Serving O'Brien & Clay Counties
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With hot temperatures predicted in the extended forecast, regional agronomists say area fields could use a few timely drinks to aid the early growing season. A delayed planting season caused a pinch in May. Most farmers were able to get their fields planted early that month following weeks of poor conditions, which put things slightly behind schedule. "When soil temps increased to 50 degrees and rising planting season commenced in May, farmers worked very hard to plant the crop timely," said...
The new owner of the former Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn Elementary School received pointed criticism from the Hartley City Council on Monday. Members discussed a perceived lack of progress at the building, which was sold by the school board to Hestia Investments last December for $100. The council was concerned about a lack of exterior upkeep at the building as well as allegations of standing water inside. Members believed nothing had been done that was promised when the building was sold late last...
The Hartley City Council on Monday approved annual wage increases for municipal employees with little fanfare. Members unanimously approved a 5 percent across-the-board hike with no discussion. In recent years, the annual item has sparked considerable debate. The increase equates to about $52,000 more than last year's total budgeted wages. The personnel committee comprised of council members Ron Hengeveld and Roxann Swanson originally investigated a 3 percent hike, but rising inflation necessita...
Issues with voting machines during the June 7 primary election led to recounts in O'Brien and Clay counties. According to O'Brien County Auditor Barb Rohwer, issues arose when one of the precincts noticed their count was incorrect – the number of eligible voters who were voting was off compared to the count on the tabulating machine. Once it was all said and done, four precincts – the three Sheldon wards and the Summit-Center-Dale-Highland precinct – were each off by one vote. "There were some...
Following more than three years of discussion and two years since the application was submitted, the City of Royal has been awarded a grant to obtain a generator for the sanitary sewer lift station. City Clerk Barb Fletcher informed the city council of the grant award on June 8. The Federal Emergency Management Agency has approved $37,500 in funding. That is divided between $33,750 in federal funds and $3,750 from the state. According to discussion, the grant will be used to obtain and install an emergency generator and related equipment at...
Jamie Billings, Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner, will serve as the primary healthcare provider for the newly-established Hartley Family Care of Spencer Hospital, which will open later this summer. A resident of Hartley, Billings will support the health care needs of people in her home community and the surrounding area, from birth to geriatric services. She is currently the primary family medicine practitioner at Milford Family Care of Spencer Hospital. At Hartley Family Care, Billings wi...
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...
From the very start you were taught, Just what was needed from you, To work with strong mind and body, And of proper morale too, You were taught that others will need you, And thus, you must be there, No matter the time or your skill level, No matter if you were not prepared, You were taught that to get a job done, The first step was to merely ‘show up’, Not late or on time, but early, And ‘being there’ wasn’t enough, In order to do a job right, You needed to give it your all, To think bef...
Receive degrees, diplomas at NCC One hundred and ninety-nine students graduated from Northwest Iowa Community College. Commencement ceremonies were held Friday, May 13, in the Northwest Iowa Lifelong Learning and Recreation Center on NCC’s campus in Sheldon. Local students who received diplomas and degrees are listed below. Everly: Alyssa R. Zylstra, Practical Nursing Diploma. Hartley: Obaga Juma James, Associate Degree Nursing; Jordan L. Jensen, Industrial Instrumentation & Control Degree; Jennifer Monyenye Nyansongo, Practical Nursing D...
Daycare fundraising event planned The Hartley Community Daycare Center has announced its 3rd Annual Love for the Daycare Fundraiser. The event will be held on Saturday, June 18 at the Hartley Community Center. See the ad on Page 6 for more details. Fireworks demo is Friday at Solsma’s Solsma’s Fireworks will host its annual fireworks demo this Friday, June 17. The business is located four miles west of Hartley on Highway 18. The event is free and open to the public. See the ad on Page 5 for more details. 2 specials at Red’s Red’s Caterin...
Northwest Iowa College in Sheldon recently hosted a very important guest. Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds stopped by the NCC campus on June 6 to tour the recently-constructed Applied Technology Building and the Diesel and Automotive labs. The tour showcased a few of the Accelerated Career Education-funded campus building projects, credit and non-credit programs funded through the Employer Innovation Fund, Summer Youth Internship funded through the Future Ready Iowa initiative, and some of the Concurrent...
