Serving O'Brien & Clay Counties
Serving O'Brien & Clay Counties
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Local fields were aflutter with activity during the past week as farmers stayed busy planting this year's corn and soybean crop. According to the Iowa Department of Agriculture, Iowa farmers planted more than one-third of the expected soybean crop last week for a total of 43 percent planted, 12 days ahead of normal. More than half of the state's expected corn crop is in the ground as well, with a total of 69 percent planted, nine days ahead of the five-year average. There were also scattered...
Residents of Royal might want to consider changing the town's slogan. Known as "A Prince of a Community," the city is now home to a queen. Gabbi Carpenter on Sunday was picked from a field of six candidates to serve as the new Clay County Fair Queen. She is the first fair royalty in the county since 2019, as the coronavirus pandemic canceled festivities last year. Carpenter, 19, is the daughter of Mel and Rick Brichta. She attended Clay Central/Everly High School prior to its closure in 2019,...
Clay Central/Everly has a money problem, but nobody's complaining. District officials are trying to figure out how to spend approximately $398,000 in Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds. The money was allocated by Congress to address the ongoing impact of COVID-19 in America's school districts with the goal of mitigating the effects of the pandemic. Superintendent Kevin Wood on April 28 provided an ESSER update to the school board. He is investigating spending the...
Community Memorial Health Center is ready to cut loose. The Hartley nursing home will celebrate National Nursing Home Week in grand fashion May 9-15. Each day has a special theme, with several activities planned to keep residents busy. The party is extra special this year, as residents and staff have had to follow strict COVID-19 guidelines for the past 14 months. With vaccinations numbers increasing and coronavirus positivity rates plummeting, the CMHC has been allowed to loosen restrictions...
The number of completed COVID-19 vaccinations in Iowa surpassed 1 million during the past week. As of Tuesday evening, 1,112,217 Iowans had either received their second shot of the two-dose vaccine or the one-dose shot. That figure was up from 999,451 the previous week. According to the state data, 269,581 Iowans had received one dose of either the two-shot Moderna or Pfizer vaccines. Locally, Clay County had initiated 684 vaccine series and completed 7,027, while O'Brien County had initiated...
• Traffic Margo A. Harms, Hartley, Failure to Obey Stop Sign. Charity Lynn Muller, Hartley, No Proof of Insurance. Tommy Lynn Hartfield, Peterson, Registration Violation. Jordan Lee Wichers, Pierson, Failure to Yield to Emergency Vehicle; Speeding; Failure to Obey Stop Sign. Kay Renee Derby, Remsen, Speeding. Terry Jo Douglass, Primghar, Speeding. Zoe Maude Scott, Redwood Falls, Minn., Speeding. Audelio Morales Chavez, Worthington, Minn., No Valid Driver’s License. Joshua William Stanley, Paullina, Speeding. Cristobal Campos Ferreyra, Sai...
The Centers for Disease Control last Friday resumed rollout of the one-dose Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine following an 11-day pause. Administration of the vaccine was halted April 12 so the CDC could review six reported cases of a rare and severe type of blood clot that occurred in individuals after they received the Johnson & Johnson shot. In these cases, a type of blood clot called cerebral venous sinus thrombosis was seen in combination with low levels of blood platelets. All six cases o...
For at least the next decade, Iowa will retain four seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. Data released this week from the U.S. Census Bureau showed Iowa was one of 38 states that didn't gain or lose U.S. House representation following the most recent decennial population count. Colorado, Florida, Montana, North Carolina and Oregon gained one seat apiece, while Texas gained two. California, Illinois, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia each lost a seat. According to ce...
It will be a while before dirt churns, but the start of construction for Hartley's new pool is inching closer. City Administrator Erica Haack said design plans are being fine-tuned for a May 25 bid letting. Once a contract is awarded, construction of the new aquatic center will begin in earnest. Project manager Michael Fisher said during last month's council meeting that three construction companies have expressed interest in the project. "We haven't heard any different, and we're hopeful we'll...
The number of completed COVID-19 vaccinations in Iowa are about to hit a big one. As of Tuesday evening, 999,451 Iowans had received either their second shot of the two-dose vaccine or the one-dose shot. That figure was up from 895,872 the previous week. According to the state data, 339,496 Iowans had received one dose of either the two-shot Moderna or Pfizer vaccines. Locally, Clay County had initiated 1,034 vaccine series and completed 6,600, while O'Brien County had initiated 824 series and...
A report released to the Hartley City Council on April 12 detailed what many local residents already know too well. Design engineer Wes Boyer, of Bolton & Menk, reviewed a report on flooding issues compiled by Curry-Wille & Associates, of Ames. The report highlighted problematic flood-prone areas in town and also outlined improvements needed to alleviate issues. According to Boyer, the city needs to have the report on file in case federal funding becomes available for flood mitigation in the...
The Clay County Fair on Tuesday announced Ryan Hurd with special guest Big Time Grain Co., has been added to the 2021 Clay County Fair Grandstand lineup. Hurd has garnered more than 385 million career streams worldwide. With co-pen credits on some of country music's biggest hits by Blake Shelton and Luke Bryan, he has continued his hit-producing path with "Chasing After You," his first official duet with wife Maren Morris, which became country radio's most-added song its impact week of March...
