The Kiwanis Club of Alta has donated $200 to the Cares for Kids fund at Buena Vista Regional Medical Center. Pictured is Kiwanis Club member and former BVRMC Trustee Glen Huntington (center) presenting the check to Brad Strader, Executive Director of the Buena Vista Regional Healthcare Foundation and member of the Cares for Kids committee, and Katie Schwint, BVRMC Executive Director of Communications. ...

Where can we vote and when? Voting locations will be the Community Center in Alta and the Community Center in Aurelia. Patrons living in the previous Alta School District will vote in Alta. Patrons living in the previous Aurelia School District will vote in Aurelia. Both locations will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on April 2nd...

Tuesday morning fellow Kiwanian Jane Meyer spoke to our group. Jane talked about the fruit truck which comes to Storm Lake roughly once a month. The fruit truck usually parks in Bomgaar’s parking lot and each month features a different fruit. A variety of seasonal fruits from around the country are loaded onto a truck, shipped into Storm Lake, and are sold from the truck. January’s featured fruit was strawberries...

Thanks to seventh grade students at Aurelia Middle School, all Middle School students won a $1,000 donation to the school and a free trip for all students to Arnold’s Park in May. KTIV’s middle school contest solicited videos and submissions from middle schools on how they help their community. ...

The Rule of 88 was the goal, he says

An election on April 2 will give voters final approval for Alta-Aurelia Community School District’s decision to put a new income surtax in the levy mix. Superintendent Lynn Evans has been meeting with local Kiwanis clubs, pushing information about the new PPEL levy structure to the website and firing social media on all cylinders to ensure parents and residents are educated on what is happening...

The Alta-Aurelia Warrior Speech Team had a great evening at District Individual Speech Contest on Wednesday, February 27th in Algona at Bishop Garrigan High School. Nine students performed in 12 events and brought home 11 Division I ratings and one Division II rating. All nine performers will be moving on to the State Contest on March 9th at Woodbury Central High School in Moville. Participants include:...

Suzette Radke spoke to us about new and innovative happenings at BVU. The Education for Service Scholars will offer 10 full-term scholarships for students from Buena Vista Co.  Five students have to be from Storm Lake. Forum built in 1987 has undergone a transformation thanks to a $5.7 million donation.  Renovations began after Memorial Day include an elevator, student lounges with fireplaces, the Cru5h restaurant, and a game room...

Aurelia Elementary and Middle School celebrated STREAM Fest, combining science, technology, reading, engineering, arts and math with parent-teacher night. Students had the chance to learn through interactive stations on each topic and display their own project work in the halls...

One more potentially in the works

Fine them until they comply, mayor says

Alta City Council signaled interest Monday in decreasing garbage rates by $4 while increasing the base sewage fee by $4, something City Clerk Megan Peterson recommended as an easy move that would not affect users negatively when paying their bills. “To me, it’s a no brainer,” City Councilman Denny Weber said. “It’s not costing the public anything, we’re just moving the revenue to an area that needs the revenue.”...

“Thanks everyone for supporting our small business in Alta, Iowa, these last 6 years!” read a caption posted by White House 220 Cupcakery, announcing their closing with a picture of Peg Hinkeldey and her grandchildren. “We will miss you!” White House 220 closed after its last day of business on February 23. Owners Peg and Bruce Hinkeldey are also selling the building it was in, a remodeled space on Main Street across from City Hall. /Photo by Eligah Decious...

Alta-Aurelia High School student Clarice Brechwald is making a name for herself in local art circles after placing in the top five out of nearly 100 student works submitted at Buena Vista University’s WISE art show. “This is definitely one of my more successful rounds,” said Brechwald on this art installation, on display at BVU’s gallery until March 14. Her first art show was last year in Fort Dodge...

Hair stylists at New Reflections in Aurelia know they do more than just cut hair—and they’re not just talking about perms and color. Since 2004, owner Mary Schulenberg knows that the listening ear of a hair stylist can be a life saver. “I’ve had clients call me in the middle of the night just because they’re going through tough times,” she said...

Alta Kiwanis will be hosting a pancake fundraser on March 10 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Alta Elementary school cafeteria. Adults and childfen over five years will cost $5 per ticket or a family ticket may be purchased for $15. The money raised by this event will be used for dervice projects for the children of this community...

