News

(Writers note: We would like to inform our readers that the paranormal group that was mentioned in the November 13th addition of the Chronicle Times was incorrect. The group PARA911 was not there, but instead was a different group. We regret the error and will present the correct information here in todays CT)...

Hello again readers. Recently, the library has decided to step back from our efforts to continue fully reopening back to phase 1 for the next few weeks. A few of the notable features of that phase is that we have closed bathroom access to the public, computer terminal access is removed, and we will not be hosting in person programming at the library. This last rule isn’t much of a surprise with the Governor’s proclamation, but let me explain the other two...

$737,000 sewer project under way

On Thursday, November 12, five citizens from Cherokee County met at the Courthouse in Cherokee to conduct a post-election audit of the votes cast at the #4 Cherokee Precinct at the November 3, 2020 General Election. Kris Glienke, Cherokee County Auditor, observed the process...

Superintendent’s evaluation process begins

CORRECTIONVILLE - The Cherokee Area Economic Development Corporation (CAEDC) has introduced a countywide “Chair of Honor” program. The program will recognize our Nation’s military Prisoners of Wars (POW), Missing in Action (MIA), and their families. CAEDC will be collaborating with Hussey Seating Company of North Berwick, Maine on the project...

If you happened to be driving around the Cherokee area last Monday evening or Tuesday morning, you may have noticed ducks and possibly other migrating fowl in unusual places. Why all of the ducks? When it comes to migration, many of us instantly recall learning in elementary school about birds and their journey south. There are many different kinds of animals that migrate like whales, caribou, monarch butterflies, bats, and, the most memorable, birds...

The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Department received 10 kits from the Deb and Jeff Hansen Foundation to help with policing efforts. Henry’s Heroes Law Enforcement Comfort Kits allow law enforcement officers to provide comforting items to children in distress. Compact in design, the kits are designed to be portable and easily tossed into an officer’s cruiser as part of their standard equipment...

The Cherokee Chamber of Commerce reminds area shoppers that the Cherokee Holiday Open House is Thursday through Sunday Nov. 19-22. Local businesses participating in the popular event’s Mystery Discount include Blooming House, Book Vine, Cherokee General Store, Details Custom Print & Gift, Family Table, Gasthaus Bar & Grill, Grin and Wear It, Hy-Vee Gifts & Floral, Keva Boutique, The Mother Hen, Quilt ’n Kaboodle, and Undergound Clothing...

With the new PK-4 Cherokee Elementary School (CES) construction project two months behind its targeted completion date, according to Cherokee Superintendent Kim Lingenfelter, a special “construction meeting” was scheduled this week between the District and General Contractor Haselhoff Construction of Cherokee...

The Cherokee Quilt Batts recently presented five area Veterans with handmade Quilts of Valor. In 2003, a quilter named Catherine Roberts started the movement that became Quilts of Valor when her son was deployed in Iraq. Since that time, over 255,000 documented Quilts of Valor have been awarded, with many more being given unofficially. ...

The life and athletic achievements of former Cherokee Brave track state champion, the late Steve Casey, are fondly remembered by a memorial bench dedicated to Steve sitting atop the hill near the finish line at the WHS track and field complex. The bench was created and donated by Steve Thomas of R.J. ...

Veterans Day is a legal holiday dedicated to American veterans of all wars. In 1918, on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, an armistice, or temporary cessation of hostilities, was declared between the Allied nations and Germany in World War I, then known as “the Great War.” ...

It’s been a little while since we have had regular esports and gaming programming at the library. Truly, it has been a little difficult to coordinate gaming for tweens and teens which can be accessible and equitable to the needs of our community. I know I tend to ramble on about inter connectivity, but that has been a major thorn in our side with providing programming at the library on a digital platform. ...

As usual, GOP dominates County voting totals

Some stunning new black and metallic signage on Cherokee’s West Main Street last week may have caught your eye.  The historic Hawley Allison building has new owners and a new chapter of it’s story is being written...or possibly printed, under it’s roof this fall. ...

Ready for some art? This month’s Artist of the Month is Deanna Skokan, from Des Moines. Skokan was a retired medical transcriptionist who owned a company called TechniMed Transcriptions for 17 years. She always had a love for painting, but until 2014, the only thing she was painting was the walls of her house. Once her children all left for college, she decided to take the paint brush off of the drywall, and onto the canvas...

AT the Oct. 27 Board of Supervisors meeting, County Engineer Sarah Tracy presented a request for temporary use of County right of way for consideration and discussed ongoing problems with rural residents moving snow across County roadways. The Board ultimately approved the following Resolution: “Be it resolved by the Board of Supervisors that Sarah Tracy, the County Engineer, be and is hereby designated, authorized, and empowered on behalf of the Board of Supervisors to execute the certification of completion of work and final acceptance thereof in accordance with plans and specifications in connection with all Farm-to-Market and Federal or State aid construction projects in this County.”. ...

Lake will also be dredged

Window caulk may fix County wasp woes

The Friends of the Library have organized and collected donations from community members, which will be put up for their 21st annual silent auction. Each basket is themed around a book and features a variety of goodies. From toys to blankets, baking supplies to Hawkeyes gear, there is a basket for nearly every interest. The basket auction is set to begin in early November, with a Chamber Coffee scheduled for November 13th...

