Serving O'Brien & Clay Counties
Serving O'Brien & Clay Counties
Sorted by date Results 676 - 700 of 1379
Employees affected by the ongoing closure of Hartley's new pool will receive compensation. The Hartley City Council on June 29 agreed to pay pool manager Pam Mohni her salary of $9,270. Unable to work because of the pool's indefinite closure, Mohni would have been out of the sum had the city council not acted. The amount was previously approved when Mohni was hired in March to run the new pool. The council also agreed to pay lifeguards affected by the indefinite closure; however, a final number...
Clay Central/Everly Superintendent Kevin Wood is concerned that a recent change in state open enrollment rules will have an adverse affect on small rural school districts across Iowa. Parents can now enroll their children in any public school regardless of where they live at any point throughout the year thanks to a new law signed last month by Gov. Kim Reynolds. It removes the March 1 deadline to declare their intention to switch districts and took effect immediately, meaning families no...
• Traffic Hussein Farah Khalif, Shakopee, Minn., Hours of Service Violation. Michael Diaz, Chino, Calif., Hours of Service Violation. Yury Zasulevich, Champlin, Minn., Speeding. Selina Marie Triplett, Sutherland, Speeding. Jonathan W. Jennings, Sanborn, Seatbelt Violation. Benjamin D. Lindgren, South Sioux City, Neb., Speeding. Rachel Ann Wilson, Hartley, Speeding. Vanessa Medina, Paullina, Speeding. Zachary Olney, Columbus, Neb., Speeding. Kelvin Robert Lansink, Primghar, Dark Windows. John Richard Trierweiler, Luverne, Minn., Dark Windows. R...
The 2022 O'Brien County Fair is just around the corner. This year's fair kicks off on Saturday, July 23 with a Tractor Ride at 9 a.m. Participants will begin the ride from the fairgrounds in Primghar, with dinner being served on the route. The open crafts will also be judged on Saturday, and entrants can begin to bring those items to the fairgrounds beginning at 7:30 a.m. Anyone from O'Brien County is encouraged to exhibit and the entry fee is only $1 per exhibitor. The special class in...
Hartley city officials are still awaiting details of a proposal that would address issues at the new pool. The city council learned last week the pool could not pass inspection due to errors made with electrical work during the construction process. According to City Administrator Erica Haack, the pool's general contractor, Eriksen Construction, is still investigating a solution to remedy the problems. Once one is developed, it will have to be approved by the state electrical examining board....
Plans to deal with an impending invasion are continuing to form in Everly. The city council on June 20 OK'd a plan that would treat two ash trees with pesticides at the park and water tower. The vast majority of ash trees on city-owned property won't be so lucky, as city Street Superintendent Nate Fitzgerald suggested they get cut down within a two-year time. The council first began discussing local ash trees in April. The invasive emerald ash borer (EAB) was confirmed in Clay County this...
Children can now receive vaccinations against COVID-19 thanks to a recent decision by the Food & Drug Administration. The FDA granted emergency use authorization of both the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines for children ages 6 months-4 years. Previously, only those age 5 and older were eligible. Like with adults, the vaccines are administered on a tiered schedule to build immunity. For the youngest recipients, there are three doses: The first two doses are given three weeks apart followed...
• Traffic Giorgi Turashvili, New York, N.Y., No Proof of Insurance; Registration Violation. Lisa Rose Sheldon, Melvin, Registration Violation. Michael Dale Ewoldt, North Sioux City, S.D., Speeding. Quintin Fred Williams, Beaufort, S.C., Open Container. Lucas William Berkenpas, Hartley, Registration Violation. John Serio, Wausau, Wis., Hours of Service Violation; Safety Regulations Violation. Zeniah Ahmaniki Wallace, Nitro, W.V., Speeding. David LeRoy Jones, Saint Charles, Speeding. Lisa Marie Dukes, Ames, Speeding. Donald Ray Clark, Jr., O...
Like a mirage of a puddle in the desert, local children will have to continue staring at an empty pool in Hartley this summer. The new aquatic center cannot pass a state electrical inspection due to errors made during the construction process. In light of recent developments, the city council on Monday rescinded a previously approved pay request to the pool's general contractor, Eriksen Construction, worth $308,441. According to discussion, there is no way the facility can open this summer and s...
