Local News

An Iowa man was seriously injured in a one-vehicle crash Saturday night that resulted in an OMVI and possible other charges, according to the Crawford County Sheriff’s Department.

On Oct. 3, at about 7:15 p.m., the sheriff’s department was notified of the crash on State Highway 35, about two-tenths of a mile north of Caya Road in the township of Seneca.

Steven Welch, 47, of Fairfax, Iowa, was operating a 2006 Ford Mustang north on Highway 35 when he lost control and struck a guardrail, causing the vehicle to overturn multiple times and come to rest in a creek. Fifty feet of guardrail was damaged during the crash.

Welch sustained several injuries in the crash and was transported to Crossing Rivers Health by TriState Ambulance for medical treatment and later transferred to Iowa City Hospital for continued treatment.

By Correne Martin

When Pope Francis made his historic visit to the United States two weeks ago, a group from Holy Family Parish in Prairie du Chien made the trip to the East Coast to experience the once-in-a-lifetime spectacle surrounding the visit and to catch a glimpse of the pope himself.

Fifteen students and three adults from Holy Family Parish, as well as two residents from Eastman, two from Bloomington and 20 from Boscobel, boarded Minnesota Coaches Thursday, Sept. 24, at 9 p.m., for a four-day excursion.

Terry Seeley, of Prairie du Chien, was awarded a Quilt of Valor at the Corner Shoppe in Garnavillo, Iowa, recently. The quilt, made by Wendy Kuhse, was presented to Seeley by Wendy and her husband, Lanny, in a ceremony attended by a few close friends and family members on Aug. 2.

Seeley, who enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in 1966, was a member of the 1st Battalion, 9th Marine Division, and earned the rank of Corporal (E4). He spent four months in the Republic of Vietnam, where he was wounded twice in Khe-Sanh and, as a result, earned two Purple Hearts. He recovered at a Japanese hospital and was subsequently moved to Great Lakes Naval Hospital in Illinois.

Ninety-five percent of the battalion (named The Walking Dead) in which Seeley served were either killed or went missing in action. He was one of the 5 percent who lived to tell about his war experience.

Seeley received an honorable discharge on April 24, 1972.

Nelson True Value recently donated $10,000 to the Prairie du Chien library expansion project. “The people of Prairie du Chien have been so good to Nelson True Value over the years and we wanted to give back to the community,” Store Owner Dan Kanis said. “The library project seems to be a very important and worthwhile project for the community and we were inspired to hear about it.” The Prairie du Chien Common Council has approved the $3 million upgrade to the library, with a challenge to the community to raise half of that amount. Pictured, Dan (right) and Jake (left) Kanis present the $10,000 gift to City Administrator Aaron Kramer. “Prairie du Chien is truly one blessed community when it comes to its corporate partners. Time and again, we see them giving back to the community, and one of the leading supporters is Nelson True Value,” Kramer said.