Serving O'Brien & Clay Counties
Serving O'Brien & Clay Counties
Sorted by date Results 26 - 50 of 83
Big winter storms are always a spectacle here in Iowa. The wind chill numbers never cease to amaze, and the size of drifts always drop our jaws. Numbers and pictures aside, these storms can be dangerous and downright deadly. It's important to remember that reality no matter how badly you want to leave the house when the white stuff is flying. Last month's holiday storm was monster. Wind chills hovered between -20 and -40 degrees with the lowest dipping to -50 degrees. Conditions like that are no...
Iowa Democrats took another one on the nose last week when it was announced South Carolina would likely leapfrog the Hawkeye State’s first-in-the-nation presidential nominating status. The move wasn’t unexpected, but it dealt a significant blow to Iowa’s national political relevance. Democratic Party officials last Friday moved a step closer to making South Carolina the first nominating state of 2024, followed by Nevada and New Hampshire, Georgia and then Michigan. Even President Joe Biden has endorsed the change. He, like others in his party...
Don't worry about catching your breath following this month's election – we're heading right back to where we started. The Nov. 8 election came with expected results here in the Hawkeye State. Republicans ransacked Iowa, further cementing their absolute monopoly in Des Moines. Gov. Kim Reynolds coasted to an easy victory over her hapless opponent Deidre DeJear by winning all but four of the state's 99 counties. The GOP also easily retained majorities in the House and Senate. What's worse for r...
Though many parts of the state are experiencing drought right now, Iowans are wallowing in the mud. It’s election season, which means candidates are throwing everything against the wall that will stick. This state has been a Republican stronghold for the better part of six years. Iowa went blue for Barack Obama twice in 2008 and 2012, but has since veered hard right. It went to Donald Trump twice, a result that has been reflected in Des Moines. Republicans have held controlling majorities in the House and Senate since 2016 – by a lot, too – a...
Three months have passed since it was announced Hartley's new pool would never open in 2022. Now the calendar has flipped to October, and the City With a Heart is still treading water waiting for answers. There was a glimmer of hope in August when the Iowa Electrical Examining Board approved a plan that would allegedly address electrical inspection failures at the pool. According to City Hall, that approval came with several strict stipulations. Since there's been no movement at the aquatic...
The days are shorter, the breeze is a bit cooler and cornfields throughout O'Brien and Clay counties are starting to turn that special shade of gold. It's harvest season once again, and with its arrival comes certain precautions for both area travelers and local farmers alike. Businesses and ag groups just marked the 79th annual National Farm Safety and Health Week Sept. 18-24. Specific emphasis is placed on raising awareness about the many dangers farmers face in their day-to-day jobs, and the...
Where’d it go? Challenges and triumphs highlight summer of 2022 The calendar hasn’t flipped to September yet, but Labor Day is certainly in sight. That only means one thing: The summer of 2022 is experiencing its final flickers of sunlight. What a summer it was. The season began with waves of anticipation here in Hartley as locals geared up for the opening of the community’s new pool. Unfortunately, smiling faces soon turned to frowns when it was announced the facility could not open thanks to failed safety inspections. The issue remains unres...
The scorching heat and oppressive humidity can only mean one thing in late July – it's fair time in O'Brien County! This year's installment features multiple events for the whole family. The forecast calls for steamy weather, but that shouldn't stop you from making a few trips to the fairgrounds in Primghar this week. Things get started Saturday with a stacked lineup featuring the 15th Annual Antique/Classic Tractor Ride in the morning and auto races at night. After a brief lull Sunday, action p...
The college sports world was flipped on its head once again last week when news broke that the University of Southern California and the University of California Los Angeles would be joining the Big Ten Conference in 2024. The announcement marked yet another cataclysmic shift in college sports, which was already changing at a rapid pace. Nobody is questioning the motives behind the move. This will bode better for all parties involved – both USC and UCLA will get a much larger financial cut than they were getting in the PAC 12 Conference, and t...
America is poised mark its 246th birthday on Monday. While the Fourth is always a big party, many citizens may find reasons to celebrate few and far between this year. To say there's a lot of domestic turmoil right now would be monumental understatement. Half the country can hardly agree with the other side that the sky is blue, and those tensions seem to grow tenfold by the week. We may be 50 United States, but it never seems like unity is front and foremost on most Americans' minds these...
Oversized ribbons and scissors were put on the shelf in Hartley this week. Local kids will have to wait yet one more year to take their inaugural dip in the new pool, and that's a jagged pill to swallow. More of a gut punch, really. The entire community was buzzing this spring about the new pool's impending opening. If you're unaware of the details that unfolded this week, direct your eyes to our main story on Page 1. It flat out stinks. According to information shared during Monday's special ci...
Anticipating the opening Summer arrived in full force this week. With the extended forecast calling for high temps near or over 90 degrees for the next two weeks, the thought of opening day at Hartley’s new pool has become increasingly enticing. Luckily, local children need not wait much longer. The city council on Monday discussed progress at the new aquatic center. The pool’s variable frequency drives (VFDs) arrived last week and are in the process of being installed, with testing of equipment and employee training to follow. The VFDs’ arriv...
