Area News

A catalyst grant application was reviewed at the Tuesday, January 2 meeting of the Mount Ayr city council. [The meeting marked the first by newly elected council members Jessica Murphy and Mike Wik.] City council members heard from Chad Hunt who submitted an application for a community catalyst building remediation grant. He is requesting $100,000…

Call-out statistics from the Mount Ayr Volunteer Fire Department have been released for 2023: Structure fires 14 Vehicle fires 4 Vehicle accidents w/o extrication 10 Vehicle accidents with extrication 3 Grass/brush fires 28 False alarms 7 HazMat 2 EMS assistance/ ambulance 6 Water rescue/recovery 1 Service calls 9 TOTAL 84* *of the total, 13 calls…

Schools across Iowa are beginning to look at four-day school weeks to combat a shortage of teachers. According to Diagonal Community Schools superintendent, Larry McNutt, the concept of a four-day school week is picking up steam. At the December 20 school board meeting, superintendent McNutt reported that Lamoni and Central Decatur school districts are studying…

The Mount Ayr board of education held a quick meeting on Monday, January 8 as a winter storm moved into the area, canceling school on Tuesday, January 9. New lockers for sixth grade Three bids for new lockers were presented to the board in preparation of sixth graders moving to the middle school/high school building…

County and cities facing significant budget loss On May 2 of last year, Governor Kim Reynolds signed House File 718, a new property tax agreement, into law that will take effect July 1, 2024. The legislation was aimed at reducing property tax growth in Iowa, and has two very different outcomes. Iowans may end up…

After 18 years of serving coffee in Mount Ayr, Jamie Miller is offering John and Candace Stieh an opportunity to make the coffee shop their own. At the end of December, The Mill transitioned ownership and reopened on January 2, 2024 as HTH Outdoors – Mama and Papa Bear Coffee Bar. While the coffee and…

4-H training prepared teenager to ‘Stop the Bleed’ Pat Kemery of rural Blockton lived to ring in another new year thanks to her neighbors, who she considers family. After Pat’s husband Wayne passed away in November of 2022, Nate and Crystal Drake offered to help her take care of the farm. Their teenage son Weston…

Looking back on the events that shaped our county July through December. July Ringgold County prepares for the county fair which runs from July 11-16 this year. The Ringgold County Supervisors voted to limit the construction of wind turbines in the county and set three public hearings on the proposed regulations. The ordinance said that…

By Larry Peterson The Southwestern women’s basketball team played an inspired game in defeating Grand View JV Monday night after an emotional pregame tribute to a former player. Events were held to honor student-athletes who died in a July auto accident in Union County. Maddie Stewart’s No. 20 jersey was retired and framed jerseys were…