Area News

by Brenda Grose MOUNT AYR – A reminder about the ongoing MACHS injury clinic offered through Ringgold County Hospital, a recap of the RCH Foundation and a financial report showing the “first positive gain in three years” were all topics heard when Ringgold County Hospital trustees met for their regular monthly meeting, Monday, August 25.…

The Mount Ayr Volunteer Fire Department was one of 25 area fire departments called to battle a blaze at an egg production facility northwest of Clearfield on August 26. According to authorities, the fire at Daybreak Foods began in a manure bunker but quickly spread to a housing barn, killing more than 110,000 chickens inside.…

By Jennifer Kellner Fair weather drew a content crowd to the Tingley Ice Cream Social last Sunday. The Ringgold County Cattlemen’s Association grilled burgers and served them with chips and a drink, and ice cream samples were enjoyed along with a slice of pie after the winners of each contest were announced. The Tingley vanilla…

By Darrell Dodge Philanthropy can be defined as the practice of giving one’s time, talent, and treasure to make life better for others. We often read headlines about grand gestures of philanthropy – a wealthy benefactor builds a library or funds efforts to combat disease or promotes early childhood literacy. Philanthropy, however, goes far beyond…

By Jennifer Kellner The Mount Ayr City Council approved the removal of Niccole Swank as Deputy City Clerk, a rental housing progression plan and a downtown work session at their regular meeting Monday, August 25. Personnel change A special meeting was held on Thursday, August 21 to evaluate the professional competency of an individual and…

Recognized for Everyday Impact DES MOINES, IA – The Iowa State Fair Everyday Impact Award recognizes individuals who go above and beyond to make a positive impact during the fair. These awards highlight acts of kindness, helpfulness, and going the extra mile to enhance the fair experience for others. Mike Wimer, who has served on…

By Jennifer Kellner MOUNT AYR, IA – After the new pool at Judge Lewis Park officially opened on May 31, summer swimmers have made a big splash. The pool welcomed over 300 swimmers during opening weekend. Just over 150 swimmers enjoyed cooling off Saturday, and the pool welcomed 168 people on Sunday. Daily pool use…

Welcomes five new instructors By Darrell Dodge MOUNT AYR, IA – The 2025-26 school year starts Monday, September 25 at Diagonal and Mount Ayr Community Schools. Mount Ayr elementary students will be starting their day at 8:15 a.m., while high school students begin at 8:20 a.m. The Mount Ayr Community School board of directors heard…

Inside the classroom, on the track By Darrell Dodge [This is the first part of a two-part article catching up with Ryce Reynolds, a 2024 MACHS graduate, about his first year at Stanford University.] Young boys and girls on Iowa playgrounds often dream of following their role models to reach the highest levels of athletic…

By Darrell Dodge Progress on the CTE building project and personnel decisions were main items of discussion at the Monday, August 11 meeting of the Mount Ayr Community Schools board of directors. CTE building update Following a brief public hearing, the board approved the plans and specifications for the new Career and Technical Education building…