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  • Several positions opening at H-M-S this year

    Mike Petersen, Sports Editor & Staff Writer|Mar 18, 2021

    Two administrators at Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn Community School will be leaving the district at the end of the 2020-21 school year. Mark Dorhout, who has been middle school principal at H-M-S since 2004, has accepted a middle school science teaching position at the Panorama Community School District in Panora. Dorhout had been a science teacher prior to becoming an administrator. Elementary Principal Cathy Jochims is retiring at the end of the current school year. She has served in that role at H-...

  • Everly council discusses Commercial Club replacement

    Nick Pedley, News Editor|Mar 18, 2021

    Everly Mayor Brad Behrens is hoping a city-led committee can replace the impending void left by the Commercial Club. Behrens on Monday told the council he would like to see the city establish a committee that would help organize community events and oversee remaining monies left by the Commercial Club. The 107-year-old group, which is in the process of dissolving due to low membership and a lack of local interest, met earlier this month and agreed to proceed with disbanding. According to...

  • Call system will alert customers of water-related issues

    Nick Pedley, News Editor|Mar 18, 2021

    Royal residents will soon be informed about emergencies affecting their water service through an alert system operated by the community’s water provider. City council members learned on March 10 that Iowa Lakes Regional Water has an automated calling system that alerts customers in situations such as service interruptions or boil advisories. Mayor Josh Toft said the call alerts would eliminate the need for the city to physically place notices of water-related service issues on the doors of all 209 residences. According to discussion, the c...

  • Council tables water tower tweaks

    Nick Pedley, News Editor|Mar 18, 2021

    Plans for a redesigned water tower in Hartley are up in the air. The city council on March 8 tabled a decision on changes until next month. The redesign's price tag was too high for some council members, who had previously agreed to revamp the structure. "I agree with changing it, but not the price," said Council Member Ron Hengeveld. "It's too much." The city has a maintenance contract with Suez worth $17,500 each year. Included in that price is a 10-year painting agreement. The water tower...

  • One last time?

    Nick Pedley, News Editor|Mar 18, 2021

    You can't get rid of Old Man Winter that easy. Denizens of northwest Iowa were reminded which season it is on Monday when a winter stormed dumped nearly half a foot of snow on some parts of the region. The wet, heavy white stuff made for strenuous scooping, and snowflakes continued to fall during most of the day on Tuesday. Accumulation on Monday varied across the region, according to the National Weather Service in Sioux Falls. Everly and Sheldon tallied 5" and 5.5", respectively, while Lake...

  • COVID-19 positivity rates increase

    Nick Pedley, News Editor|Mar 18, 2021

    COVID-19 positivity rates in O'Brien and Clay counties continued to climb over the past week. O'Brien County's seven-day growth was the highest, increasing from 8 percent on March 9 to 11 percent on March 16. Clay County's positivity rate increased from 8 percent to 9 percent over that same timeframe. Overall, the state's seven-day rate was 4.2 percent, up from 3.9 percent a week ago. Coronavirus-related deaths were unchanged in O'Brien and Clay counties at 58 and 25, respectively. Those...

  • 03/18/21: Crime, Courts, Accidents & Incidents

    Mar 18, 2021

    • Traffic Jesus Munoz, Sioux City, Speeding. Anthony James Klave, Paullina, No Proof of Insurance. Umer Kassim Osman, Minneapolis, Minn., Speeding. Emily Catherine Roghair, Sioux Center, No Proof of Insurance. Alex J. Fischer, Paullina, No Proof of Insurance. Troy Arnold Deling, Armstrong, Improper Passing. Anthony Charles Cole, Fremont, Neb., Speeding. Jennifer Louise Jahner, Sheldon, No Valid Driver’s License. Cole Thomas Stofferan, Sheldon, No Proof of Insurance. Nicole Lynn Campbell, Peterson, Speeding. Brandon Marquis Miles, Sheldon, No...

  • Poking along

    Nick Pedley, News Editor|Mar 18, 2021

    Clay County Public Health still isn't having trouble finding arms for the limited doses of COVID-19 vaccine it receives each week. Department Coordinator Colette Rossiter said rollout has continued to progress as fast as possible this month. With more Iowans eligible to receive a shot, demand has only continued to increase. She stressed patience as the nation's vaccine supply builds and more doses become available to the greater public. She also noted that even though more Iowans are inoculated...

