River Valley

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is seeking informal comments on administrative rules for Iowa fisheries and related programs. Executive Order 10 (EO10), signed by Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds January 10, 2023, requires all state agencies to identify which administrative rule chapters will be retained or rescinded. The EO10 process includes public engagement with the opportunity for input.

The Iowa DNR has reviewed the following rule chapters relating to programs administered by the Fisheries Bureau: 571 Iowa Administrative Code (IAC) Chapters 79 (Fish Stocking Procedures and Fees for Private Waters), 81 (Fishing Regulations), 82 (Commercial Fishing), 83 (Scuba and Skin Spearing of Rough Fish), 84 (Promiscuous Fishing), 86 (Turtles), 87 (Mussel Regulations), 89 (Aquaculture), 90 (Aquatic Invasive Species), and 113 (Restitution for Pollution Causing Injury to Wild Animals).

by Joshua Sharpe

Monday, June 2, the Lansing City Council held its regular meeting to address a variety of community, infrastructure, administrative, and policy matters that encompassed both long-term planning and immediate operational concerns. The council engaged in discussions regarding topics ranging from the revitalization of residential areas to the refinement of city regulations, in addition to several personnel matters involving compensation.

“Little Known Facts About the American Civil War” will be presented by speaker and author Bob O’Connor at Meehan Memorial Lansing Public Library Friday, June 13, at 1 p.m.

Does anyone know, for instance, that Robert E. Lee was not a citizen of the United States when he died?  Or that a Civil War soldier invented Coca Cola to overcome his addiction to morphine? Or that there were brothers in the South who were Siamese twins - one was drafted while the other wasn’t.

Does anyone know what Ulysses S. Grant’s middle name was? Or that both sides in the Civil War used camels as pack animals?

Find out about these and other facts that will stump even the most avid Civil War enthusiast. For more information contact the Lansing Library at 563-538-4693.

O’Connor lives in Charles Town, WV, close to most of the sites of his books. He has now published five Little Known Facts books and is working on book six.
 

The Driftless Area Education and Visitors Center in Lansing will host its next Conservation Cafe session Wednesday, June 11, starting at 9:30 a.m. This is a new series that has been started at the Driftless Area Education & Visitors Center to enjoy some social time with a hot beverage and a conservation-focused program following. The program will be free of charge, but advanced registration is encouraged.

The Ferryville Tourism Council has announced the first in its annual series of three Chautauqua Summer Programs to be held throughout this summer. The first program will be held Wednesday, June 11 at 6:30 p.m. in the Ferryville Village Hall.

The June 11 presentation will be “Rattlesnakes of the Driftless Region” and will be given by Erik Wild, a herpetologist associated with University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point who has been surveying rattlesnakes for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) for over 10 years.  Most recently he has played a key role in the DNR’s rattlesnake research in the Rush Creek State Natural Area and is passionate about sharing the benefits of these elusive creatures.

Anyone who loves snakes, or is terrified of snakes, or is nervous about snakes, or just has an abundance of curiosity is welcome to attend. Treats will be available.

Main Street Lansing is preparing to host its first-ever Market on Main, a one-day event designed to uplift and support makers and artisans from across the region in downtown Lansing. The event is being scheduled to take place Sunday, October 5 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Main Street Lansing is looking for a wide variety of vendors, including the following:
• Painting, photography, sculpture, and fiber arts
• Handmade jewelry, ceramics, textiles, and woodworking
• Artisan goods (candles, soaps, herbal products)
• Specialty food/beverage (jams, wines, cheeses, etc.)
• Fabric goods (quilts, clothing, table runners, etc.)
• Outdoor goods (fly fishing lures, turkey calls, outdoor craftsmanship, etc.)
• Repurposed and mixed media art
• Other creative handmade items

by Joshua Sharpe

The Lansing City Council convened in regular session Monday, May 19 to comprehensively address critical infrastructure concerns, detailed fiscal amendments, and multiple community improvement initiatives.

BRIDGE CLOSING UPDATE
Mayor Mike Verdon delivered an extensive briefing on a structural issue involving the Black Hawk Bridge. Verdon detailed, “A little after 10:30 p.m. Saturday night, seismic monitors triggered an alarm. (Iowa Department of Transportation Engineer) Clayton Burke promptly checked and confirmed the legitimacy of the alarm, initiating bridge closure procedures around 10:45 p.m., with the bridge officially closing around 2:00 a.m.”

Upper Explorerland Regional Planning Commission’s Safe Routes to School, in partnership with the Allamakee County Conservation Board, are offering a bicycle safety and bicycle maintenance event  scheduled for Thursday, May 29. The event begins at 5:30 p.m. at the Driftless Area Education and Visitors Center, 1944 Columbus Road, Lansing.

Participants are encouraged to bring their bicycles for instruction on basic bicycle maintenance and a short community bike ride. This event is open to all ages, but children must be accompanied by an adult. Families are welcome to bring their own picnic. Cookies will be provided. Bicycle helmets will also be given out to those in need.

Effigy Mounds National Monument has scheduled several free, public events for Spring, many of those being scheduled to take place during the month of May. Those events have ranged from hiking as a designated event or as part of a challenge series offered by the local National Park Service facility, to a series of historic presentations. Those scheduled events include the following remaining dates and activities as the month of May begins to wind down:

Keep Iowa Beautiful is calling on Iowans to help achieve its statewide goal of 2,500 volunteers to clean up litter across the state this spring. Iowans are invited to host a 2025 Pick-Up Iowa event in their communities. Pick-Up Iowa will continue to run through June 30 of this year.

Pick-Up Iowa, a Keep Iowa Beautiful program, promotes focused efforts to clean up trash along Iowa’s roadsides, neighborhoods, streets, school grounds, parks, forests, and streams.

Registration for the event remains open. Sign up today at https://keepiowabeautiful.org/get-involved/community-outreach-opportunit....