News

Who doesn't like to see a friendly face every time they walk into school?  Every Friday morning WHS has invited community members to welcome in the students to school.   We kicked off this event last Friday, September 6th.  Sarah Tracy, Cherokee County Engineer, was the first participant of the WHS Community Greeter line up.  Sarah was great and welcomed all the students in the front doors.  After we finished up the session (7:55-8:13am), we had a moment to reflect on it.  Tracy said, "That was great!  I would love to do it again.  When would you like me to come back?"  We plan on having Tracy return to WHS in the very near future to join our welcoming committee.  . ...

Cherokee County Conservation invites the public to meet at the east parking lot at the Middle School near the track, to learn a bit about monarchs before everyone hits the prairie to catch them. Once they are caught they will be tagged and released so they can continue their migration south to Mexico...

“I quit so they fired me.” Those were the words Donald Kaul uttered 40 years ago after he resigned his columnist job with the Des Moines Register after management tried to rein him in for expressing his contrary opinions and observations in his incredibly popular column addressing the political landscape (conservatives and liberals) with oh-so keen wit, satire, sarcasm, and insult...

2005 Kenworth semi tractor with trailer driven by Ronald Lee Brodersen, 69, Ayrshire was west bound on Highway 3 traversing a left curve when he lost control and dropped his tires into the north ditch. The Kenworth continued to lose control in the ditch and ultimately rolled the truck over separating the cab of the semi from the chassis. Brodersen was hauling lyme in a side dump trailer. The trailer ultimately lost all of its contents during the rollover. Brodersen was...

HOLSTEIN - An Art Studio featuring the works of Holstein native Mary Ortner will be opening soon in Holstein. Elizabeth Ortner has opened Art Social RJ. It is named after her father Richard John Ortner. Elizabeth is a recent Chicago resident before she decided to open up the art studio in her hometown. She is the daughter of long time resident Beth Ortner...

PTSD within the ranks of veterans and 1st Responders is no joke and something that seriously needs to be addressed in the eyes of the people around us. In the Cherokee area there have 28 suicides, many stemmed from PTSD in one form or another. So are ordinary people have suffered some kind of trauma in their lives, others are veterans and 1st Responders. ...

Mary Ann Coyne of Mary’s Creations makes her own jewelry and has been a vendor in the Cherokee Area Farmers Market (CAFM) the past few years when she and her husband, Chuck Coyne (retired Illinois Central Railroad worker) spend their summers in Cherokee. Mary is retiring and worked her final CAFM Thursday...

The Cherokee County Board of Supervisors at their meeting held Monday approved $1,200 in funding for the City’s Disc Golf Course on the Cherokee MHI Campus. Dave Ellis, Cherokee Recreation Director, gave an informative presentation about the goal of creating a officioal 18-hole certified Professional Disc Golf Association (PDGA) Course that can accommodate tournaments in addition to individual play. ...

The Sanford Museum Association will be hosting a program, "Glimpses of Iowa's Capitol:  Its History, Art, Architecture and Restoration” at 7:30 p.m. Saturday. Join former state restoration painter, Rosa Snyder, as she divulges untold stories and reveals hidden treasures of Iowa's most recognized landmark.  Learn about the restoration process and why the artwork was painted over.  See before and after photos of several rooms, photos of several one-of-a-kind artwork created by well-know artists, and photographs of areas not normally seen by visitors.. ...

In a 13-minute meeting Tuesday night, the Cherokee City Council passed a Resolution Amendment Approving and Authorizing Execution of an Amended and Restated (2019) Agreement for Private Development with Wilson School Apartments, LLC and proposed developer Shawn Foutsch of JMAE, LLC...

At the Aug. 27 Cherokee County Board if Supervisors meeting, Sheila Letsche of rural Marcus expressed concerns about grain trucks jake braking in front of her home at all hours of the day as they are traveling to and from the LSCP ethanol plant. The County Engineer had placed signs prohibiting the use of jake brakes on that section of F Avenue three years ago, however, the signs are not regulatory and therefore cannot be enforced by law enforcement...

