River Valley

New Albin residents George Blair, Joshua Dreps and Michael Zeimet have declared their candidacy to fill two vacancies on the New Albin City Council up for election in the Tuesday, November 3 City Election. The responses from candidates Blair, Dreps and Zeimet to questionnaires issued by The Standard in the interest of informing voters appear below:

Please provide some background information about yourself.

Blair: My wife, Angela, and I moved into town on Third and Elm four years ago. We lived outside of town on a farm in Sleepy Hollow for over 30 years. Prior to our move to town, I retired from my business in Dorchester. Blair-Fuehrer, Inc. manufactured packaging machines primarily for the food industry. We came to Iowa in 1981 primarily because we loved the beauty of the Driftless Area.

Harpers Ferry residents Betty Palmer, Larry Schulte, Richard Smrcina and Nancy Walleser have declared their candidacy for three seats on the Harpers Ferry City Council up for election in the Tuesday, November 3 City Election. The responses from candidates Palmer, Smrcina and Walleser to questionnaires issued by The Standard in the interest of informing voters appear below (no responses were received from Larry Schulte):

Please provide some background information about yourself.

by B.J. Tomlinson

by Jan Lee Buxengard
freelance writer

With the usual anticipation and excitement of a day outside and beyond the building, Lansing Kee sixth graders embraced gentle winds and cloudy skies to study and learn about river history, water testing, fishing, macro-invertebrates, and GPS navigation. The program developed by Eastern Allamakee teachers Deb Masek, Lisa Welsh and Sue Herman is in it’s tenth year and has introduced hundreds of Eastern Allamakee Community Schools (EACS) students to the history of the Lansing area and the Mississippi River. Credit is extended to these educators for their creativity and commitment to educating area youth, as well as to the EACS administration and  Board of Directors for their ongoing support of such an unusual adventure beyond the classroom.

Beginning Wednesday, October 21, Lansing Soap and Spa Company, also known as LSCO Massage, will be relocating to the lower level of the historic Thornton House Bed & Breakfast in Lansing. From the 1880s, Thornton House served as the residence and practice of Dr. John H. Thornton, who often traveled on horseback in all weather to call on patients both in Lansing as well as the surrounding area. The practice was taken over by his son, Dr. John W. Thornton, who continued the practice until 1979.
The Thornton House has been a bed and breakfast for the past 10 years, and owners Frank Ebersold and Steve Du Ford recently put the finishing touches on a space that meets the needs of LSCO Massage. According to Ebersold, “It’s our goal that this venture not only improves the range of services we can offer our guests, but also makes the town of Lansing a more appealing destination for visitors where they can relax, shop and enjoy all this beautiful area has to offer.”

Friday through Sunday, October 9-11, more than 200 quilted items are expected to adorn the Community Center in New Albin. The New Albin Public Library Quilt Show will take place from 4-7 p.m. that Friday, from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and from 12-4 p.m. Sunday. All proceeds from the event benefit the New Albin Public Library.
Lisa Fruechte and Karen Darling of New Albin have been organizing the show since 2006 and have seen it grow. “Most of the people sharing quilts do the quilts for fun and the enjoyment of the craft, that adds to the excitement of what we get,” said Darling. “We will have antique quilts, baby quilts, t-shirt quilts, wall hangings, table runners and quilts of all different sizes. There is always a great variety!”

by B.J. Tomlinson

Saturday, September 26 the Friends of Pool 9 (FOP9) held its annual meeting and volunteer appreciation dinner at TJ Hunter’s in Lansing. 154 Friends and guests moved around the perimeter placing bids on the 144 donor items.  Nancy Wortman (Annual Meeting Chairman) had solicited some unusual gifts for bidders. The “Boat Display Shelf” was constructed of oak and maple and built by staff and inmates at the Luster Heights facility, and drew over $400 for FOP9.

The Driftless Area of northeast Iowa has some of the most spectacular fall color and scenery in the United States, and leaf lookers can enjoy an even greater overall experience by taking part in the Peak To Peak Leaf Tour throughout the month of October. Starting either at Pike’s Peak in McGregor or at Mt. Hosmer in Lansing, this outing will enhance fall leaf viewing with an easy mapped driving route that takes participants from peak to peak, from sunrise to sunset.
Leaf lookers may start with a Mississippi River sunrise at either Mt. Hosmer or Pike’s Peak, and then follow the Great River Road to enjoy shopping, dining and fall scenery of the bluffs, forest and woods with numerous look-out locations along the way, before finishing the day with a Mississippi River sunset at either finale point.