Area News

by Chanse Hall From the classroom to the football field, Delwyn Showalter has seen a lot throughout his years at Mount Ayr Community High School. “I came in the fall of 1984, thought I would be here a couple years and move on and here I am,” said Showalter. Showalter, a history teacher, athletic director…

The halls and lunchrooms in the Mount Ayr Community Schools will miss several familiar faces next year as the Mount Ayr Community Schools board of directors accepted retirement requests from six long-time employees at their regular meeting Monday, January 13. The board approved “with many, many thanks” the retirements of head football coach and activities…

Ringgold County has a new economic development director. At Tuesday’s county supervisors meeting, Regan Main announced Jodie Geist has been hired as the new director of the Ringgold County Development Corporation. Geist, a 1978 Mount Ayr Community graduate, has been a teacher for 34 years at her alma mater, where she worked in the special…

Dr. Jill Biden, former Second Lady of the United States and wife of former Vice President Joe Biden, made a campaign stop in Mount Ayr Sunday, January 12 at Jamie’s Coffee Mill and Deli in support of her husband’s candidacy for the Democrat nomination in the upcoming presidential election. Speaking to a group of approximately…

Ringgold County Development is partnering with Iowa Workforce Development and Iowa Economic Development Authority to complete a Laborshed employment study for the Mount Ayr area. This study will geographically define which communities contribute to Mount Ayr’s workforce, regardless of political boundaries. This defined area is called a Laborshed area and is based upon commuting patterns.…

Seven Missouri hunters have paid stiff fines stemming from hunting violations in Ringgold County. According to district court filings, Joseph A. Fuemmeler and Billy Spilman, both of Rushville, MO, Kayla Allen, Austin Pettigrew, and Frank L. Fuemmeler, all of Saint Joseph, MO were charged with “restrictions on taking game – deer and turkey” and fined…

A Bud Light corporate van collided with a semi-trailer at the east entrance to the Casey’s General Store Thursday, January 2. According to the accident report from the Ringgold County Sheriff’s Office,  the semi operated by Oscar  Kent, 60, of Lucas was preparing to exit the Casey’s parking lot making a left hand turn to…

Along with the beginning of a new decade and a presidential general election, the year 2020 also brings the decennial U.S. Census. According to the Iowa Data Center, “The census is a count of everyone residing in the United States: in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, the Commonwealth of…

The Mount Ayr city council addressed a relatively light agenda in its first meeting of the new year, Monday, January 6. The meeting was the first for new councilman Jordan Stewart, who was elected in November to fill the seat vacated by retiring member Don Solliday. Ringgold County sheriff Rob Haley met with the council…

Ringgold County 2019 Weather Totals NWS Reporting Station Beconsfield Snow………………….36.7 inches Rain…………………..44.75 inches High Temp………….95°F (July 21) Low Temp…………..-23°F  (Jan 31)   by Rebekah Frankson, Kenneth E. Kunkel,  Sarah Champion and Jennifer Runkle, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and other sources Iowa’s location in the interior of North America and the lack of mountains to…