Alta-Aurelia Superintendent Lynn Evans was the guest speaker on Tuesday morning. He spoke about building project at Alta Elementary. Foundation is in. Soil tests taken shows they may need to bring in good fill. Completion date scheduled for mid-December. ...

The summer library program of “Building A Better World” started out with a large attendance at 3:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 1st. The first series was CONSTRUCTION ZONE. As the children arrived they had to guess how many screws were in the jar. Olivia Fassler was the lucky winner. Sally Van Houton led the children in several action songs...

It’s a fun, safe, a caring place to your take children. It’s Ready, Set, GROW in Alta, Iowa. The center is located in the old high school building on the south side. The daycare prides itself on the individual care of each child in a nurturing environment...

A public hearing will be held on June 26 in the Roxy Theater, located at 218 Main Street, Alta, concerning the petition for reorganization of the Alta Community School District and the Aurelia Community School District. The hearing is set to begin at 6:30 p.m...

On Saturday, June 3rd, Buena Vista County Community Foundation awarded grants to several Buena Vista organizations at a luncheon at Our Place. Those receiving grants were: Alta Music Boosters - $5,327 for instruments; City of Alta (Walking Trail Committee) - $10,000 for walking trail; and the Buena Vista County Theatre - $3,375 for stage lighting...

Heritage Bank Scholarship - Camryn Mork The Tracy Mork Memorial Scholarship - Camryn Mork Bernie Saggau Award - Lauren Falck Jim and Pat Wall Legacy Scholarship - Camryn Mork Ag Partners/Alceco FFA Scholarship - Sidney Hilsabeck First Cooperative Association Scholarship - Morgan Jacobson and Jason Hinkeldey...

Heritage Bank Scholarship - Camryn Mork The Tracy Mork Memorial Scholarship - Camryn Mork Bernie Saggau Award - Lauren Falck Jim and Pat Wall Legacy Scholarship - Camryn Mork Ag Partners/Alceco FFA Scholarship - Sidney Hilsabeck First Cooperative Association Scholarship - Morgan Jacobson and Jason Hinkeldey...

Tuesday morning’s guest speaker was Karla Ahrensen from the BV County courthouse. Karla talked about
election law changes. Next election, ballots need to be printed in bi-lingual text on forms. Federal law states that if 5% of the population in a city or municipality speak a different language ballots need to be printed in English and whatever the 5% of the population in that area are speaking. In the case of Storm Lake and Alta that other 5% is Hispanic...

Build A Better World is the theme for the 2017 Summer Library Line Up: Besides awesome presenters we will also have crafts, snacks, games and a whole lot of fun! Thursday, June 1st: Alta City Road Crew 3:30 p.m. – The City of Alta will bring large equipment such as a road grader, dump truck and utility pay loader...

Each year, the award is presented to an outstanding senior who demonstrates academic achievement, leadership characteristics and the ability to set personal and career goals.

On Saturday, April 29, the Alta Community Library will be presenting a program on greyhounds. Hannah and Rueben Wennel will bring Dexter, a seven year old greyhound. Learn about this certified therapy dog and his job on the tract. All ages are welcome...

The 11th annual statewide road trip expands to a year-round program with a stop in Aurelia June 14

Spring is here and as the school year winds to a close the last Middle School concert for the Alta-Aurelia districts was held on April 20th. Last certainly didn’t mean least, however, in terms of performance or attendance. The bleachers were packed by supportive family members as 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th mounted the risers to give their final hurrah...

Come join Dan Kaercher on Saturday, May 13th at the Alta Community Library at 11:00 a.m. to learn about the culinary history and signature dishes of the Midwest. All ages are welcome. He is the retired founding editor-in-chief of Midwest Living magazine, the host of “Simple Pleasures” and other programs aired on Iowa Public Television...

If it takes a village to raise a child then it mostly definitely takes a village to sustain a village. Calling Alta a small town is a fair assessment. One of the biggest challenges facing almost all small towns is how to survive. Typically there are two basic ideas, “Keep everything as it is, just make it cleaner” and “To survive, we have to grow.” That is the challenge currently being faced by the Alta Trails Committee. ...

The Alta City Council met with David Doxtad and Caleb Rasmussen of ISG, to discuss the ongoing televising of the city’s drainage and sewer system on April 5th. The city has been progressively running televising equipment through CIT, in hopes of determining why some areas are prone to flooding. The project has been overseen by Doxtad, Rasmussen and Brad Pederson...

• On Saturday, April 29th, the Alta Community Library will be presenting a program on greyhounds. Hanna and Rueben will bring Dexter (pictured), a 7 year old retired grey hound. Learn about this certified therapy dog and his job on the track. All ages are welcome...

The Aurelia City Wide Garage Sales will be held Friday, April 28th from 6-8 p.m. and Saturday, April 29th from 8 a.m. - undecided. Maps will be available at Casey’s and both banks after 10 am. on April 28.

Alta-Aurelia schools broke ground last week on a preschool/tornado safe room addition to the elementary building in Alta. As of Monday, April 11th, the north parking lot and parking along Main Street from the stop sign to the newly located barriers will be off limits. ...

Cornwell, Frideres, Maher & Associates, P.L.C., CPA’s today released an audit report on the Alta Community School District in Alta. The District’s revenues totaled $7,820,618 for the year ended June 30, 2016, a 0.2 percent decrease from the prior year. Revenues included $3,231,593 in local tax, charges for service of $1,240,593, operating grants, capital grants, contributions and restricted interest of $1,242,926, unrestricted interest of$3,557 and other general revenues of$2,101,949...