Cherokee opened and executed an unexpected on-side kick to perfection, scoring on the turnover in a 46-0 shutout over MMCRU’s Royals here last Friday. “We saw something on film and practiced the on-side kick,” said Cherokee Head Coach Tony Gunter. “We told the kids, if it works, great. If not, we move forward.”...

Cherokee’s student section was all about the cowboy up theme here last Friday as they show their school spirit during a 46-0 win over MMCRU’s Royals. For more sports, see pages 5 and 6 in roday’s CT..

An E.J. Elmonds Presentation will be held at the Marcus Historical Building on Sunday, Sept. 22, at 1:00 PM. The program will be present by Ray Scott of Darlington, WI. and will be about E.J. Edmonds, owner of the Exchange Bank and two of the finer homes built in the Marcus area during that era...

Cherokee Regional Medical Center is working on their 2019 Cherokee County Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA). (Note: This assessment update is a follow-up to meet final IRS regulations released on 01/02/2015, requiring all 501(c) (3) hospitals to conduct a Community Health Needs Assessment and adopt an implementation strategy at least once every three years.)...

Cherokee Regional Medical Center Hospice is offering “Living with Loss”, a 5-week grief support program on Tuesdays, September 17 through October 15, 2019. The program is free of charge and offered to anyone who has experienced a loss through death three months or more prior to attendance. This format combines grief education with peer support in a small group atmosphere...

Rotary Student of the Month for September 2019 is Megan Kellen! Megan was nominated for this recognition by staff members. Megan participates in volleyball, group speech, tennis, individual speech, JETS, quiz bowl team, Braves Achievement Club, and National Honor Society. ...

Cherokee Washington High School hosted last week’s Chamber coffee in the Industrial Tech Room and showed the improvements being made in the IT program.  WHS IT teacher Alec Wynn spoke how excited the students are to be able to work with such high tech machines. "When you tell students we're gonna be blowing holes in steel with a high tech laser, you got 'em!" said Wynn. The IT program encourages students to pursue  careers in the industrial tech field...

In a recent email, San Diego based EDF Renewables and Google extended invitations to a special Glaciers Edge wind farm turbine blade signing event set for Thursday, Sept. 19, at Highway 3 and G Avenue east of Marcus. EDF said that people wishing to sign their name on an approximately 182’ long turbine blade can participate starting at 10:00 a.m. A special ceremony and luncheon at the Marcus Community Center at 11:00 will follow...

In this season first prep football poll released this week, West Sioux was voted number one in Class 1A, while West Lyon was fifth and Emmetsburg ninth in the same class. Also, in Class A, Alta-Aurelia’s Warriors were ranked eighth in a class headed by Britt West Hancock. Also rated in Class A locally is Westwood at fifth. Other area teams receiving votes in Class A are Hinton and Algona Garrigan...

Zoe Meadows of Cherokee has received the WITCC TRIO-Student Support Services Achiever of the Month Award for September. This award recognizes Western Iowa Tech TRIO students for demonstrating qualities of leadership and citizenship while achieving collegiate academic success.  Zoe began taking classes on the Cherokee WIT Campus after graduating from Washington High School in 2017. ...

Members of the Larrabee High School class of 1959 (not ’69 as previously reported) include; Mary Ellen (Gloss) Hafner, Ardith (Lawrey) Lucas, Shari (Daly) Carlson, Sharon (Gilbert) Bennink, Connie Prunty, and Duane Stanford. Absent is Richard Kintigh...

Sutherland’s 2019 Annual Labor Day Celebration proved to be the hub of fun and games over the recent 3-day Labor Day holiday. A weekend packed with food and laughter for everyone kicked off early Saturday morning with a 7:00 to 9:00 a.m. hearty breakfast at the Community Center hosted by the Sutherland American Legion. Fun filled activities continued throughout the day and concluded with a 9:00 p.m. movie in the City Park...

