Issuu

US POSTAGE PAID DECORAH, IA PERMIT #6

driftless

POSTAL CUSTOMER

www.driftlessjournal.com | news@driftlessjournal.com | 563-382-4221 | Tuesday, August 8, 2023 | Vol. 5 Issue 32

Chalking leaves grave problems at Decorah’s Phelps Cemetery stones can lead to grave problems, as Gossling said, the chalking process can be abrasive and lead to stone damage and stain. She said the chalking has become a too-often practice involving rubbing a piece of sidewalk chalk over the engraving of stone to make the lettering stand out better, with sights set on improving photos. The chemical residue left on the stone can eventually soak in and cause the monument to wear down. The pressure of rubbing or using this chalk method can also cause the stone to fracture or crumble. Some think the chalk will wash away, but that is typically not the case. Tombstone chalking has erroneously been touted as a safe way to keep a visual record of a tombstone. But the truth is, it is harmful to tombstones and is currently being banned and outlawed in many different areas. The chalk can eventually wear

By Roz Weis When working on some historical background for a Public Television program, Stacey Gossling of Decorah recently came across some disturbing ﬁndings at Phelps Cemetery in Decorah. A dozen or more vintage, historical gravestones had been “chalked.” Chalking tombA dozen or more stones were damaged by someone who “chalked” the gravestones while visiting the cemetery in mid-July. Several of the damaged stones are pictured here. (Driftless Multimedia photos by Roz Weis)

away the carving on stones and make it very harsh. She has loosen bits of the stone, caus- seen instances of chalk actually ing flaking and breaking. bruising stones, and the stain is Some genealogy “search- still visible years after the fact. ers” have been known to visit Additionally, there are false area cemeteries to learn more claims that using flour, bleach, about family history and pho- vinegar, grass killer or shaving tograph what is written on the cream are good methods for headstones. Their methods to making stones more readable. enhance the lettering have led Not so, according to Gossling. to ongoing problems. Experts say these items have Cemetery preservation en- dangerous chemicals that can thusiasts say with today’s pho- deteriorate the stones, much tography advances, there is like acid. Gossling said that no reason to do chalking on a power-washing techniques are tombstone. Photographs can also discouraged. provide a much greater and Gossling, who is dedicated more artistic visual remem- to cemetery preservation efbrance of any stone. forts throughout the Driftless Chalking is, sadly, a method area and beyond, said chalking that is still being promoted by at public cemeteries is a crime. people in the field as being a The Decorah Police were sumsafe way to read hard-to-read moned after the Phelps Cemetombstones. Unfortunately, tery incident, and investigation there is still a lack of knowl- continues. edge about this subject. She discovered that some of While visiting with Gossling the photos of the local headas she painstakingly cleaned SHOULD I the headstones atWHY Phelps Cemetery, she reiteratedSELL the factNOW? continued on page 4 that the ingredients in the chalk 1. If you have inherited items such

We Are Buying At WE ARE BUYING AT

FREE EVALUATION AND CASH OFFER!

Country Inn & Suites

WE MAKE HOUSE CALLS!

Private and Confidential Chalking • All transactions are strictly confidential 2042 IA-9, Decorah, IA 52101 • Of course, there is as coins, jewelry, diamonds and Traveling to your area since 1988 antiques and you’re not internever any charge for our ested in keeping them, our peoopinion or advice. ple will give you a FREE verbal Most people have never appraisal. You decide if you want to sell your merchandise for sold their merchandise coffee here, they will pay $50. what we are used to in the U.S. – they cleaning the rice were hand removing Submitted by Tad Mueller or keep it. like this before. We were fortunate that the group are held in a large room of someone’s chaff and rodent droppings so thatCASH the is easier to divide and cre2. Cash Please come in for our working with us had a couple of old- home or in a small meeting area in rice could be distributed to families. Twenty-two members of Calmar ates fewer problems when it cash to offer. comes to settling estates. The next day we spent bagging Lutheran Church traveled Cuba er diesel-powered vans, one without a the city and are loud and ﬁlled with

From Calmar to Cuba:

Monday, May 17: 10am-6pm Missionaries share humble happiness with locals Tuesday, May 18: 10am-6pm Wednesday, May 19: 9am-4pm

