Local News

The race to regulate data centers in Ida County is officially underway, and supervisors say they’re combing through every line of a 16‑page draft to make sure nothing slips through the cracks. At last Wednesday’s public workshop, board of supervisors chair Devlun Whiteing says the group spent nearly an hour and a half going line‑by‑line through the county’s first draft

A 9-year-old from Storm Lake is proving that sometimes the smallest competitors make the biggest noise.  Gracelyn Iehl punched her ticket to the National Pedal Pull Championships on Saturday, powering her way to a second‑place finish at the 36th annual Iowa State Pedal Tractor Pull in Burt. She earned her spot in the 9‑year‑old girls division after three hard‑fought pulls

The Storm Lake Public Library will launch a six‑week series of Citizenship Classes beginning Tuesday, Sept. 22.  The free sessions are designed to help participants prepare for the U.S. naturalization interview and exam, with instruction in U.S. history and civics, interview practice and the English skills needed to earn citizenship. Library Director Elizabeth Huff says the program supports the library’s

Sioux Rapids residents will soon get a first look at the final design concepts created through the 2026 Community Visioning Program. A public presentation is set for 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 1, at the Sioux Rapids American Legion, located at 200 Main St. Organizers say the event will showcase the landscape and community improvement ideas developed over the summer as

A missing person was found dead Saturday near the Prairie Heritage Center in O’Brien County. The O’Brien County Sheriff’s Office says deputies were called to investigate a report of a missing individual and began searching the area around the Prairie Heritage Center near Peterson, just north of the Little Sioux River access. During that search, deputies located the person’s vehicle

A former drive-thru bank on Flindt Drive could soon shift to industrial use, and the City of Storm Lake is preparing to hear public input. Last Monday, the Storm Lake City Council set a public hearing for a proposed rezoning at 333 Flindt Dr. — a parcel once home to Northwest Federal Savings Bank and later operated under subsequent bank

Buena Vista University (BVU) turned remembrance into reflection yesterday, bringing local first responders onstage for a powerful 9/11 conversation about service, sacrifice and the legacy of that day. The Local Heroes Panel, held in Anderson Auditorium, opened BVU’s 9/11 Remembrance Series — a two‑day commemoration that also included a Local Hero Luncheon, a 110‑Flight Stair Climb Challenge and today’s tolling

The Storm Lake City Council has upheld another vicious animal order — this time involving an August dog bite that sent a man to the emergency room. The council heard an appeal Tuesday evening from Flor Martinez, whose dogs were declared vicious by City Manager Keri Navratil after an Aug. 20 incident on Larchwood Drive. Police say the two dogs