River Valley

Wed
18
Oct

Learning Tree Childcare Center in Lansing is helping to increase affordable childcare offerings in Allamakee County


Learning Tree Care Center Board members ... Left to right: Sierra Colsch, Paige Brennan (with her daughter, Rowan Brennan, a student in the Learning Tree three-year-old program), Taylor Crane, Alberto Whitlatch and Center Director Jenny Cole. Not pictured is Board President Lisa Welsh. Photo by Julie Berg-Raymond.

Library Board visits Learning Tree Childcare Center ... Members of the board of directors of the Meehan Memorial Lansing Public Library paid a visit to Learning Tree Childcare Center, which is housed in the lower level of the library in Lansing. The adults pictured in the photo above during the visit include, left to right, Learning Tree Assistant Teacher Abby Nuehring, Library Board members Deb Dietzenbach, Sara Majewski, Joan Hennessy, Lenny Emerich, Janice Rea and Library Director Derva Burke, and Learning Tree Director and Teacher Jenny Cole. Photo by Julie Berg-Raymond.

by Julie Berg-Raymond

“Childcare,” according to the Center for American Progress (CAP), “is at the core of U.S. society.”

By way of explanation, CAP’s website offers this: “Children rely on childcare services for safe, enriching early learning environments; parents rely on the services of childcare providers so that they can pursue work or school and build financial stability to provide for their families; and businesses rely on the childcare sector to ensure a stable workforce and consumer base” (americanprogress.org).

Thanks to the combined and committed efforts of many people - all building on one woman’s idea - Lansing is helping to increase affordable childcare offerings in Allamakee County.

Wed
11
Oct

Town Hall Meeting in Lansing addresses tax abatement ordinance, local housing needs, future of Old Stone School


Public input at Town Hall Meeting... About 30 people attended a Town Hall Meeting organized by Main Street Lansing at the request of the Lansing City Council Monday, October 2 in Meehan Memorial Lansing Public Library. In order to help people visualize open lots and to situate themselves with the city limits, maps of the city were set out throughout the library. Notepads and pencils were also made available, in case attendees wished to take notes during the meeting. Photo by Julie Berg-Raymond.

by Julie Berg-Raymond

With several significant developments either happening now or being on the near horizon in Lansing, Main Street Lansing (MSL), at the request of the city council, recently held a town hall meeting to open a public conversation about some of these developments.

Wed
11
Oct

Debi Durham, director of Iowa Economic Development Authority, to tour Lansing and meet with some local leaders this Wednesday

by Julie Berg-Raymond

Debi Durham, who heads the Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) and the Iowa Finance Authority (IFA), will be visiting Lansing this Wednesday, October 11, to tour the city and engage in conversation with local leaders about recent developments and efforts to improve the city through infrastructure and business development. Main Street Lansing (MSL) Executive Director Andrew Boddicker informed the Lansing City Council about Durham’s visit during the council’s regular meeting held Monday, October 2.

Wed
11
Oct

This weekend’s “Pieces in Time” Quilt Show will benefit the New Albin Public Library

This Friday through Sunday, October 13-15, over 200 quilted items will adorn the New Albin Community Center, located at 137 Railroad Avenue SW in New Albin. The “Pieces in Time” Quilt Show will feature a quilt raffle, an antique section, vendors, demonstrations, refreshments and more.

Hours for the show will be Friday, October 13 from 4-7 p.m.; Saturday, October 14 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; and Sunday, October 15 from 12-4 p.m. All proceeds from the show will benefit the New Albin Public Library.

“Loose Threads,” the local quilting group, will be showcasing panel quilts and mystery quilts this year. Demonstrations taking place at this year’s show will include microwave bowl holders and small quilted baskets. There will be two raffles conducted during the show, one for a quilt and the other including items such as baskets, pillow cases, dish towels and more. There will also be a portion of the show area dedicated to quilt sales again this year.