Valero Renewables raised a total of $435,460 for United Way agencies across the Midwest. For the second year in a row, Valero Renewables – Hartley came in first place with a total of $46,613 raised in a United Way competition among Valero's 12 ethanol sites. The Hartley plant designated Upper Des Moines Opportunity (UDMO) as its charity to receive the $10,000 first place prize. UDMO is dedicated to helping build stronger communities by addressing the effects of poverty on individuals and f...
Last week the residents of Riverview Terrace Assisted Living were treated to a trip through Japan thanks to a presentation delivered by Clay Raider 4-H'er Kate Holtz. Holtz's presentation was all self-written and taught, as she is an avid hobby/researcher and enjoys learning and reading in her free time. She dressed in a traditional Kimono given to her by her piano teacher Lynn Wilms. Kate had a presentation board filled with fun facts and interesting information, too. The teacher eventually...
• Traffic Davarius Octavious Parker, Murfreesboro, Tenn., Hours of Service Violation. Billy Joe Doran, Milford, Registration Violation. Teno Ofus, George, No Proof of Insurance; Speeding. Kent August Jaecke, Stillwater, Okla., Speeding. Juan Carlos Rodriguez Govea, Sheldon, Failure to Use Child Restraint Device. Cheiner Santier, George, No Valid Driver’s License. Michael James Bruns, Ashton, Registration Violation. Clayton James McGuire, Archer, Failure to Obey Stop Sign. Lloyd Lynn Krull, George, Axle Weight Violation. Cordell Gail Tesch, Spe...
A memorial service for Martha A. Thomas was held Friday, June 10, 2022, at the Sanborn Funeral Home Chapel in Sanborn. Pastor Lynn Dau officiated. Pallbearers were Jim Thomas, Lori Thomas, Brenton Thomas, Steve Agar, Mary Agar, Lowell Dykstra and Ron Schott. Interment was in Pleasant Hill Cemetery at Primghar. Sanborn Funeral Home assisted with the arrangements. Martha Ann Thomas, daughter of Orion and Dorothy (Byers) Thomas, was born June 25, 1955 at Primghar. She grew up on the family farm near Sanborn and attended school there, graduating...
A memorial service for Bonnie L. Maranell was held Saturday, June 11, 2022, at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Spencer. Bishop Michael Hughes officiated. Warner Funeral Home in Spencer assisted with the arrangements. Bonnie Lou Maranell, the daughter of Charles and Ivy (Dozier) Halstoad, was born Dec. 19, 1949, in Charleston, W.V. Bonnie enjoyed baking, playing piano and organ, quilting, sewing and knitting, even making her own clothes. She will be remembered for her smile and laugh. Bonnie passed away at her home in Everly...
• June 19, 1947 Nineteen Iowa counties were among the 100 leading oats-growing counties in the United States, according to the 1945 Census of Agriculture. O’Brien County had a national ranking of 80 with a total of 69,603 acres threshed. The county stood 12th in the state. The Clay County Fair at Spencer was adding two buildings to accommodate the anticipated increase in exhibitors for the 1947 fair. New buildings being constructed were a cattle barn to house 432 head under one roof and a dormitory which could house 216 4-H club boys and sup...
Improved play by Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn was evident in the results of two games at the South O'Brien softball tournament on June 11. The Hawks lost their first game with Ridge View, 9-5, but there were encouraging signs. "The girls played well and battled hard," Hawk coach Stephanie Bronstad said. "We had a few bobbles and errors that would have kept the game closer." H-M-S matched Ridge View's (2A No. 11) first-inning run in the third inning. Eliza Tewes led off with a single and scored on...
The issues that challenged Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn's baseball team to begin the month continued against three War Eagle Conference opponents last week. In action against Akron-Westfield, the Hawks were limited to two hits and struggled defensively during a 10-0 loss on June 6 at Akron. The Westerners built a 4-0 lead with two runs in the second inning and single scores in the first and fourth innings. Six runs in the fifth ended the game. "Free bases, fielding miscues, mental mistakes and quiet b...
Akron-Westfield may have won the battle, but Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn put up quite a fight. Playing on June 6 at Akron, the Westerners (1A No. 13) needed three late runs to preserve a 5-1 victory in what Hawk coach Stephanie Bronstad considered one of the better games H-M-S has played against the perennial War Eagle Conference champions. A two-run single in the second inning gave Akron-Westfield the lead, but H-M-S cut the margin in half in the fourth. Following consecutive walks to Gracie...