River Valley

by Macie Hill

The regular session of the Lansing City Council was held Monday, December 3. Discussion centered around the Fehr Graham engineering agreement for the Clear Creek Sewer Project, a sewer line bill regarding two Main Street businesses, the Northern Engraving Well, a wireless squad car system, a splash pad update and a Marina Board update.

The council approved the motion for an engineering agreement with Fehr Graham regarding an additional $32,000 engineering fee for completion of the Clear Creek Sewer Project.

The council was advised that T.J. Hunter’s Banquet Hall and the Century Link building’s private sewer line had a blockage that was professionally resolved recently. The $800 bill for the project will be sent to T.J. Hunter’s Banquet Hall owner Jason Drape, and the two property owners will negotiate what amount of the bill owners of the Century Link building will pay.

The Allamakee County Lodging Guide is available to view or download at www.allamakeecounty.com/lodging. Those who have questions may contact 563-568-2624 or aced@mchsi.com.
 

During Small Business Saturday, November 24, Main Street Lansing hosted a food drive to benefit the Lansing Iowa Food Trust (LIFT). In one day, the drive collected 351 pounds of food and $95 in cash donations.

In addition, donors were invited to enter a drawing for gift cards to local businesses. Winners included:

Steph Runkle - $10 gift card to Shep’s
Laure Manning - $5 gift card to River N Ridge
Karen Galema - $10 gift card to Lansing IGA
Perry Johnson - $10 gift card to Lansing IGA
Fran Luck - $5 gift card to River N Ridge
Mary Gray - $5 gift certificate to Village Farm & Home
Dixie Corwin - $10 gift card to Red Geranium
Ruth Belich - $10 gift card to Red Geranium
Rita Heim - $10 gift card to Lansing IGA
Kris L - $5 gift certificate to Village Farm & Home.
 

The inaugural Driftless Half-Marathon Relay and 5K event held October 13 between Harpers Ferry and Lansing had more than 220 runners registered, with 187 of those actually finishing the event. The first-year event, under the direction of Amanda Hess, raised a total of $3,600 that has since been donated to area non-profit organizations such as the Lansing Fire Department, Lansing Emergency Medical Services (EMS), Harpers Ferry Fire and Emergency Medical Services (EMS), Lansing Lions Club, Lansing Swimming Pool Water Aerobics, Friends of Pool 9, Kee High School/Middle School Activities and the Waukon High School Girls Cross Country Club.

The Kee High School Post Prom Committee will host Bingo Sunday, December 2 in the Kee High School cafeteria in Lansing. Games will start at 4 p.m., with doors opening at 3:30 p.m.

Participants can bring a non-perishable food item or $1 donation and play an extra Bingo card free. All donations will be given to LIFT (Lansing Iowa Food Trust). All players will be eligible for a door prize drawing at intermission. Proceeds will be used to fund 2019 Post Prom prizes and entertainment.
 

The Allamakee County Conservation Board and filmmakers from Untamed Science will host the Driftless Area Education and Visitors Center premier of “Decoding the Driftless” Saturday, December 15. There will be two showings at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. at the Driftless Area Education and Visitors Center in Lansing. “Decoding the Driftless” is the sequel to the popular Emmy award winning “Mysteries of the Driftless.”

The documentary will take viewers on a wild ride of adventure through the air, across rugged landscapes, on and under water, through a secret underworld, and across time itself to explore and decipher ancient clues of the Driftless Region, with its captivating scenic beauty. The premier will begin with an introduction from writer and producer George Howe and be followed by the 62-minute “Decoding the Driftless.”

Seats are limited and anyone interested in attending the premier must register in advance by calling 563-538-0401.

An event held during the final two weekends in September helped raise more than $7,200 for the future of local farming and a local farming family, and those funds were recently distributed to those respective benefactors at check presentation events. Waukon Feed Ranch created a corn maze for the public to try and navigate at its agronomy center located west of Waukon along Old Highway 9, taking a freewill donation the weekends of September 22-23 and 29-30 to help raise funds for the local FFA chapters of Waukon High School and Kee High School, along with the family of Brogan Gavin, son of Tom and Alana Gavin of rural Lansing who is undergoing treatment for leukemia. Along with the corn maze proceeds, the Allamakee County Cattlemen hosted a grilling event, WW Homestead Dairy sold cheese curds and the Allamakee County Dairy Promotion Board had its dairy wagon on site, with additional proceeds from those offerings also being added to the donated funding.

The Driftless Area Education and Visitors Center in Lansing will remain open until 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, December 5 for anyone who is interested in watching the arrival of the Canadian Pacific Holiday Train. The train will arrive in Lansing at approximately 4:50 p.m. and the musical performances will begin at 5 p.m. near the Lansing City Park and ballfield. 

As part of the Holiday Train event, the Driftless Center will be taking donations of nonperishable food items beginning Friday, November 30 for food banks of Allamakee County. Anyone wishing to donate items may drop them off during regular business hours or until 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, December 5 at the Driftless Center.

For more information on this program or any program that is offered by the Allamakee County Conservation Board or the Driftless Area Education and Visitors Center, contact the Center at 563-538-0403 or follow the Allamakee County Conservation Department through its online presence.
 

Small Business Saturday, November 24, Main Street Lansing is hosting a food drive for Lansing Iowa Food Trust (LIFT). Bring a donation to the Main Street Lansing office at 253 Main Street and be entered to win gift certificates from local businesses. Specific donation requests from LIFT include soup, peanut butter, personal care items (such as shampoo, soap and toilet paper), cake and cookie mixes, and saltine crackers.
 

Main Street Lansing recently conducted a First Dollar Visit at 2nd Hand Heaven, located at 341 Main Street in Lansing. Pictured above at the First Dollar presentation, left to right, are Main Street Lansing representatives Judy Schild, Maryann Baldwin, Bruce Palmborg, Julie Papp and Jana Schoh, 2nd Hand Heaven owner Kim Kozelka, and Main Street Lansing representatives Mary Palmborg and Gary DeVilbiss. Submitted photo.