July 21-30 on a mission to support working air conditioner, to transport excitement. Religions are not allowed food and interacting with the Cuban the Cuban people. Travel days were our group and our luggage. Much is to openly evangelize in Cuba. All re- people while distributing the food Friday and Saturday, landing in Ha- made of the pristine looking U.S. cars ligious activities are held inside and and supplies. This was a very emovana on Saturday afternoon. We spent from the 1950s in Cuba. The fact that out of the public eye. By keeping ser- tional day for everyone in our group that afternoon traveling to Santa Mar- these cars exist and are maintained is vices exciting, it helps attract people AllasPolitical Baseball Cards to the churches. ta Matanzas, where we settled into more out of necessity than desire, spent the rental homes and enjoyed a tradition- the majority of people in Cuba don’t ItemsOn Monday the groupUnder 1970 continued on page 10 own cars. They rely on electric scootmorning working on the church farm al Cuban meal of fruit, rice and beans. Any Size, Any Cut CoinsLutheran of Calmar We spent six days there and our hosts ers, bicycles, horse and wagon, buses as well as cleaning rice. The farm is MembersGold traveled to Cuba in Rings owned by the church to grow fruits Church who walking and hitchhiking. were amazing. Our rooms were clean or Wedding Silver Coins WE MAKE Class Rings, Wedding Rings July are pictured at the base of On Sunday the group traveled to and other foods. Our work on the and well-kept and they prepared Tennis Bracelets of HavanaCoins sculpture on 14K,involved 18K or 22K Jewelry cleaning the area up The ChristForeign meals for us daily. Coffee was HOUSE a lit- the city of Jovellanos and split into10K,farm CALLS! Platinum a hilltop in Havana, Cuba. (subfor a youth camp to be held later in two groups to attend church services tle limited but that is understandable; Gold Coins • Dental Gold, Scrap Gold Mint/Proof Sets Jewelry are different from the week. The individuals working on mitted photo) when we pay $7 to $8 for a bag of there. Services

CASH OFFERS MADE ON THE FOLLOWING ITEMS Mission trip

DIAMONDS

COINS

GOLD

uying At

BUYING

WHY SHOULD I & Suites Commemorative Coins Wire WE ARE BUYING WE MAKE SELL NOW? ah, IA 52101 HOUSEDo NOT Clean Your Coins Franklin Mint Coins Bullion ATtoxicity: Houston You May Decrease Their Value Reducing County’s solid waste process is anything but simple CALLS!

e Are Buying At

Gold-Filled or Plated Items

1. If you have inherited items such as coins, jewelry, diamonds and antiques and you’re not interested in keeping them, our people will give you a FREE verbal appraisal. You decide if you want to sell your merchandise for CASH or keep it. 2. Cash is easier to divide and creates fewer problems when it comes to settling estates.

since 1988

: 10am-6pm to La Crosse, of- both an inspector and member and surrounding areas, with Kate Klimesh to consider other options. Those id wasteWRIST & which POCKET WATCHES SILVER COINS CURRENCY 8:By 10am-6pm WHY SHOULD fers a wideIrange of reclamation of a solid waste team. Herrick resource recovery activities in Minnesota choose between Any Watch, Working Or Not Half Dollars, Quarters, Dimes Silver Certificates - U.S. Notes 19:The9am-4pm SELLofNOW? resource points all along the reported, “The waste hierarchy conducted at the Xcel Energy number of available Rochester Landﬁll or La Crosse

untry Inn & Suites

2042 IA-9,National Decorah, IA 52101 1. If you have inherited items Bulova, such Elgin, Hamilton, Accutron, Waltham, etc. Currency - $500 and $1,000 Notes

lenge can be ﬁnding markets for the materials or getting it clean for reuse.” “What’s left, we focus on energy recovery from the materials – if it can’t be recycled, it’s possible it could be burned, so appropriate materials for energy creation, called refuse-derived fuels, are chipped and processed for burning. With whatever is left after each of those

