AURELIA - After five seasons, the semi-pro football team based in Aurelia, the Northwest Iowa Bulldogs, have announced that after this season is completed, the team will be no more. Here is a statement from their Facebook page from the owners of the team:...

Headed into the stretch run of the summer campaign, things are looking good for the Buena Vista Raceway. Despite some frustrating weather and two cancellatians including this week, car counts and fan numbers have been right where second-year track manager Joey Ciechanowski hoped to see them...

The Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) plans to research decreasing the speed limit on Highway 7 near M-31 on the west side of Alta after a request from Mayor Al Clark. He contacted a DOT representative following the July Alta city council meeting where the issue was brought up by Dr. Keith Geyer who lives near Highway 7 and M-31...

The Alta school board voted to approve funding for a project to bury light cables at the Alta football and track field on Johnson Street in Alta near the schools. Wiring for lights will be moved from overhead to underground at a cost of $12,900. The issue was discussed at the July 17th meeting...

When you have a passion for a job, that is more than a job, and the time comes to transition to another phase in life, decisions that you need to make can be tough. No other profession knows this more than teachers, where the ones who have spend most of their lives, preparing others to go out into the world, will now be the ones who are making a major change in their life. ...

Sue and Keith Geyer of The Lord’s Cupboard in Alta receive a donation of pork loins and a Henry’s Heroes care package from the Deb and Jeff Hansen Foundation and Iowa Select Farms. /Submitted

The Alta High School Class of 1954 held a reunion at the Buffalo Ridge Cafe in Alta on June 10. Class members attending the event were: Back Row (standing): Eugene Carlson, St. Cloud, MN; Karen Johnson, Cedar Rapids; Vernon Winterhof, Aurelia; Marlene (Brechwald) Christensen, Spirit Lake; Myra (Gaffey) Hewitt, Indianola; Doug Chase, Fonda; Dorothy (Glienke) Hinkeldey, Alta. ...

“Twenty years of schoolin’ and they put you on the day shift” - Bob Dylan This is not a post that professes to have the solution to changing our current education system. It’s actually quite the contrary.  After 33 years in education, I’m looking for answers and clarity...

Who is ready for some Pickelball? An effort is underway to get pickelball games underway in the Alta area. If you are interested in forming a team, please contact Ed Rahe at 200-2045. A paddle sport created for all ages and skill levels, pickelball is gaining popularity around the country. The rules are simple and the game is easy for beginners to learn, but can develop into a quick, fast-paced, competitive game for experienced players...

The Lord’s Cupboard, Alta’s food pantry, invites you to their Open House celebrating their 40th year of service to the community. Join them at 213 Main Street in Alta on July 18 from 1 to 3 p.m. The public is invited to tour the pantry.

A new chapter in the Larson family’s story begins

Up for election in Alta this coming November are the mayor and three city council seats. Terms are ending for current Mayor Al Clark, and council members Denny Weber, Vi Tilk and Kevin Walsh. All of those terms end in December. Walsh said he has not reached a decision yet...

Reminder from the City of Alta: bagless recycling is set to begin July 1, throughout Buena Vista County. Recycling will NOT be picked up if it is in a bag. Please throw loose recycling into an appropriate container of your choice. Some tips on choosing a container:...

While people were waiting for the zoo program to begin Sally VanHouten read a story Wild About Books. Before the program started Bailey Douglas demonstrated what Adaptation is. Kennedy volunteered to be the alien and had to figure out what she needed to survive in the dessert or water. ...

A farewell message from Alta’s primary news reporter

Deanna Schaffer is proud to not only be a first generation college student, but to be the first certified bilingual student to graduate from Alta-Aurelia High School. “It’s a big accomplishment,” she said. “It did take a lot of work.” Schaffer is the first student to earn Alta-Aurelia’s Seal of Biliteracy since the district adopted the program in November 2018, shortly after Storm Lake’s adoption of the program. ...

School Board members found disagreement on the right way forward with a project to upgrade Alta’s football field, citing issues with whether the school should spend over $12,000 on a project that would be a start to primarily enhance the safety of the field with upgraded lighting...

The last name of Patton carries some weight at Alta-Aurelia. There are expectations when a Patton picks up a set of golf clubs. After all, for the last nine years, LeAnn Patton has coached the Warrior girls golf team to State. Her daughter, Annika Patton, picked up the clubs and took that weight on by winning two individual State Championships during her tenure as a Warrior...

