River Valley

The U.S. Census Mobile has been at Meehan Memorial Lansing Public Library in Lansing every Tuesday in August answering questions about completing the Census and also assisting people in completing it. One final date will be available for this month, Tuesday, August 25 between the hours of 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

This operation, known as the Mobile Questionnaire Assistance (MQA) program, is a separate activity from census takers going door to door to count households that have not yet responded. The local census response representatives will help people complete the census on a 2020 Census tablet or on their own device, while practicing state and local social distancing protocols.

Lansing is currently at 49.5% response rate to the 2020 U.S. Census. Allamakee County is currently at a 55.8% response rate, the second lowest response rate in the entire state of Iowa, according to U.S. Census information.
 

by Alexis Johnson

The regular meeting of the Lansing City Council was held Monday, August 17. The meeting centered around the consent agenda and a report from the City Street Department.

The consent agenda consisted of council meeting minutes from August 3.  A motion was made and seconded to approve the consent agenda with minimal discussion.

Center Street from Fourth Street to Fifth Street above the high school football field will be closed for repairing of the street for a period anticipated to be about three weeks. Traffic will be rerouted around the area while the street repairs are taking place.

There will be a sign placed near Clear Creek directing traffic to the Driftless Center and the public boat landing. A motion was made and seconded to approve the street report.
 

The U.S. Census Mobile will be at Meehan Memorial Lansing Public Library in Lansing every Tuesday in August answering questions about completing the Census and also assisting people in completing it. The dates and times are Tuesdays from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. August 11, 18 and 25.

This operation, known as the Mobile Questionnaire Assistance (MQA) program, is a separate activity from census takers going door to door to count households that have not yet responded. The local census response representatives will help people complete the census on a 2020 Census tablet or on their own device, while practicing state and local social distancing protocols.

Lansing is currently at 49.5% response rate to the 2020 U.S. Census. Allamakee County is currently at a 55.8% response rate, the second lowest response rate in the entire state of Iowa, according to U.S. Census information.
 

Responses from Main Street Lansing’s COVID-19 recovery survey, held in early July, indicated that consumers are more comfortable with outdoor events, and shopping was the number-one activity consumers were ready to resume. Based on those results, Main Street Lansing will be hosting a Lansing Sidewalk Sales  event Friday, August 21 and Saturday, August 22.

Participating businesses will offer their goods all along the sidewalks of Main Street in Lansing. Customers will be able to social distance while perusing the offerings. A full list of participating businesses is still being confirmed.

For any questions, reach out to Andy Kelleher, Executive Director of Main Street Lansing, by calling 563-538-9229 or emailing director@lansingmatters.com.
 

This Friday is final day to pay taxes to avoid delinquent tax list

Allamakee County Treasurer Lori Hesse would like to make residents and property owners of Allamakee County aware that Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds’ Proclamation of Disaster Emergency signed July 24 impacts many of the services provided at the Treasurer’s Office. Among the helpful things to know are the following:

James Kerndt, President and CEO of Kerndt Brothers Bank headquartered in Lansing, recently announced the following promotions into leadership roles at the bank’s Lansing location:

Rebecca Seitz, Manager of Operations working in the Lansing location of Kerndt Brothers Bank, has been promoted to Senior Vice President. After 20 years with Kerndt Brothers Bank, Seitz states, “Banking’s endless opportunities is what makes it such a rewarding career”. An avid supporter of her daughters’ high school sports, Seitz also enjoys spending time on the river.

by Alexis Johnson

The regular meeting of the Lansing City Council was held Monday, August 3. Discussion at the meeting centered around the consent agenda, a Main Street Lansing update and the Streets report.

The consent agenda consisted of council meeting minutes from July 30 and payment of claims. A motion was made and seconded with minimal discussion to approve the consent agenda.

Main Street Lansing Executive Director Andy Kelleher provided the council with an update on recent efforts, noting that when the COVID-19 pandemic started he searched for grants and any other means of aid for local businesses while also pushing for residents and visitors to support local businesses as much as they possibly could. Main Street Lansing will be hosting a sidewalk sale involving local businesses in downtown Lansing August 21 and 22.

ITC Midwest will be conducting aerial patrols of high-voltage transmission structures and lines throughout its service territory from approximately August 4-17, weather permitting. Helicopter patrols provide an overall status of the overhead transmission system owned and operated by ITC Midwest.

The aerial inspections will cover the company’s lines in northern Iowa and southern Minnesota. The flights will be conducted in the Independence, Mason City and Lansing areas in Iowa, as well as the Adams, Fairmont, Harmony, Jackson, Luverne, Sherburn and Winnebago, MN areas. Counties in the aerial patrol areas include Allamakee, Black Hawk, Bremer, Buchanan, Cerro Gordo, Chickasaw, Clayton, Dickinson, Fayette, Franklin, Hancock, Howard, Kossuth, Mitchell, Osceola, Winnebago and Worth in Iowa as well as Faribault, Fillmore, Freeborn, Jackson, Martin, Mower, Nobles and Rock in Minnesota.

For those who have seen a new, pink flower growing on the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge, flowering rush (pictured at right) is a plant native to Eurasia but is invasive in North America. Blooms start in mid-June and continue into late summer. It can crowd out native vegetation, which provides better food and habitat for wildlife.

These aquatic invaders negatively impact fish and waterfowl habitats on the Refuge. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service wants to know where this plant is growing. Refuge biologists and managers are working on a strategic response to this pretty pest.

Many types of invasive plants can be dug up and removed to control them, but not flowering rush. Not only is it prohibited to dig up vegetation on the Refuge without a permit, but this plant breaks apart easily and prefers to spread by these little floating, broken pieces.

Kerndt Brothers Bank has announced that Patrick Dinan has joined the bank as Market President. He is responsible for providing lending and deposit services to agricultural and commercial customers throughout Allamakee and Winneshiek counties in Iowa and Vernon County in Wisconsin. His responsibilities also include business development and creating new relationships for the bank.

Dinan joins Kerndt Brothers Bank from Citizen’s State Bank in New Vienna, where he focused on building relationships with existing customers while developing new business. He brings over 27 years of experience in various business positions, including 24 years in banking with progressive responsibilities related to leasing, lending and bank management.