the Military Friendly® Advisory Council of independent leaders in the higher education and military recruitment community Final ratings were determined by combining the institution's survey scores with the assessment of the institution's ability to meet thresholds for student retention persistence (degree advancement or transfer) and loan default rates for all students and "Military Friendly® is committed to transparency and providing consistent data-driven standards in our designation process," said Kayla Lopez "Our standards provide a benchmark that promotes positive outcomes and support services that better the educational landscape and provide opportunity for the military community This creates a competitive atmosphere that encourages institutions to evolve and invest in their programs consistently Schools who achieve awards designation show true commitment in their efforts For more information about resources available to student veterans at UD, please visit http://www.dbq.edu/Veterans/ A Dubuque nonprofit looks to potentially hold its after-school programming at a soon-to-be-closed elementary school beginning in the fall Mark Youth Enrichment is in talks with the Dubuque Community School District to possibly shift its after-school program for students in kindergarten through fifth grade to the Hoover Elementary School building for the 2025-2026 school year according to officials from both organizations free play and an evening meal for students at Lincoln That location has served both nonprofits well Mark and Boys & Girls Club programs have seen growth in the past two years Mark after-school program now serves approximately 70 students “It became clear earlier this school year that we just need more space if we want to help as many kids as both agencies want to,” Foley told the Telegraph Herald on Wednesday Dubuque Community School Board members approved the closure of Hoover Elementary School at the end of the current academic year due to financial concerns and the school’s declining enrollment District officials have said closing the school will save the district about $1 million per year in staffing costs as current Hoover staff will fill positions across the district that are open due to resignations or retirements district officials said they did not plan to sell the building at 3259 St instead retaining it for potential future use as a temporary school site while facilities upgrades are completed at other district schools Dubuque district Chief Communication Officer Mike Cyze wrote in a message to the TH that St Mark representatives recently initiated a conversation about the possibility of moving the after-school program to the Hoover building for the upcoming school year additional conversations are planned for later this month “We are hopeful that we can come to an arrangement that will positively serve our students,” Cyze wrote An article about a man who seriously injured another man in an altercation in Dubuque was the most-read story of the past week on TelegraphHer… University of Dubuque students moved out of their residence halls as the spring semester came to an end donation bins were placed in the halls in an effort to reduce waste A total of 9.5 cubic yards of items were collected According to a release from the University of Dubuque the donations collected were “redistributed through the Dubuque Rescue Mission in the community or the Food Share Co-Op Student and staff volunteers sorted the items collected Off-campus partners also assisted in with the efforts because it helps students to not only think of others but to also help the environment,” said Emily Rollins and Community Engagement at the University of Dubuque “Instead of tossing perfectly good items into the dumpster It is a project that helps our wider Dubuque community and environment.” Line cook Adam Waterman prepares cheesy hashbrown casserole ahead of Convivium Urban Farmstead’s annual Easter Brunch event held Sunday at the Dubuque nonprofit organization Baby chicks are displayed in the dining room of Convivium Urban Farmstead on Sunday during the nonprofit organization’s annual Easter Brunch event The chicks will be integrated into Convivium’s egg-laying flock of chickens in about eight weeks Line cook Lashanti Martin slices ham to prepare for Convivium Urban Farmstead's annual Easter Brunch event breathing and preening Easter symbols served as added attractions at a brunch event hosted by a Dubuque nonprofit Baby chicks were displayed in Convivium Urban Farmstead’s large dining room Sunday during the nonprofit organization’s annual Easter brunch event The chicks will be integrated into Convivium’s egg-laying flock of chickens in about eight weeks — once they have all of their feathers Convivium’s co-founder and executive director lifted the lid of the chicks’ wire-enclosed and heated brooder box The five chicks in the box briefly scattered before settling down for more preening Shalabi had time to check on the chicks during a lull between brunch seatings The event drew 150 people spread across separate seatings held at 9 and 11 a.m. roasted green beans and other menu items while supporting Convivium’s varied programs “We are all about bringing people together around food,” Shalabi said “(The Easter brunch) is a nice thing to be able to offer the community.” the event’s proceeds support the organization’s initiatives to improve life through food “The big thing we do is our free casserole program,” Shalabi said “We make and bake and give away 250 free casseroles every week.” Other initiatives include raised-bed gardens providing produce to local residents and classes on a variety of cooking and gardening topics “We have a cooking class we teach a couple of times a year called ‘Good and Cheap,’ and that is based on a cookbook of the same name,” Shalabi said “That (class) is for at-risk populations free of charge.” said the brunch event also serves as a way to share Easter with local residents And it’s fun to have the chicks displayed so kids can have something to do.” line cooks Lashanti Martin and Adam Waterman were busy preparing menu items Martin sliced ham and Waterman prepared hashbrown casseroles but our day of service (for the Easter brunch) is easier (than a normal Sunday) because we can get a lot done earlier in the week where we don’t know what to expect,” Tierney said (because the event is ticketed) we know how many people are coming so we can be ready to go (with the menu items).” “It was a great experience and the food was great,” Buzz said People walk along the Dubuque Farmers Market on July 1 Downtown Dubuque will again be a weekend hub of foot traffic this weekend as dozens of vendors prepare to greet large The Dubuque Farmers Market returns Saturday sees up to 4,000 visitors during its busiest weeks “It’s amazing how this community has supported its local farmers,” Bertjens said to noon on Saturday mornings through September this year’s 106 approved vendors will set up shop along Iowa Street between 10th and 13th streets and around City Hall “People get to meet the people who are growing their food it’s the only place they want to buy their produce.” Among the changes to the market this year is the addition of a fourth location for live music at the