• REQUEST TO BE ON THE AGENDA BY THE LAST WEDNESDAY OF EACH MONTH. • IF GRANTED PERMISSION, PROVIDE THE CITY CLERK WITH PROOF OF HOMEOWNER’S LIABILITY INSURANCE. • WORK WITH THE STREET SUPERINTENDENT TO FIGURE OUT WHEN THE BEST TIME TO TAKE THE TREE DOWN IS...

Alta-Aurelia Community School District: meet your new superintendent, William Walters. The Burlington, Iowa, native is glad to be back in his home state, and is looking forward to filling the big shoes left by retiring Superintendent Lynn Evans. A former special education teacher at Burlington High School, Walters found his passion for education while serving special education students in his sister’s elementary classroom as a young man...

With 49 actors and seven pit members, Buena Vista Community Theatre is bringing the happily ever after swamp story to Alta’s Roxy Theater for the first time. The debut of Shrek the Musical will be both recognizable and quite different from the movie, with 16 songs—most of which are original to the musical...

A Honor Roll Quarter 4 A Honor Roll Sem 2...

Parking ordinances, tree cutting rules and new fire department and waste ordinances continue to dominate Alta City Council.

The end of this year comes as a bittersweet moment for nine retiring staff members. Retiring staff included: • Jerry Braunschweig, high school art teacher for 17 years. • Lynn Evans, District Superintendent for 16 years. • Linda Huseman, technology coordinator for 28 years...

Straight A Honor Roll for Sem 2...

The Alta-Aurelia Trap Team participates in the West Central Iowa Trap Conference. Teams included in the conference are: Alta-Aurelia Shooting Sports, Ida County Trap Team, Carroll County Trap Team, Crawford County Youth Shooting Sports, Mighty Mo Trap Team of Missouri Valley and the Ram Trap Team from the Mapleton Area...

Our national symbol gracefully waves in the breeze along the walking trail in Aurelia, honoring veterans on Memorial Day. / Photo by Elijah Decious

Iowa Lakes Electric Members Charitable Foundation awarded a $5,000 grant to the Aurelia Kiwanis Club. The grant will assist with the Walking Trail Project in the City of Aurelia. Lynn Winterhof, Operation Round Up Foundation board member, presented Duane Kent, board member, Aurelia Kiwanis Club, with the donation...

Results for the Alta-Aurelia Trap team at the 100 round shoot in Harlan on Saturday, May 25th: The Intermediate(Middle School) squad of Kyler Mattsen, Tyler Erpelding, Addisen Reeves, Braden Schmidt and Cale Brechwald finished in 2nd place, shooting a 420 out of 500...

With a new season on the way, racers can’t wait to get on the track at Buena Vista Raceway. The only thing stopping them so far is the rain. The first two events on the calendar, scheduled each of the last two Wednesdays, have been cancelled due to uncooperative weather, leaving nine events left for the season. Only one night was rained out last season...

“From here on out, you are the determining factor to the adventure that awaits you,” said Principal Tom Ryherd as be bid grads farewell and good luck in the next chapter of their lives. /Photo by Elijah Decious

Alta-Aurelia High School and the community celebrated the life of beloved teacher and coach BJ Stevicks after a battle with pancreatic cancer—one the school showed up for in full force. “It’s been a long day without you, my friend,” sang the student choir in remembrance of Stevicks, “and I’ll tell you all about it when I see you again.”...

Wednesday, May 15 the Alta-Aurelia Trap team had a meet in Palmer, hosted by the Humbolt Wildcats Trap team. The High School squad of Sarah Sundene, Nick Beazley, Zach Erpelding, Lily Solis and Jacob Arnts placed 1st, shooting a combined 233 out of 250. ...

Dave Turnquist, Alta-Aurelia head softball coach spoke to us on Tuesday morning. Dave is assisted by K.C. Christiansen, his brother Jon, and daughters Lesa and Katie. There are 24 girls are on this year’s roster. Last year’s team compiled a 23-4 record, won the conference title with a 10-1 record, and played in the state tournament. ...

Iowa Lakes Electric Members Charitable Foundation awarded a $5,000 grant to the Aurelia Kiwanis Club. The grant will assist with the Walking Trail Project in the City of Aurelia. Lynn Winterhof, Operation Round Up Foundation board member, presented Duane Kent, board member, Aurelia Kiwanis Club, with the donation...