Wed
04
Oct

Lansing Main Street Vision Plan community survey and interactive mapping tools will remain open through the end of October

The City of Lansing has partnered with Upper Explorerland Regional Planning Commission (UERPC) to create a community vision for the future of Main Street. The overall goal of the planning and visioning process is to identify needs, desires and concerns that residents, business owners and visitors have for the Main Street/Highway 9 corridor through Lansing. The end product will be a community-derived vision for the corridor that considers things like traffic safety, environmental impacts, historic preservation, lighting, streetscape amenities, and more.

The project kicked off at the beginning of this year and has included two Lansing City Council work sessions, a focus group with Main Street business owners, an in-person community input meeting, and options for providing feedback online. There are still opportunities for community members to participate in the planning process.

Wed
04
Oct

“Faith & Blue” event scheduled for this Sunday in Lansing

The Lansing/New Albin Police Department, in partnership with Center Baptist Church and Lansing United Methodist Church Youth Ministry, will be hosting a second Faith & Blue event this Sunday, October 8 at the Lansing City Park, located at 451 South Front Street. The event is being held as part of the National Faith & Blue Weekend taking place across the United States this weekend, October 6-9, and it is open to everyone. The inaugural event was held last year in early October.

The event will feature a picnic lunch and live musical entertainment from 1-3 p.m. Sunday. There will also be some personal testimonies of faith from local Law Enforcement Officers. Free will donations will be accepted, with 100% of those proceeds being distributed to local food banks.

Wed
04
Oct

Public may comment on Determination for Issuance of a Right of Way Permit for Black Hawk Bridge through October 6

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service knows that access to America’s public lands increases the quality of life. National wildlife refuges across the country offer quality opportunities to connect with special places in a variety of ways. Before any activity can be allowed on a national wildlife refuge, that use must first be evaluated through a Compatibility Determination.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) has developed a draft Compatibility Determination for the issuance of a Right-of-Way (ROW) permit to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation. Iowa Department of Transportation (Iowa DOT) in partnership with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (Wisconsin DOT) is proposing to improve the existing bridge crossing of Iowa Highway 9 (IA 9) and Wisconsin State Highway 82 (WI 82) over the Mississippi River at Lansing, Iowa.

Wed
27
Sep

Purposes of town hall public meeting at the library Monday, October 2 discussed during September 18 regular meeting of Lansing City Council

by Julie Berg-Raymond

A town hall meeting is scheduled for Monday, October 2, from 5 to 6:30 p.m. at the Meehan Memorial Lansing Public Library. The regular meeting of the Lansing City Council also scheduled for that evening will commence at 7 p.m. - following the town hall meeting - at Lansing City Hall.

Wed
27
Sep

Lansing VFW to host Flag Retirement Ceremony this Saturday evening

American flags to be retired patriotically and respectfully

The public is invited to join the Lansing Gustave F. Kerndt VFW Post #5981, the Lansing Fire Department and local Boy Scout troops as they will lead an official flag decommissioning ceremony to properly send off unserviceable American flags this Saturday, September 30, beginning at 7 p.m. at the Red Barn Campground, located at 2609 Main Street in Lansing.

The public is encouraged to attend as the groups honorably retire, with dignity, American flags that have become tattered, soiled or no longer fit for display in a patriotic ceremony honoring the national symbol of unity. The flags will be incinerated in a dignified manner under Fire Department supervision.

Wed
20
Sep

Lansing City Council discusses institution of a tax abatement ordinance

by Julie Berg-Raymond

The Lansing City Council held a special meeting Monday, September 11 to discuss the institution of a tax abatement ordinance in Lansing. Main Street Lansing Executive Director Andrew Boddicker offered a presentation to the council that included general information about the meaning and functions of tax abatements, explained how instituting a tax abatement ordinance would benefit Lansing, and described a series of potential abatement levels the City could consider in the writing of the ordinance.

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