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September 10, 2023, Ariel Gilbertson, age 79, passed away peacefully at her home with her family by her side. A Celebration of Life will take place at a later date at the home farm.

If you’ve ever met her, you would know where all of us get our love for adventures, love for nature, love for all animals, and you also have to include the sassy, witty attitude and strength. She was the definition of “cool grandma.”

Ariel was born October 22, 1943 in Lansing to Edward and Evelyn (Mulholland) Colsch. She married Peter Gilbertson December 22, 1979. She loved playing euchre, dancing, country music, her special blended family, and her beloved dogs, Bubba and Hobo.

Marie K. Loomis, 89, of Lansing died Tuesday, November 22, 2022 at her home. A celebration of life will be held this Saturday, September 16 starting at 3 p.m. at Coffee on the River in Lansing. Burial of ashes will be at Oak Hill Cemetery. Thornburg-Grau Funeral Home in Lansing is assisting the family. Online condolences may be left at www.martinfunerals.com.

The Mississippi River bridge connecting Iowa Highway 9 in Lansing to Wisconsin Highway 82 in rural Crawford County, WI stands as an icon for the region. A new icon is in the works to replace this aging structure and improve safety and mobility as motorists and river enthusiasts move around the area.

The cantilever Black Hawk Bridge structure has served the area since 1931 with a closure from 1945 to 1957 when the crossing was damaged by ice dams. Depreciation over time and changing vehicle size and traffic patterns now call for a new, wider, safer crossing.

Working with area residents and interest groups through public meetings and other outreach efforts, the Iowa and Wisconsin Departments of Transportation are proud to get started on a new, safe, functional and beautiful bridge that will serve the area for generations. Kraemer North America, LLC headquartered in Plain, WI was awarded the bid following a special bid letting in early August.

The Allamakee County Community Foundation (ACCF) recently welcomed Leah Benzing, Jim Johnson and Lisa Snitker to its Advisory Board. The new members reside in Harpers Ferry, Waterville and Waukon, respectively.

This spring, three long-time board members retired from service, including Pat Cota, Sheryl Evanson and Jarod Olson. The three represented 28 years of combined service to the organization.

“Pat Cota inspired me to become a member of the Foundation board,” says Benzing. “I’m looking forward to learning more about each community within the county, building relationships with our community members, learning about the visions of each group and what they are working on in their community.”

by Ellen Modersohn

With the installation this month of an electric vehicle charging station, Lansing is ready to fuel not only locally owned electric vehicles (EVs), but also those owned by seasonal and short-term visitors to the city and those passing through. The Level-2 charging station was installed at the east side of Lansing’s city parking lot along South Front Street.

Lansing’s City Council approved the purchase of the Charge Point station (pictured at far right) from LilyPad EV in December 2022. The $10,994.76 cost of the station was covered by the VW (Volkswagen) Settlement Grant awarded to the City of Lansing in July 2022.

Lansing City Council member Curt Snitker said the charger will be important for tourism in and around Lansing.

Allamakee County Entrepreneurship Week is an annual collaboration between Allamakee County Economic Development & Tourism and Lansing Office Works. It is being observed September 18-22 this year with a series of workshops focusing on helping entrepreneurs build their skill and business.

The workshop series will be taking place at Lansing Office Works, located at 274 Main Street in Lansing, unless otherwise noted. The workshops are free of charge and may also include a meal or refreshments. The workshop series includes the following:

by Joe Moses

The Waukon City Council met in special session Monday, September 11 for discussion of nuisance abatement procedures, follow-through and public expectation. This two-hour meeting with approximately 15 residents participating in person or via Zoom web-conferencing covered a variety of nuisance abatement issues and related topics, serving as an information sharing session for the council and members of the general public.

The meeting was called to order by Mayor Arvid Hatlan with City Clerk Sarah Snitker noting feedback received from a resident not available to attend the meeting. Snitker further noted that the person commented that they do not like parked vehicles on front yards and how that looks and that ordinances in place should be enforced throughout the community fairly.

FreedomBank recently announced the promotion of Barb Shull and Kate-Leigh Wilson to new positions within the organization. This move reflects the bank’s dedication to recognizing and nurturing the talents of its staff.

Barb Shull has been promoted to Senior Vice President and Executive Officer. She is the Waukon location’s “go-to” leader, representing both the markets team and customers within the Executive Officer group.

Kate-Leigh Wilson has been promoted to Assistant Vice President. As an ag lender in Waukon, she has a strong understanding of agriculture and is dedicated to helping FreedomBank’s loan clients achieve success.

Kathy Mueller, President and CEO of FreedomBank, expressed pride in the organization’s culture of success and development, promoting from within. Mueller stated, “We are grateful for Barb and Kate-Leigh’s contributions and look forward to their success in their new roles.”
 

by Julie Berg-Raymond

During the regular meeting of the Lansing City Council Monday, September 5, Allamakee County Economic Development (ACED) Executive Director Val Reinke spoke about the Allamakee County Housing Study being undertaken by ACED in partnership with Upper Explorerland Regional Planning Commission (UERPC). She encouraged all county residents to participate in the study by completing a housing needs survey.

Friday, September 15 at 1 p.m., the Lansing VFW Post and Auxiliary and the Lansing American Legion Post #50 will commemorate National POW/MIA Recognition Day with a Missing Man Ceremony and Dedication of the Ralph Bartels Patio located next to the shelter on Mt. Hosmer in Lansing.

Ralph Bartels was a member of the Lansing Gustave F. Kerndt VFW Post #5981 and served for 50 years as Post Adjutant in the Lansing American Legion #50.

Everyone is invited to attend this special ceremony. The Missing Man ceremony honors those still missing from this Nation’s past wars and conflicts, as well as those who made the ultimate sacrifice and whose remains have not yet been recovered and returned home to the country they served.