Serving O'Brien & Clay Counties
Serving O'Brien & Clay Counties
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Five residents and three employees at Community Memorial Health Center in Hartley were placed in quarantine during the past week after testing positive for COVID-19. According to interim CMHC Director Lisa Lowe, the facility reported its first positive test on Jan. 16. That number eventually grew in the week that followed, and quarantine protocols were implemented immediately in an attempt to avoid additional spread. Lowe said on Tuesday night that some of the residents who had tested positive...
She doesn't have a military background, but that hasn't stopped Katie Ginger from helping local veterans obtain the services they need. The Hartley woman took over as administrator of O'Brien County Veteran Affairs last month after three months of training. She succeeded Roy Wohlert, also of Hartley, who hung it up at year's end. "I've enjoyed talking with veterans and getting to know them, and I love being involved and coordinating events," Ginger said. "It's been going good." Ginger previously...
Three new faces have taken the reigns of the Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn Kids Backpack Program. Rodney Ahrenstorff and Darla and Russ Meyer started heading the local food program at the start of the year. Though still operated through the Tritonia Club, the Hartley trio handles ordering and stocking goods for distribution to local children in need each week. The Kids Backpack Program was previously led by Kathy Shepherd and other volunteers, who built it into what it is today. "She said we can't let...
• Traffic Kathleen J. Casas. Primghar, No Proof of Insurance. Jesus De Los Santos Chavez, Spirit Lake, Speeding; No Valid Driver’s License. Cheyenne Megan Chindlund, Sheldon, Speeding. Amber Marie Davis, Sioux Center, Speeding. Thaddeus Ryan Mertz, Humboldt, Minor in Possession. Gavin Thomas Strain, Thor, Minor in Possession. Brisa Ivone Ramos De La Cruz, Sibley, Registration Violation. Sean Michael Greiner, Milford, Speeding. Ana Rosy Gomez Lopez, Eagle Grove, Speeding; No Valid Driver’s License. Pedro Daniel Lopez Lopez, Denison, No Valid...
Annual appointments made by mayors of small communities are generally routine. But as the makeup of the Royal City Council has changed as a result of the 2021 election, Mayor Josh Toft used the opportunity to assign members to positions that fit their particular abilities. “I’m trying to put people with the experience that best matches their appointments,” Toft said. The mayor’s appointments approved on Jan. 12 include: Jeff Van Westen – Mayor Pro-Tem; streets and alleys; Jim Virelli – water, sewer, sanitation and landfill; Matt Goyette – e...
A rural Melvin man will fill the District 4 seat on the Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn school board. Kyle McCarter was appointed to the seat on Monday. He was one of three individuals who expressed interest in filling the position. Preston DeBoer, of rural Hartley, and Sara Otto, of rural Ocheyedan, were others considered for appointment. The other four board members voted by ballot to fill the position. President Scott Vollink did not state how many votes each candidate received. McCarter immediately t...
A major goal of the Royal City Council has moved from a "someday project" to a potential reality. Council members heard an update on Jan. 12 regarding the estimated cost of repaving 2-1/2 blocks of Main Street. The estimate was made by Jacob DeLoss, of DeLoss Construction in Spencer, after meeting with Mayor Josh Toft, Council Member Matt Goyette and Maintenance Superintendent Sherman Nielsen to inspect the street. "We have a starting point," Toft observed. "Whenever we talk about street...
Swimming season may be several months out, but members of the Hartley Community Pool Campaign Committee are still asking locals to dive in with donations. As of Tuesday morning, just over $173,000 had been donated to the pool campaign. The goal is $500,000, and committee spokeswoman Jackie Stoltz admitted they've got a ways to go. "We're plugging along," she said. "If you have a business and haven't donated yet, you can do so by sending a check to City Hall or you can contact either myself,...
The Everly City Council remains at an impasse about how to spend federal pandemic relief dollars. Members on Monday once again mulled how to use funds distributed to the city by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), which was passed by Congress last year to provide $1.9 trillion in economic stimulus to help offset pandemic-related losses. Everly received two payments totaling $81,963, according to previous discussion. The money must be spent by December 2024; however, it comes with strict stipulations. Right now, the council is having a hard...
Though absent for most of the winter, snow returned to northwest Iowa last week. A winter storm dumped various amounts of accumulation throughout the area on Jan. 14, canceling school and other events. According to the National Weather Service in Sioux Falls, Sheldon received 4.5" while Spencer recorded 10.4". Milford was in the middle at 8". The ground is white again, but the area is still lagging behind average accumulation totals. According to the NWS's records, Sioux City recorded its...
• Traffic Brian L. Parks, Sheldon, Trespass. Krista Dawn Badhorse, Primghar, No Proof of Insurance. Damon Blake Ashworth, Excelsior Springs, Mo., Speeding. Jessica Rae Webber, Otsego, Minn., Speeding. Christian Joseph Maldonado, Hospers, Speeding. Philip Jon Krug, Remsen, Failure to Display Safety (SMV) Device. Niel N. Riedemann, West Des Moines, Seatbelt Violation; Violation of Restricted Driver’s License. Susan A. Butcher, Scottsdale, Ariz., Speeding. Amelia Grace Singleton, Delano, Minn., Speeding. Mark A. Bowling, Naperville, Ill., Spe...
Last year was the second dry year in a row for Iowa. Over the previous 24 months, parts of central and west central Iowa received a foot less than normal moisture. Both streamflow and groundwater conditions were of concern throughout much of 2021, but the third-wettest October on record helped to end the year with near normal conditions. "Looking back on 2021, the wet October we experienced in Iowa really helped set us up for better spring conditions," said Tim Hall, DNR's coordinator of...