Though headlines out of Des Moines often scream about the partisan divide and Culture War battles, Iowa legislators were able to pass a bill last month that revamps a law many viewed as a lumbering dinosaur. The Iowa House on April 14 approved a bill 70-16 that allows retailers to opt out of redeeming empty beverage containers under certain conditions. The bill still needs Senate approval, but many officials and business owners are hopeful the new "bottle bill" will become law. The current...
Residents in Hartley and the surrounding area can hope a recent proposal for a community trail hits the ground running. A new group dubbed the Hartley Rec Trail Committee is spearheading efforts to get a new pathway paved around the City With a Heart. While plans are still very much in the infancy stages, it would be a big win for the community if the idea crosses the finish line. No city with a trail is going to tell you they regret it. Recreational outlets promote exercise and make communities a more attractive place to live in for...
In a day and age where it feels like there’s a new problem every week, it’s hard to care about a bug. Yet, a relatively “new” pest is threatening to create a big headache for small communities like ours. You may have read about the emerald ash borer (EAB) recently creeping its way into O’Brien and Clay counties. The beetle, native to Asia, came to North America nearly 20 years ago and has wreaked havoc on ash trees throughout the Midwest. The adult beetles aren’t the threat – it’s the larva, which feast on tissue underneath the bark and eventu...
Americans from sea to shining sea will be seeing plenty of Iowa when they fill out their March Madness brackets this week. Both the men’s and women’s teams from Iowa and Iowa State are dancing. The women are at the top of the show bill, with the Hawkeyes earning a No. 2 seed and the Cyclones landing a No. 3 seed. The rivals have a chance to meet in the Sweet 16 if they win their first two games – what a great thing for our state. Leading the Hawkeyes is guard Caitlin Clark, who has the ability to score at will. The Black and Gold enter the N...
The world witnessed the largest act of military aggression on European soil since WWII in February when Russian troops invaded Ukraine. After months of escalating chest pounding, Russian President Vladimir Putin called everyone’s bluff. What followed was to be expected: Destruction, death and uncertainty. Left to basically fight one of the world’s strongest armies on its own, it seems like it’s only a matter of time before Ukraine crumbles to Russian forces. They won’t go down without a fight, though, and the Ukrainian peoples’ will to protec...
Rural Iowa has many rich traditions, but very few have an impact quite like our local FFA chapters. This week more than 600,000 FFA members across the country are observing National FFA Week. The annual celebration allows communities to laud their local chapters and reflect on their influence, which is indeed huge in areas like ours. After all, you’d be hard-pressed to find an organization with as much youthful enthusiasm as this one. Whether it’s building a shelter house or hosting a food drive, our local Blue Jackets are always willing to...
Iowa’s state parks are some of the most popular publically funded assets we have the pleasure of enjoying. After all, more than 16 million people used them in 2020 alone. It’s a wonder, then, why we aren’t adequately funding these refuges of natural beauty. This month the Iowa DNR announced it is evicting park rangers from government-owned houses in 23 state parks because it doesn’t want to pay over $1 million on repairs to bring them up to modern standards. According to a report in the Cedar Rapids Gazette, a lack of resident rangers on park...
If you keep up with the headlines, you're aware of a plethora of issues being discussed this session in Des Moines. From scandalous books in schools to K-12 vouchers and tax cuts, there's plenty on the table. However, none of that pointed discourse has been directed to a growing issue poised to plague the Hawkeye State for years to come. Many of our bridges are junk, and it's high time lawmakers create some sort of targeted plan before the ailing infrastructure hits the dirt. A recent report in...
Property owners in northwest Iowa have been subjected to a tsunami of information this fall about a "new" kind of pipeline that would cut through many miles of farmland in the region. While these carbon dioxide pipelines have been around for a while, they're certainly new to us here and pose many questions. Two have been proposed so far. Both Summit Carbon Solutions' project and Navigator CO2 Ventures' pipeline would cut through O'Brien and Clay counties, with Navigator's intersecting with...
Today marks our annual celebration of the men and women who so selflessly served the country as members of the United States Armed Forces. Veterans Day is an important holiday, and one that every freedom-loving American should acknowledge. Sometimes it's easy to ignore occasions like this one. People are busy, work is hectic and there's just simply too much else going on. However, all of those excuses seem futile when you really stop and think about it. Our veterans gave us a commitment that's...
The University of Iowa turned heads last month when it announced it would become the first Power Five conference school to add women's wrestling as a scholarship sport. The move is a landmark win for the sport, and it creates added momentum for the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union (IGHSAU) to sanction wrestling at the high school level. Though the UI may be the first "big" school to bring on women's wrestling, it's hardly the first post-secondary institution to do so. More than 125 schools...
This week provides local students, businesses and workers an opportunity to brush up on their safety skills during National Fire Prevention Week. The annual event focuses on raising awareness about what to do when the unthinkable happens, but it also gives us the chance to commend area emergency personnel for their service to the community. It's easy to forget about them. After all, it's not every day we have an emergency. However, the selfless commitment these men and women give to our...
Expansion was Big 12’s only choice Sometimes you’re against the wall and the only way out is through it. Just ask the Big 12 Conference. The league, of which Iowa State is a member, was thrown into turmoil this summer when Oklahoma and Texas announced they would soon be fleeing to the money-green pastures of the Southeastern Conference. With bigger names and more TV revenue, the decision was driven completely by the almighty dollar. Both OU and UT already rake in cash and the opportunity to make more was simply too enticing to ignore. That lef...