Alta Kiwanis guest speaker Tuesday morning was Lori Dicks from BV C O. Recycling Center. An 11 member commission was formed in 1972 to comply with a law requiring every city and county in Iowa to close all open dumps and establish a SDP by July 1, 1975. In 1989,Waste Reduction and Recycling Act required all cities and counties to establish recycling centers in order to reduce landfill waste...

As many know this is week is National Library week and to celebrate, the Alta Community Library had a guest speaker on Monday night, contemporary Romance writer Melissa Tagg. Imagine if you will a woman in her thirties, who looks like the very embodiment of every cheerful a pre-school teacher you’ve ever seen in the movies. ...

Two students at Alta-Aurelia Middle School have been chosen as semi-finalists in the state Letters About Literature competition - Connie Marcos and Lily Buckendahl. “In December, I had my students write a letter to the author of ‘The Graveyard Book,’ Neil Gaiman, as part of the Letters About Literature,” teacher Amy Meyer said. ...

On April 10th and 11th, Alta-Aurelia FFA members attended Iowa FFA Leadership Conference. Abby Kraemer, Jason Hinkeldey, and Alex Sangwin participated in the FFA band. They also had Kirk Langner participating in the FFA Choir. In order for members to participate in band or choir they have to fill out an application and be nominated by their director. ...

The Alta-Aurelia school boards met on April 10th. The Middle School Band instructor Nicole Nuttal, though absent, provided the boards with a letter letting them know that the Legacy Grant, which had been applied for by the Middle School Music Department for new instruments have been awarded for $4,869 this is about half of the $9,868 they applied for, but Nuttal was grateful for the award non-the less. ...

Children’s Story Time was held on Tuesday, April 4th at the library with the theme being “Hoppy Easter”. The children enjoyed the books “Easter Mice” by Bethany Roberts and “Odd Egg” by Emily Gravett. As a fun activity the children dipped hard boiled eggs into shaving cream that was mixed with different colors of food coloring. ...

Alta Kiwanis guest speaker this week was April Barrera. For the past three years, April and her husband have operated Rebounds in Alta. Rebounds is a consignment shop. People can bring in any item as long as it is clean and unbroken. Items accepted include household goods, furniture, tools, sporting goods, and antique items. ...

How do you get the attention of 50 or so kids under the age of 10? Apparently all it takes is drawing a very cute Hot Rod Hamster and encouraging them to believe they can do anything. The Alta-Aurelia Middle School held their Stem and Literacy Family night on April 4th. ...

On Monday, March 13th the Alta Library held a children’s movie night. The movie “Trolls” was enjoyed by all. Bottom, Children’s Story Time was held on Friday, March 10th at the library. The children enjoyed the books, “The Night Before St. Patrick’s Day” by Natasha Wing and “Grandpa Green” by Lane Smith. ...

The Alta City Council met on April 3. There was conversation concerning stray dogs in the town. Currently if an owner does not come to collect the stray in question it gets sent to Lake Animal Hospital in Storm Lake. The hospital updates the animal’s shots and charges the city $70 for taking in the animal. ...

One of the biggest decision people make in their lives comes down to where they live when staying at home is no longer an option. This process can be anxiety ridden if for no other reason than you are giving up home for some place foreign. For many this is not an immediate move to a nursing home, but rather to an assisted living facility like Welcov Assisted Living Facility in Alta, Iowa...

Generations of school children have been turned on to the world of Laura Ingalls Wilder and her “Little House” series. From “Little House in the Big Woods,” “Little House to the Prairie” to “On The Banks of Plum Creek.” Then of course there was the television show where each week we watched Laura grow up...

The Alta City Council met with representatives from the Elk, Maple Valley, and Nokomis Townships on March 27th to begin discussions about the acquisition of the townships’ Fire rescue equipment. According to the Iowa Code the purpose of the 28E agreement is to help “local and state governments in Iowa to make efficient use of their powers by enabling them to provide joint services and facilitates with other agencies and to co-operate in other ways to mutual advantage.”...

The Alta -Aurelia Dance Squad held their annual Dance Night recently. It featured co-ed, mother, father, as well as other routines performed by the girls. / Photos by Mari Bauer

Alta-Aurelia High School has announced their 3rd quarter honor roll. Students on this list include: Straight A Honor Roll Freshmen Kirah Kolpin Chloe Kruger Jair Lopez Logan McCoy Jimena Mendoza Abigail Mitchell Diogo Sliefert Sarah Sundene Sophomores...

The City of Alta will be holding their Easter Egg Hunt for ages 0-7 on Saturday, April 9 at Welcov. Story time will start at 10 a.m. with the Easter Egg Hunt to follow. The Easter Bunny and the library frog will be present for pictures. This event is sponsored by Alta businesses, Welcov, Alta Community Library and Alta Chamber of Commerce...

Award winning author Meliassa Tagg will be at the Alta Library on Monday, April 10 at 6 p.m. She is a former reporter, current non-profit grant writer and total Iowa girl. Melissa’s series of books include the Walker Family, Where Love Begins and the Renycke Family Christmas. This event will take place during National Library Week which is April 9-15...

Children’s Story Time will take place at the Alta Library on April 4 at 4:30 p.m. They will be reading stories, participating in fun activities and snacks will be available.