River Valley

Congressman Rod Blum's staff will be hosting local office hours in Lansing this  Friday, May 27. Staff will be on hand at the Lansing City Clerk’s Office, located at 201 John Street in Lansing, from 1-2:30 p.m. Friday.

The staff office hours provide local residents an opportunity to have their voice heard in person, especially for those who cannot make it to Congressman Blum's permanent offices, or for those who would rather interact face-to-face with congressional staff. Residents who are unable to attend Friday's local office hours but who have a concern to share with the Congressman are invited to contact district staff at 563-580-6959 or at Jonathan.VanNorman@mail.house.gov.
 

The first of 10 top prizes of $30,000 available in the Iowa Lottery’s new “Cash Carnival” scratch game was claimed by a northeast Iowa woman. Terisa Winters-Steiber of Lansing bought her winning ticket Sunday, May 8 at her local Kwik Star, located at 301 Main Street in Lansing, and said she knew right away that she’d won. “I had suspected that I did, but I had to look at it a few times and then I told my husband that we should probably go to town and make sure,” Winters-Steiber told lottery employees Monday, May 9 as she claimed her prize at the lottery’s regional office in Mason City.

by B.J. Tomlinson

The Lansing City Council met in its regular session Monday night, May 16.

Local resident Mark Peterson addressed the Council requesting approval to open a firearm shop at 60 South Front Street in Lansing, asking the Council to issue a letter of support to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) as part of the application process. Peterson said he would be selling all types of firearms and ammunition, and that he understands and will follow all regulations. The Council approved the request.

Emily Benzing, who just completed her junior year at Kee High School in Lansing, has been selected a 2016 Iowa Girls State participant by the American Legion Ladies Auxiliary, Unit 722 of Harpers Ferry. She is the daughter of Brian and Debra Benzing of Lansing.

Girls State is being held this year from June 12-17 at Drake University in Des Moines. Iowa Girls State is one of the premier programs sponsored by the American Legion Auxiliary. It was all started by a dream of four women over 70 years ago in hopes of teaching young women about the political process.

The Main Street Lansing program was honored Friday, April 29 by Iowa Governor Terry Branstad and Iowa Economic Development Director Debi Durham with a Main Street Leadership Award bestowed upon Bruce and Mary Palmborg of Lansing. Main Street Lansing Director Craig White introduced the Palmborgs to the audience of more than 450 people attending the 30th Anniversary Celebration of Main Street Iowa held at the Community Choice Credit Union Convention Center in Des Moines. Pictured above, left to right, are Iowa Governor Terry Branstad, Bruce and Mary Palmborg of Main Street Lansing, Main Street Lansing Director Craig White and Iowa Economic Development Director Debi Durham. Submitted photo.
 

Residents from all over the tri-state area joined the clean up of the 90 square miles of the Mississippi River know as Pool 9 Saturday, April 30, from Genoa, WI to Lynxville, WI and Lock & Dam 10. Men and women of all ages, and whole families as well descended on the VFW building in Lansing willing to be assigned an area on the river to clean. In all, approximately 140 volunteers walked along the shorelines and searched the backwaters in boats to assist in the 2016 Friends of Pool 9 (FOP9) Clean-Up.

Volunteers came from Waukon, Decorah, Calmar, Caledonia, MN and New Albin. They also came from Genoa, De Soto, Ferryville and Lynxville in Wisconsin, as well as other unknown areas, all to take part in the event.

Everyone received a free bright green 2016 FOP9 Clean Up t-shirt, water, gloves, garbage bags, and a noon lunch in appreciation for their efforts. Turn-out this year was so great that the group ran out of t-shirts.

by B.J. Tomlinson

The Lansing City Council met in regular session Monday night, May 2. Mayor pro tem Rebecca Conway presided.

Craig White, Executive Director of Main Street Lansing (MSL), addressed the Council, requesting permission to erect six history podiums along Main Street. White said the MSL History Committee, consisting of Shirley Darling, Joanne Kehr, Karen Galema and Rick Welsh, has received $5,000 from the Allamakee County Community Foundation and Willard and Arlene Kerndt to fund the project. The first podium will be erected this year at the boat landing park at Main Street and North Front Street near Shep’s. The other podiums will be added in the Spring of 2017. The podiums will be similar to those in Decorah, are of high quality and are guaranteed for 20 years.

Kee High School’s Post Prom was held Sunday, April 24 from midnight until 4 a.m. Guests played table games and other challenging activities using play money. The raffle and silent auction prize packages were also very popular with the guests. Special entertainment was provided by hypnotist Cory Osborn from Wand Enterprises.  Everyone attending was given an opportunity to guess the number of candies in a jar and Josh Yeoman won $100 for guessing closest to the actual number. Door prizes were awarded throughout the evening and everyone drew a number to win a prize package at the end of the event. A special drawing was held and the Senior Grand Prize (19” television) was won by Chandler Quirk. The Junior Grand Prize (Blu-Ray DVD player) was won by Courtney Cooper and the Guest Grand Prize (Snap Activity Tracker) was won by Jameson Peterson. Everyone who stayed through the entire event was given a bath towel.

Spring has arrived and so have the summer feathered visitors: the spring migratory birds. Ferryville Tourism Council and the Mississippi Valley Conservancy are co-sponsoring the third annual Spring Migration Day Hike at Sugar Creek Bluff in Ferryville Saturday, May 7.

Mayo Health Systems is the corporate sponsor of this “Linked to the Land” hike.  Expert guides will be leading the groups and listening for the cheerful birdsong in the woods. This is a fairly level walk and is very family friendly. Last year’s hike was featured in the recent episode of Discover Wisconsin!  Crawford, Grant, and Vernon Counties were showcased and designated as a “Discover Wisconsin 2016 Choice Destination”.

Participants should plan to meet at the Ferryville Village Hall (south end of town along Hwy. 35) at 7:30 a.m. for handouts, treats, coffee and water. They will then carpool to the trailhead on Big Buck Creek Road for the 8-10 a.m. hike.

by Susan Cantine-Maxson

Wednesday, April 20, 2016  is a day that many will recall as the beginning of the end - the end of a nearly century and a half tradition blending buttons with Lansing. Last Wednesday, management from CSS Industries out of Pennsylvania, the parent company of Blumenthal Lansing since the sale of the Lansing facility earlier this year, informed its employees that the Blumenthal Lansing plant would be closing by mid-July. Approximately 65 employees will be affected by the plant closing.