The Sanford Museum will host a special art wall in September dedicated to the American Legion Posts of Cherokee County. Each will have a special exhibit representing their Post with their flags and memorabilia. Featured are Aurelia Post 396; Cherokee Post 230; Cleghorn Post 486; Larrabee Post 670, Marcus Post 517; Quimby Post 398 and Washta Post 283. Picture are Rob Bush and Shirley Perrett from Quimby setting up their display...

The Grand Meadow Heritage Center will be celebrating its 43rd Annual Grand Meadow Heritage Festival Saturday and Sunday. Saturday starts with breakfast served 8:00 – 9:30AM. At 9:00AM the vendors, petting zoo and pony rides open. Lynn Anderson, Chainsaw Artist, will be on site demonstrating his art...

As the sorry, flood-ravaged conditions of some Cherokee parkland languishes in the summer sun and heat, and continues to be a nettlesome topic for eyeballs and on social media, City officials say they’re communicating regularly with FEMA and DOT to hopefully work out a resolution sooner than later...

For as long as most of us can remember, Ruble’s Service stood the test of time on the corner of Main and Roosevelt Streets here. The glossy white, single story building with big blue letters shouting out “STANDARD” stood proudly on the corner lot and withstood the floods of six decades. It was still there when the gas shortages of the 1970’s decimated the industry and remained viable even though it no longer served as a gas station...

Over the next three months, Cherokee Regional Medical Center is working to update the 2016 Cherokee Regional Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA). The goal of this assessment update is to understand progress in addressing community health needs cited in the 2016 CHNA report and to collect up-to-date community health perceptions...

At last week’s brief Cherokee City Council meeting, Lenny Larson of ISG Engineering discussed a proposal to provide the City with professional engineering services for the design of a new interceptor sewer and related improvements in the Central Street area, a project that would exceed $1 million...

IDA GROVE - Alta-Aurelia’s young Warriors lost three close sets 25-21, 25-22 and 25-22 in a season opening volleyball loss to OABCIG’s Falcons here Tuesday. “We played really hard for the first night out and did some nice things,” said AA head coach Jeannie Henningsen. “We were fundamentally solid for most of the night and just needed a few breaks to go our way to finish each set. We need to tighten up some areas and keep improving on the little things,” added Henningsen...

The 4th Annual Cherokee Trail Run (10K, 5K) will be held Saturday, September 7th. The race starts at 9:00am at the South Entrance of Martin’s Access and includes a 10k, a 5k and a kid’s run. Runners/walkers can register online at www.cherokeetrailrun.com or in-person on the day of the race between 8:00am and 8:45am...

When Iowa Senator Charles Grassley paid a timely visit to an August 27 Town Hall public forum in the Spencer City Hall, that’s what really helped texplain a potentially dire situation. When I asked the Senator the initial question of the hour-long public forum, his answer was serious, informed and something you would expect to come out of a person with his own close personal ties to Iowa farmland...

Matt Dengler’s interest in model railroading really began as a child.  He grew up in Rock Rapids, Iowa, and had a huge interest in local history and the railroads that ran through that area. “By the time I was born, the railroads had all pulled out leaving behind intriguing shadows and an air of nostalgia that piqued my curiosity’” he explained...

We would like to express our sincere gratitude to all who have who have given their time, efforts, and condolences for the loss of our beloved husband, father, grandfather, Bartolo Bustos. We would like to recognize the amazing volunteers, the Quimby fire department, and the Cherokee County Sheriffs Department for going above and beyond our expectations. We can never thank you enough for everything you have done for our family.
Thank you,
The family of Bartolo Bustos...

We have been putting off writing this letter as we thought things would improve with all the pleas from parents and community members. Things appear to be festering and getting worse. Joyce taught at WHS for 19 years. Mike graduated from WHS. We have three daughters who also graduated from WHS. We have six grandchildren in the district. We love our school district. This discord is very disturbing. Cherokee has great teachers. We can not keep losing them...

