River Valley

Wed
21
Oct

Area quilters raise money for New Albin Public Library


Mary Kay Winke of Waukon gave presentations during the New Albin Quilt Show on her collection of doll beds, cradles and the quilts she’s made for them. Photo by Jan Lee Buxengard.

Members of the Loose Threads quilting group in New Albin displayed the results of their Color Crayon Challenge during the New Albin Quilt Show. Photo by Jan Lee Buxengard.

by Jan Lee Buxengard
freelance writer

Wed
14
Oct

Kee sixth graders enjoy Mississippi River education


Mrs. Cota and students get down and dirty as they search the mud and vegetation for signs of life and small invertebrates in the swamp water at the south end of the Sports Complex. Submitted photo.

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.

Wed
14
Oct

LSCO Massage moves into new location at historic Thornton House Bed & Breakfast


Pictured above, left to right, are Frank Ebersole, owner of Thornton House Bed and Breakfast, and Michelle Gauer of LSCO Massage standing in front of the Thornton House, which is the new location for LSCO Massage. Submitted photo.

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.”

Wed
07
Oct

Still time to contribute to New Albin Public Library Quilt Show taking place this weekend

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!”

Wed
07
Oct

Friends of Pool 9 hosts volunteer appreciation dinner


John Verdon and Larry Quamme congratulate Natalie Baugher on her selection as Friends of Pool 9 Volunteer of the Year. Submitted photo.

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.

Wed
30
Sep

Enjoy fall colors with Peak to Peak Leaf Tour through month of October

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.

Wed
23
Sep

Meehan Memorial Lansing Public Library to host "How the American Indians nearly lost Iowa" Thursday

Thursday, September 24, Meehan Memorial Lansing Public Library will be hosting a presentation by Bill Sherman. The presentation is entitled "How the American Indians nearly lost Iowa," and it will begin at 7 p.m.
Sherman's program documents how Indians living in Iowa were forced to give away lands they were living on by signing a series of land cession treaties with the U.S. Government. The impact of the Black Hawk War on Iowa,  and on the Lansing area, will be presented at the Library.
This war was the last major Indian conflict in the nineteenth century east of the Mississippi River. Sherman will contrast  the leadership roles of Black Hawk and Keokuk and  how they influenced  the process  of Indian relocations and treaties on lands that would become the state of Iowa. Unlike other states, this conflict in Iowa took a positive turn when the Governor and Iowa legislature allowed the Mesquakie to buy back land they were forced to cede to the U.S. Government.

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