  • 03/18/21: Community Calendar

    Mar 18, 2021

    H-M-S Music Boosters fundraiser The Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn Music Boosters are holding a mattress fundraiser on Saturday, March 20. Every purchase benefits the boosters and the school music trip to Nashville. The fundraiser will be held from 10 a.m.-5 p.m., at the H-M-S Event Center. H-M-S menus Monday, March 22: Breakfast – Cereal, pop tarts (9-12), fruit, juice; Lunch – Mini corndogs, chips (9-12), baked beans, baby carrots, mixed fruit. Tuesday, March 23: Breakfast – Apple frudel, fruit, juice; Lunch – Maid-rites/bun, French fries, broccol...

  • No pool season in Hartley this year

    Nick Pedley, News Editor|Mar 11, 2021

    Local kids looking to cool off this summer won't be able to take a dip in Hartley. The city council on Monday agreed to keep the pool closed in 2021 to accommodate construction of a new aquatic center. Voters overwhelmingly approved a bond issue last week to partially finance the facility, and city officials want to get things moving as soon as possible. "If we're going to be aggressive, we're not going to have a pool season," said Council Member Ron Hengeveld. Increased construction costs were...

  • A 12-month spread out

    Nick Pedley, News Editor|Mar 11, 2021

    Hartley will recover February's natural gas surge prices by adding the expense to customers' bills during the next year. The city council on Monday agreed to add 24 cents per CCF to bills for the next 12 months. Doing so will allow the city to recoup gas price surges from February, which skyrocketed during the five-day polar vortex. "Everybody is doing something different, and there's not a perfect answer for the situation," said Superintendent of Public Works Jaron Benz. "It was such an odd...

  • More Iowans can get COVID-19 vaccine

    Nick Pedley, News Editor|Mar 11, 2021

    More Iowans are now eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Effective March 8, Iowa vaccine providers were allowed to start vaccinating additional priority populations. Individuals 64 years of age and younger with medical conditions that are or may be an increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19 are now eligible. Conditions listed on the CDC's website include cancer, chronic kidney disease, COPD, obesity, Type 2 diabetes as well as several others. O'Brien County Public Health Director...

  • Everly to be part of ISU survey

    Nick Pedley, News Editor|Mar 11, 2021

    All households in the 51338 zip code will receive a special survey this spring as part of an Iowa State University research project. ISU Associate Professor Dr. David Peters met with the city council on March 2 to encourage Everly's participation in the survey, which is part of his class' research project. A questionnaire will be written and approved this month, and later distributed and analyzed in April. Results will be presented to the council in May. According to City Clerk Kristi Fliss,...

  • Iowa's Ride could have flat tire

    Nick Pedley, News Editor|Mar 11, 2021

    An upstart cross-state bike ride is facing an uphill climb. Iowa's Ride, which was established in 2019, was supposed to traverse the Hawkeye State from east to west last July on its inaugural trip. It was slated to pass through northwest Iowa with overnight stops in Emmetsburg, Sheldon and Rock Rapids, but the COVID-19 pandemic slammed the brakes on the event. The ride was postponed to the summer of 2021; however, speculation about its viability has grown significantly in recent months. The...

  • 03/11/21: Crime, Courts, Accidents & Incidents

    Mar 11, 2021

    • Traffic Jeanne Hyatt, Des Moines, No Proof of Insurance; Registration Violation; Driving While Suspended. Kenneth Leroy Freudenburg, Council Bluffs, Dark Windows. Daniel DeJager, Sanborn, Registration Violation. Tony Lee Foxhoven, Primghar, Failure to Yield. Heath Donald Brown, Paullina, Speeding. Alexis Jane Longman, Hartley, Minor in Possession of Tobacco. Thomas Steven Geelan, Ruthven, Minor in Possession Alcohol. Joseph Charles McElroy, Ocheyedan, Failure to Obey Stop Sign. Montana D. Bartell, Stockton, Ill., Speeding. Dylan D. Miller, H...

  • HARTLEY POOL BOND PASSES WITH 84 PERCENT

    Nick Pedley, News Editor|Mar 4, 2021

    Any doubts about support for a new pool in Hartley were crushed Tuesday. Voters in the City With a Heart overwhelmingly supported a $1.7 million bond issue that will partially finance construction of a new aquatic center. According to unofficial results, 84 percent of voters cast 'yes' ballots while only 16 percent voted against the measure. Pool campaign committee spokeswoman Jackie Stoltz said the group was ecstatic about the big victory. "The committee is really pleased with 84 percent," she...

  • Everly Commercial Club looks to disband

    Nick Pedley, News Editor|Mar 4, 2021

    A lack of members and community interest has a local club staring down its final days. The Everly Commercial Club will hold a meeting on March 9 to vote on disbanding. President Chris Dodd broached the topic with members last month, and most signaled a desire to dissolve the group. Dodd estimated only 20 people are currently members of the Commercial Club, which has existed in Everly since 1914. "It was predominantly business-oriented and focused on promoting our businesses here," he explained....

