River Valley

by Julie Berg-Raymond

Main Street Lansing Executive Director Andy Kelleher shared some interesting numbers with the Lansing City Council during its regular meeting on Monday, May 2.

Having recently been asked by a Main Street business owner to help calculate the hourly value of downtown parking spaces, Kelleher said, he concluded the following: “Essentially, if you take downtown Lansing’s total annual revenue and divide it by the number of hours businesses are open as well as the number of parking spots downtown, you discover that the hourly value of a parking space was $54.47 in 2021. That’s a good number to provide perspective on our parking; and hopefully it will encourage the business community to have their employees park off Main Street during the day,” he said.

American Legion Ladies Auxiliary, Scenic Unit #722 of Harpers Ferry, has selected Katerina Kovarik, a junior at Waukon High School, to be its representative from Allamakee County for American Legion Auxiliary (ALA) Iowa Girls State being held June 19-24 in person at Drake University in Des Moines. She is the daughter of Kris and Jen Kovarik of Waukon.

ALA Iowa Girls State is one of the premier programs sponsored by the American Legion Auxiliary and was started by a dream of four women over 75 years ago in hopes of teaching young women about the political process. Girls State is a “learning by doing” program, which takes the girls through the entire political process.

Kee High School’s Post Prom was held Sunday, April 24 from midnight until 4 a.m. Guests played board games, Cash Cube, challenging and fun activities, Bingo and Euchre. Special entertainment was provided by hypnotist Mike Winters from Wand Entertainment, who also did several card tricks before his performance. Guests were given tickets to enter for prize package drawings and everyone won a prize according to their number assigned at registration. Before leaving, each guest drew a numbered chip to win the corresponding prize. A special drawing was also held and the Kee senior grand prize ($100 gift cards value) was won by Kylie Troendle (left in above photo).

Worshipers at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Lansing Sunday, April 24 were filled with laughter and joy as they celebrated the resurrection of Christ with their 16th annual Holy Hilarity Sunday. The children and youth of the congregation dramatically reenacted the Easter story, complete with angels dancing in giant wings. Pictured above are those angels (left to right): Izzy Hammell, Zoey Timmerman and Ashlyn Henkes. The celebratory banners hanging above were made by Kathy Hay and Paula Rathbun. Submitted photo.
 

The annual Spring Migration Day Hike to celebrate the migrating birds returning to the Upper Mississippi Flyway region will begin at 7 a.m. Saturday, May 7 at the trailhead for Sugar Creek Bluff Natural Area just off North Buck Creek Road in Ferryville, WI. The earlier starting time this year should enable the group to hear and spot more of the migrating warblers.

This is a relatively gradual hike of 1.5 miles round-trip. The halfway point provides an overlook of the Mississippi River. Expert birders will guide hikers in spotting the returning birds.  Ferryville Tourism Council is hosting this hike, with Mississippi Valley Conservancy presenting this event as part of its Linked to the Land series.

by Julie Berg-Raymond

The project to replace the Black Hawk Bridge is going to cost the City of Lansing a lot more than was originally thought. During its regular meeting Monday, April 18, the Lansing City Council heard from Street Superintendent Ken Ripp regarding a utilities meeting he attended April 5 with the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT). “We’re going to be liable for quite a bit of costs on that project, in addition to the lights,” Ripp said.

The Iowa DOT’s current estimate is around $192,000; but that estimate is expected to increase. The costs are for “re-doing all the water and sewer underneath the new section of road,” Ripp said. “The State will not cover City utilities. Normally, the State never covers that.” But, he added, “I didn’t think the City was going to get the full impact of it.”

Friday, April 15, Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Lansing led a Good Friday Justice and Peace Stations of the Cross event. Community members of all ages, faith backgrounds and walks of life participated in the one-mile walk to contemplate the suffering of Jesus on his way to the cross. Carrying a large wooden cross, the group (pictured above) meandered through town making 12 stops at places symbolic of suffering today. At each, they pondered the deeper roots of pain, lamented, sang, and prayed for the healing of the world. Some carried signs calling for justice or declaring God’s wide embrace.

The 70th Jubilee Mass of Monsignor Cletus Hawes has been scheduled for Sunday, May 1 at 11 a.m. at Immaculate Conception Church, Wexford. In addition to celebrating 70 years as a priest, Monsignor Hawes is also celebrating his 95th birthday. There will be an Open House in the parish hall from 12-3 p.m. All are welcome to attend the Mass and Open House.

Cletus Joseph Hawes was born March 28, 1927 to John and Ellen (Conway) Hawes of Wexford, rural Lansing. He was baptized March 29, 1927 in Immaculate Conception Church, Wexford.   Following the tragedy of his father’s sudden death May 9, 1935,  his mother raised him and his siblings on the family farm.

Cletus Hawes graduated from Loras College, Dubuque in 1948 and from St. Mary Seminary in Baltimore in 1952. He received his sub-diaconate at St. Mary’s Seminary June 13, 1951. Father Cletus Hawes was ordained a priest April 26, 1952 in Christ the King Chapel at Loras College, Dubuque.

Join the Allamakee County Conservation Board (ACCB) for a Spring Wildflower Hike Thursday, May 5 starting at 6:30 p.m. The hike will take place on the Mississippi Trail of the Paint Rock Unit inside of Yellow River State Forest. The trailhead parking area is located across County Highway 364 from Lund’s Camp and the Harpers Slough Recreation Area; two miles south of Harpers Ferry on County Highway 364.

The hike is open to all who are interested but anyone under 16 years of age is asked to have adult supervision in order to participate. The hike is limited to the first 10 people. Preregistration is required.

The Mississippi Trail will offer views of a variety of spring wildflowers that can be found on the bluffs of the Driftless Area. Hikers are encouraged to wear sturdy hiking shoes and dress appropriately for the weather.  The ACCB will have bug spray available, but hikers should feel free to bring their own.

With warmer temperatures of spring, restless paddlers are ready to put canoes and kayaks in the water. Early spring paddling can provide solitude, exercise and an opportunity to see amazing wildlife, but extra precautions are needed to stay safe.

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) recommends paddlers wait for warmer weather to allow water temperatures to rise slowly. It could be several weeks before water temperatures are ideal and safe as water and air temperatures continue to change.

“Air temperatures may feel warm in early spring,  but the water is still dangerously cold and can be deadly to boaters,” said Todd Robertson, Iowa DNR River Programs Water Trails Coordinator. “We have not had enough consistently warm days to raise water temperatures. Cold water shock and hypothermia can set in quickly if you are not dressed and fall into the cold water, so dress for a swim.”