Costs for most goods and services may be rising, but there will be few increases in fees for the 2022-23 school year at Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn. The schedule approved by the board on Monday only calls for increases in activity ticket prices, which are due to changes in gate admissions. Superintendent Patrick Carlin said meal prices will be determined by the state at a later date. The district will charge a fee for school-related credit card transactions to JMC. The $1.50 fee is at the lower end...
Royal city council members are happy with how local residents are responding to letters asking them to clean up their properties. During discussion on June 8, council members were informed that after a second inspection of properties, only 10 had not completely addressed issues listed in notices they had received. That compares to the more than 50 properties that were identified during the initial survey conducted in April. “That is outstanding,” responded Mayor Josh Toft. According to Council Member Mitch Fahnlander, progress was made at the...
• Traffic Abdikarim Ahmed Muhumed, South Sioux City, Neb., Speeding. Kyle Delfort Begay, Gamerco, N.M., Open Container; Speeding. Isaac Norton, Sanborn, Minor with Tobacco. Jennifer Marie Perez Vazquez, Sheldon, Speeding. Amed Jose Castro-Chavez, Estherville, Speeding. Sheila Nadine Ross, Estherville, No Proof of Insurance. Logan Jeffrey Abbott, Sanborn, Speeding. Loran Matthew Stanbery, Primghar, Registration Violation; Seatbelt Violation. Oscar Morales Gonzalez, Grand Island, Neb., No Valid Driver’s License. Donavan Sheriff, Sheldon, Spe...
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...
• 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...
It may look finished from the outside, but Hartley's new pool still needs a vital piece of internal equipment before the ribbon can be cut. Local officials received word this week that the pool's variable frequency drives (VFDs) had been shipped and are on the way to the City With a Heart. Even so, Superintendent of Public Works Jaron Benz was unsure when they would arrive and be installed. "We're looking forward to getting it finished and open," Benz said. "I don't want this to be delayed any...
Americans feeling a pinch in their pocketbooks need not look far for someone to blame, according to Sen. Chuck Grassley. The Iowa Republican, who has represented the Hawkeye State in Washington, D.C. since 1981, said during a May 31 visit to Primghar the Biden Administration's policies have exacerbated inflation nationwide. Unless the president reverses course on energy policy, Grassley expected high gas prices and other elevated expenses to continue. "When we shut down pipelines and we stop...
Two local Republicans earned decisive victories in Tuesday's primary election. Zach Dieken, of rural Granville, and Lynn Evans, of Aurelia, won their party's nomination in Iowa House District 5 and Iowa Senate District 3, respectively. They move on to the November election and face almost certain victory, as no Democrats are running for either seat. Evans, a former superintendent at Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn and Alta-Aurelia, defeated challenger Anthony LaBruna with 64.7 percent of the vote. He...
A big change is coming to a Hartley medical clinic soon. The family clinic located inside Hartley's Community Memorial Health Center will transfer operations from MercyOne to Spencer Hospital. No date for the change has been finalized, but a news release from Spencer Hospital said it would occur "later this summer." "We've appreciated our relationship with MercyOne and the services it offered," said Colleen Paulsen, chair of the Community Memorial Health Center board. "Given how many of our comm...
• Traffic Cortney Adam Ball, Primghar, Speeding; No Proof of Insurance. Natalie Ann Dietrich, Sioux City, Speeding. John George Daniels, II, Sheldon, Registration Violation. Telesforo Lopez Ramos, Worthington, Minn., No Valid Driver’s License. Brian Kelly Forcier, Akron, Dark Windows. Wesley Patterson, Hartley, Registration Violation. Brea A. Tschopp, Hartley, Speeding. Ethan Todd Faust, Sutherland, Registration Violation. Jose Guadalupe Garcia, South Sioux City, Neb., Speeding. Bethany Nicole Van Laningham, Rake, Speeding. Diego Antonio Gre...
A wet and windy Memorial Day didn't halt services in Hartley – it just necessitated a change of plans. American Legion Post #288 moved Monday's program inside to the Hartley Community Center due to less-than-ideal conditions outside. There, Aaron Van Beek, volunteer president and director of Midwest Honor Flight, gave the keynote address urging attendees to remember the supreme sacrifice give by America's bravest so we can be free today. Six new flags were dedicated to the Avenue of Flags d...
