Skip to content

Mixed Week For Raiderettes In Softball 

By RYAN STONEBRAKER MOUNT AYR, Iowa — The Mount Ayr softball team split four games last week to begin games for the summer of 2026. The Raiderettes won every other game they played winning POI games against East Union and Nodaway Valley and falling in games with Clarinda and SE Warren. The Raiderettes record is 2-2…

Read More

Obituary – Joseph John Hertl, Jr.

Joseph John Hertl, Jr. was born on May 12, 1937, in Glasgow, Montana, the son of Joseph John, Sr. and Eva (Rittal) Hertl.  He passed away May 23, 2026, in Allendale, Missouri at the age of 89. During eighth grade his family moved to California.  He graduated from San Lorenzo High School.  He went to…

Read More

LOOKING BACK in the Early Files by Lora Stull

One Hundred Years Ago (From the Mount Ayr Record-News, Thursday, May 26, 1926.) The jury which heard the evidence in the trial of “Big George” Gibson at Creston returned a verdict of “guilty” this morning at 8:30 o’clock and recommended life imprisonment. Fredrick Newton Olliver, highly respected resident of Redding vicinity, dies suddenly. Redding Herald: “The…

Read More

Snapshots of History by Mike Avitt

I’ve written about this building and business multiple times, but I have a major correction to make. This building was built in 1895 for the Laughlin & Hass Real Estate and Abstract office. In the past, I identified the Hass as George Hass and that is incorrect. The correct answer is George’s son Albert Hass…

Read More

Heading West – Kellerton native joins newspaper staff

By KEN GARNER MOUNT AYR, Iowa — The Mount Ayr Record News and Diagonal Progress newspapers didn’t look very far on the compass dial to fill a vacancy for a community journalist serving both Ringgold County newspapers. Kellerton native Olivia West was hired last week to fill the reporter void for the Mount Ayr Record…

Read More

Hospital holds regular board meeting

Publisher’s Note: On Monday, Ringgold County Hospital announced that the administrative agreement between MercyOne and the hospital will end in August (See RCH on pg 1). By Jeff Snyder MOUNT AYR, Iowa — The Ringgold County Hospital Board of Directors held their regularly scheduled meeting last Wednesday with several individuals in leadership positions participating via…

Read More

MACS impresses Attorney General

By OLIVIA WEST MOUNT AYR, Iowa — Ringgold County and in particular the Mount Ayr Community Schools received and welcomed a visitor from the state capitol as Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird paid a visit last Thursday as part of her 99-county tour. The tour takes place across the state of Iowa and is made…

Read More

RCH and MercyOne end management agreement

County-owned critical access hospital outlines next steps Publisher’s Note: The following is a press release from Ringgold County Hospital. The Mount Ayr Record News has reached out to the Ringgold County Hospital Board’s designated point of contact with a request for additional information and comment. As of press time a response has not been received.…

Read More

Obituary: Viola Wahl

Viola Mae Bolinger was the start of a long line of twelve children born at home to Rex and Austie Pearl (Spencer) Bolinger on November 3, 1933, in Ringgold County, Iowa. The first Bolinger children were born at home and beginning with the twins, and from then on, the children were born in a hospital.…

Read More

Obituary: Theanna Simpson

Theanna Simpson, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and friend, passed away on May 17, 2026, at the age of 85. Theanna was born on March 10, 1941, in Creston, Iowa, to Dale and Hazel Black. She spent her early years on family farms where many of her childhood memories were made. She attended country school…

Read More