River Valley

by Joshua Sharpe

The Lansing City Council met Monday, October 6 in regular session. The evening’s agenda was framed around resident requests, capital planning, and improvement projects, and it included a citizen advocating for street improvements, financing matters for essential purchases and marina improvements, procedural updates to ensure compliance with state reviewers, and specific public works tasks aligned with the seasonal timeline.

Prior to the business of the meeting agenda, recognition was offered regarding the retirement of long-serving Meehan Memorial Lansing Public Library Director Derva Burke, with Carmen Golay appointed as the successor to that role. An open house is scheduled for Tuesday, November 4 from 5-7 p.m. at the library to commemorate Burke’s 18 years of service as library director.

Dairyland Power Cooperative, along with 10 of their member cooperatives and the Wisconsin statewide association, kicked-off National Co-op Month with the 3rd Annual Cooperative Day of Service Wednesday, October 1. Dairyland coordinated five service projects throughout its service territory and joined forces with employees from local electric cooperatives to showcase their dedication to the cooperative principles, Concern for Community and Cooperation Among Cooperatives.

Join the Allamakee County Conservation Board (ACCB) for a Fall Colors Photography Hike Thursday, October 16 at 5 p.m. in an effort to take in the colors of fall. This is a program for anyone wanting to try their hand in landscape photography.

The hike may be on uneven ground and sturdy, closed-toed shoes are recommended. Attendees are asked to bring their own camera - phone or professional. Registration is not required but is recommended. To register or receive more information on this event, call the ACCB at 563-538-0401.

Meet at the Luster Heights Unit of Yellow River State Forest, which is located five miles south of Harpers Ferry on the Great River Road (Hwy 364) on the east side of the road. Turn onto Luster Heights Road; there is a parking lot one mile on the left.

The Allamakee County Conservation Board and the Mississippi Valley Sportsman Club in Lansing will host an Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Hunters Education Online Field Day. The field day will take place Saturday, October 18 at the Mississippi Valley Sportsman Club, located at 1797 Columbus Road, south of Lansing, from 8:30-11:30 a.m. Students should go the Iowa DNR website to register for the class.

Hunters Education is required for anyone in the state of Iowa born after January 1, 1972 who wishes to purchase a hunting license.  The Hunters Education Online Field Day is open to youth ages 11-17 who have successfully completed the online hunters education course through Iowa DNR.

Main Street Lansing, in conjunction with the Lansing Lions Club, the City of Lansing, the Light the Way Committee and other community organizations and businesses, is planning a Black Hawk Bridge Memorial Day Farewell Celebration scheduled for Saturday, October 11, prior to the upcoming closure and demolition of the Black Hawk Bridge. A variety of community events are being planned throughout the day, with that day culminating in a Memorial Party at T.J. Hunter’s throughout the afternoon and a Last Lighting of the Bridge Party at Shep’s Patio along the riverfront of the waters over which the Black Hawk Bridge has spanned for nearly a century.

Iowa native Linda Betsinger McCann will be speaking about her newest book, “Rosie the Riveters of Iowa,” at the Meehan Memorial Lansing Public Library, located at 515 Main Street, Tuesday, October 7 at 5 p.m. Rosie the Riveter was the nickname given to the women who worked during World War II.

Women were needed in factories and other companies to take the place of the men gone to the war. Iowa had 70 companies with military contracts during the war, so women were very much needed to assist in meeting the needs of the military. McCann was able to speak with 35 women who had worked as Rosies, and she shares their memories.

The biannual New Albin Library Quilt Show will take place this year, Friday-Sunday, October 10-12, at the New Albin Community Center. As in previous years, there will be beautifully constructed quilts and other works of art made from fiber - all made by talented hands  in the tri-state area.

The event will also feature raffles, vendors and demonstrations. This year’s event will also include a demonstration that will focus on how to make shopping bags from plastic feed sacks.

Judy Masur of Cresco will be displaying 20 quilts at this year’s show. Masur has been collecting antique textiles for many years, and she enjoys the study of Quilting History in America. Her collection includes two centuries of American quilting - the 19th and 20th Centuries. The oldest quilt in her collection dates back to 1820.

In anticipation of the car ferry to be utilized during the approximate two-year timeframe between the closure of the Black Hawk Bridge and completion of the new replacement bridge at Lansing, the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) will be completing improvements during the final weeks of September to both the north and south driveways of the Lansing Marina, including the railroad crossings. The improvements are being completed to help facilitate the much higher traffic volume expected with the car ferry docking at the marina on the Iowa side of the river crossing.

Travel to Egypt without leaving the library, as  Ahmed Atta and Mariam Ashraf make a presentation at Meehan Memorial Lansing Public Library Thursday, September 25 at 6 p.m. The presentation will offer a unique opportunity to discover both the ancient wonders and the modern vibrancy of Egypt - right here in Lansing.

The program will be guided by two Egyptian speakers: Ahmed Atta, who called Lansing home as an exchange student during the 2021-2022 school year, and Mariam Ashraf, who spent time as an exchange student in Santa Fe, NM. Drawing from their personal experiences in both Egypt and the U.S., they’ll offer a look at Egypt’s rich history and vibrant modern culture, blending ancient wonders with the everyday traditions that define life in Egypt as of today.

by Joshua Sharpe

The Lansing City Council met in regular session Monday, September 15. The hour-long meeting included approval of such matters as a pay estimate for an ongoing street project, an LP gas bid, sewer bill forgiveness, a request for engineering qualifications, and an audit agreement. Discussion also took place regarding a retaining wall concern previously presented, marina improvements, updates on the ongoing bridge project, and open meetings certification.

STREET PROJECT PAY ESTIMATE
The council approved a partial payment estimate in the amount of $176,063.55 to Skyline Construction for the North, Platt and Fourth Streets improvement project. Lansing Mayor Mike Verdon offered a brief project update from the bi-weekly project meeting recently held, noting that the project is “about 44% complete” as of the September 15 meeting.