River Valley

Wed
12
Jun

Lansing City Council votes to re-submit CDBG grant, discusses possible project to provide public fishing access by marina dike

by Julie Berg-Raymond

After a public hearing on Resolution #1003 authorizing submission of a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) water/sewer improvement project application held during its regular meeting Monday, June 3, the Lansing City Council approved both a community development and housing needs assessment and re-submission of the CDBG Water/Sewer application.

An earlier submission of the application, prepared on behalf of the city by Upper Explorerland Regional Planning Commission (UERPC), was signed by the city clerk and subsequently was deemed incomplete by the Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) - by which the CDBG program is administered - because it is supposed to be signed by the mayor.

Wed
05
Jun

Variety of activities, events available at Meehan Memorial Lansing Public Library this summer, including free lunch available for local children

The Meehan Memorial Lansing Public Library is hosting a Summer Reading Program themed “Read, Renew, Repeat!” and all about conservation and nature. Readers of all ages are invited to participate by logging their reading and attending some of the library’s Earth-friendly events.

The family friendly kick-off event will be held Wednesday, June 5 at Mount Hosmer Veterans Memorial Park beginning at 10:45 a.m. There will be a flag tribute, a short nature walk and light lunch.

Friday, June 7 at noon will be the first Lego® Club meeting of the summer which runs through July 12 each Friday. Friday, June 21 USDA Tree Specialist (retired) Linda Haugen will be at the library at 10:30 a.m. to do a talk and activity for all ages about “Trees! Why are they so important?”

Additionally, each weekday over the summer starting May 28, free lunch is available from 11a.m.-1 p.m. at the library for all children. Follow the library Facebook page for additional summer events.

Wed
05
Jun

Ferryville Tourism Council’s June Chautauqua Program will share story of WWII POW

The Ferryville Tourism Council has announced its June 12 Chautauqua Program will be John Armbruster speaking on the survival story of Gene Moran, who was a Crawford County, WI resident whose WWII experience led to his survival after falling four miles from his airplane without a parachute. He subsequently also survived being a Prisoner of War and being forced to walk on a 600-mile death march.

Attendees will be intrigued by the story as told by Armbruster in his best-selling book, Tailspin.  This book was written by John Armbruster after many evenings spent listening to Gene Moran carefully and cautiously tell his story to the author. Armbruster will have his book for sale at the conclusion of his presentation.

Wed
05
Jun

Water Safety Program in Harpers Ferry will be Saturday

Allamakee County Conservation and the Harpers Ferry American Legion Auxiliary are co-sponsoring a Water Safety Program scheduled for Saturday, June 8 at 11 a.m. at the Legion Hall in Harpers Ferry. The event is free to the public, and is open to all adults and children.
 

Wed
29
May

Lansing City Council holds FY2025 budget hearing, approves Parks and Rec hires

by Julie Berg-Raymond

After a public hearing during its regular meeting Monday, May 20, the Lansing City Council approved Resolution No. 1006 regarding the budget for Fiscal Year 2025 (FY2025). No written or verbal comments were made to City Hall.

PARKS AND REC
The council approved the following Department of Parks and Recreation hires: Robert Ekern at $12/hour as assistant softball coach and $15/hour as head T-ball coach; and lifeguards Lilly Kolsrud at $11.25/hour, Sawyer Gramlich at $11.25/hour, Zoey Timmerman at $11.50/hour, and Mallory Mohn at $11.75/hour. The council also approved hiring Craig Wood to rebuild the roof over the dugout in the sports complex. The bid is for $1000 for materials and $1200 for labor; it was the only bid received.

Wed
29
May

Variety of activities, events available at Meehan Memorial Lansing Public Library this summer, including free lunch available for local children

The Meehan Memorial Lansing Public Library is hosting a Summer Reading Program themed “Read, Renew, Repeat!” and all about conservation and nature. Readers of all ages are invited to participate by logging their reading and attending some of the library’s Earth-friendly events.

The family friendly kick-off event will be held Wednesday, June 5 at Mount Hosmer Veterans Memorial Park beginning at 10:45 a.m. There will be a flag tribute, a short nature walk and light lunch.

Friday, June 7 at noon will be the first Lego® Club meeting of the summer which runs through July 12 each Friday. Friday, June 21 USDA Tree Specialist (retired) Linda Haugen will be at the library at 10:30 a.m. to do a talk and activity for all ages about “Trees! Why are they so important?”

