Serving O'Brien & Clay Counties
Serving O'Brien & Clay Counties
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Investigators are still trying to determine the cause of a fire Sunday that damaged several businesses and upstairs apartments on Grand Avenue in Spencer. According to a news release from the Spencer Fire Department, firefighters were dispatched to 215 Grand Ave. Apt. #5 at around 12:30 p.m. The occupant called 911 and advised that she had just gotten home and that there was a lot of smoke in the apartment. On arrival, firefighters found heavy smoke coming from the second floor windows on the fr...
The sight of 1,500 rainbows dazzled visitors at Scharnberg Pond near Everly Saturday, but their gazes weren't fixed on the sky above. Curious anglers and other onlookers crowded the pond's south shoreline to watch a mobile tank filled with rainbow trout get released into the frosty waters below. The fish, which were trucked in from a Decorah hatchery, needed no coaxing after they were released from the tank via pipeline into a large hole cut into the surface. The stocking was organized by the...
The Everly City Council handled a variety of New Year business during its meeting Monday. Wage increases for city employees garnered the bulk of discussion. The council in previous years had approved wage increases based on a percentage; however, this year they shifted gears and instead OK’d a $1-per-hour hike for each city employee. “I think you’ve gotta pay the people that take care of you,” said Mayor Ron Thompson. A 5 percent wage increase was originally proposed. Council Member Shaun Iske noted that a 5 percent hike was approved for eac...
Officials at City Hall are remaining tight-lipped about Hartley's never-opened new pool. City Administrator Erica Haack last week declined to comment on any potential progress made towards opening the aquatic center this summer. The ribbon was supposed to be cut at the new facility in June of 2022, but a failed safety inspection has kept it shuttered indefinitely. "I'm not able to go into specifics at this time," said Haack. "Please know we are working diligently to seek a resolution and will...
Ever since he was a little boy, Randy Guggisberg knew he wanted to work with horses. Decades later, he's still riding and reaping the rewards for his hard work. This weekend he'll accept the award for show horse trainer of the year from the South Dakota Quarter Horse Association during a ceremony in Pierre. "It feels very humbling to win this and I have lots of people to thank for it," Guggisberg said. "There have been a lot of hard hours that went into this. Without good clients, good horses an...
The Hartley City Council on Monday approved a bid for $51,812 for a new sewer department truck. Ron Drenkow Motors, of Sheldon, was the winning bidder, with the only other submission coming from Asher Motor Company, of Spencer, for $52,995. The 2023 Dodge Ram 2500 regular cab 4x4 will be delivered when it's available. According to Superintendent of Public Works Jaron Benz, neither Ford nor Chevy is taking truck orders at the moment, which left Dodge as the city's only option. He didn't want to...
With strong majorities in both the House and Senate, Iowa Republicans are hoping to keep Gov. Kim Reynolds' desk piled high with bills to sign during the 2023 legislative session. The 90th Iowa General Assembly kicks off Jan. 9 with a target end date of April 28. GOP lawmakers are expected to push through key agenda items that include changes to the tax code and K-12 education funding; however, a host of other topics will no doubt bring forth a vast array of proposals this year in Des Moines. Du...
The Clay Central/Everly school board on Dec. 28 had to rescind a measure that had been rescinded once already. A resolution regarding board member elections was yanked from the books after being unanimously approved in November. According to Board Secretary Diane White, last month's resolution included a small paragraph stating "that the board secretary of CC/E CSD shall cause this resolution to be on the ballot in November 2023." "It was brought to our attention that we do not want that...
Here we are in 2023. While I used to be an optimist with each New Year, the sands of time have somewhat smudged my perspective. Nowadays, I just assume everything will be more of the same regardless of the calendar’s numbers. Nonetheless, I do still pine for better things each New Year. I don’t make resolutions anymore, because I’ve found that I lack the constitution for them. However, I do have hopes for 2023, and you can read about them below. I hope Hartley finds some luck in 2023. The City With a Heart was brimming with pent up optim...
And just like that, the sun has set on 2022 and we're on to the New Year. Though the pages of the Sentinel-News were filled with hundreds of stories over the past 365 days, some stood head and shoulders above the rest. They commanded multiple headlines throughout the year and impacted the community in unique ways. With the page about to flip to 2023, it's time to fill the 2022 scrapbook. What follows is a rundown of the biggest stories to grace the pages of the Sentinel-News during past year....
It wasn't so much the snow as it was the wind. An intense winter storm blew through the upper Midwest last week just in time to wreck travel plans and cancel Christmas events throughout the region. Bitter wind chills repeatedly hit -40 degrees in northwest Iowa and visibility on roads dropped to zero as the storm raged last Thursday and Friday. Highways closed and travel was not advised during the blizzard, which stranded motorists who dared tempt Mother Nature's wrath. According to the...
The average value of an acre of O'Brien County farmland is now the highest in Iowa. The annual Iowa State Land Value Survey released this month reported a 20.6 percent increase in O'Brien County farmland prices in 2022 and a 20.3 percent increase in Clay County. O'Brien County's average now sits at $16,531 per acre of farmland, which was high enough to knock Scott County from the No. 1 slot and end its nine-year reign at the top of the survey. The nominal value of an acre of farmland is again...
