River Valley

The rehabilitation program can assist homeowners with up to $24,999 to help make repairs to their home.  The homes must meet Iowa’s Minimum Housing Standards upon completion. Rehabilitation may include items such as replacing shingles or siding that is in poor condition; and/or to aid in energy efficiency such as adding insulation to the attic and walls, replacing drafty old windows, and updating the electrical and plumbing.  
To determine if homeowners are eligible for the grant funds: they must own and have lived in their home for a minimum of six months, they must be income eligible and their property cannot be located in the 100-year flood plain. Income eligibility is based on household size and annual (gross) household income (see chart below).

Main Street Lansing (MSL) members recently welcomed Tom Garrett and his new business, Scenic Outdoor Adventures, to downtown Lansing. Scenic Outdoor Adventures offers kayak rentals by the day or weekend to explore the Mississippi River or Upper Iowa River. Delivery and pickup are available, or a reduced rate is offered for self-hauling. Call 563-538-4145 or 563-794-0542 for additional information. Pictured left to right are Dave Janzen (Lansing Hardware), Mary Palmborg (MSL), Sue Papp (MSL), Judy Schild (Eagles Nest Gallery), Tom Garrett (Scenic Outdoor Adventures), Jana Schoh (Red Geranium) and Bruce Palmborg (MSL). Submitted photo.

submitted by Lucy (Rodenberg) Anderson

8K Male - Tom Burke (36:12), 8K Female - Alaina Marti (42:19), 5K Over 18 Male - Todd Corwin (22:11), 5K Under 18 Male - John O’Neill (24:32), 5K Over 18 Female - Jessa Kelleher (24:35), 5K Under 18 Female - Nicki Wood (23:45). Submitted photo.

by B.J. Tomlinson

City of Lansing officials report that Mt. Hosmer will be closed to all foot and vehicle traffic for a period of at least the next two weeks, as a hillside stabilization and road repaving project will be taking place near the entrance area to the City of Lansing water reservoir. The recent history of heavy rains over the last several summers has caused areas of hillside erosion along the road ascending Mt. Hosmer, with that road having been reduced to a single lane of traffic (as evident by the sign in the photo above) recently to help avoid any incidents or further damage. The project got underway Tuesday, April 11 and is being funded with money received from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Standard photo by B.J. Tomlinson.
 

The American Red Cross urges blood donors to give in the final weeks of summer to help prevent a blood shortage.
Blood donations often decline in August as final summer vacations are planned and back-to-school activities ramp up. On average, during the summer months, about two fewer donors give blood at each Red Cross blood drive than what is needed.
Donations are needed now to help ensure blood is available for patients in need. Donors with types AB, O negative, B negative and A negative blood are especially encouraged to donate. Plasma from type AB donors can be transfused to patients of any blood type, as can type O negative blood. Type B negative and A negative blood can be transfused to Rh-positive or negative patients. These are the most in demand blood types and are in constant need.

The New Albin Improvement League (NAIL) has a busy fall planned with many events for the citizens of New Albin and surrounding communities to become involved in. As usual, the committee hopes to hit as many populations as possible with its upcoming events.
The first event being hosted by NAIL is a Back to School weekend. The weekend starts with a free family movie being shown at the Town House in New Albin Friday evening, August 21 at 6:30 p.m. All children need to bring is their pajamas, a pillow and a blanket to the event. NAIL will provide popcorn and drinks and, of course, all the fun of watching a movie with friends in their pajamas.

by B.J. Tomlinson

Denise Becker of Lansing and her daughters, Jessica Verdon and Jennifer Becker, ran their sixth annual Chicago Rock and Roll Half-Marathon Sunday, July 19. Not only did they run the half-marathon this year, but they also took the remix challenge and ran a 5K race the previous day, Saturday July, 18.
Every year Denise Becker and her daughters run in the event to raise awareness of how Post Traumatic Stress (PTS) and Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) affect returning service members. "Every day we lose approximately 22 service members to suicide related to PTSD/TBI, running 13.1 miles seems the least we can do to keep these disorders in the forefront," Becker said.