intersection of Iowa and 10th streets This will complement live music at three other locations spread across the market with performers registering on a first-come Organizers this year also are adding seating in the form of picnic tables and benches placed around the market The amount of seating each week will depend on the weather “We’re excited to bring this new amenity seating to the market,” she said The market will continue to offer patrons the option to pay with wooden “market money” tokens — available for purchase on site — which come in $5 increments and are accepted by all vendors and treated like cash Customers using SNAP/EBT cards will receive blue tokens in $1 increments Project Rooted $5 Bucks can be used at certain vendors who sell vegetables provided to children served by the local nonprofit Some patrons will see a minor change in payment this year to Double Up Food Bucks for which the market partners with the Iowa Healthiest State Initiative SNAP participants also will receive a $1 Double Up Food Bucks token weekly up to $15 — compared to up to $10 last year this year’s market will feature new and old faces on the list of vendors Among the market’s first-time vendors will be Galena Roasters who also operate a coffee shop in downtown Galena and a bistro within Midwest Medical Center are bringing their food truck to the market “We made some trips over on our own to scout it out and it seemed like a great market,” said Galena Roasters owner Earl Thompson “It just seemed like a great place to be.” other beverages and food such as breakfast sandwiches He said he is eager to introduce his offerings to farmers market patrons “We’re all about the science and the craft.” Other vendors have been farmers market staples for years — or even over a century which got started in Dubuque in the 1880s and is now based in East Dubuque has been a vendor at the market since the farm’s inception who owns and operates the farm with his family While the farm’s locally famous sweet corn is not in season until about July 4 Fincel said his booth Saturday will feature asparagus and radishes with tomatoes and strawberries available in June to noon Saturdays in May-September and 8 a.m located on Iowa Street between 10th and 13th streets and around City Hall located on Jackson Street between Seventh and Ninth streets in the 400 block of South River Park Drive along River Street behind Bushel & A Peck Dubuque Main Street Director David Barba sits at his office in Dubuque on Wednesday A menu created for Greg's BBQ owner Greg Harrison by Dubuque Main Street Operations Manager Laura Bertjens Dubuque Main Street Director David Barba says the organization is expanding the scope of its services and reorienting itself toward online and youth engagement Dubuque Main Street serves as a front office for the business community of downtown Dubuque and is designed to drive community engagement through events advocate for the interest of the downtown district and facilitate connection and innovation from new entrepreneurs by reducing entry barriers through referrals for grants and training was hired in March after serving as its interim director since January following the departure of Danielle Jacobs incentives and grants for people who want to start a business or get anything going in Dubuque,” Barba said “That can be a really confusing web to navigate especially if you’re new to the whole world of grant writing and community development incentives I think Dubuque Main Street can be a comfortable and accessible stop on that journey.” Given ever-changing political winds and consumer spending habits small businesses have developed new needs; Barba believes solutions to those challenges are best found at the local level “I think that much of the apathy towards community engagement these days comes from people — not just young people but anybody just bombarded with these big national global issues (online) and feeling like they can’t really do anything about them,” he said I became invested in Dubuque this way because Dubuque became invested in me.” Barba attended Clarke University to study graphic design but dropped out during the COVID-19 pandemic instead “making the business decision” to bet on himself He began painting murals around Dubuque and landed a job with RiverBluff Collective in East Dubuque an association with the Dubuque Area Arts Collective Through that organization he helped host monthly art shows and bring attention to local artists “I see the same things in that first art show as in somebody who wants to start a business,” Barba said “There’s that same moment of helping people realize that they can really do this and it’s not just reserved for people who already have money or a business.” Now Barba applies his design skills and internet savvy to bringing local businesses to relevance on the internet He believes Dubuque Main Street’s impact can go beyond grant writing and hosting events like the ever-popular Dubuque Farmers Market “Not every business will get a grant they apply for,” Barba said “What I think I can do that previous directors did not is business (marketing) services that anyone can take advantage of.” Barba felt inspired to do more at a meeting for the nonprofit Dubuque Forward participants voiced frustrations with the prevalence of online shopping and fast-food delivery “How does a small business compete with that?” Barba asked “The traditional thinking is we need to convince people they really want to come down in person and try to change habits built (by corporations) But I think there’s also a responsibility to meet those people where they’re at Instead of fighting against the digital space I think downtown businesses need to embrace it and learn how to wield it.” He said the internet provides a global audience which in turn helps businesses serve customers anywhere “You don’t have to (only) rely on the amount of people who are walking by your store,” Barba said The extra work of maintaining a website can be taxing which is where he believes Dubuque Main Street comes in Even before Barba’s tenure as Dubuque Main Street’s director began Greg Harrison came into the organization’s office with a handwritten menu that was “real rough looking,” Barba said Operations Manager Laura Bertjens built a typed menu and provided printouts Harrison would regularly collect each month he visited Harrison during food service to take photos of him Dubuque Main Street posted the menu on Facebook and shared it around “He had like 200 phone calls that day,” Barba said “He called me back and gave me a voicemail the day after It’s this mindset that sold the Dubuque Main Street board on Barba as its next leader is really a big perspective thinker,” said Dubuque Main Street Board President Creed Waelchli “He really likes to try and include all of the generations employees and really the community and our citizens What their interests are and what they hope our downtown will be.” Having Barba’s youthful energy lead the way was another deciding factor in his hiring “He’s really brought a great perspective on what his generation wants to see that maybe our organization wasn’t previously thinking of … he’s realistic in what our small staff (of two) can accomplish,” Waelchli said