1964 and Older process, making this trash trip we use in Minnesota and in waste-to-energy (WTO) facility landfillsTraveling for solid waste in the Solid Waste in Wisconsinas coins, – a jewelry, diamonds and to your area since 1988 antiques and you’re not interRailroad Pocket Watches, Rolex, Tag Heuer, Kennedy Halves 1965-1970 Horse Blanket/Large-Size Notes anything but tame. Wisconsin teaches us how to on French Island. The resource Driftless area are few and far regional waste facility connectested in keeping them, our peoHE FOLLOWING ITEMS onday, May find value center is publicly between, in large part 17: due to 10am-6pm the ed to •a Foreign facility that turns ple waste will give you a FREE verbalCartier, Omega • Watch Casesin the materials of recovery Silver Dollars Fractioned Currency Currency appraisal. You decide if you want value in waste solid waste.” owned and privately managed. sometimes-unstable geolinto energy with heightened re- yourFinding aseball Cards MayKarst to sell merchandise for uesday, 18: 10am-6pm COINS Under 1970 CASH or keep it.Houston County EnvironThe La Crosse County Solid “First, there is source reducogy found throughout the area. cycling sorting and screening 2. Cash is easier to divide and creGold Coins dnesday, May 19: 9am-4pm capacity for a five-county area. mental Services Director MarWaste Facility’s main objective tion and reuse of materials, and The 1983 closure of the Houston ates fewer problems when it comes estates. has decades of expesol-to settling tin Herrick is to reduce the toxicity of waste that generally is at the discreCounty Landfill,Silver due Coins to ground- Houston County sends their ngs Foreign led Coins welry rience in the waste industry as to the environment tion of the manufacturers and water contamination, folks ap Gold Mint/Proof Sets and minimize consumers. Recycling and comms Commemorative Coins the impact of posting is the second tier; that our Coins Coins Cards All Political Franklin Mint Baseball new waste includes materials being sorted heir Value COINS Items Under 1970 on the 350- and screened on the tipping WATCHES SILVER COINS continued on page 5 Gold Coins acre landfill floor. With recycling, the chalg Or Not Half Dollars, Quarters, Dimes GOLD tron, Waltham, etc. 1964 and Older Coins Class Rings, Wedding Rings WESilver MAKE olex, Tag Heuer, Kennedy Halves 1965-1970 Foreign 10K, 14K, 18K or 22K Jewelry Pictured here, the Xcel Energy waste-to-energy (WTO) facility on French ch Cases Silver Dollars HOUSECoins Gold Coins • Dental Gold, Scrap Gold FREE Sets Mint/Proof Island, is part of the La Crosse County Solid Waste Facility, where waste WE ARE BUYING WE MAKE CALLS! EVALUATION Gold-Filled or Plated Items HOUSE AND CASH AT that can’t be recycled is processed and burned for energy. The plant is Commemorative Coins CALLS! OFFER! Antique LuresCoins carbon negative by 43 percent per ton of garbage when compared to landDo NOTFishing Clean Your Franklin Coins Private andMint Confidential I Country Inn & Suites WHYSELLSHOULD • All transactions I are You May Decrease Their Value WHY SHOULD NOW? filling that same amount of waste traditionally. (submitted photo) strictly confidential 2042 IA-9, Decorah, IA 52101 • Of course, there is SELL NOW? never any charge for our Record Vintage opinion or advice. ecorah, IA &52101 WRIST POCKET WATCHES SILVER COINS Monday, May 17: 10am-6pm 1. If you have inherited items such Most people have never

Vintage Toys, Games, Buying All Rolex Antique Fishing Lures Premiums, etc. Watches MADE ON THE FOLLOWING ITEMS RecordSolid waste All Beer Collectibles Including Vintage Players Hamm’s Lunch Boxes

E BUYING Buying At AT Train Sets

nn &Fountain Suites

All WWII & Older US And Foreign Military Cameras Tuesday, May 18: 10am-6pm Half Dollars, Quarters, Dimes Related Items Wednesday, May 19: 9am-4pm Traveling to your area since 1988

Pens

as coins, jewelry, and Lunch Boxes sold diamonds their merchandise Any Watch, Working Or NotPlayers your area since 1988 like this before.

FREE ay 17: EVALUATION 10am-6pm & Famous ay 18: CASH 10am-6pm OFFER!

