Local News

A family’s path from homelessness to a place of their own is offering a powerful example of what can happen when a community works together — and it’s the kind of change Thrive Iowa hopes to bring to more families in Buena Vista County. The initiative officially launched Monday at Buena Vista University in Storm Lake, bringing together about 125

Iowa Republican gubernatorial candidate Zach Lahn is pitching new opportunities for family farms and young Iowans while defending his running mate amid questions about the candidate’s finances. About 70 people attended Lahn’s meet and greet Friday at the Cobblestone Ballroom and Events Center in Lakeside. The Belle Plaine farmer and businessman used his speech to outline his “Iowa First” agenda,

Patients’ experiences during a hospital stay have earned Buena Vista Regional Medical Center (BVRMC) national recognition. BVRMC is one of 250 hospitals nationwide to receive a five-star rating on a federal patient-experience measure, according to Becker’s Hospital Review. The Storm Lake hospital is one of nine in Iowa included on the list. The recognition is based on the Hospital Consumer

The City of Storm Lake has announced temporary changes to City Hall operating hours because of staffing issues over the next two weeks. According to the city, City Hall will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Oct. 19. From Oct. 20 through Oct. 30, City Hall will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. City administration

Odebolt wants to turn empty lots into new opportunities for local businesses — and help bring its Main Street back to life. The Odebolt Community Foundation is raising money to construct a new commercial building that could accommodate as many as seven businesses or office spaces. Foundation President Makenzee Reik says the idea came from people looking to open or

A 43-year-old man has been sentenced to up to five years in state prison after pleading guilty to grooming a juvenile girl in Sac County. Court records show Joshua Wayne Phillips was sentenced Sept. 28 in Iowa District Court for Sac County on a Class D felony conviction for grooming. According to the Sac County Attorney’s Office, Phillips used Instagram,

A man who pleaded guilty to assaulting two Sac City police officers has been sentenced to up to four years in state prison. Christian Onei Vaca was convicted Tuesday in Sac County District Court on two counts of assault on a peace officer, both aggravated misdemeanors. District Associate Judge Joseph McCarville sentenced Vaca to an indeterminate prison term of up

Before a community can plan for more housing, it needs to know what’s missing. The City of Alta is receiving a $20,000 state grant to assess local housing needs and help guide future development. Gov. Kim Reynolds and the Iowa Economic Development Authority announced Tuesday that 15 rural Iowa communities will share $385,000 in Empower Rural Iowa grants. Alta is