Once again our club welcomed two guest speakers. First was Julie Langner Alta-Aurelia School Librarian. Julie discussed two topics. On March 4 - 8 Book Fair at the school library. This Book Fair targets pre-school and middle school students. Because of donations from parents, the school, and other organizations students will be able to receive free books...

Alta will need to wait another month to see if he can help extinguish the fire.

Union negotiation begins after 2% state increase, slew of early retirements

The Alta-Aurelia School Board has approved previous requests from Aurelia Kiwanis for funding to plan a summer trail project. Aurelia Kiwanis previously presented a funding request to cover the portion that runs on school property behind Aurelia Middle School as the trail is changed from gravel to concrete...

On a cold, snowy Sunday this week, a teacher found warmth in the outpouring of support from his community. Alta-Aurelia Community School District put on a silent action and meal to help the 27-year industrial art teacher and coach BJ Stevicks get through his battle with pancreatic cancer...

Alta Elementary Principal Stacy Mueller is calling on all parents of children three and four years old to start thinking about registration for the 2019-2020 school year. Forms are available via a link on the school website’s homepage at alta-aurelia.org...

The Alta-Aurelia School Board ordered an election to continue a levy that, if approved, would impose an income surtax on all district residents—a change from the current levy funded solely by property taxes. The current voter-approved Physical Plant and Equipment Levy (PPEL) tax, standing at a rate of 67 cents per $1,000 of assessed property, will expire next year...

The Library Board sat in the hot seat this week as they defended an $8,500 increase request for their budget as the city takes a hard look at how it will fund necessary street projects and new equipment purchases. Librarian Andrea Hogrefe and Board member Gretchen Miller went to bat to defend spending on children’s programming, newspaper subscriptions, summer programming, large Amazon purchase amounts and wage increases...

Tuesday morning’s meeting featured two guest speakers. First was Carrie Buddenhagen. Carrie, an Alta grad is with Alta-Aurelia Speech Program and BV theater. She recently had different groups compete at State. A chorale reading group read together from scripts. ...

The City of Alta is on course to raise sewer rates three times over the next year to make up for years of operating in the red. “The problem is [the problems] just don’t go away, so we just have to prioritize,” Council Member Kevin Walsh said of the capital improvement projects...

Financial reporting and a workshop Alta Fire Chief Kirk “Bubba” Reetz reported that the Firemen’s Association is still consulting with their attorney on the best approach to comply with requested financial disclosures. He said at Monday’s City Council meeting that he has not yet accepted the city attorney and city auditor opinions saying they are a component unit of the city, due to discrepancies...

The incomparable northwest Iowa band, The Expressions, will be the featured entertainment at this Saturday’s 2019 dance and auction fundraiser for the Buena Vista County Sheriff’s Reserves. The public is invited to celebrate the band’s 20-year celebration as they support a good cause at Alta Community Center on Feb. 9 from 8 p.m. to midnight. Free will donations will be accepted for the Reserves. Live and silent auctions will be held...

Alta’s city code enforcement has finally gotten a response from Roy Worbetts, the Canadian landlord of Westview Trailer Park, after sending warnings of code violations with expiration dates for action. Alta City Council previously directed code enforcer Matt Hess to take stronger steps to resolve the longstanding code violations at the park...

Tuesday morning’s meeting featured two guest speakers. First was Carrie Buddenhagen. Carrie, an Alta grad is with Alta-Aurelia Speech Program and BV theater. She recently had different groups compete at State. A chorale reading group read together from scripts. ...

Alta Warrior PTO hosted a blast from the past with its 80’s prom night on Saturday in the Aurelia Community Center. The fundraiser for a new playground invited attendees to bring their baddest looks and get gnarly on the dance floor alongside a silent auction...

The historic Roxy Theater served as the backdrop a second time for this year’s National Honor Society induction ceremony Monday night in Alta. Members of the society noted that since 1921, the honor has stood for four attributes: scholarship character, leadership and service. 18 new members were inducted in Alta-Aurelia:...

Alta’s only mixed martial arts team, started a year ago at Northwest Iowa Combat Sports, is seeing success as one of the only training centers in the area for guys looking to go professional with the emerging sport. With about 20 guys aged 18-24 on the roster so far, wrestling coach Bret Koppie says it’s going well...