Farmland values in O'Brien and Clay counties exploded over the past year due to positive factors affecting the U.S. ag economy and inflation. The annual Iowa State Land Value Survey released last month reported a 28.7 percent increase in O'Brien County farmland prices in 2021 and a 30.6 percent increase in Clay County. The report noted surging ethanol demand and higher commodity prices as reasons for the 29 percent statewide increase in farmland values last year, as well as better-than-expected...
Members of Arthur W. Kirchhoff American Legion Post #288 were recently brought closer to a man none of them knew – Kirchhoff himself. Past Post Cmdr. Cliff Ripke in November received photos of Kirchhoff's grave from friends Terry and Karolyn Collins, of La Crosse, Wis. Buried at Oise-Aisne Cemetery in Fere-en-Tardenois, France, the Hartley teen was killed in 1918 near Sergy while serving during World War I. As far as Ripke is aware, nobody from Hartley has ever been to Kirchhoff's grave or s...
If a healthy dose of fiber is great for your diet, it's even better for internet speeds. Local internet service providers Evertek and Royal Telephone Company know this firsthand. Now thanks to a grant from the governor's office, they will be able to expand their fiber network to rural customers in northwest Iowa. "It was nice to see that money come back to us, a company that has been in the area for several years," said Evertek CEO Roxanne White. "We are excited for the opportunity we've been...
Five Hartley firefighters are looking fresh thanks to a grant from the O’Brien County Community Foundation (OCCF). The local department was able to purchase new bunker gear for a portion of the squad at a cost of $9,000. The grant covered $5,000 of the total, while the rest was paid for with funds from the annual pancake feed and other contributions. “We’re very appreciative to the community foundation and everyone who supports our pancake fundraiser every year,” said Fire Chief Brad Meender...
• Traffic Dalton Mitchell Garrett, Spencer, Speeding. Darious M. Bolden, Milwaukee, Wis., Speeding. Dakota Drake Choung Phi, Kansas City, Mo., Speeding. Benjamin J. Kamphoff, Spokane Valley, Wash., Seatbelt Violation. Angela Ashley Betancourt, Royal, Failure to Obey Stop Sign. Donavan Sheriff, Sheldon, Speeding. Tanner John Young, Sheldon, No Proof of Insurance. Robert Allen Stowe, Jr., Westfield, Dark Windows. Richard Michael Treague, Malvern, Speeding. Dena Rae Montera, Brea, Calif., Speeding. Elizabeth Carey, Sheldon, Dark Windows. E...
An errant glove has caused headaches at Hartley's sewage treatment facility. Superintendent of Public Works Jaron Benz reported at Monday's council meeting that a pump motor at the lift station near the sewage plant burned out this fall and needs to be replaced. The culprit was a leather glove, which got caught in the equipment and rendered it useless. Benz said the motor cannot be rebuilt. He proposed replacing the equipment immediately while water flow is low during the winter, as the lift...
Residents in Hartley have seen marked progress recently at the site of the city's new pool. What was once a large hole surrounded by mounds of dirt has transformed into something much more tangible. The shell of the pool house has been erected and the outline of the pool itself can actually be deciphered from a short distance away. Hartley Superintendent of Public Works Jaron Benz has been pleased with progress so far. "I think everything has been going really well," he said. "They took...
Local public health officials are urging individuals who've put off their COVID-19 vaccine booster to stop procrastinating. With the emergence of the highly-transmissible omicron variant and holiday gatherings now over, Clay County Public Health coordinator Colette Rossiter is expecting COVID-19 infections to rise in northwest Iowa. She said vaccinated people should schedule their booster shot if they haven't received it yet to improve their odds at avoiding serious illness or death if they...
Iowa Republicans will be in a familiar spot Jan. 10 when the Legislature convenes for the 2022 session. GOP lawmakers will hold control of the House, Senate and governor's chair for the sixth-straight year. That grip on the majority has allowed Republicans to check several boxes off their legislative priority list over the past half decade, and they're primed to keep the ball rolling. Tax cuts have created a big buzz prior to the 2022 session. Gov. Kim Reynolds earlier this year signaled her...
• Correction In the court news published on Dec. 16, Beau Roberts was listed under OWI. That is incorrect. He was charged with a simple misdemeanor. We apologize for the error. • Traffic Donna Louise Hinds, Larrabee, No Proof of Insurance. Larissa Lynn Miller, Marcus, No Valid Driver’s License. Mark Alan Stone, Jr., Sheldon, Failure to Use Child Restraint Device; Registration Violation. Hannah Renae Rosentrater, Cherokee, Failure to Change Lanes when Approaching Emergency Vehicle. Brandi Marie Roslansky, Spencer, Speeding. Jesse Taylor Eldri...
5 will be remembered as the year things got back to normal. Thanks to COVID-19 vaccinations and reduced risk to public health, community celebrations and other gatherings returned full force after a yearlong hiatus caused by the pandemic. Back were crowd favorite events like Hartley Summer Celebration, Everly Community Day, Royal Fun Days and the Clay County Fair. People were able to visit loved ones in nursing homes once again, and mask usage and social distancing were mostly halted. The...
The Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn school board will be one member short soon. Board President Scott Heetland submitted his letter of resignation effective Jan. 1. The May City-area farmer served for 13 years, having first been elected in 2008 after defeating incumbent Merlin Sandersfeld by 20 votes. Heetland said the timing was right to step aside. "I probably wouldn't have ran last time, but wanted to see the facilities projects through because I was heavily involved in that process," he said. "Now...
One snapshot of performance by the Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn Community School's attendance centers has district officials smiling. Scores for all three buildings in the 2021 Iowa School Performance Profiles fall in the "Commendable" category. Overall results are based on scores in several categories, including assessment participation, average school achievement, conditions of learning survey, graduation rate, proficiency growth, actual proficiency and a post-secondary readiness index. Buildings...
