Sheldon, Iowa — Two area organizations that help veterans are coming together for a comfort item drive for area soldiers who are deployed overseas.

In early November, 15-20 soldiers from the 2168th Transportation Company, based in Sheldon joined the 1133rd Transportation Company based in Mason City for a year-long deployment to Poland. Right after they left Iowa they first trained at Fort Hood, Texas before deploying overseas.

Katie Ginger with the O’Brien County Veteran Affairs office tells us about the drive.

She tells us where the idea came from.

There will be drop-off donation bins for items to be sent to the currently-deployed soldiers from the Sheldon National Guard unit. They are looking for —

· Gatorade drop-in packets

· Lawry’s Seasoning Salt

· Black Riffle Coffee

· Frank’s Hot Sauce

· Girl Scout Cookies

· Beef Jerky

· Toilet Paper

We noticed that there were some very specific items in the list. Ginger sheds some light on that.

The drop-off boxes will be right inside the front door of the store. In Sheldon, the drop-off boxes will be at Bomgaars, Fareway, and Hy-Vee on Friday, March 17th. The next day, Saturday, March 18th, they’ll be in Sioux Center at both Bomgaars and Fareway.

Northwest Iowa — As if we haven’t had enough snow and wintery weather, another storm system is headed our way, according to weather forecasters.

Meteorologist Jeff Chapman at the National Weather Service Office in Sioux Falls tells us about it.

He gives us an idea of how much snow to expect in our area.

Chapman says a little ice isn’t out of the question either. As overnight snow tapers off this Wednesday morning it could change to freezing rain, but any accumulations would be light, says Chapman.

He tells us that while they aren’t forecasting blizzard conditions, there will be some wind too.

The one good thing is that it won’t be bitterly cold like a January storm. However, even the moderate temps will be a mixed blessing.

But he says the warmer temps might mean faster melting as well. It looks like we might get a break from the snow on Friday, but there’s a pretty good chance again on Saturday and Saturday night.

Northwest Iowa — This Tuesday is voting day in parts of our coverage area. There are bond issue elections in both the South O’Brien and West Sioux Community School Districts for construction, and in the City of Doon for the building of a new community center.

Voters in the South O’Brien School District will decide the fate of a 26-million-dollar bond issue for various proposed construction projects in the district. It will include some additions to the Paullina site, and work on the Primgahr site.

Superintendent Wade Riley tells us that at the Paullina site, the work would include an industrial arts facility, an agriculture facility, an auxiliary gym with limited seating, a community fitness center, a high school office suite, and a science wing. He says they would also renovate the Primghar gym into a fine arts theater.

He says when you look at tax levy rates around the area, South O’Brien’s taxes would still be quite low. He says they have the lowest taxes of surrounding districts, and they don’t even jump to the next spot up if this bond issue passes.

Click here for more information:

Superintendent Talks South O’Brien Bond Issue

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The $1.5 million bond issue for the City of Doon is for a new community center.

Built by the Works Progress Administration, the current Community Center served as the Doon Public School until 1959 when the Doon and Rock Rapids schools and all the rural schools in the district merged to form the Central Lyon Community School District. It then served for several years as the South Center for the Central Lyon Schools until it was closed in the 1980s and was sold to the City of Doon for a community center and library, which has been its use ever since.

The ballot question will ask if the City of Doon should issue general obligation capital loan notes in an amount not to exceed a million and a half dollars for the construction of the new community center.

Click here for more information:

Doon Voters To Decide On Community Center Bond Next Month

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The voters in the West Sioux Community School District will decide the fate of a $14.9 million bond issue.

Backers there say the bond would fund several additions, furnish and equip those additions, and remodel, repair, and improve the Ireton and Hawarden Elementary Schools, including related site improvements.

Voters defeated a similar measure a year ago. This time, however, it would entail repairing and remodeling both existing buildings. They tell us the new plan is to replace considerable portions of the mechanical, electrical, and plumbing equipment of both buildings. They say they are also looking to build additions at both facilities addressing the space issues. They say they will also look at other items that will make the buildings more energy efficient such as new windows, additional insulation, and possibly geothermal heating.

Click here for more information:

West Sioux Voters To Decide On $14.9 Million Bond Issue

Hospers, Iowa — A vehicle fire near Hospers on Sunday afternoon severely damaged a Jeep on Highway 60.

According to the Sioux County Sheriff’s Office, at about 5:15 p.m., they were made aware of a vehicle on fire on Highway 60, two miles south of Hospers. They tell us 18-year-old Anthony Santana of Sibley was driving a 2008 Jeep Wrangler southbound when Santana noticed the Jeep was smoking from the engine compartment. Santana was able to safely drive the Jeep to the side of the road where the vehicle started on fire.

They tell us that no injuries were reported.

But both lanes of Highway 60 were shut down momentarily for fire department personnel from Hospers and Granville to extinguish the fire. The Hospers Fire Department, the Hospers Ambulance Squad, and the Granville Fire Department were assisted by the sheriff’s office.

Sheldon, Iowa — This Tuesday, March 7th, there will be a special opportunity in Sheldon for high school students who are interested in the healthcare field.

