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The Lansing Veterans Memorial Association has donated $3,000 to the Lansing Parks Board to develop a Veterans Memorial patio adjacent to the south side of the existing park shelter on Mt Hosmer in Lansing. Pictured at right, Veterans Memorial Association President Bill Burke (right) recently presented the Association's check to Lansing City Parks Board Chairman Dave Pleasants (left), the funds of which will be placed into a City fund for the memorial patio.
 

Tim Alberts (pictured at right in photo), Quartermaster of Lansing VFW Post 5981, presented a check for $200 from the VFW to the Lansing Ambulance and EMT service. Accepting the check on behalf of the Lansing Ambulance/EMT service are Ann and Matthew Wagner (pictured left to right at left in the above photo). The Wagners also were recently presented with the Lansing VFW Community Service Award for 2016 for their continuing contribution and dedication to the Lansing Ambulance/EMT service and their involvement in other local organizations and church activities that have benefited the Lansing community. Submitted photo.
 

Lansing’s third annual WinterFest scheduled for Saturday, February 18 will have a special purpose this year. While WinterFest started with the organization committee from Main Street Lansing in Lansing, the group has branched out this year to partner with the Lansing Lions Club to promote family fun and fundraising for new playground equipment in the Front Street park down by the ball diamond.

Several old wooden playground pieces at the park have had to be dismantled, leaving a real need for an enhanced playground space. Equipment and improvements to the area will cost approximately $60,000. The Lansing Lions have taken on the task of raising funds to get this project done. The WinterFest committee agreed that a whole community event was a great way to start this fundraiser. All profits from WinterFest will go to the fundraising for the park.

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.

The Waukon bowling team rolled to a split of its two meets this past week, competing in its final dual meets of the regular season. The Indians first were swept by Oelwein Tuesday, January 31 in a meet rescheduled from January 17, the girls falling by an 1847-1945 final result and the boys doing likewise, 2147-2440. The bowling Tribe bounced back with some dramatics in it second meet of the week, both teams edging out the visiting Cyclones of Denver by their narrowest margin of victory this season, the girls winning by the narrowest of margins, 2000-1999, in an extra frame and the boys bowling some of their highest totals of the season to post a 2461-2435 win over Denver.

The Waukon girls basketball team posted an undefeated week, pulling out a non-conference thriller before handling the two teams that sit beneath the Indians in this season’s Northeast Iowa Conference standings. The Indians’ week began with a 45-44 home triumph over Spring Grove, MN secured in the game’s final seconds before downing both Charles City and Decorah on back-to-back nights at home, 38-28 Friday, February 3 and 47-19 Saturday, February 4 in a game rescheduled twice with the Vikings from its original January 3 date.

Evening its season record to 10-10, including a 4-7 mark in Northeast Iowa Conference play, the basketball Tribe was scheduled to travel to Decorah Tuesday, February 7 to wrap up its regular season before beginning postseason tournament play Saturday, February 11 at third-rated Crestwood, details of which can be found in a shaded box elsewhere on this same page.

The Waukon boys basketball team played in its busiest week of the season, coming up with just a single win in a week filled with four games. The Indians opened the week with a 73-69 loss at Decorah Monday, January 30 in a game rescheduled twice from its original January 3 date. The Tribe then won its only game of the week, downing MFL/MarMac, 79-77, at home Tuesday, January 31, before falling in back-to-back games to end the week, 66-56 at home to Prairie du Chien, WI Thursday, February 2 and at Charles City by a 77-51 final result Friday, February 3.

The 2016-2017 wrestling season came to an end for all but one member of the Waukon wrestling team Saturday, February 4, as senior 182-pounder Blain Swenson was the lone member of the mat Tribe to wrestle to a runner-up finish or better to earn advancement on to the next round of postseason tournament action. Swenson split his two matches at the Sectional Tournament to finish as the 182-pound runner-up, leading the way for the Indians to their sixth-place team finish with 91 team points.

Class 2A top-rated New Hampton and ninth-rated Crestwood finished first and second at Saturday’s Sectional event, each of them earning a berth in the Class 2A Regional Dual Tournament slated to be wrestled Tuesday, February 7. New Hampton and Crestwood each qualified eight wrestlers for Saturday’s District, with Decorah and Oelwein each qualifying four and North Fayette Valley advancing three wrestlers.

Lee D. Gage, 81, of Castalia, formerly of La Porte, IN, died Tuesday, January 31, 2017 at his home in rural Castalia. Funeral services were held Saturday, February 4 at Community Presbyterian Church in Postville, with Pastor Gary Catterson officiating. Entombment was at Swan Lake Memorial Gardens in Michigan City, IN Monday, February 6 with military honors.

Martin Funeral Home in Waukon assisted with arrangements. Memorials may be made to Winneshiek Medical Center Hospice, 901 Montgomery Street, Decorah, IA 52101.

Lee Duane Gage was born December 9, 1935 in LaGrange County, IN, the son of Philip and Goldie (Balyeat) Gage. He graduated from Scott High School in Scott, IN and was drafted into the United States Army in 1958 and served at Fort Knox until 1964.

Joan Jean Downer, 75, of Strawberry Point passed away Thursday, January 26, 2017 at the Regional Medical Center in Manchester. Memorial service was held February 1 at Strawberry Point.

Joan was born March 11, 1941 in New Albin, the daughter of Vincent and Edna (Halvorson) Strub. She graduated from Lansing St. George High School in 1959.

Joan married Charles Rettinger in 1959. Three sons were born to this union. They moved to the Aurora area and farmed together, and they later divorced. Joan was then united in marriage to Richard Downer in 1973, and one son was born to this union. The couple later divorced.

Joan loved nature, especially growing flowers.  She was a very creative person who enjoyed doing crafts, painting and quilting.  Most of all, Joan cherished the time she spent with her family.