River Valley

by Joshua Sharpe

The Lansing City Council met for its regular session Monday, November 3 with Mayor Mike Verdon absent and council member Mike Manning presiding in his place as Mayor Pro Tem. In a meeting that lasted just under half an hour, the council addressed key financial measures connected to Lansing’s ongoing infrastructure initiatives, along with routine administrative approvals and community maintenance topics, including consolidating municipal loan agreements, updates on federally funded water and sewer projects, and overseeing facility operations.

TREE REMOVAL REQUEST
The council approved a request from Ron and Susanne Herman to remove several trees on city property adjacent to their property on South Front Street. The Hermans volunteered to undertake this work entirely at their own expense and to assume full liability, ensuring the city would incur no costs or risks with the project.

The Meehan Memorial Lansing Public Library is hosting Iowa Legal Aid in a series of free evening workshops for adults. The next and final session is scheduled for Thursday, November 20 at 5:30 p.m. and will be on advanced directives.

Attendees should bring their questions for legal experts on these topics to answer. All sessions are being held at the library, 515 Main Street in Lansing. Those who have questions may call 563-538-4693 or email library@lansing.lib.ia.us.
 

submitted by Jackie Cooper, Main Street Lansing Executive Director

Main Street Lansing recently welcomed Quincy Johnson and Pinnacle Wealth Management to their new storefront at 224 Main Street in Lansing. A ribbon cutting and grand opening celebration was held Thursday, October 15 to officially introduce Johnson and his business to the downtown community.

A HOMETOWN RETURN
Johnson is no stranger to Lansing - he grew up there and has always admired the town’s strong sense of community. “The generosity of people here is unmatched,” he shared. “Neighbors are always willing to help those in need, and that’s something special you don’t find everywhere.”

The Allamakee County Conservation Board (ACCB) will be hosting a Fall Migration Field Day Saturday, November 15. The day will include a guided hike out onto the spillway in Harpers Ferry to view migrating waterfowl in the main channel, and maps and directions to local birding hot spots that can be picked up at the Driftless Area Education and Visitors Center in Lansing.

The hike will leave from the spillway parking area at the southern end of Red Oak Road, across the highway from Mohn’s Fish Market near Harpers Ferry, at 10 a.m. Pre-registration is not required. Following the hike, naturalist Erin Cubbon will be out on Red Oak Road in between Harpers Ferry and Lansing with binoculars and spotting scopes ready to talk birds with visitors until 3 p.m.

Main Street Lansing will be sponsoring a Trick-or-Treat Downtown Extravaganza the evening of Halloween, Friday, October 31, from 4-6 p.m. Local youth are invited to trick-or-treat through the downtown businesses in Lansing. There will also be hot dogs and hot chocolate available for free at the downtown plaza.

Lansing native Denise Keenan will the featured speaker at the next When Relationships Change event being hosted by Our Savior Lutheran Church in Lansing Sunday, November 2. A pre-Thanksgiving meal will be served at 12:30 p.m. followed by Keenan’s presentation. There is no cost or registration needed to attend.

Denise Keenan is a multi-faceted practitioner with expertise in such areas as Holistic Wellness, Life Transformed Coaching, Reiki, Pranic Healing, Hypnotherapy, Yoga Instruction, Sound Healing, Coaching Life, and Bodywork. She is the daughter of the late Walt and Margaretta Keenan.
 

by Joshua Sharpe

The Lansing City Council held its regular meeting Monday, October 20 at City Hall with all council members present. The council approved the 2026 Driftless Half-Marathon date, adopted several financial and administrative resolutions, and reviewed progress on ongoing infrastructure projects. 

Main Street Lansing will be sponsoring a Trick-or-Treat Downtown Extravaganza the evening of Halloween, Friday, October 31, from 4-6 p.m. Local youth are invited to trick-or-treat through the downtown businesses in Lansing. There will also be hot dogs and hot chocolate available for free at the downtown plaza.
 

Lansing native Denise Keenan will the featured speaker at the next When Relationships Change event being hosted by Our Savior Lutheran Church in Lansing Sunday, November 2. A pre-Thanksgiving meal will be served at 12:30 p.m. followed by Keenan’s presentation. There is no cost or registration needed to attend.

Denise Keenan is a multi-faceted practitioner with expertise in such areas as Holistic Wellness, Life Transformed Coaching, Reiki, Pranic Healing, Hypnotherapy, Yoga Instruction, Sound Healing, Coaching Life, and Bodywork. She is the daughter of the late Walt and Margaretta Keenan.
 

Volunteers are preparing to collect Operation Christmas Child shoebox gifts during National Collection Week, November 17-24. Nearly 5,000 drop-off locations will open across the country in November, and shoebox packers can find their local drop-off locations in Iowa.

Among the drop-off locations most accessible to this local area are Christ Community Evangelical Free Church in New Albin and Stone Ridge Community Church in Decorah. Christ Community Evangelical Free Church is located at 188 Plum Street NE in New Albin, and its open hours of accepting Operation Christmas Child shoebox gifts during the November 17-24 drop-off week include the following:
November 17: 1-3 p.m.
November 18: 1-3 p.m.
November 19: 1-3 p.m.
November 20: 5-7 p.m.
November 21: 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
November 22: 8-10 a.m.
November 23: 11 a.m.- 2 p.m.
November 24: 8-10 a.m.