• Traffic Jacob Canales, Sioux City, No Proof of Insurance; Registration Violation. Charles S. Roseland, Sutherland, Speeding. Sallee Nicole Counce, Brooklyn Park, Minn., Speeding. Easton Lee Van Meeteren, Sheldon, Dark Windows. Joshua William Stanley, Paullina, No Proof of Insurance. Thomas Henry Duncanson, Ashton, Speeding. Kevin John Morgan, Davenport, Speeding. Michael Christopher Langdeaux, Sibley, Dark Windows. Leoncio Jesus Estrada, Sheldon, No Proof of Insurance. Tezeta Shita Hailemarian, LeMars, Failure to Use Child Restraint Device. J...
Nolte, Cornman & Johnson P.C., of Newton, has released an audit report on the Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn Community School District. According to the report, the district’s revenues totaled $11,486,078 for the year ended June 30, 2020, which represents a 7.80 percent increase from the prior year. Expenses for district operations for the same period totaled $8,592,114, a 7.48 percent decrease from FY19. The report states the increase in total revenues is mainly due to increases in revenues from property tax and charges for service. The decrease in t...
Iowa State University has completed its spring survey of subsoil moisture in northwest Iowa. The amount of subsoil moisture is sampled in the fall and spring in six northwest Iowa counties. Soil moisture is sampled to a depth of five feet in one-foot increments at six different pre-determined locations. The soil moisture samples are weighed wet, dried for 48 hours and weighed dry. Then soil moisture is reported in inches of plant available moisture after calculations account for plant available...
There won't be a pool open in Hartley this summer, but city officials are still expecting local kids to take a dip. The council on April 12 discussed the anticipated increase of aboveground pools on private residential property this summer. With the city's swimming pool closed to allow for construction of its replacement, city officials are expecting many local residents to erect their own personal pools to cool off during the hotter months. According to discussion, zoning ordinance outlines a v...
Refunding of previously-issued bonds for the Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn facilities project was authorized during the school board meeting on April 19. School Infrastructure Sales, Services and Use Tax Revenue Bonds sold in 2019 will be refunded by the new issue. The district has the right to call for prepayment of the original bonds in whole or in part on or after June 1, 2021. The amount to be issued is $4,090,000. Principal payments begin in 2022 and continue through 2030. Interest rates are 3.0...
The end is in sight for Everly's biggest infrastructure upgrade of recent memory. According to a report from engineer Brian Schmidt on Monday, improvements to the sewage treatment ponds east of town are 90 percent complete. Once finished, the upgrades will mark the official end to a project more than a decade in the making. "We're looking forward to it," Mayor Brad Behrens said after the meeting. Work got underway in the spring of 2020. Thanks to favorable conditions, the improvements...
Another change in the local ag market could be on the horizon if members of two Iowa cooperatives approve a proposed merger. The separate boards of directors of MaxYield Cooperative and NEW Cooperative announced this month both entities will proceed to a member vote on a merger in June. According to a news release, directors of both co-ops met individually at the end of March, with each board voting in favor of proceeding with the merger proposal. MaxYield, based in West Bend, has locations in E...
A regional farmers' cooperative with locations in Hartley and Royal is pursuing a merger with another northwest Iowa-based ag company. The boards of directors of First Cooperative Association (FCA) and Alceco voted unanimously April 14 to proceed to the next phase of a proposed merger. The combined boards in December voted to undertake a study to determine if a consolidation offered increased opportunities for the future of both organizations. The results were promising, according to a news...
• Traffic Scott T. Nasers, Jr., Hartley, Speeding. John Anthony Bandomo, Hartley, No Valid Driver’s License; No Proof of Insurance. Godfrey Twinamatsiko, Sheldon, Speeding. Timothy Antonio Godinez Loring, Sioux Falls, S.D., Speeding. Chelsea Beldt, Sheldon, Use of Electronic Device. Christopher JL Coleman Samuels, Milford, Failure to Obey Stop Sign. Joseph Thanyiel Dak, Storm Lake, Speeding. Badhasa Mohammed Wako, Brooklyn Park, Minn., Speeding. Tyler J. Robinson, Alton, Seatbelt Violation. Joseph Robert Ketelsen, Boyden, Seatbelt Vio...
The Royal City Council approved one project during its meeting on April 14, but after lengthy discussion, decided not to move forward with another. Rather than replacing ballasts for outdated lighting in the community building, the council voted to replace it with LED lights. According to discussion, replacing all lighting in the building will cost approximately $1,500. Refitting the entire building depends on whether the city qualifies for a rebate through Alliant Energy. “If there is an Alliant rebate, it would make sense to do them all at on...
COVID-19 positivity rates in O'Brien and Clay counties remained relatively unchanged during the past week. O'Brien County's seven-day positivity rate was unchanged at 4 percent between April 13-20. Clay County's increased slightly from 4 percent to 5 percent over that same time period. Statewide numbers decreased from 4.8 percent 4.4 percent. Coronavirus-related deaths remained unchanged in O'Brien County at 60 and 25 in Clay County. Statewide fatalities jumped from 5,857 last week to 5,893...
Secretary of State Paul Pate is encouraging Iowans who receive a "No Activity" mailing from his office to respond quickly. Registered voters who did not participate in the 2020 general election will soon receive the mailing to confirm their residential address. Those who do not respond will continue to be listed as inactive voters until they participate in an election or update their voter registration. Every March, the Iowa Secretary of State's Office conducts voter list maintenance as...
Local emergency personnel got to test their mettle last week during a special exercise aimed at improving their response to a hazardous material situation. The scenario involved a multi-vehicle accident and was staged in the Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn High School parking lot. The pickup truck involved in the accident had unsecured tanks that were thrown from the vehicle and damaged, causing them to release a gas substance. According to O'Brien County Emergency Management Director Jared Johnson, the...
