River Valley

by Susan Cantine-Maxson

The Lansing Lions Club recently completed the finishing touches on its Playground Enhancement Project featuring the new playground equipment replicating a steamboat on the Mississippi River.

The Lions Club wants to acknowledge all who provided financial support for the project. The new  donor recognition signs erected at the playground site capture the names of those who responded to the “Big Catch” funding campaign for the project.

The project goals included the enhancement of the playground by making it safe, educational and handicap-accessible by adding such amenities as a multi-activity commercial structure for children ages five to 12, benches for those watching the children play, a bicycle rack, a handicap-accessible picnic table,  trees which will eventually  protect the children from the sun, and educational signage about boating and water safety.

The annual Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) Ride to Cure Diabetes charitable bicycle ride will be taking place this Saturday, August 11, starting in La Crosse, WI and riding through Minnesota and into Allamakee County along the Mississippi River and then back to La Crosse, WI. JDRF is the leading global organization funding type 1 diabetes (T1D) research and sponsors six 2018 JDRF Rides across the country, including the one beginning in La Crosse, WI.

James Kerndt, President and CEO of Kerndt Brothers Savings Bank, has announced that Ronald Doornink has accepted the position of Vice President/ Business Banker in the Lansing office. Doornink is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin - Madison, and has worked in a variety of ag lender positions for the last 27 years, most recently serving as Ag Lender/Commercial Banker at First National Bank in Waupaca, WI.

The Ferryville Tourism Council invites everyone to attend its third and final Chautauqua program for the 2018 season. The program will be held Wednesday, August 15 at 8 p.m. at the Ferryville Village Hall, along Hwy. 35 at the south edge of Ferryville, WI. Treats will be available during the program.

The featured speaker for this presentation will be Robert Taunt, a local historian and past president of the La Crosse County Historical Society. Taunt is a writer, photographer and researcher. He has been speaking on historical topics for the past 25 years.

For the August 15 program, Taunt will be sharing the story of a steamboat, the War Eagle. Attendees will learn about steamboating in the era of large boats loaded with passengers plying the waters of the Upper Mississippi River.

The Allamakee County Republican Women met at nutMeg’s in Lansing Thursday, July 26. Anne Osmundson, candidate for Iowa House District 56, attended the meeting and addressed the group. In addition, Lansing Main Street Matters Executive Director Craig White spoke about some of that organization’s accomplishments, as well as future endeavors. Pictured above, clockwise from front left, are Allamakee County Republican Women Co-Chair Jan Ellingson, Arlene Lynes, Iowa House candidate Anne Osmundson, Craig White of Main Street Lansing, Nancy Barry, Revelyn Lonning and Allamakee County Republican Women Co-Chair Sherry Bechtel. Not pictured but also present was Allamakee County Board of Supervisors candidate Kristi Hager. Submitted photo.
 

The Lansing Fish Days Committee is hosting a photography contest in conjunction with the annual community celebration being held August 9-12. Photographers of all ages are encouraged to participate.

Each photographer can submit up to three photos, and it is asked that all photos be in a 5”x7” format and printed on photo paper. The photos will be displayed in plastic sleeves.

The contest will involve two categories, “Lansing’s Black Hawk Bridge” and “Out and About in Lansing”. There is no fee to enter the contest, but all submitted photographs become property of Lansing Lions Club to be used. The images, however, remain the property of the entrant.

Prizes will be awarded in each category, including First prize of $25; Second Prize of $10; and People’s Choice prize of $10. A Grand Prize of $50 and a Lansing Fish Days t-shirt will be awarded overall, with both categories being judged to determine an overall winner.

Thursday, July 19, central Iowa experienced multiple tornadoes causing destruction in Pella, Bondurant and Marshalltown. More than 625 homes were either totally destroyed or heavily damaged. These people had little to no warning as these storms quickly developed.

One of the local agencies that responded immediately is the American Red Cross.  As of July 23, the Red Cross had served 30,570 meals and snacks, distributed 16,007 relief items and surveyed the amount of damaged homes.  The organization plans to continue to serve at least 1,000 hot meals twice a day until there is no longer a need.

Kerndt Brothers Bank is teaming up with the American Red Cross by accepting contributions which will be sent to the Red Cross to continue to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from disasters big and small. People turn to the Red Cross in their darkest hours looking for relief and help during their time of recovery.

by Macie Hill

The regular session of the Lansing City Council was held Monday, July 16. Discussion at the meeting centered around the Platt Street water run-off issue, a sewer matter being remedied downtown and adding a new member to each of the Parks and Library Boards.

A motion was made and seconded to construct a means to redirect rainwater run-off at the north corner of the intersection of Diagonal Street and Platt Street to address an issue at that location during storms. The sewer issue located at the intersection of Main Street and Front Street has also been resolved by crews working this past week.

Pam Herman has been approved as a new member of the Parks Board. The Parks Board is now full having five members, including Herman. Deb Dietzenbach has also been approved as a new member of the Meehan Memorial Library Board.
 

Hikers should plan to participate in the Saturday, July 28 River Bluff Daze Hike in Ferryville, WI. Participants will meet at 8:30 a.m. under the shelter at the Ferryville Boat Landing (turn onto Oak Street by the Cheapo Depot and head over the railroad tracks toward the river). There will be treats and water and the group will carpool a short distance to the trailhead for a hike at Sugar Creek Bluff Natural Area. This is a property that is managed by the Mississippi Valley Conservancy. Participants are asked to wear long pants and bring bug spray. The hike is gradual and is an easy walk through mature woods. Participants will be looking at the summer wildflowers, listening for bird song and emerging at the top to a view of the Mississippi River. The hike will take approximately one and a half hours, from 9-10:30 a.m.

by Anne Falken

The City of New Albin was recently awarded a $300,000 Community Development Block Grant in connection with its plan for a new wastewater treatment facility. Iowa Economic Development Authority awarded a total of $4.1 million to 11 Iowa communities, including New Albin.

Upper Explorerland Regional Planning Commission (UERPC) played a vital role in helping New Albin obtain this grant. Upper Explorerland is a council of governments that serves as an extension of city and county governments in order to assist them. The organization delivers customized planning, advisory and resource development services to help communities in northeast Iowa maintain infrastructure, while also assisting in other community needs.