LifeServe Blood Center in Sioux City recognized Greg Galvin for his lifetime blood donation of 10 gallons. “His donations alone have had the ability to save up to 240+ local lives,” said LifeServe representative Allison Wegner. “There is no substitute for blood!”...

Alta-Aurelia Community School District is rallying to raise funds and spirits for long-time teacher BJ Stevicks after a recent cancer diagnosis. Stevicks, an industrial tech teacher for 27 years who has coached football and wrestling, received his pancreatic cancer diagnosis last month...

After recent minimal improvements at Westview Trailer Park, tension is rising with the City of Alta on the best approach to encourage further compliance of their Canadian landlord and local management. Streetlights were installed in December, and sewers were partially flushed in late October, according to resident Tom Lane...

Alta-Aurelia Community School District’s annual District Needs Assessment showed the board that their district may be more similar than it is different from other schools in Iowa—even with sharp disagreements on some statements fielded to staff, parents and students...

Despite previous objections, plans for a trip with Alta-Aurelia seventh, eighth and ninth graders to go to Washington, D.C., will move forward with the selected planning company World Classrooms. Music students will also be going to Chicago, a trip taken every four years...

Yoga studio finds flexibility Christina Allen’s yoga and dance studio, Drishti School of Dance & Fitness, was granted permission by the school board to expand as it grows. The studio will now occupy an extra room across the hall from the one it’s currently using on the third floor of the old Alta High School. Opened in March 2018, the studio is one of several occupants that have thrived in the old building, including a daycare center, a gym, and an area used for mixed martial arts practice...

Guest speaker Tues. Jan. 15 was Jon Hansen. Jon is first cousin of our Kiwanis President, Pam Henderson and her sister Lynette Hansen. He grew up in Alta and his mother was Luv Hansen. Jon worked in the concrete industry all his life. He is now retired and has moved back to Alta where he built a new house on the site of his mother’s old house. ...

Mayor Al Clark has declined to re-appoint Kirk “Bubba” Reetz as 2019 Fire Chief for Alta Fire Department until receiving requested financial disclosures, igniting disagreement among City Council members, the Fire Department and the Alta Firemen’s Association with no extinguisher in sight...

The Alta PTO fundraising effort is getting into full swing as they prepare to fundraise for the school’s playground replacement, starting with a fundraiser on Saturday, January 19. All proceeds with the 80’s Prom night event will go towards a new playground, replacing the 20-year-old one currently in place. To generate some excitement in the movement, they’re starting with a swing set...

An Alta couple is opening a new restaurant in Aurelia this week. Lalo’s Diner, at the corner of Main St and Highway 7 across (opposite of Mud on Main) opened for business on Thursday, with a grand opening celebration to come on Monday. The tex-mex-esque restaurant is the only one of its kind in either Alta or Aurelia...

You always pass their building front as you drive by on Main Street, but you may not know what exactly they do in there. PeopleWorks, founded 20 years ago by Kathy Peterson, is by no means new to the area. But their renovated office opened at the corner across from City Hall has called Alta home for just under two years...

Alta-Aurelia Community School District scored higher than the state average and neighboring districts with new metrics that measure for improvement. Superintendent Lynn Evans calls the new school accountability measures, part of the Every Child Succeeds Act passed by the Obama Administration to replace No Child Left Behind, an improvement for Alta-Aurelia...

It’s a scene many civilians might not think of. Everyone lines up for mail time each day, waiting. But local seventh and eighth graders together thought about Navy recruits in basic training this Christmas—particularly those who don’t get any letters. Over 100 students sent letters making sure those sacrificing to serve our country knew they were in someone’s thoughts in what can be the loneliest time of year for some...

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources Forestry Section’s Fire Program, in cooperation with US Forest Service, has awarded $234,459 in 50 percent cost-sharing grants to 100 of Iowa’s rural fire departments to aid in their efforts in protecting Iowan’s and their property from wildfires. ...

The Alta-Aurelia Community School District held a “friendly competition” to collect donations for The Lord’s Cupboard, as part of the City of Alta, and the Alta Municipal Utilities No Hungry Neighbors food drive. Overall, the school district donated 2,936 pounds of food. Of the four schools, Alta-Aurelia Middle School donated the most food and won...