A blaze at 206 Cherokee Street last Wednesday destroyed a house with three apartments, displacing the families from their no longer habitable home. Fire Chief Kirk Reetz of Alta Fire Department called the damage a total loss of the building, owned by Cory and Melinda Weiland, with estimates still in the works. ...

Seven-year Alta-Aurelia band director Corbet Butler will be leaving the district to join Storm Lake after school breaks for the summer. Alta-Aurelia’s School Board approved his resignation Monday. The Spirit Lake native and 2011 Buena Vista University graduate has blazed trails in Storm Lake and its neighbors since college, keeping in tradition with a strong musical showing for the recently-merged district...

Alta-Aurelia’s school board is looking to make potential improvements to its football field and track. Alta Municipal Utility Manager Randy Tilk presented possible solutions for the issue with a lack of lighting around the track at night, looking as feasible ways to upgrade the wiring and move it from overhead to underground...

Bargain hunters, take note: Aurelia Middle School will be getting rid of years of accumulated property the week after Memorial Day. After XTREAM Fest, seventh and eighth grade teachers at A-A started looking for new community-based activities in May...

Alta-Aurelia High School students spent last Friday giving back to the community with service projects all over town. Citizens needing assistance were encouraged to call in for personal service from the students with chores such as yard work to beautify neighborhoods. City projects included cleaning up the ball fields, painting picnic tables at the shelter house and cleaning up trash from sidewalks and alleys. / Photos by Elijah Decious...

Alta City Council held the first reading of ordinances to consider changing sewer rates, solid waste collection fees and fees for services from Alta Fire Department. Ordinance 19-03 would increase the base sewer rate by $4, plus an increase of 75 cents per 1,000 gallons. Fee reductions of some equal amount, for both businesses and residents, are in consideration to balance the impact of the rate increase...

Cherokee Regional Medical Center (CRMC) announces that Alta resident Kristen Bromaghim, ARNP-C, has joined Cherokee Regional Clinic (CRC). Bromaghim started her duties at CRC earlier this year and is currently seeing patients in Cherokee. Bromaghim received her Master of Science in Nursing- Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP) from Vanderbilt University School of Nursing in Nashville, Tennessee, in 2018. ...

On Monday, April 29, Keri Navratil, City Administrator for the City of Storm Lake gave an update on projects the city is involved in and answered numerous questions about specific street problems and other concerns from the members. We wish to thank Keri for sharing this information...

The end of the school year is approaching fast in Alta-Aurelia, and with the break varying types of anxiety among parents, teachers and children. This year, summer school will see some changes for those attending, ensuring they get a break too. “We’re changing the way we’re doing it completely,” said Stacy Mueller, Principal of Alta Elementary...

Cornwell, Frideres, Maher & Associates, P.L.C., CPA’s today released an audit report on the Alta Community School District in Alta, Iowa. The District’s revenues totaled $9,141,228 for the year ended June 30, 2018, a 5.5% increase from the prior year. Revenues included $3,409,313 in local tax, charges for service of $1,415,938, operating grants, capital grants, contributions and restricted interest of $2,068,609, unrestricted interest of$9,019 and other general revenues of $2,238,349...

At the end of the Second World War, the average American needed only a fourth grade education to be in the 50th percentile in salary. In the 1990’s, a 12th grade education was necessary to reach the same level. Today, a college graduate earns more than twice as much as someone with less than 12 years of education...

If you saw Phoebe outside her school over the last few weeks, chances are it was at a political event. Fired up by gun violence, the graduating Alta-Aurelia senior says it’s people her age that need to stand up and make their voices heard to move change...

Alta Elementary Principal Stacy Mueller is calling on all parents of children 3 and 4 years old to register for the 2019-2020 school year. Forms for those interested are available via a link on the school website’s homepage at alta-aurelia.org. Spots for 3-year-olds may be limited to 10, though staffing may depend on response shown from parents early on. Superintendent Lynn Evans previously said the program is staffed to handle about 60 4-year-olds, though that capacity isn’t locked...

After just under a year in Alta’s old high school building, it seems yet another business has found room for growth. Owner Christina Allen is excited to expand with another room on the third floor just for yoga and fitness, giving her 45 year-round dancers their own dedicated room...

Alta-Aurelia School Superintendent Lynn Evans was guest speaker Tuesday morning. He spoke on a  variety of topics. The tax rate in Alta to $9.88 compared to $9.76 last year. The uniform levy increased to $4.50. Mr. Evans is retiring after this school year. ...