River Valley

Join the Allamakee County Conservation Board (ACCB) and the Friends of Yellow River State Forest for a Moonlight Snowshoe Hike Wednesday, February 12 at 6:30 p.m. Meet at the Yellow River State Forest Headquarters and hike or snowshoe to the only fire tower in the state of Iowa.

If snowshoes are needed, the ACCB will provide them and trekking poles free of charge. For more information call the Driftless Area Education and Visitors Center at 563-538-0403.

The Moonlight Snowshoe will be a guided trail hike taking place after dark to enable the participants to see the stars and moon like they have never seen before. The event requires preregistration for those wishing to use snowshoes provided by the ACCB and is open to all ages. However, anyone under 16 years of age must be accompanied by an adult. In the case of inclement weather or poor snow conditions, the Moonlight Snowshoe may be postponed or canceled, and that will be announced via the ACCB’s Facebook page.

The Driftless Area Education and Visitors Center in Lansing will host a new series called Conservation Café Wednesday, February 19 starting at 9:30 a.m. This is a new series started at the Driftless Area Education and Visitors Center to enjoy some social time with a hot beverage and a conservation-focused program following. The program will be free of charge, but advanced registration is encouraged. To register or receive more information on this event, call Allamakee County Conservation at 563-538-0401.

Join Iowa Department of Natural Resources Fisheries Fish Culture Technician Joshua Hefflefinger at the February 19 presentation for a talk about native Brook Trout restoration and Rainbow Trout culture in northeast Iowa.

by Joshua Sharpe

The Lansing City Council convened Tuesday, January 21, a day later than its typical meeting date due to the observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day Monday, January 20. The agenda included updates on public safety, infrastructure planning, community programs, and departmental reports.

FIRE DEPARTMENT TURNOUT GEAR
The Lansing Fire Department has proposed the acquisition of new turnout gear for firefighters, highlighting the necessity for additional protective equipment due to recent personnel growth and overall rotational updating. Fire Chief Stephen Darling was in attendance at the meeting to discuss options for purchase of the gear.

“There was another dealer, if you will, that reached out to me with another quote that we got, and this is actually the stuff that we wanted to get in the first place, and it just so happens to work out that the price is actually cheaper than anything else,” Darling explained.

The 28th annual Northeast Iowa Artists’ Studio Tour (NIAST Inc.) applications to exhibit are now available to area artists. For an application to download and print, go to www.iowaarttour.com and click on the events/news tab, or contact Darla Ellickson at darla@earloops.com or 563-382-2295.

The 2025 Tour takes place October 10-12. Studios are open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each of those days.

Media considered is limited to Fine Art and Fine Craft. Items include: painting, sculpture, jewelry, photography, clay/ceramics, wood, glass, metal, printmaking, mixed media, handmade paper, fiber, etc. as appropriate at Fine Art Fairs. All works must be original in concept and design and must have been executed by the applicant: works from molds or kits, commercial or manufactured items, and buy/sell are not permitted.

The Harpers Ferry Youth Ice Fishing Clinic sponsored by the Harpers Ferry Boosters Club and the Allamakee County Conservation Board will be held Sunday, February 2. Registration for youth ages 15 and under will begin at 11 a.m. and fishing will continue until 2 p.m.

Due to low water conditions at Nobles Island Access, the 2025 Harpers Ferry Youth Ice Fishing Clinic will be temporarily moved to the Village Creek Boat Access, 389 Lansing Harpers Road, Lansing.

by Joshua Sharpe

Monday, January 6, the Lansing City Council convened to discuss various significant community issues. Much of the meeting discussion focused on financial matters, with public safety initiatives and infrastructure developments also being addressed during the meeting.

CITIZEN CONCERNS
During the meeting, no citizens were in attendance to voice any concerns. However, the council discussed a previously reported issue regarding tree roots interfering with the sewer line at 511 Dodge Street. This concern was initially raised by resident Linda Loomis, underscoring the ongoing challenges associated with Lansing’s aging infrastructure. The council recognized the significance of this problem and proposed that it be considered in future infrastructure review and planning initiatives.

Coffee and Connections: Building Bridges in Lansing is a quarterly community get-together hosted by Main Street Lansing and scheduled to be held at rotating locations in Lansing each quarter throughout the year. The free community event is focused on highlighting and celebrating the businesses and spaces that make the Lansing community unique, and offers a chance to connect with residents, visitors, non-profits, and local businesses while enjoying a free warm cup of coffee and great company.

The inaugural Coffee and Connections is scheduled for next Wednesday, January 22 at the Driftless Area Education & Visitor Center in Lansing from 7:30-8:30 a.m. Coffee will be provided, and the free event is open to all Lansing area residents, as well as anyone from neighboring communities, in an effort to strengthen regional connections and better support the entire area.

Back by popular demand, Effigy Mounds National Monument will be hosting three Film Festival dates this winter, showing a series of National Park films, according to the following schedule:
Saturday, January 25, from 1-3 p.m., the following films will be shown:
• Trail of Tears: Trail of Tears National Historic Trail
• Ná Qc Tím̉íne Wisí X (Of One Heart): Nez Perce National Historical Park
• A Prophecy Fulfilled: The Cayuse & the Whitmans at Waiilatpu
• Knife River Indian Villages
• Those Are My Ancestors: Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park.
The following films will be shown Sunday, February 23, from 1-3 p.m.:
• Casa Grande: House of Many Stories
• Castillo de San Marcos: A Long Legacy - An Effective Defense
• Tumacacori: A Cultural Crossroads
• Voyages of the San Salvador - Cabrillo’s Journey.

Join the Allamakee County Conservation Board (ACCB) for a Moonlight Snowshoe Hike Sunday, January 12 at 6:30 p.m. The hike will take place just south of Lansing on County Road 527.

The route will be approximately four miles on mostly flat ground with views of the Mississippi River. County Road 527 is located four miles south of Lansing on Power Plant Drive. Participants are asked to park near the Rural Recycling drop-off location.

The Moonlight Snowshoe will be a guided trail hike taking place after dark to enable the participants to see the stars and moon like they may have never seen before. The event requires preregistration for those wishing to use snowshoes provided by the ACCB and is open to all ages. However, anyone under 16 years of age must be accompanied by an adult.

by Joshua Sharpe

The Lansing City Council convened Monday, December 16 addressing a wide-ranging agenda that included infrastructure updates, public safety initiatives, and administrative challenges. The water system improvements project involving Platt, North and Fourth Streets occupied much of the business that was approved at the meeting, with the council also discussing requests by the fire department and police department.