River Valley

Main Street Lansing is inviting community members to put their knowledge to the test at Trivia Night, happening Saturday, February 7, in Lansing. This event brings teams together for friendly competition while raising funds to support downtown revitalization efforts and community programming. Participants will compete for a chance to win up to $1,000, while also enjoying raffles, a silent auction, and prizes throughout the night. Pictured above is last year’s Trivia Night championship team.

“Trivia Night is a fun way for friends, families, and coworkers to come together while supporting the work we do for downtown Lansing,” said Jackie Cooper, Executive Director of Main Street Lansing. “Every team and every sponsor helps strengthen our community.”

by Joshua Sharpe

The Lansing City Council convened in a regular session Monday, January 5 with Mayor Mike Verdon and council members in attendance. The agenda included ongoing support for county-level economic development and tourism initiatives, considerations for long-term arrangements for the Saturday farmers market, a pre-application for Community Catalyst building remediation in the downtown area, and an anticipated increase in the city’s operations and maintenance agreement with PeopleService.

The Iowa Primary Care Association and Iowa Health and Human Services are seeking feedback on Mental Health and Addiction Services in the local community. The insight gathered will help improve care, expand access, and shape future programs.

A Stakeholder & Community District Assessment Survey is being offered to gather that input. Area residents are encouraged to take the survey by visiting www.iowapca.org/district-assessment to share experiences with mental health or addiction support. The survey will take 10 minutes or less to complete.
 

Effigy Mounds National Monument will continue its full slate of winter activities as the new year unfolds. The Children’s Winter Story and Craft Times will continue to take place through April, the annual Winter Film Festival is scheduled to begin in January, and there will also be an Eagle Viewing Hike taking place.

Story Times are scheduled for a 10 a.m. start time in the Visitor Center auditorium each Saturday in January - 3, 10, 17, 24 and 31. Craft Times are scheduled for a 2 p.m. start time in the Visitor Center auditorium each Sunday in January - 4, 11, 18 and 25.

Effigy Mounds National Monument is beginning a new Golden Eagles Club as the new year gets underway. The new club will offer a weekly gathering for “mature adults” each Thursday, beginning at 10 a.m., at the Effigy Mounds Visitor Center, and each month will include a Book Club meeting to discuss various published works.

Join the Allamakee County Conservation Board (ACCB) for a Full Moon Snowshoe Hike Friday, January 2, 2026 at 6:30 p.m. The hike will take place in the Fish Farm Mounds State Preserve and will be approximately two miles. Participants should meet at the Fish Farm Mounds parking area approximately three miles south of New Albin on the Great River Road.

The Full Moon Snowshoe will be a guided trail hike taking place after dark to enable the participants to see the stars and full moon like they have never seen before. The event requires preregistration for those wishing to use snowshoes provided by the ACCB and is open to all ages. However, anyone under 16 years of age must be accompanied by an adult. In the case of inclement weather or poor snow conditions, the Full Moon Snowshoe may be postponed or canceled and will be announced via the ACCB’s Facebook page.

The Light The Way Committee, the group of volunteers organizing the lighting of the new bridge spanning the Mississippi River at Lansing, has so far raised $105,000 of its $170,000 goal to pay for the 24 LED lights that will be placed on the south-facing panel points of the new bridge and four LED lights lighting up the two main pillars. Since these lights were not part of the Iowa or Wisconsin Departments of Transportation responsibility when the project started, the Committee needs the help of the public to reach its fundraising goal.

The fundraising campaign will end December 31, 2026. Those interested are encouraged to make their 2025 tax deductible donation to Light The Way, P.O. Box 145, Lansing, IA 52151. Also, interested individuals can visit the project’s website at lansingiowa.com/blackhawkbridgelights to make a donation or print off a donor form.

by Joshua Sharpe

The Lansing City Council met in regular session Monday, December 15, with Mayor Mike Verdon and council members present, establishing a quorum. The agenda combined routine financial approvals with several policy questions: a citizen request for utility relief, long-range hazard mitigation planning, winter recreation and sidewalk maintenance, final payment on a major street project, and detailed operational updates from city departments and the public library.

Area students were recently honored by Lansing Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post #5981 and the Auxiliaries of Lansing VFW Post #5981 and New Albin VFW Post #5603 for their efforts in participating in the respective youth essay contests sponsored by those organizations for their age groups. Top entries in the Elementary School Essay Contest, Patriot’s Pen Youth Essay Contest and Voice of Democracy Essay Contest were recognized, with photos of those students and some of their winning essays accompanying this article.

To read the full article, pick up the Wednesday, December 17, 2025 print edition of The Standard or subscribe to our e-edition or print edition by clicking here.

Main Street Lansing recently welcomed Renewed Vitality, a new holistic wellness practice founded by Kelsey Meyer, to downtown Lansing. Located at 20 North 2nd Street, Renewed Vitality brings personalized wellness services, whole-person care, and accessible therapeutic offerings to the heart of the Lansing community.

Meyer, a lifelong local with deep roots in both Lansing and New Albin, shares that her journey toward wellness began early. “I grew up in New Albin, and when you’re from either Lansing or New Albin, you spend a lot of time in both towns,” she said. “Living in a close-knit community and watching my mom care for others as a nurse shaped who I am today. It taught me the importance of connection, compassion, and whole-person care.”