We are Buying at

antiques and you’re not inter-

Please comeand in for our Elgin, Bulova, Hamilton, Accutron, Waltham, etc. Older cash offer. ested in keeping 1964 them, our peoStamp you a FREE verbal Railroad Pocket Watches, Rolex, Tag Heuer, ple will give Kennedy Halves 1965-1970 CASH OFFERS MADE ON THE FOLLOWING ITEMS appraisal. You decide if you want Cartier, Omega • Watch Cases Silver Dollars Collections

& Older US Autographs And Foreign Military May 19: 9am-4pm Buying Rolex PrivateAll and Confidential Related Items

Stamp Collections

Musical Instruments We Are Buying At

Sports Collectibles

to sell your merchandise for DIAMONDS CASH or keep it. Any Size, Any Cut 2. Cash is easier to divide and creWedding Rings ates fewer problems whenTennis it Bracelets Platinum comes to settling estates. Jewelry

All Political Items

Baseball Cards Under 1970

GOLD

Class Rings, Wedding Rings 10K, 14K, 18K or 22K Jewelry Gold Coins • Dental Gold, Scrap Gold Gold-Filled or Plated Items

COINS

Gold Coins Silver Coins Foreign Coins Mint/Proof Sets Commemorative Coins Franklin Mint Coins

Monday, Aug. 14: 10am-6pm Antique Fishing Lures • AllWatches transactions are strictly confidentialAll Railroad Tuesday, Aug. 15: 10am-6pm Banks ON THE FOLLOWING Items uding • Of course, thereClocks is never VintageITEMS Mantle AllRecord 10¢ Comic Books Wednesday, any charge for our opinion or Boxes Players Aug. 16: 9am-3pm Lunch Wire Bullion

CURRENCY

Baseball Cards 1960s And Older advice. Under 1970

COINS

Coca-Cola Items Most people have never sold

Silver Certificates - U.S. Notes National Currency - $500 and $1,000 Notes Horse Blanket/Large-Size Notes Fractioned Currency • Foreign Currency

Vintage Toys, Games, Premiums, etc.

Do NOT Clean Your Coins You May Decrease Their Value

WRIST & POCKET WATCHES

SILVER COINS

Any Watch, Working Or Not Elgin, Bulova, Hamilton, Accutron, Waltham, etc. Railroad Pocket Watches, Rolex, Tag Heuer, Cartier, Omega • Watch Cases

Half Dollars, Quarters, Dimes 1964 and Older Kennedy Halves 1965-1970 Silver Dollars

2042, IA-9, Decorah Banks

ecrease Their Value

Items WHY SHOULD I SELL NOW?

Cash offers made on the following items:

Coins, Diamonds, Gold, Silver, Watches, Political Items, Baseball Cards, Vintage Toys, Vintage Lunch Boxes, Stamp Collections, Train Sets, Beer Collectibles, Military Items, see our ad inside for more details.

Buying All Rolex

Antique Fishing Lures Watches TRUSTED WE ARE THE MOST BUYERS IN THE MIDWEST AND WE ARE IN YOUR AREA

STERLING/PLATED

BJL Jewelry & IT Coin BRING ALL 612-363-4244 PLATINUM

Sterling Jewelry

800 or On

AND WE’LL SORT

1960s And Older Coca-Cola Items

Stamp Gold Coins Record All Beer Collectibles Including Vintage LD their Musical Instruments Players Hamm’s Lunch Boxes merchandise like this Silver Coins Collections Wedding Rings Stamp Train before.PLATINUM Please come in Coins forBULLION Silverware ALL Any Items Musical Instruments Foreign or 22K Jewelry Collections Sets l Gold, Scrap Gold Marked 990, our cash offer. All Vintage Costume Jewelry Jewelry Gold AndHollowware LL All WWII & Older US Foreign Military Mint/Proof Sets All WWII & Older US And Foreign Military Fountain PLEASE LEAVE A MESSAGE, WE WILL CALL YOU Jewelry BACK! Cameras Related Items Pens Plated Items Wire Silver, 999, 925 Candlestick 980, 925, Related Items Commemorative Coins Weiss, Eisenberg, Bullion Platinum All Railroad Famous SportsCoin, 830, Holders Wire Banks Items Autographs Collectibles Hlean IT! Your Coins Miriam Franklin Mint Coins Haskell

COSTUME JEWELRY

WE MAKE

Country Inn & Suites HOUSE CALLS! All Railroad

BULLION

Gold Silver, 999, 925