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Tuesday, June 16, Erin Cantrell, a flight nurse with Emplify Health Air Medical Transport, attended the Waukon Emergency Medical Services (EMS) monthly meeting to award Clinical Excellence Challenge Coins (pictured at right) to many of the EMS team members on their quick response to a 911 cardiac arrest call they had received earlier this spring that is credited with saving a life. April 15, the call came from the home of Randy and Lisa Murphy in Waukon after Randy became unresponsive. Randy’s wife, Lisa, was also complimented on her quick response in starting CPR as soon as she did and the important role it played in his survival.

Following the release of a special investigation report by State of Iowa Auditor Rob Sand Monday morning, June 15 in regard to financial matters with Lansing Emergency Medical Services (EMS) for the period January 1, 2019, through September 30, 2025, leaders of Lansing EMS responded to the report with a statement outlining their own acknowledgment, gratitude and assurance of how much its members value the responsibility they have in serving the public and the trust of that public they serve.

The released report indicates that the special investigation was requested by the Allamakee County Auditor’s Office in February of 2025 as a result of concerns regarding certain financial transactions and financial reporting of Lansing EMS. The investigation outlined the identification of $8,461.20 of what were labeled as improper disbursements and $9,778.67 of what were termed unsupported disbursements over that nearly six-year period.

Nearly six months after the Black Hawk Bridge at Lansing was demolished in mid-December of 2025 - and having to wait yet another day from its original schedule due to rainy weather, the new bridge being constructed across the Mississippi River at Lansing reached a new connection milestone in a day-long operation Friday, June 12. The center span of the bridge that had been constructed near the Lansing Marina during the past couple months was floated down the river and then lifted into place to be connected to the east and west spans of the new bridge.

Lansing native Martha Dunlevy Peters is the author of Lansing Locals: The Stories That Connect Us, a heartfelt tribute to the people, places, and memories that define the spirit of this beloved river town.

Writing and storytelling run deep in her family - for one hundred and seven years, the Dunlevy family recorded life and local history through weekly publications in the Allamakee Journal. Although Martha’s career led her into the dental field, she ultimately felt called back to writing - picking up the pen to continue a family legacy and, more importantly, to honor a promise she made to her late father, John Dunlevy.

Passionate about preserving the stories of Lansing and its surrounding communities, Martha follows in the footsteps of her father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. What began as a shared vision between a father and his daughter - to capture the voices and experiences of their hometown - became a deeply personal journey after his passing.

The Iowa and Wisconsin Departments of Transportation (DOT) are announcing another key milestone in the Iowa Highway 9/Wisconsin Highway 82 Mississippi River Bridge Project at Lansing. The center span of the new bridge will be installed this Thursday and Friday, June 11 and 12 in a process that includes floating the pre-assembled section down the river to be connected to sections that have already been built in place to the east and west. The project will need to close the free car ferry and restrict other traffic on the Mississippi River both Thursday and Friday, June 11 and 12.

Jackie Cooper of Main Street Lansing is a Rising Star honoree; Friends of Yellow River State Forest receives 2026 Sustainability Initiative Award

Iowa Travel Industry Partners (iTIP), the leading statewide association of the tourism and hospitality industry, has announced the recipients of the annual iTIP Awards. The awards ceremony was scheduled to take place at the iTIP annual meeting Tuesday, June 9 in Amana, and two Allamakee County entities are among the recipients of this year’s awards.

Jackie Cooper, Executive Director of Main Street Lansing, is being recognized as a Rising Star in the Small Market category. Rising Star is an award recognizing someone new to the Iowa tourism industry within the past five years who has demonstrated leadership, commitment, and passion for the Iowa travel industry.

Manning, Stone win Republican nomination for Supervisor in lone local contested race

Helping decide who will square off in the November General Election later this year, Allamakee County voters joined others statewide in casting their decisions in the Tuesday, June 2 Primary Election. Allamakee County Commissioner of Elections Denise Beyer reports that 19.54% of Allamakee County’s 9,638 registered voters took part in this year’s Primary Election, one of the higher percentages for a mid-term Primary Election in recent memory, with 15.35% of Allamakee County voters participating in 2022 and just 10.5% in the 2018 midterm Primary. Across the state of Iowa, 19.16% of registered voters cast a Primary ballot this year.

All photos on this page, along with many others from this year’s Memorial Day events in the local area, can be found by clicking on the Photos link on the Standard's website.

Pick up the Wednesday, June 3, 2026 print edition of The Standard or subscribe to our e-edition or print edition by clicking here.

by Jennifer Bissell

The small community of Waterville won in a big way this spring.
In a “March Madness” style bracket competition, the community of 109 people won The 29th State competition, hosted by Dave Baker, owner and creator of The 29th State, a mainly online presence that celebrates and revisits the history of communities within the state of Iowa, the 29th state added the United States of America.
Now, Baker will bring his resources and talents to the community for a history presentation, planned for later this year.

Tuesday, June 2 will be the Primary Election to determine which candidates will be representing their respective political parties in the 2026 General Election in November. An election notice listing the respective races in each of the Republican and Democratic parties was published in last week’s (May 20) edition of this newspaper (Page 24), listing races at the federal, state and county levels of government for voters to make their selections in, along with additional ballot and election information.
In-person absentee voting for this year’s Primary Election began Wednesday, May 13 and lasts through Monday, June 1 in the Auditor’s Office at the Allamakee County Courthouse in Waukon from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday through Friday each week. Polling locations for the June 2 Primary Election Day will be open from 7 a.m.-8 p.m. and are listed as follows:
Precinct 1 - Waterloo and Hanover Townships - St. Mary’s Church, 490 Waterloo Creek Drive, Dorchester