River Valley

by B.J. Tomlinson

The Lansing City Council met in regular session Monday, February 6 and reviewed two applications for the Council seat left vacant by the resignation of Don Peters. After discussion, Lansing resident Stephanie Runkle was selected and immediately seated at the Council table.

The next regular Council meeting date was changed from February 20 to February 21 because of scheduling conflicts. The Council also postponed setting the Public Hearing date for the South Road Bridge Replacement Project  until February 21. Spring Clean-Up Day was scheduled for April 18.

Main Street Lansing and KNEI Radio will be sponsoring the Allamakee County Chili Cook-Off in conjunction with Lansing’s WinterFest again this year. The Chili Cook-Off is scheduled to take place from 4-6 p.m. Saturday, February 18 at T.J. Hunters Banquet Hall in Lansing as the final event of the day-long WinterFest celebration.

Competition will be held in two divisions: Individual and Business. Prizes in the Individual division include $100, $50 and $25 in cash, with the Business division winner being awarded a traveling trophy. The general public in attendance will be tasting and voting for their favorite chili to determine the winners.

Those wishing to participate need to register by February 13. Registration forms are available at the Main Street Lansing office and Red Geranium Floral and Gifts in Lansing, as well as online at www.mainstreetlansing.com.

by B.J. Tomlinson

The Lansing City Council met in its regular session Monday night, January 16. After the Consent Agenda was approved, the Council re-appointed Tony Becker as Fire Chief of the Lansing Volunteer Fire Department. The Council also approved a Lansing Lion's Club request for the City of Lansing to be the fiscal sponsor for several grant applications being submitted by the Club, including applications for grant funding through the Allamakee County Community Foundation, Alliant Energy, Mayo Health Foundation, Gundersen Health Foundation, ITC Foundation, Monsanto Foundation and Wellmark Foundation.

The Harpers Ferry Booster Club and the Allamakee County Conservation Board (ACCB) will be hosting the Harpers Ferry Youth Ice Fishing Clinic at Nobles Island Boat Access, located at 645 Hwy 364 near Harpers Ferry, Sunday, January 29. Registration for youth aged 16 and under will begin at 10 a.m. and fishing will take place until 2 p.m.

Youth participating in the clinic may use their own equipment, but ice fishing equipment will also be made available to youth who do not have their own. Food and drink will also be available for those participating in the clinic. Prizes will be awarded to participants in each of three age groups.

In case of inclement weather, all cancellations and delays will be posted on the Allamakee County Conservation Board Facebook page the day of the event.

For more information on this program or any program offered by the Allamakee County Conservation Board contact the ACCB office at 563-586-2996.
 

Water is safe to drink, but radium levels exceed those allowable by the EPA; One of two wells taken out of operation, remediation option costs estimated to be around $800,000

by B.J. Tomlinson

The Lansing City Council met Tuesday, January 3 instead of its usual Monday meeting night because of observation of the New Year holiday.

After approving the Consent Agenda, the Council discussed the recent Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) letter sent to residents of Lansing concerning the amount of radium in the City's water supply. Mayor Mike Brennan said that the EPA requires letters be sent to residents when radium reaches a certain level even though City water is safe to drink. "Drinking six gallons of water a day for a year might be the equivalent of a couple of chest x-rays," Mayor Brennan said in explaining the radium levels being reported from one City well.

Weeklong canoe/kayak trip will travel Root and Mississippi Rivers from Rushford, MN down to Prairie du Chien, WI

Participants in the 2017 Great River Rumble, an annual canoe and kayak trip, will paddle from Rushford, MN on the Root River to Prairie du Chien, WI on the Mississippi River between July 29 and August 5 this year. The weeklong river adventure is expected to attract nearly 200 people from across the nation, and will include a pair of local overnight stops in Lansing and Harpers Ferry this year.

Experienced paddlers are invited to join the trip, which includes camping by the rivers. With a truck to haul gear from one campsite to the next, paddlers carry only what they need for the day, such as lunch, water and sunscreen.

Many people want to give back to the community, but may not have a lot of time to volunteer. The American Red Cross reminds eligible individuals that in only about an hour, volunteer blood donors can help save lives and feel instant gratification.

The American Red Cross will be holding a Blood Drive Monday, January 16 from 2-6 p.m. at the Kerndt Brothers Community Center, located at 395 Main Street in Lansing.

Blood is a perishable product that can only come from generous volunteers. By donating blood, individuals can make a difference in the lives of patients in their community and throughout the nation.

by B.J. Tomlinson

The Lansing City Council met in a special session Monday, December 12 to replace its regular December 5 meeting which was postponed due to a required quorum of council members being unavailable to hold an official meeting that evening. After making four minor corrections to the financial report, the Council approved the Consent Agenda.

The Council discussed various problems associated with the recent snowstorm. There are still several parked cars piled with snow, some of which have not been moved, resulting in snowplows being unable to clean the streets effectively. If not moved soon, citations will be issued and/or the cars will be towed.

The Lansing Park and Recreation Board has accepted a proposal from the Lansing Lions Club to enhance the playground on South Front Street near the Sports Complex in Lansing. Last year, the Park and Recreation Board removed a large piece of playground equipment which was deemed to be unsafe for children from that location.

The Lions Club has developed a plan to add new equipment for five- to 12-year-old children that is safe, handicap accessible and educational. The proposed equipment will have a theme which relates to the area. The plan also includes a bicycle rack, sidewalks, and benches for parents to use as they observe their children playing or ice skating.

A significant part of the plan is a fundraising campaign. The project has a budget of $60,000. Grants are being applied for; however, the campaign needs to raise at least $15,000 from the local community to achieve its goal.

Main Street Lansing has been anticipating a record-breaking “Main Street Madness” promotion again this year with even more prizes. Last year, $157,500 was spent in downtown Lansing by “Main Street Madness” punch card participants.

The event is underway and shoppers should look for a participating merchant poster and pick up a free punch card. The cards can then be validated with either punches or stamps in five-dollar increments for purchases made up until the promotion deadline of this Sunday, December 18. Once a card is full ($100 in purchases), it can be turned in and another card started, with no limit on the number of cards that can be filled and entered for the “Main Street Madness” drawing.