River Valley

by Susan Cantine-Maxson

For many who have experienced illness or accident, physical therapy can be the pathway to health.  October is Physical Therapy Month, when many physical therapy offices hold special events to emphasize the importance of the practice. Physical therapists assist individuals who have illnesses or injuries that limit their daily life functions and/or mobility so that they can have an improved quality of life. Occupational Therapists work to improve self-care, activities of daily living, home management and cognitive abilities.

by B.J. Tomlinson

In its regular meeting Monday night, October 17, the Lansing City Council heard a report from resident Deb Volker of “cherry bombs” being set off around 2 a.m. In addition to the cherry bombs, Volker also reported that an automobile without baffles or mufflers races around and creates considerable noise. Council members stated they have heard and felt the cherry bomb blasts as well.

In addition, Volker said that dump trucks don’t stop at the four-way stop sign, more juveniles are out late at night and that her windshield has been broken. Because of all these incidences, she suggested that more policing is warranted in Lansing and less in New Albin. She said she didn’t always call the police to report incidences because the dispatcher doesn’t seem to take them seriously.

Northeast Iowa Community Action Corporation (NEICAC) Family Service Offices have begun taking applications for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) as of October 3. Any household that applied for LIHEAP in the 2015-2016 LIHEAP program year can complete their applications online at http://www.neicac.org/energy.html.

The current application period is only for households with individuals age 60 or older, or who are disabled, or who have a written disconnection notice or are currently disconnected from their heating or electricity provider. All other households may apply starting November 1.

Again this year, the household income eligibility has been raised from 150% of federal poverty level to 175%.

New Albin native and published author Clyde Cremer will be making a presentation on his book “The Life and Times of a World War I Soldier: The Julius Holthaus Story” Monday, October 17 at 6:30 p.m. at the New Albin Public Library. Cremer’s book is described as being about “a humble farm lad, Julius Holthaus, not trained in the art of war but who went to France to shore up the depleted ranks of the Allies in America’s largest battle of World War One, the Meuse-Argonne.”

Six years of research that included access to Holthaus’ diary resulted in the story Cremer tells about one soldier. The book follows Holthaus from his rural Idaho and Iowa origins through to his enlistment, training and final trauma in the forest of the Argonne. Cremer says that with so few World War I soldiers remaining, he felt it was imperative to tell the story of Holthaus and his experience as a World War I soldier.

Retired teacher Joanne White of Ferryville, WI will be presenting a program about pioneer girl and author Laura Ingalls Wilder. The presentation will take place Wednesday, October 12 at 6:30 p.m. at the Stone Quarry in New Albin, which is located on Main Street next to New Albin Savings Bank.

Learning about Wilder has been White’s lifelong hobby. Anyone interested in Wilder’s life and the places where she lived will enjoy this presentation. This a free presentation open to the public, and all are welcome. Refreshments will be served.
 

by B.J. Tomlinson

The Lansing City Council met in its regular session Monday night, October 3. At 7:03 p.m. Mayor Mike Brennan opened a Public Hearing on the status of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding for Water and Sewer Improvement Projects within the city. Diana Johnson from Upper Explorerland Regional Planning Commission presented a description of accomplishments to date, remaining work and performance targets within the project series.

The first annual Driftless Area Biggest Pumpkin Contest was held in Lansing Saturday, September 24. The contest is a continuation of the initial contest first started in Waukon several years ago and most recently continued at TASC, Inc. in Waukon before being assumed this year by Main Street Lansing as part of Lansing's new Harvest Fest celebration. Twelve pumpkins were entered, and the top three placewinning pumpkins are pictured in the center of the top photo above and include, left to right beginning with the third pumpkin from left: Third place - Duane Estebo, 420 pounds and winner of $50; Second place - Becki Estebo, 560 pounds and winner of $100; and First place - Marshall Kruse, 758 pounds and winner of $500. Kruse said he will donate his prizewinnings to the Allamakee County Food Shelf and Northeast Iowa Food Bank.

“The Fall Bird Migration," a program by Ross Geerdes, naturalist with Allamakee County Conservation, will be presented Thursday, September 29 at 6:30 p.m. at Meehan Memorial Lansing Public Library.

Geerdes says “The Driftless Area” (Pool 9 of the Mississippi River specifically) is a stopover for migrating waterfowl, including canvasbacks and redheaded ducks.  It is a key stopover for Tundra Swans migrating to the east coast as well as the many other waterfowl that are in this area. He will also expand into songbirds like warblers, robins and woodpeckers, and butterflies as well.

Contact the Meehan Memorial Lansing Public Library or the Allamakee County Conservation Board for more information.
 

The Driftless  Area Biggest Pumpkin Contest is scheduled to be held this Saturday, September 24 in Lansing. Part of Lansing’s Harvest Fest, the Biggest Pumpkin Contest will begin weighing pumpkins at 9 a.m. and will weigh all pumpkins that arrive up until 12 noon. The Big Pumpkin Contest had been hosted by TASC, Inc. in Waukon for the past several years, but is now under the direction of Main Street Lansing.

The biggest pumpkin by weight will win $500, second place wins $100 and third place wins $50. The weigh-in area is at the corner of Main and Front Streets in Lansing with the pumpkins being displayed there after the contest. There is no pre-registration necessary - just show up with a big pumpkin. Pumpkins must be intact without holes or cracks, and there is a suggested $10 weighing fee donation.

by Susan Cantine-Maxson

For one local congregation, the lyrics of a hymn have a literal meaning, “Shall we gather at the river? …Yes, we’ll gather at the river,  the beautiful, the beautiful river.”

For nine years, congregation members of Our Savior Lutheran in Lansing have participated in an annual summer church service held on a 90-passenger tour boat of the Mississippi Explorer Cruise Company. The first service in 2008 began because someone interested in becoming a member of the congregation wanted to be baptized by full immersion in the Mississippi River because the river was an important symbol in her life. Living in the area was part of her spiritual journey. Therefore, it seemed logical to fulfill that journey by being baptized in the river.