While passing through central O’Brien County’s small community of Archer recently, I stopped at the Archer Co-op Grain Company elevator and chatted with General Manager Mike Schon. I asked, “What do you think about the Plymouth Energy ethanol production facility at Merrill announcing that they were suspending production operations?” “It’s getting scary,” replied Schon...

MMCRU Industrial Tech Center Instructor Matt Hanson and Sen. Joni Ernst pause for a photo during last week’s Marcus area tour by Ernst, that included stops at Staples and Little Sioux Corn Processors facilities. Ernst was accompanied by CAEDC officials...

Vendors in the Cherokee Area Farmers Market (CAFM) will show appreciation to their customers by holding a Gift Basket Drawing near the end of the market day on the last Thursday in August, and September, as they have all summer season. Each participating vendor will contribute one item to the basket on the day of each drawing. Each participating vendor will have copies of a slip of paper which has...

The Grand Meadow Heritage Center will be celebrating its 43rd Annual Grand Meadow Heritage Festival on September 7th and 8th. On Saturday, the 7th the day starts with breakfast served 8:00 – 9:30AM. At 9:00AM the vendors, petting zoo and pony rides open. Lynn Anderson, Chainsaw Artist will be on site demonstrating his art...

ALTA - Alta-Aurelia football co-head coaches Grant Peckenschneider and Chris Reinert return nine lettermen from a team that finished 7-3 overall and 4-1 in district play last season. “We have some solid skill guys back,” said Peckenschneider. “We will need to find some more linemen on both sides of the ball as we look to compete in a very balanced district.”...

While chatting at a Primghar gas station pump recently with longtime Little Sioux Corn Processors (LSCP) Board of Directors member Daryl Haack, I asked him, “What is the Ethanol Industry’s current state of health?” Haack, a former National Corn Growers Association Board Member, replied, “It’s getting weaker.”...

Cherokee County has several seats up for election on the first combined City-School Election on November 5, 2019. Nominations for open seats can be filed between August 26 and September 19. See all key dates and deadlines at www.cherokeecountyelections.com/upcoming-elections.html...

The Cherokee Rotary Club, in partnership with Mid-Sioux and Hy-Vee distributing backpacks to families in need, gathered supplies and filled backpacks recently. The backpacks contain school supplies like glue sticks, glue, pens, notebooks, erasers, markers, and facial tissues...

Cherokee’s State Bank donated $2,500 to the Rotary Club for the Cherokee School student backpack program. Proudly displaying the check are Rotarians George Wittgraf and Kim Lingenfelter, applauded by fellow Rotarian Curt Johnson. Photo contributed

Dr, Kayla Ludvigson of Ludvigson Chiropractic has announced her future new location at 219 N. 2nd St. The former medical clinic is being renovated to accommodate the business that’s growing with the addition of Sara Shaney in April. The new clinic is expected to open by January 1...

It’s back to square (diamond?) one for the Cherokee Youth Summer Ball Association’s efforts to establish a new ball field to replace the Senior League Field lost in the construction of the new PK-4 Elementary School on the Middle School Campus. CYSBA’s original plan was to build a new field north of the tennis court complex off East Indian Street, in proximity to the four other existing CYSBA Fields...

Documents obtained by the Chronicle Times reveal that Lopez Foods Inc., who purchased the Iowa Food Group Plant in Cherokee in July, paid a total $9.3 million for the facility, including $5.8 million in Real Property, and $3.5 million in Personal Property...

Cherokee Washington High grad Natalie Brewer took a break from her summer internship to return to Buena Vista Univrsity to welcome a huge class of incoming freshman as a member of the Orientation Team. During introductions, Brewer, per the Orientation Team tradition, presented a gift to one new student. Brewer handed out a small puzzle, along with her explanation: “Because everyone’s story is unique, and BVU helps you along the way as you put the pieces together and discover your true identity.”...

Disc Golf is a very popular sport in Iowa and especially in Cherokee.  There are so many people that enjoying playing here in town but every time the Little Sioux River floods it shuts our course down for at least a month.  Due to 3 floods in the past year the City of Cherokee has decided to make a change. ...