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Wed
07
Dec

Canadian Pacific Holiday Train will be in Lansing and New Albin Wednesday evening, December 7 ...

The Canadian Pacific (CP) Holiday Train returns to the rails this season on its first cross-continent tour in three years, following virtual concerts in the pandemic years of 2020 and 2021. The 24th Annual Holiday Train is again raising money, food and awareness for local food banks in communities along the CP network, making its way through northeast Iowa Wednesday, December 7 with stops in Guttenberg, Marquette, Lansing and New Albin before a final stop that day in La Crescent, MN. Highlighting the return of the Holiday Train will be a pair of concert performers, Alan Doyle and Kelly Prescott, who will present a half-hour show at each location.

Wed
07
Dec

Allamakee Ecumenical Choir to present annual “Festival of Lessons and Carols” Sunday

The Allamakee Ecumenical Choir will present its 46th Annual Candlelight Christmas Festival of Lessons and Carols Service this Sunday, December 11 at 7 p.m. The service will be held at St. John’s Lutheran Church, located at 8 Fifth Street SW in Waukon.

Local clergy will be reading the lessons. The carols will be sung by the congregation with organ accompaniment. Choral numbers will be presented by the Ecumenical Men’s Choir (also known as the Heartland Barbershop and Gospel Singers). Music will also be provided by the St. John’s Handbell Choirs, Waukon High School Brass Quintet, pianist Kristie Roeder, and Baritone Horn Soloist Shauna Johnsen. The program is under the direction of James Bieber, who is assisted by his daughter, Sarah Bieber, Waukon Middle and High School Choral Director.

Wed
07
Dec

Supervisors appoint VMH Board of Trustees on split vote in special session

by Joe Moses

The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met Wednesday, November 30 in special session to address a short agenda of matters relating to the rescinding of a motion appointing a temporary Veterans Memorial Hospital (VMH) Board of Trustees and the discussion and consideration of appointing permanent VMH Board of Trustees members.

Wed
30
Nov

Canadian Pacific Holiday Train to return to Lansing and New Albin the evening of December 7 ...

The Canadian Pacific (CP) Holiday Train will return to the rails this season on its first cross-continent tour in three years, following virtual concerts in the pandemic years of 2020 and 2021. The 24th Annual Holiday Train will again raise money, food and awareness for local food banks in communities along the CP network, making its way through northeast Iowa Wednesday, December 7 with stops in Guttenberg, Marquette, Lansing and New Albin before a final stop that day in La Crescent, MN.

Wed
30
Nov

Effigy Mounds National Monument signs agreement to become Tribal Sister Park to Ioway Tribe National Park

The National Park Service (NPS) Effigy Mounds National Monument and leaders of the Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska (ITKN) signed a first-of-its-kind agreement establishing the first Tribal Sister Park relationship between a U.S. National Park and a Tribal Nation’s National Park this past week. This agreement promotes cooperation and support between Ioway Tribal National Park, located along the south/northeastern border between Nebraska and Kansas, and Effigy Mounds National Monument, located in northeast Iowa. It enriches the experience and capacity of the personnel at both parks, strengthening the nation-to-nation relationship.

Wed
30
Nov

Board of Supervisors continues discussion on Veterans Memorial Hospital Board of Trustees; Special session scheduled for Wednesday afternoon


Iowa River Drive now open to all traffic ... Allamakee County officially reopened Iowa River Drive (County Road A26) Wednesday, November 23. Allamakee County Engineer Brian Ridenour said there is some finishing work to be completed yet next spring, with flaggers and pilot cars being used at that time for traffic control in order to avoid any further detours. The project began in mid-April of this year, resulting in a detour that took traffic through Lansing before heading north to New Albin. The six-mile stretch of roadway that was worked upon between just west of Wheatland Drive and the Iowa River Drive intersection with Great River Road (State Highway 26) involved grading, culvert replacements, small bridge replacement, areas of full pavement removal, areas of milling of the asphalt surface, and a new hot mix asphalt pavement being laid down the entire six-mile length of the project. Skyline Construction out of Decorah was the primary contractor on the project that resulted in the roadway being closed to through traffic for the past seven months.

by Joe Moses

The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met in regular session Monday, November 28 to address a full agenda of matters including an update relating to the Veterans Memorial Hospital City-ownership to County-ownership conversion, discussion of improvements and increased maintenance of Hickory Nut Drive, and discussion relating to the condition of Allamakee County Courthouse restrooms, among other matters.