Farmers and landowners gathered at the Hartley American Legion on Saturday to share concerns and information about two controversial pipelines that would affect O'Brien and Clay counties. Citing safety concerns and a lack of need, those in attendance were overwhelmingly against the pipelines, which would carry compressed carbon dioxide from Midwest ethanol plants to sequestration sites in North Dakota and Illinois. The goal of the projects is to lessen ethanol's carbon footprint on the...
Everly's famed bull truck is down, but she's not out. The city council on Monday signed off on a $1,305 quote for repair expense on the 1941 International truck. It started on fire last weekend prior to a trip to Royal, but a timely response saved it from being completely overcome. "I love the truck and I don't want to see it go away," said Council Member Shaun Iske. "It's a staple of the community." Al Grigg was slated to take the bull truck to Royal last weekend for a special holiday-related...
A pair of resignations will have the Hartley City Council looking to fill some big shoes in the coming months. Public Works Director Jaron Benz and Gas Superintendent Adam Lux submitted their letters of resignation last week. Lux's last day will be Dec. 30 while Benz will punch out for the final time on March 31. Lux has been with the city since May of 2008 while Benz started in May of 2018. "[Both] are leaving under good terms," City Administrator Erica Haack said after Monday's council...
After sitting vacant for a year and a half, there's new hope on the horizon for the future of the former Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn Elementary school. Michael Reese, whose firm Hestia Investments purchased the school in 2021, last week released the outline of renovation plans for Phase 1 of the project. Architectural renderings call for sweeping changes at the Hartley building, which has sat empty since classes dismissed for the final time in the spring of 2021. The main focus of the renovated...
Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn Dance Attack members needed to make room for extra cargo on their way home from Des Moines last week. The team won several awards during the 47th annual Iowa High School and College State Dance Team Championships held at Wells Fargo Arena. The event featured 26 college teams and 255 high school teams performing nearly 620 routines plus 921 solos. H-M-S Dance Attack earned honors in the following categories: • Class I Lights, second place • Class I Hoopla, Division I • C...
Five Hartley firefighters are looking fresh thanks to a grant from the O'Brien County Community Foundation (OCCF). The local department was able to purchase new bunker gear for a portion of the squad at a cost of $12,000. The OCCF grant covered $7,500 of the total, while the rest was paid for with funds from the annual pancake feed and other contributions. "We're very appreciative to the community foundation and everyone who supports our pancake fundraiser every year," said Fire Chief Brad Meend...
After more than a year of discussion and one negated attempt, the Clay Central/Everly school board on Nov. 30 finally changed the way members are elected. "This will give our district more opportunity for people to run at large," said Superintendent Kevin Wood. Under the new arrangement, two members (Districts 1 and 2) must reside north of county road B24 while two must reside south of B24 (Districts 4 and 5). District 3 will now be an at-large spot, and the seat holder can reside anywhere...
There are things in this world I can tolerate and there are things I cannot. Hanging Christmas lights falls under the latter category. I’ve bemoaned the annual task several times in this space before. At our old house in Ocheyedan, the chore fell on yours truly with no other options in sight. It was an intricate battle of wills between my wife and I up north, but now that we’ve moved to Hartley, I’m kicking my legs up – this year, at least. I absolutely hated hanging lights at the Ocheyedan home. We strung them around the gutters on all fou...
Tuesday's snowfall arrived just in time to set the mood for Christmas activities this weekend in Hartley and Everly. Several holiday events are planned in both communities starting Friday and wrapping up on Sunday night. Folks in the Royal area need not wait long – the city's holiday events are slated to take place next weekend. HARTLEY The City With a Heart's big day is Sunday. Things kick off with the Hartley Chamber of Commerce's annual holiday vendor fair at the community center from 10 a...
The holiday season brings with it gifts both wanted and unwanted. Cold and flu season is entering its busy months, and along with it comes greater risk of COVID-19 infection. Clay County Public Health Coordinator Colette Rossiter is urging area residents to consider vaccination boosters before holiday parties and family gatherings heat up. Below, Rossiter shares information and insight about current vaccination suggestions. What are CDC guidelines for COVID booster shots? If someone has had...
The giving spirit remains strong and bright in the Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn Community School District. Now in its fourth year, the H-M-S Giving Tree is once again providing holiday cheer to students in need this Christmas. Organizer Jenna Hemiller reported the gift drive will serve 48 kids from 16 families ranging in age from newborn to age 18. "The community support is always incredible," she said. "The H-M-S Giving Tree is my baby and I love organizing it." Those wishing to donate presents to...
The Everly City Council is hoping to spark some Christmas cheer for local residents. Council members on Monday night approved the purchase of new holiday lights for Everly Community Park. The $2,500 expense will be covered using Local Option Sales Tax revenue with the hope of hanging new lights this year. "We're pushing the outside edge of this thing," admitted Mayor Ron Thompson, who said a handful of residents had approached him about lighting the park again. "I know it's extra work for [city...
Thanksgiving presents us with time to ruminate on the things that matter most. Friends, family, a roof over our heads and food on the table often top the list. I’m no different. I lead a rather uneventful life, and those four things pretty much cover the bases. However, I can think of plenty of things I’m not thankful for. Though I’m not going to share this list through gritted teeth at the Thanksgiving table, these things have really stuck in my craw over the past year. Refrigerators. We’ve had some horrendous luck with our fridges during...
