Local News

Downtown Storm Lake could soon get a fresh new look — and this week, the city council took its first deep dive into a program that aims to reshape the way businesses catch the eye of pedestrians. Council members held a work session Monday night to review the proposed Downtown Blade Sign Bracket Grant Program, a public‑private partnership designed to

Storm Lake got a fast‑paced look at its regional economy this week — and the message was clear: momentum is building, and some of it is happening right here at home. The city council heard a quarterly update Monday night from the Iowa Lakes Corridor Development Corporation. No action was taken, but the briefing offered a wide‑ranging snapshot of workforce

Ida County’s data center debate isn’t slowing down — and this week, residents took the conversation online as PathOne Data Centers tried to answer some of the biggest questions surrounding its early interest in the county. Monday night’s hourlong webinar was the second public session PathOne has held, following last week’s packed in‑person meeting in Ida Grove, where more than

Storm Lake’s mid‑year checkup shows a city pushing hard on progress — and this week, the city council made it official. On Monday night, council members unanimously approved the 2026 Mid‑Year Report, a detailed snapshot of how Storm Lake’s priorities, projects and departments have performed through the first six months of the year. The report covers everything from major infrastructure

Storm Lake’s long‑running water agreement with the Lake Creek Homeowners Association (HOA) is officially heading for its final chapter — and the city says the move will save more than a million dollars.  On Monday night, the Storm Lake City Council unanimously approved a resolution accepting Lake Creek’s notice that it will not renew its water contract and will instead

Buena Vista County authorities have arrested a local business owner on a charge of third‑degree harassment following an incident at a bar in Alta over the weekend.  According to online court documents and a criminal complaint filed Sunday, 43‑year‑old Ryan Dean Diischer of Aurelia — the owner of Century Bar in Alta — was booked after a Buena Vista County

Sac County is taking another shot at replacing Iowa’s oldest jail — and this time, officials say the plan is leaner, cheaper, and built directly from public feedback. The Sac County Sheriff’s Office has announced a new bond measure heading to voters on Nov. 3, proposing a $10 million financing package to build a new jail and modernize critical public

Storm Lake’s Casino Bay Marina is officially on the market for new ideas, and Buena Vista County is inviting proposals. The county conservation board is officially seeking proposals to lease and operate all or portions of the Casino Bay Marina — located at 207 West Marina Road on the southwest shore of Storm Lake — marking the first wide‑open commercial