Local News

A southwest Iowa man accused of killing a Manning woman earlier this month has formally pleaded not guilty to first‑degree murder.  Twenty‑seven‑year‑old Joshua Lehman of Shenandoah entered the written plea during his initial court appearance Thursday, where he also waived a preliminary hearing. Lehman’s arraignment is now set for 9 a.m. on Aug. 31, and Judge Angela Doyle has been

An Odebolt woman who’s spent years lifting up her community is about to be celebrated on one of Iowa’s biggest stages. Ruth Ann Mohr has been named one of the Iowa State Fair’s 2026 “Iowans of the Day,” an honor reserved for a select number of Iowans each year whose service, volunteerism and community leadership stand out statewide. The Iowa

Iowa regulators have now sanctioned a second state‑employed nurse in connection with the 2024 death of a Storm Lake man who was incarcerated at the Newton Correctional Facility.  The Iowa Board of Nursing has disciplined both Penny Lynn Daniels of Newton and David Arterburn of Altoona for their roles in the death of 23‑year‑old Malga Harun Yanga, a former Storm

Storm Lake’s July public safety report shows a month that was busy, brisk and full of movement — with police logging thousands of calls and fire crews staying active across inspections, false alarms and summer responses. The Storm Lake Police Department handled 2,658 service calls in July, up slightly from 2,523 during the same month last year. Year‑to‑date, officers have

More than 125 Ida County residents packed the Ida Grove Community Rec Center Tuesday night for a two‑hour question‑and‑answer session with PathOne Data Centers — the first public meeting since the board of supervisors enacted a countywide moratorium on new data centers in late June.  Supervisors emphasized they attended to listen, not to endorse any project, and reminded residents that

Lopez Foods is marking a major milestone in Cherokee — and it comes with new jobs, new capacity and a renewed commitment to the community. The company celebrated the completion of a $45 million expansion late last week, unveiling a new fully-cooked sausage production line at its facility on South Lake Street. The project adds nearly 24,000 square feet of

A new kind of digital dashboard may be coming to Buena Vista County — but leaders want more answers before they sign on. The county board of supervisors on Tuesday tabled a decision on a two‑year contract with Urban SDK, a Florida‑based geospatial AI company that provides real‑time‑style traffic analytics and satellite‑based road data to public agencies. County Engineer Bret

A Buena Vista County voice is stepping into the political spotlight — and he’s aiming for a seat on the board of supervisors. Rural Newell resident Tom Grau has announced he’s seeking the Democratic nomination for District 3 of the Buena Vista County Board of Supervisors — the seat currently held by Republican board chair Paul Merten, who is running