During Public Comment, Lansing area resident Doug Mullen discussed the City-ownership to County-ownership conversion of Veterans Memorial Hospital (VMH) following the passage of Public Measure AN in the November 8 General Election. Mullen noted that he believes many who voted in favor of the conversion did so due to their perception that a vote against the measure would result in the closure of the hospital.

Wed
23
Nov

Iowa River Drive to open to all traffic late this afternoon

Allamakee County officially will reopen Iowa River Drive (County Road A26) at 4 p.m. Wednesday, November 23. Allamakee County Engineer Brian Ridenour said there is some finishing work to be completed yet next spring, with flaggers and pilot cars being used at that time for traffic control in order to avoid any further detours. The project began in mid-April of this year, resulting in a detour that took traffic through Lansing before heading north to New Albin. The six-mile stretch of roadway that was worked upon between just west of Wheatland Drive and the Iowa River Drive intersection with Great River Road (State Highway 26) involved grading, culvert replacements, small bridge replacement, areas of full pavement removal, areas of milling of the asphalt surface, and a new hot mix asphalt pavement being laid down the entire six-mile length of the project.

Wed
23
Nov

End of a powerful era: Lansing Generating Station approaching its final days as Alliant Energy transitions to its clean energy blueprint


Powerful presence for nearly 75 years coming to a close ... The Alliant Energy Lansing Generating Station located just south of Lansing will be taken out of production and closing its doors as the year 2022 transitions into the new year. The plant originated in 1948 and at one time included four production units, three of which were retired from service during the timeframe of 2006-2013. The fourth and final unit will be retired at year’s end and the demolition and clean-up of the plant will take place throughout 2023 and 2024 as Alliant Energy transitions to its clean energy blueprint that intends to have all of its coal-fired power plants, such as the one in Lansing, retired by the year 2040. Photo by Susan Cantine-Maxson.

Part of the Lansing area landscape for nearly three quarters of a century ... The Lansing Generating Station, pictured at right looking north toward Lansing and pictured below looking to the south, has been a long-time industrial icon within the more natural landscape of the bluffs and river valley just south of Lansing for nearly 75 years. The facility is being retired from production and will be closed as this year transitions into the new year of 2023, with demolition of the plant facility and removal of its equipment to take place throughout 2023 and into the year 2024 as the site is planned to be returned to its more natural state by Alliant Energy. Photos courtesy of Alliant Energy.

Find some reflection by family members of some early and long-time employees of the Lansing Generating Station here.

by Susan Cantine-Maxson

As winter begins to make itself known around the Driftless region, residents cozy up in their homes, turn on the lights a little earlier than the day before and are thankful for consistent electricity which is supplied by Alliant Energy throughout Wisconsin and Iowa.

Wed
23
Nov

Canadian Pacific Holiday Train to return to Lansing and New Albin ...

The Canadian Pacific (CP) Holiday Train will return to the rails this season on its first cross-continent tour in three years, following virtual concerts in the pandemic years of 2020 and 2021. The 24th Annual Holiday Train will again raise money, food and awareness for local food banks in communities along the CP network, making its way through northeast Iowa Wednesday, December 7 with stops in Guttenberg, Marquette, Lansing and New Albin before the final stop of that day in La Crescent, MN.

Wed
23
Nov

November 30 is deadline to complete survey on local housing needs; more input needed from residents, commuters

The City of Waukon is working with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach on a program to help improve housing in the area. The Rural Housing Readiness Assessment program, or RHRA, has been implemented in over 40 rural communities across Iowa and has won numerous awards for assisting communities in the development of housing action plans.

The program begins with a self-assessment of the community that collects relevant plans, studies, resolutions and ordinances. As part of this assessment, input from the wider community is sought through a survey to help highlight housing needs from residents and people who travel to Waukon to work. November 30 is the deadline for the survey.

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