River Valley

The Waterville Public Library located in the Waterville Community Center at 115 Main Street in Waterville will continue its series of healthy living discussions. This Thursday, February 13 from 5-6 p.m. there will be a discussion on Personal Fitness led by Tera Mathis of Tera Mathis Coaching. The discussions are open to everyone and there is no charge.  Healthy living snacks are provided at each event by the Waterville Public Library.
 

Allamakee County part of national initiative focused on increasing mental health literacy

Anyone who knows a young person who could be experiencing a mental health or substance abuse problem can learn an action plan to help by getting trained in Youth Mental Health First Aid. Catholic Charities is offering a Youth Mental Health First Aid training Saturday, March 28 in Lansing.

This eight-hour training gives adults who work with youth the skills they need to reach out and provide initial support to adolescents (ages 12-18) who may be developing a mental health or substance use problem and help connect them to the appropriate care. The training March 28 will be from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. at the Kerndt Brothers Community Center located on Main Street in Lansing. To register for the training, contact Lori Eastwood at 563-382-1231 or L.Eastwood@dbqarch.org.

The Kee High School Post Prom Committee will host Bingo Sunday, February 16 in the Kee High School cafeteria in Lansing. Games will start at 4 p.m., with doors opening at 3:30 p.m.

Participants can bring a food or household item and play an extra Bingo card free.  All donations will be given to LIFT (Lansing Iowa Food Trust). Every player will be eligible for a door prize drawing at intermission. Proceeds will be used to fund 2020 Post Prom prizes and entertainment.
 

The Safe Routes to School program offered through Upper Explorerland Regional Planning Commission (UERPC) will be hosting its Beat the Blues Winter “Marathon” Challenge once again with the start of the new year. Starting January 1 in northeast Iowa, anyone can challenge friends, family and themselves to complete a full “marathon” worth of activities, or more, through February 12.

Participants can run, walk, ski, snowshoe or bike 26 miles outdoors at their own pace when it works for them and their family during that timeframe, or play outside for 30 minutes in any activity to equal one mile. They can then record their mileage and submit it online after each “marathon” they complete for a chance to win a $50 gift card to Decorah Bicycles to rent skis, ice skates or bikes.

The Kee High School Speech program is getting its competition season underway, beginning with Conference Large Group Speech Contest scheduled for this past Saturday, January 18 in West Union but canceled due to winter weather and not to be rescheduled. Kee will be taking 38 students involved with 12 competing teams to the District Contest this Saturday, January 25 in Decorah. Those Kee teams include one each competing in One Act, Reader’s Theatre, Radio Broadcasting and Solo Mime, three competing in Group Mimes, three in Improvisational Acting and two in Ensemble Acting. State Contest is scheduled for February 8 in Dubuque. The Kee Speech Department will also host its annual Speech Dinner Theatre at TJ Hunters Banquet Hall on Main Street in Lansing March 7. Submitted photo.

by Alexis Johnson

The regular meeting of the Lansing City Council was held Monday, January 20. Discussion centered around the consent agenda and marina report.

The consent agenda consisted of council meeting minutes from January 6, 2020 and liquor license for Shep’s Riverside Bar and Grill. A motion was made and seconded to approve the consent agenda with minimal discussion.

The Friends of Pool 9 organization is interested in creating a “No Wake” zone on the west side of the main channel of the Mississippi River for a certain distance extending from the river bank in an effort to increase dock safety. This effort has to be pursued through the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) before any further steps are taken locally. A motion was made and seconded to proceed with further steps required to create the “No Wake” zone.
 

The Safe Routes to School program offered through Upper Explorerland Regional Planning Commission (UERPC) will be hosting its Beat the Blues Winter “Marathon” Challenge once again with the start of the new year. Starting January 1 in northeast Iowa, anyone can challenge friends, family and themselves to complete a full “marathon” worth of activities, or more, between January 1 and February 12 of this year.

Participants can run, walk, ski, snowshoe or bike 26 miles outdoors at their own pace when it works for them and their family during that timeframe, or play outside for 30 minutes in any activity to equal one mile. They can then record their mileage and submit it online after each “marathon” they complete for a chance to win a $50 gift card to Decorah Bicycles to rent skis, ice skates or bikes.

The Driftless Half Marathon committee, coming off a second successful event, spent the holiday season distributing event proceeds to area emergency response agencies and law enforcement. Through efforts of sponsors, volunteers and runners, the Driftless Half Marathon has been able to give back to its host community to the tune of over $8,000 in donated funding. Proceeds from the 2019 event produced donations to the Lansing and Harpers Ferry Fire and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Departments, the Lansing Police Department’s Kindness Campaign, a scholarship to Kee High School, and the Allamakee County Sheriff’s Department K9 Fund, all of which are pictured in the photos surrounding this article.

by Alexis Johnson

The Lansing City Council held its first meeting of the new year Monday, January 6. Discussion centered around the consent agenda, building permit approval and appointment of a new fire chief.

The consent agenda consisted of council meeting minutes from December 16, payment of claims, library board minutes from December 17, utility reconciliation from November 2019, and utility reconciliation from December 2019. A motion was made and seconded with minimal discussion to approve the consent agenda.

A motion was made and seconded with unanimous approval of a building permit at 1091 North Front Street with stipulations. Constructed improvements, including the deck, must be 15 feet from the front property line, and the wrap-around deck must adhere to setback rules on all sides.

The Harpers Ferry Booster Club and the Allamakee County Conservation Board will be hosting the Harpers Ferry Youth Ice Fishing Clinic at Nobles Island Boat Access at 645 Hwy. 364, Harpers Ferry Sunday, January 26. Registration for youth aged 15 and under will begin at 11 a.m. and fishing will go until 2 p.m.

Youth participating in the clinic may use their own equipment, but ice fishing equipment will also be available to youth who do not have their own. Food and drink will be available for those participating in the clinic. Prizes will be awarded to participants in each of three age groups.

In case of inclement weather, all cancellations and delays will be posted on the Allamakee County Conservation Board Facebook page the day of the event. For more information on this program or any program offered by the Allamakee County Conservation Board contact the office at 563-538-0403 or follow Allamakee County Conservation on social media.