  • Bidding farewell to Fiesta Foods

    Nick Pedley, News Editor|Mar 4, 2021

    Greg Musch and Cathy Sweet-Musch have spent more than 20 years in Hartley, but the clock is winding down fast. The owners of Fiesta Foods will call it quits once doors lock at the local grocery store on March 31. The Musches have sold the business to Casey and Julie Conner, who also own stores in Lake Mills and Northwood. "We're experiencing every emotion right now," said Cathy. "We're getting cards in the mail from people, and we have people stopping us almost daily telling us how much they've...

  • The price of the polar vortex

    Nick Pedley, News Editor|Mar 4, 2021

    Millions of Americans will feel the pinch of February's polar vortex when they open their gas bills this month, but residents in Everly can breathe easy. The Everly Municipal Utilities Board of Trustees last week decided to absorb price hikes for natural gas instead of passing the buck onto local consumers. Prices surged in mid-February due to complications at gas wells in Texas, which froze up during the record-setting cold snap that immobilized much of the Midwest. As the nation's natural gas...

  • CC/E board discusses enrollment numbers

    Nick Pedley, News Editor|Mar 4, 2021

    Declining enrollment numbers were a topic of discussion Feb. 24 during the Clay Central/Everly school board meeting. Superintendent Kevin Wood provided an update on CC/E's PK-6 student population, which has seen enrollment dip from 82 during the 2019-20 school year to 73 this year. Wood told the board to start thinking about the lower numbers, which affect the amount of per-pupil financial aid CC/E receives from the state each year. Fewer students mean less money for the district. "I just wanted...

  • Clay County lifts mask order

    Nick Pedley, News Editor|Mar 4, 2021

    An order in Clay County requiring that people wear masks in public places when social distancing cannot be maintained has been lifted. The order was approved by the board of supervisors in December following a recommendation from the board of health and later. It stated that once the 14-day positivity rate was under 5 percent for two consecutive Sundays, the mask resolution would be lifted. As of Monday, the Clay County 14-day positivity rate for COVID-19 was 1.7 percent. The order will be...

  • 03/04/21: Crime, Courts, Accidents & Incidents

    Mar 4, 2021

    • Traffic Jennifer Ann Schultz, Sheldon, Driving While Suspended. Kelsey Jo Daniels, Paullina, Passing School Bus. Brandon Michael Koch, Primghar, Driving While Suspended. Tejon Malik Conrad, Primghar, Driving While Suspended, 2 counts. Jeffrey G. Gerritson, Sheldon, Littering. Lisa Diana Hinojosa, Paullina, No Proof of Insurance; No Valid Driver’s License. James Daniel Casey, Ashton, Use of Electronic Device; Failure to Maintain Control. Daniel Jake Phillips, Cherokee, Speeding. Victor Jose Nunez Cintron, Hartley, Speeding. Tanner Dean Fje...

  • 'We can't just sit back and do nothing'

    Nick Pedley, News Editor|Feb 25, 2021

    The need for a new pool in the City With a Heart is obvious to Jackie Stoltz. "It's important that our town be progressive and offer multiple things," said the Hartley woman, who served on the pool taskforce committee and is also helping raise funds for a new aquatic center. "We can't just sit back and do nothing. We have to move ahead and be progressive." Local voters will decide the fate of a $1.7 million bond issue on March 2 that, if passed, will finance more than half the cost to construct...

  • Back to the beginning

    Mike Petersen, Sports Editor & Staff Writer|Feb 25, 2021

    In response to Gov. Kim Reynolds' lifting of the statewide face covering mandate, the Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn Community School District has rescinded its requirement that they be worn whenever social distancing is not possible. The board on Feb. 17 voted 3-2 to follow the district's original return to learn plan, which includes mitigation strategies to limit the spread of the coronavirus within school facilities. The strategies include staying six feet from others as much as possible, frequent...

  • Waiting game

    Nick Pedley, News Editor|Feb 25, 2021

    Kim Morran has to remind herself to breathe every now and then. The director of O'Brien County Public Health has been swamped over the past month during the initial rollout phases of the COVID-19 vaccine. There are plenty of arms to go around, but the vaccine supply has been limited. "It has been extremely busy and stressful," Morran said. "I only have one nurse and myself, and a secretary. We have utilized volunteers to assist in the office and for the larger clinics." O'Brien County is...

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