River Valley

Roadrunner Coffee is a small, seasonal coffee stand that also serves espresso and Lotus Energy drinks, located at 224 Railroad Avenue SW in New Albin and owned and operated by Jess and Brennan Welsh of New Albin. The new business celebrated with a ribbon-cutting held Monday, September 21 following the regular weekly meeting of the Allamakee County Board of Supervisors at the New Albin Public Library.

Main Street Lansing and participating downtown Lansing businesses will be offering Downtown Trick-or-Treating Friday, October 30 from 4-6 p.m. Interested businesses are invited to decorate their windows, dress up, and have some fun with this community event.

This year, the event will also add a Touch-a-Truck experience, Trunk-or-Treat, and other activities for local youth. Anyone who has - or knows someone who has - a business outside the downtown district that may want to participate in Trunk-or-Treat, or someone with a unique vehicle or piece of equipment for Touch-a-Truck, is encouraged to participate or spread the word.

Downtown Trick-or-Treating is organized by the Main Street Lansing Promotions Committee. Committee members will deliver large printed pumpkins to participating businesses during the week before the event. The pumpkins should be displayed in a front window or on a front door so families know to stop inside for a treat.

The New Albin Public Library will be hosting a Meet the Author event Friday, October 16, beginning at 4 p.m. Lansing native Martha Dunlevy Peters will be present to discuss her recently published book about her hometown community, Lansing Locals: The Stories That Connect Us.

Passionate about preserving the stories of Lansing and its surrounding communities, Dunlevy Peters follows in the footsteps of her father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, who were all editors of the former Allamakee Journal newspaper. What began as a shared vision between a father and his daughter - to capture the voices and experiences of their hometown - became a deeply personal journey after his passing, with that journey now reaching its pinnacle with publication of the book this past summer.
 

by Joshua Sharpe

The Lansing City Council moved several infrastructure and community matters forward at its Monday, September 21 regular meeting, with much of the discussion centered on the upcoming Main Street reconstruction project and utility work, access to Mt. Hosmer, the upcoming opening of the new Mississippi River bridge, and clarification of planned Halloween activities. The council also established annual operating dates for the splash pad, approved a three-percent increase in marina winter storage rates, and heard updates from PeopleService and the Lansing Police Department.

Downtown Lansing will come alive with creativity, music, food and family-friendly activities during the second annual Makers on Main, taking place Sunday, September 27, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Admission is free, and everyone is encouraged to spend the day exploring downtown, meeting the makers and experiencing everything Lansing has to offer.

Presented by Main Street Lansing, this free community event will feature 38 vendors, two live musical performances, live painting and a Kids’ Creative Corner. Visitors are invited to shop, eat, create and explore while supporting artists, makers, entrepreneurs, food vendors and downtown businesses.

In addition to the Artists & Makers line-up, several Main Street storefronts will also feature special participants throughout the event, and there will also be food and drink vendors. Live music will also be featured throughout the day.

by Joshua Sharpe

The September 10 Bridge Talk at Meehan Memorial Lansing Public Library took on a different tone than earlier updates on the Iowa 9/WIS 82 Mississippi River bridge, as the project now moves toward an early-November opening and crews focus on the work needed to make the new crossing ready for traffic. Iowa Department of Transportation District Staff Engineer Clayton Burke led much of the presentation alongside HNTB structural engineer Travis Konda, walking attendees through roadway reconstruction, bridge-deck work, safety barriers, remaining structural connections, and the work expected to continue after the bridge opens.

Burke described the number of activities underway across the project as crews work toward the accelerated schedule, saying there are “all kinds of things going on all at once by so many different people” as crews work “to make this early opening happen.”

by Joshua Sharpe

At its Tuesday, September 8 meeting delayed by the Labor Day holiday, the Lansing City Council held an extended discussion about whether the community should pursue another opportunity to serve as a RAGBRAI end town in 2027. The council also discussed possible community uses for remnants of the former Black Hawk Bridge, changes that could affect fall large-item pick-up, and the opening of the new bridge in early November.

Friday, September 18, at 12 noon, the Lansing VFW Post and Auxiliary, along with Lansing American Legion Post #50, will host a special ceremony on Mt. Hosmer to mark National POW/MIA Recognition Day. The program will be held on the Ralph Bartels Patio, located next to the shelter atop Mt. Hosmer, and the public is warmly invited to attend. Guests are encouraged to bring a lawn chair for seating.

At the heart of the observance will be the solemn Missing Man Ceremony, a symbolic tradition that honors those who are still missing from this nation’s past wars and conflicts, as well as those who gave their lives in service but whose remains have not yet been recovered and returned home. The empty place at the table at the ceremony represents the absence of these heroes, while each element of the table setting carries deep meaning about sacrifice, honor, and remembrance.

Saturday, September 12, family and friends of lifelong resident and local “River Rat” Pat Sandry will be honoring his memory with the Ninth Annual Pat Sandry Memorial Fishing Derby and Friends of Pool 9 Fundraiser held on the Mississippi River. Sandry passed away in November of 2017 after a short, courageous battle with cancer. He thoroughly enjoyed the outdoors, had a great passion for fishing and hunting, and he truly treasured the beauty of Lansing and the surrounding area.

Entry fee is $50 per boat with 50% payback in prize money and 50% being donated to Friends of Pool 9. There is a limit of two adults and two minors per boat.

Hours of the tournament will be from sun-up through 1 p.m. with weigh-in by 1 p.m. at Shep’s Riverside Patio Bar. Categories of fish include Bass, Walleye, Bluegill, Crappie, Perch, Striper, Catfish, Northern, Pike, and Roughfish.

by Joshua Sharpe

Recurring issues with Lansing’s contracted residential garbage collection service were addressed during the Monday, August 17 Lansing City Council meeting. Officials discussed the frequency of missed Tuesday pick-ups, resident complaints, and the additional responsibilities placed on city employees when collections are not completed. In some instances, Street Department employees have collected garbage that was not picked up by the contractor, while the City Clerk’s Office has dedicated time to handling complaints and communicating with the service provider.