Wed
29
May

Ferryville Tourism Council’s June Chautauqua Program will share story of WWII POW

The Ferryville Tourism Council has announced its June 12 Chautauqua Program will be John Armbruster speaking on the survival story of Gene Moran, who was a Crawford County, WI resident whose WWII experience led to his survival after falling four miles from his airplane without a parachute. He subsequently also survived being a Prisoner of War and being forced to walk on a 600-mile death march.

Attendees will be intrigued by the story as told by Armbruster in his best-selling book, Tailspin.  This book was written by John Armbruster after many evenings spent listening to Gene Moran carefully and cautiously tell his story to the author. Armbruster will have his book for sale at the conclusion of his presentation.

Wed
22
May

New Albin Public Library to host bird exhibit by Blank Park Zoo May 31

The New Albin Public Library will be hosting an interactive bird exhibit by Blank Park Zoo from Des Moines Friday, May 31, beginning at 3 p.m. The free event will feature a variety of educational opportunities to learn about birds, including different sensory bins that let kids explore human-made items that were inspired from different bird beaks. There will also be an opportunity to view a variety of bird feathers, skulls and eggs. No live animals will be present at the event.
 

Wed
22
May

“They’re More Than a Name on the Wall”: Harpers Ferry Area Heritage Society sponsoring pop-up museum during local Memorial Day events


Part of the museum display, but more information sought ... The photo above will be on display at the pop-up museum at the Ethel Robinson Meehan Community Center in Harpers Ferry during the town’s annual Memorial Day Observance Monday, May 27. Although some of the young men in the photo have been identified, such as the names of Tim Collins, Emmett Houlihan, Joe Sullivan and P.L. Martelle handwritten above, and the date of June 25, 1918 is printed on the photo, the location, event or purpose of the photo, in addition to other names of those pictured, are being sought by members of the Harpers Ferry Area Heritage Society. Anyone with such information can contact the Harpers Ferry Area Heritage Society through its Facebook page or the group’s website at www.harpersferryheritage.org. Submitted photo.

Roll Call of servicemen ... The Roll Call list pictured at right includes names of Harpers Ferry area men who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to their country in the U.S. military during noted eras or conflicts. Harpers Ferry Area Heritage Society member Regina (Robinson) Manning has been able to conduct research on all of these men and will have that research information available as part of the pop-up museum display the Heritage Society will be hosting during the Memorial Day Observance events in Harpers Ferry Monday, May 27. Submitted image.

by Brianne Grimstad

The Harpers Ferry Area Heritage Society (HFAHS) is sponsoring a pop-up museum in Harpers Ferry this Memorial Day, Monday, May 27, at the Ethel Robinson Meehan Community Center, located at 234 North 4th Street in Harpers Ferry. Entitled “They’re More Than a Name on a Wall,” the museum will honor fallen veterans from Harpers Ferry, Waterville and the surrounding area who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.

Hours available for visitation will be 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., following the Memorial Day Program at the Veterans Memorial in Harpers Ferry. The museum will also be available during the annual American Legion Scenic Unit #722 pork chop dinner Memorial Day.

Wed
15
May

May “Bridge Talk” attendees learn about progress on new bridge, and get a close look at a section of the enormous rebar cage used in a drilled shaft


Rebar example ... The rebar cage brought to the library as part of the May “Let’s Talk Bridges” presentation was the top portion of the rebar cage poured into the demonstration drilled shaft used in the new bridge construction project. This rebar was the extra portion sticking out of the top of the shaft that was cut off after the concrete hardened. “We brought this along to show how big these parts of the drilled shafts really are,” Burke said. “We also wanted to show how the rebar is tied together to make the cage, and how the testing equipment is attached to the cage.” Photo by Robert Raymond.

by Julie Berg-Raymond

Attendees at the Thursday, May 9 session of “Let’s Talk Bridges!” - informational meetings on the new bridge construction held the second Thursday of each month at Meehan Memorial Lansing Public Library - had an opportunity to appreciate the sheer magnitude of the drilled shafts upon which the piers of the new Mississippi River bridge at Lansing will sit, when they were able to stand next to a section of the rebar cage from the demonstration shaft built by Kraemer North America, contractors on the bridge project.

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