State and Regional News

The high school wrestlers are in Des Moines this week, and the state basketball tournaments will follow in the coming weeks. Best wishes to all of our high school students who participate in all sorts of extra-curricular activities. You all work hard to represent your schools, and we are proud of all of you...

668 Bills have been filed in the Senate and the House. House and Senate Calendars are starting to fill up with bills eligible for floor debate. Floor debate began this week with approval of rules that have existed in the Senate for many years. The Senate rule which governs committees (Rule 39) was unchanged since the Democrats were last in control (86th General Assembly), until Senate Republicans implemented specific policies requiring that subcommittee meetings are public (Rule 39, Subrule 13) and requiring every piece of legislation to have a public subcommittee meeting (Rule 39, Subrule 3). ...

By the time you read this, Supplemental State Aid and the transportation assistance bills will have been approved by the Governor. This nearly $90 million increase means that Iowa schools will spend $6,880 per student, a $144 increase from last year. ...

Artisans Road Trip participants reflect on program’s 16-year evolution

AMES — This week, the World Wildlife Fund released its 2018-2019 overwintering monarch population report. Adult monarch butterflies covered approximately 15 acres of forest canopy in Mexico, a doubling of last year’s population, and a level not seen since 10 years ago...

The recent extreme cold weather will kill some but not all of the insects in the area. Residents will still have to deal with Japanese beetles and emerald ash borers next summer. Iowa State University entomologist Donald Lewis says the cold temperatures always kill some insects, but enough survive to repopulate the area in the next breeding cycle...

LE MARS — It’s a common sight in most every public setting anymore. Look around and you’ll see people with their heads bent over their smartphones, fingers swiping at the screens and thumbs punching out messages. It shouldn’t be a revelation to anyone that information nowadays is just a touch of the finger away...

Area legislator supports limits in all 3 branches of government DES MOINES — Iowa District 1 Sen. Zach Whiting, R-Spirit Lake, introduced a resolution for a national term limits amendment proposal convention. The resolution, SJR11, was filed last week and was referred to the committee on state government. Whiting also filed a term limits resolution to term limit the Iowa Legislature (SJR4)...

First grader Ryan McVinua helps pass out pink sunglasses to attendees at St. Mary’s recent Pink out fundraiser.

I have always said that when it comes to the Super Bowl, don’t ever bet against Tom Brady and the New England Patriots. So far this winter, Mother Nature is a lot like Brady-she just keeps winning. I have tried to outguess her this year, but she just changes the play and gets the victory in the end. With rain, snow, ice, wind, fog, sleet and extreme cold, I believe we have just about seen it all-and the girls state tournament hasn’t started yet...

The House and Senate this week took steps to send $90 million new dollars to schools for the next school year. It matches the dollar amount proposed by the Governor in her budget in mid-January. The action taken by each chamber ensures that the new funding will be provided to schools in a timely manner, in accordance with state law so schools can get their budgets certified on time...

The ground hog was wrong. Mother Nature is still in charge. February is Heart Month. Remember that CPR is always a good response for a person who has no heartbeat. Experts suggest you do not need to do the mouth to mouth respirations that were recommended 20 years ago, but a hint is to do the compressions in sync with the disco tune ‘Staying Alive’ made popular by the John Travolta movie called Saturday Night Fever of the 1980s...

DES MOINES — An Iowa regulatory board won’t let Alliant Energy charge customers who decline to have smart meters used to track how much electricity they use. The Iowa Utility Board voted Wednesday to reject Alliant’s request to charge $15 a month to customers who opt out of the smart meter program. The board told Alliant to file a revised rate request that allows customers to opt out without facing a fee. The board says Alliant already charges customers for meter reading in its current rates...

The Iowa Lakes Corridor Development Corporation is asking for input from area businesses and workers to define where workers are commuting from in Spencer, Estherville, Spirit Lake and Storm Lake. The Corridor is partnering with Iowa Workforce Development and Iowa Economic Development Authority to conduct a laborshed study...

Sac City - The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is hosting a series of town hall-style meetings where local staff will provide updates on recently completed hunting seasons, discuss possible changes to hunting rules and regulations, and address other topics as requested...

More than 100 superintendents representing school districts across the state of Iowa combined forces in Des Moines on Tuesday to rally for legislative support for education. “This event provides an important opportunity for school leaders to have productive conversations with our elected officials about the local impact of diminished funding and what’s needed to maintain quality programming for all of Iowa’s students,” shared Dr. ...

LE MARS — The Total Motors Collision Center received a surprise, Monday morning, Jan. 28, when mechanics found a Great Horned Owl inside the grille of a 2014 Dodge Charger. “The vehicle was dropped off at the dealership for an estimate,” explained Jeff Kool, manager of Total Motors Collision Center. “We were looking at the damages when we noticed some big eyes staring back at us.”...

Growing up around Waverly, author and historian Linda McCann became familiar with stories of prisoners of war held in the area during World War II at a young age. McCann came to the realization this history is not widely known while visiting with her granddaughter’s other grandmother during a Christmas celebration in 2017. McCann used that realization for inspiration in her 12th book published by Tandem Publishing Group, “Prisoners of War in Iowa.”...