Kevin Miller, Northwest Iowa Community College’s Emergency Services Education Coordinator tells us about the camp, which is called “Scrubs Camp.”

Miller says the main idea of the Scrubs Camp is to raise awareness about what opportunities are available.

He tells us over a hundred area high school students are registered for the camp. Miller tells us the idea is for students to “scrub up” with pros who actually DO healthcare for a living.

The day will include eight 30-minute sessions all featuring hands-on activities for the students to participate in. Live-action simulation scenarios will run back-to-back.

The topics will run the gamut. Some topics include nursing, radiologic technology, pharmacy, health information technology & medical coding, surgery, medical laboratory, EMS, and more.

Orange City, Iowa — Community professionals can gain tools and resources to help their clients define financial goals, use credit wisely, manage debt effectively and access appropriate community resources with the “Your Money, Your Goals” toolkit and workshop from Iowa State University Extension and Outreach offered in Orange City on March 21 from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

This professional training is designed for service providers, volunteers, clergy members or anyone interested in helping others take steps towards financial stability and self-sufficiency.

Professionals will learn how to help themselves and others when they develop a spending plan and save money, get and review a credit report, make a simple plan to pay down debt, access appropriate community resources, and understand influences on financial decision-making, according to Carol Ehlers, local human sciences specialist in family wellbeing and finance with ISU Extension and Outreach.

For more information and/or to register for the workshop, visit https://www.extension.iastate.edu/humansciences/your-money-goals or contact your ISU Extension and Outreach in Sioux County at 712-737-4230.

Registration is $35, which includes all course materials and training.

Questions can be directed to Ehlers at 712-732-5056 or xehlers@iastate.edu.

Sheldon, Iowa — An Alton man has been arrested on burglary and theft charges after he allegedly took an “e-bike” in Sheldon.

According to a criminal complaint filed with the O’Brien County Clerk of Court’s Office by the Sheldon Police Department, 18-year-old Gilberto Briones Munoz of Alton is accused of taking the bike sometime between September 2022 and March 2023. He was arrested on Thursday, March 2nd, 2023.

The complaint states that the victim had placed his electric bicycle, or “e-bike” in a shed at the city park. Briones Munoz is accused of taking the bike from the shed while the victim was gone, and then selling it to a friend. The victim says the bike was worth about $4500.

Briones Munoz was charged with third-degree burglary and second-degree theft, both class D felonies. If convicted of a class D felony, Briones Munoz could face up to five years in prison.

Briones Munoz faces a preliminary hearing on Monday, March 13th, 2023.

At last report, he remained in the O’Brien County Jail in Primghar.

Orange City, Iowa — Several students from Northwestern College in Orange City are heading out this week for spring break — but their trips are working mission trips — not a chance to sit on a beach and soak up the sun.

Northwestern director of admissions, Patrick Hummel says they have 13 trips planned this year.

The nine US trips include going to New Orleans; Kansas City; New Mexico; Compton, California; and northern Minnesota for a variety of different mission activities. Hummel says all the students volunteer for the trips.

He says students are working to help others and they get something in return as well.

Hummel says they are lessons you don’t get in a classroom.

He says students join teams and aren’t necessarily paired up with friends, so they get the added benefit of developing new friends on campus.

All the students pay a deposit, and then they do some fundraising as teams for some of the different projects to pay for their trip.

Orange City, Iowa — Construction has begun on Kanaal Huis, the new 55+ community in Orange City.

Marty Guthmiller, CEO of Orange City Area Health System, tells KIWA the community is being built on a site called the Canals. He says there are three components to the project, and two of these components are being built by Vision Builders.

The third component, Guthmiller says, is sponsored by the Orange City Area Health Foundation.

He says the Condominium will have garages for each unit, a Club House, a hospitality suite, a fitness center, and an outdoor patio for all members to enjoy. According to Guthmiller, another benefit to living in this community is an advantage at Landsmeer Ridge Retirement Community and Prairie Ridge Care Center.

Guthmiller estimated that the whole project would cost 10 million dollars. He says they are aiming for completion November in 2023. For more information visit Orange City Area Health Systems.

Sioux Center, Iowa — A new hotel planned in Sioux Center will receive support through a development agreement with the City of Sioux Center.

Sioux Center officials tell us their City Council has approved a five-year development agreement with a local group planning to build the 76-room hotel this year in southern Sioux Center.

Sioux Center Development Director Dennis Dokter tells us that there is a need for additional hotel space in Sioux Center with more amenities in the community like the ASB Sports Complex bringing people to town. He says they’d rather see people stay in Sioux Center overnight than drive out of town.

Henry Byl, of Sioux Center Lodging, told the council they will begin building the new four-story Fairfield by Marriot hotel this April in the South Ridge Commercial Park. Construction will take about one year.

Dokter says, “This is a desirable location, next to the Terrace View Event Center, with a great view of the Ridge Golf Course and accessible by Highway 75.”

The City’s development agreement offers a five-year partial property tax rebate on a sliding scale.

He tells us that with this project, Sioux Center Lodging will have a significant investment in construction and will expand their operations, services, and employment base in Sioux Center. He says that the City has supported and encouraged their development in this area and recognizes the additional costs to develop this project site and construct a hotel.