Local News

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

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