SPIRIT LAKE – The walleye fishing season on Spirit, East and West Okoboji lakes is open through Feb. 14.  It will close after that date and reopen on May 4. These are the only Iowa lakes that have a closed season for walleye.

Storm Lake (including Little Storm Lake) Ice conditions on Storm Lake are improving, but are still variable; use extreme caution. Avoid ice along pressure seams, near the big island and any other off-colored ice in areas that were recently open water and are now covered with thin ice. ...

By DAN A. HUSEMAN State Representative The Legislature was not in session on Monday because of the Martin Luther King holiday. A snowstorm hit central Iowa Tuesday night into Wednesday morning, and by Thursday morning, we were under a winter weather advisory and wind chill warning. Most legislators were rushing to finish up their work and committee meetings by Thursday evening so they could head for home. Hopefully the weather will settle down in the next couple of weeks...

By Gary Worthan State Representative With the pomp and circumstance of opening the 88th General Assembly and the pageantry of inaugurating the Governor behind us, we began the second week of the session. With the Martin Luther King holiday on Monday we gaveled in on Tuesday morning for a short week. Most of the week involved organizing the standing committees, adopting rules, setting schedules for presentations and assigning sub-committees for bills filed prior to the beginning of the session...

For more than two years, Vainceur and his five boys lived in an 8’x10’ tin shack with a tarp roof after Hurricane Matthew destroyed their home. Today, this Haitian family of six has a new place to call home, marking GoServ Global’s 300th Sukup Safe T Home® built in Haiti. ...

DES MOINES — The Iowa Court of Appeals has elected Judge Gayle Nelson Vogel, of Spirit Lake, as the court’s chief judge. Vogel has served on the court since 1996 and is the ninth chief judge since the state legislature established the Iowa Court of Appeals in 1976. She replaces Chief Judge David Danilson, who recently retired...

ALTOONA - Construction on The Phoenix, Adventureland’s new $6 million steel roller coaster, starts in February with completion expected in June. Reaching speeds of up to 40 mph and heights of more than 50 feet, riders will experience a new level of “spin-sanity” as the coaster cars rotate 360 degrees. It will be the second new steel roller coaster at the park since 2016...

REMSEN — An inquiry into an incident regarding a MMCRU middle school math teacher and a sixth grader has resulted in the teacher being put on administrative leave pending the completion of secondary investigations. Charges have not been ruled against the teacher at this time...

Storm Lake (including Little Storm Lake) Most of the lake has around 9-13 inches of ice. Be aware of a pressure seam running along the west portion of the lake and an open area near the big island. Use caution if venturing out and check ice thickness often. Walleye - Fair: Use minnows and jigging spoons during low light conditions. Anglers have had better luck on the east side of the lake. Yellow Perch - Fair: Try waxworms in 4-6 feet of water in mornings or evenings...

A flock of Canada Geese overwintering on Storm Lake near Lakeside Marina - with a few ducks mixed in - settles in to endure colder weather.

Week one of the 2019 legislative session of the 88th General Assembly of the Iowa State Legislature is underway. New members were sworn in on Monday. Governor Reynolds gave her Condition of the State address on Tuesday. She called for the Legislature to extend the time Mental Health Regions have to spend down their capital balances and increase the percentage of their operating budgets that may be carried from one year to the next. ...

The first session of the 88th General Assembly convened at 10 a.m. on January 14, 2019. The opening day of a new session is filled with much pomp and ceremony. A new Speaker of the House is elected, leaders from both parties deliver speeches and the House of Representatives is officially organized. ...

WASHINGTON — Comments by Republican Rep. Steve King about white supremacy are “abhorrent,” the White House said Wednesday as bipartisan condemnation of King continued. White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders praised a move by House Republicans to strip the nine-term Iowa lawmaker of his committee assignments...

District Court Judge James C. Ellefson ordered a new trial date for a high-profile kidnapping and abuse case that has been moved to Spirit Lake. Alex C. Shadlow’s trial was scheduled to begin Monday, Jan. 7, in Dickinson County, but attorneys are still working with the court to finalize the list of witnesses to be interviewed. A pre-trial conference will take place June 21 in Eldora. The trial is now scheduled to take place June 24 in Spirit Lake...

Western Iowa Congressman Steve King is firing back against recent charges of racism, citing comments from Fox News political analyst Brit Hume Tuesday. “Brit Hume, a respected journalist who admittedly is no fan of mine, has it right: the New York Times is publishing ‘completely bogus’ hit pieces about me. ...

Iowa’s ethanol industry continues it’s streak of breaking annual production records as ethanol plants in the state produced 4.35 billion gallons of ethanol in 2018. Up from 4.2 billion in 2017, the production is just shy of the 4.5 billion gallon capacity of Iowa’s ethanol producers, which is expected to make up approximately 27 percent of all production nationally. Officials with the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association said the achievement came during a difficult year and is a sign of strength...

