River Valley

The Kee High School Music and Drama Departments will be presenting the musical "Legally Blonde" the second weekend in April. The production is presented through Music Theatre International, with music and lyrics by Laurence O'Keefe and Nell Benjamin, a book by Heather Hach, and based on the novel by Amanda Brown. Showtimes are 7 p.m. Friday, April 8 and 2 p.m. Sunday, April 10 at the Kee High School gymnasium. Admission will be taken at the door the date of each production.
Cast and crew members for "Legally Blonde" are pictured above and include the following:

New Albin Community Education is bringing Joan Becker to New Albin for a speaking engagement Friday, April 8 at 6:30 p.m. at the New Albin Community Center. Becker is the mother of Mark Becker, who was convicted of shooting legendary Aplington-Parkersburg football coach Ed Thomas to death in 2009, and she has since become an advocate and public speaker for individuals with mental illness.
Becker has also authored a book, “Sentenced to Life: The Mark Becker Story - Mental Illness, Tragedy, and Transformation” (Credo House Publishers-2015). Becker’s book reveals how her personal family experience has served as the catalyst for her to focus on opening doors and promoting change in the current mental health system. She speaks regularly to colleges, churches, NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) groups, high schools, communities, and mental health service providers.

Residents reminded that no burning is allowed on City streets

by B.J. Tomlinson

TASC and Main Street Lansing announce that the 2016 Driftless Area Big Pumpkin Contest will take place September 25 of this year in Lansing. After being held at the TASC facility in Waukon for the past several years, the Big Pumpkin Contest will move to Lansing to facilitate a new organizational alliance with Main Street Lansing and to make changes to the overall focus of the event.
“We are excited to work with TASC to bring the event to Lansing and create a new fall harvest festival. We will invite the entire driftless area to celebrate the bounty of our area,” said Craig White, Main Street Lansing Director.
Main Street Lansing guarantees at least a $500 prize for the biggest pumpkin. “We will work from now until the day of the contest to increase that prize money with sponsors from around the area,” said White.

Main Street Lansing will hold its Annual Meeting this Saturday, March 19. Titled “Full Steam Ahead,” the event will take place at T.J. Hunters Banquet Hall in Lansing, beginning at 5:30 p.m. with a social hour and then a program taking place at 6:30 p.m.
Kee High School Band, Vocal and Speech groups will entertain. “Everyone is welcome and there is no charge,” said Main Street Lansing Director Craig White.
The public is invited to come and learn what Main Street Lansing has planned for 2016 and what lies ahead in 2017. For more information contact Main Street Lansing at director@lansingmatters.com or call 563-536-9229.
 

The Kee High School Post Prom Committee will host Bingo Sunday, March 20 in the Kee High School cafeteria in Lansing. Games start at 4:30 p.m., with doors opening at 4 p.m. Proceeds will go towards Post Prom hypnotist entertainment.
Attendees can bring a toiletry item (soap, toothpaste/toothbrush, shampoo, etc.) to be donated to the Allamakee County Food Shelf and play an extra Bingo card free. All players will be eligible for door prizes.
 

by Susan Cantine-Maxson

by B.J. Tomlinson

Two writing professors from Luther College in Decorah, Keith Lesmeister, who is a heavily published author of short stories, and Brett Steelan, who is fresh out of Luther College, will be at the Meehan Memorial Lansing Public Library on Main Street in Lansing this Thursday, March 10 to conduct a writer’s workshop at 7 p.m. All writers, and those who have a desire to write, are encouraged to attend.
Topics for the workshop include Writer’s technology; Information for the first-timer to the established writer - where to go, what to do; Tips on publishing and self-publishing, along with pros and cons; Finding your niche in your genre; Information on the writing world of today; along with an open question and answer session.
 

by Anne Falken