Sioux City officials are considering a $16.4 million riverfront redevelopment plan, though the mayor has voiced concern that there will not be enough parking spaces. Architecture company SmithGroup JJR presented council members with the updated plan Monday, The Sioux City Journal reported ...

Efforts to dive the Linn Grove Dam this season have been delayed by higher than normal water levels. The county has been seeking a dive crew to examine the underwater area of the landmark dam, to determine the extent of damage from flooding. Buena Vista County Conservation Director Greg Johnson said that a dive team can only be deployed when six inches or less of water is flowing over the dam, due to the heavy undertow at the foot of the 10-foot structure that dates to the 1870s...

Gasoline prices in Iowa have risen 6.5 cents per gallon in the past week, averaging $2.08 to start the week. This compares with the national average that has increased 0.5 cents per gallon versus last week to $2.24. Storm Lake pump prices slipped below the $2 mark for last weekend, at $1.99 at most stations. The last time gas here was at this level for this date was in January 2016...

Storm Lake (including Little Storm Lake) Large areas of open water mid-lake and near the inlet. Reports of 8-9 inches of ice in the west end. Conditions are extremely variable. Use caution if venturing out on any remaining ice; wear float coats, bring picks and check ice thickness often. Walleye - Fair: Use minnows and jigging spoons during low light conditions in 5-6 feet of water. Yellow Perch - Fair: Try waxworms in 4-6 feet of water in mornings or evenings...

FORT DODGE — Work is expected to begin next month to remove two dams spanning the Des Moines River in Fort Dodge now that officials have approved contracts worth more than $1.4 million after resolving permitting issues. The City Council announced Monday that it hired Minnesota-based construction company Rachel Contracting Inc. to remove the Hydroelectric Dam and a second structure often referred to as the little dam, The Messenger reported ...

A Milford Police Department officer is currently facing serious misdemeanor charges after allegedly “supplying alcohol to a person under legal age” in early December. A signed criminal complaint and affidavit states that a Dec. 14 investigation by the Iowa State Patrol “produced probable cause showing on Dec. 8, 2018, Richard R. Zalabowski knowingly provided alcoholic beverages to a person under the age of 21 at a party held at the Ritz bar in Arnolds Park.”...

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — A federal judge is allowing four Native American tribes in the Dakotas to challenge the recent conclusion of federal officials that a Dakota Access oil pipeline spill wouldn’t unfairly affect them, further prolonging a court case that has lingered for more than two years...

Over the course of the Democratic primary and the general election for Iowa’s 4th Congressional District seat, then-challenger J.D. Scholten, family and campaign workers put approximately 25,000 miles on a 2015 Winnebago Brave 26A RV dubbed Sioux City Sue. The RV was transformed from a nondescript white caravan with maroon trim to the symbol of Scholten’s campaign, which nearly unseated then-eight-term incumbent U.S. Rep Steve King, R-Kiron...

Buena Vista Regional Medical Center and parents, Danny and Shannon Schreiber are proud to announce the first baby of 2019: Oliver Steven Schreiber born January 2, 2019 at 7:41 p.m. He weighed 8 lbs. 10 oz. and measured 21 inches in length. Big brother, Finn was also there to share the big moment...

A one vehicle accident claimed the life of a Cherokee man Saturday, and left three injured. Larry Weede, age 68, was eastbound on Highway 977 shortly after 9 a.m. when he lost control of his vehicle on reportedly slick road conditions, the vehicle rolling in the south ditch after striking a guard railing...

DES MOINES — The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Friday that it must delay the release of key crop reports due to the partial government shutdown, leaving investors and farmers without vital information during an already tumultuous time for agricultural markets...

LE MARS — A judge has scheduled a hearing later this month to announce his verdict in the trial of a man accused of killing his sister in northwest Iowa. District Judge Jeffrey Neary had presided over the nonjury trial of 36-year-old Thomas Bibler. Bibler was charged with first-degree murder and other crimes in connection with the June 11, 2016, stabbing death of 27-year-old Shannon Bogh, of Le Mars. Bibler was arrested that day after a short standoff at his Le Mars apartment...

DES MOINES — Iowa legislators must create rules to regulate hemp production in the state now that Congress has legalized the crop, though advocates are concerned that slow action or rigid restrictions will hurt producers’ abilities to cash in on the crop...

WATERLOO - Silos & Smokestacks National Heritage Area (SSNHA) is pleased to announce the winners of the 11th Annual Capture the Heart of America Photo Contest. “Best of Show” was awarded to Justin Rogers of Ankeny for his photo, “Sunset on the Farmstead” in the Iowan Farmscapes category. The photo was chosen by the public in an online voting campaign Dec. 3- Dec. 7. ...

The end of 2018 seemed to signal good things to come for America’s farmers. Fresh off the passage of the farm bill, which reauthorized agriculture, conservation and safety net programs, the USDA last week announced a second round of direct payments to growers hardest hit by President Donald Trump’s trade war with China...