On Saturday, October 24th, some members of the Cherokee Fire Department did training in a structural mobile live burn simulator. Instructors Kevin West and Jim Carpenter from the Milford Fire Department educated the 11 men present for the burn simulation. Explaining that fire does not burn fast now, but instead that household materials are made differently now and burn quicker than in the past...

The Cherokee Regional Medical Center (CRMC) recently pledged $50,000 and Mongan Painting $25,000 which brought the ongoing Cherokee football field turf project fundraising total to $819,000. according to WHS Activities Director Josh Landhuis, who’s spearheading the effort along with Adam Timmerman and a select committee of boosters...

On Thursday night the Cherokee Public Library hosted an online gamer brigade event featuring the popular internet multiplayer game Among Us. Created in 2018, the game gained tremendous popularity last summer as people were looking for new ways to entertain themselves while stuck at home during the COVID-19 pandemic. Millions of people now play this game and/or watch others and it has gained a lot of attention as a platform for collaboration, advocacy, and education...

The Cherokee County Disaster Recovery Fund awarded a $2,000 grant to assist with the weekend food program implemented by the Alta-Aurelia School District and other neighboring school districts. The A-A photo was inadvertently left off the recent story regarding area schools receiving such grants....

FEMA $ sought to relocate lift station

The Cherokee Area Economic Development Corporation (CAEDC) has introduced a countywide “Chair of Honor” program. The program will recognize our Nation’s military Prisoners of Wars (POW), Missing in Action (MIA), and their families. CAEDC will be collaborating with Hussey Seating Company of North Berwick, Maine on the project...

The Future Ready with the Library grant the Cherokee Public Library received through the IMLS has finished its final analysis and published its findings. While I’ll spare you all the spoilers of the findings of the report, one of Cherokee’s major findings was how important soft skills are in the workforce, and that soft skills were generally lacking in new workers...

Cherokee Community Schools is participating in the Summer Food Service Program. Meals will be provided to all children without charge and are the same for all children regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability, and there will be no discrimination in the course of the meal service...

Billing herself as a Yankee from Witch City, new Chronicle Times staffer Erin Rydgren is neither a Yankee or a Witch - rather, she’s a Red Sox fan from Salem, Mass. with a wry sense of humor and delightful cooperative spirit that flew fatefully into the CT family without the broom...

The Chamber of Commerce has announced that they would be able to continue its annual tradition of a Children’s Halloween Costume Parade. Guidelines for the event have been advised by the Cherokee County Public Health Department. As many citizens know, the parade often draws an enormous crowd of children and families, which means extra steps will be taken in order to help prevent the spread of COVID-19...

Grand Meadow Heritage, Hanover Historical Society fight pandemic impact

Volunteers saved RR Depot from wrecking ball 30 years ago!

The Brightside Lounge Charity Golf Tournament was held on Saturday, August 22 at the beautiful Cherokee Golf Course. 28 3-person teams participated in the 18 hole tourney, receiving a sack lunch during the tourney, and then having a pulled pork meal and short auction following the tourney at the Brightside Lounge...

The Cherokee County Auditor’s Office will be open on Saturday, October 24th, and Saturday, October 31st, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. for absentee voting for the General Election. October 24th is the pre-registration deadline for the November 3, 2020, General Election and any new voter registrations after this date will require a current photo ID and proof of residency...

Ginny Bunt is the winner of the Quilt Batts raffle drawing. She was presented with the queen-sized creation on October 21 by Shirley Guthridge. Every three years the Quilt Batts hold a show and raffle off a quilt as a fundraiser and a portion of the proceeds from the raffle go to the Cherokee Regional Medical Center. Due to COVID-19, the show was canceled but the raffle was held anyway, with Bunt being declared the winner...

Cherokee School District PK-12 enrollment numbers have been certified with 1,126 total regular and open enrolled students for the 2020-21 school year. This number represents 452 students at Roosevelt Elementary, 344 at Cherokee Middles School, and 330 at Washington High...

Extensive project a surprise to residents, City

During the summer going into the 4th grade, my Mom decided she would take my younger brother Brett and I to the Victory Gym to learn how to lift weights from Ralph Kroger (Gyn owner.operator). The catalyst for this trip to the gym was my brother and my “boredom.”...

Willie go round in circles. Lots of them! As you may have noticed on Page 1 in today’s CT, we’re speaking of Quimby’s own, Willie Allbaugh, whose shadow cast on his town and Cherokee County area is as large as his “williengness” to serve. The Quimby Fire Chief was named 2019’s “Fire Chief of the Year” by the Department of Iowa American Legion.The Lyle W. Barnes Post 398 of Quimby secured an application and filled it out, later discovering that Allbaugh, their nominee, had been selected...

Cherokee Trails members pay tribute to Dr. Gary

The Cherokee County Auditor’s Office will be open on Saturday, October 24th, and Saturday, October 31st, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. for absentee voting for the General Election. October 24th is the pre-registration deadline for the November 3, 2020, General Election and any new voter registrations after this date will require a current photo ID and proof of residency...

Fire Chief Willie Allbaugh of Quimby was named 2019’s “Fire Chief of the Year” by the Department of Iowa American Legion. In 2019 an article appeared in the Iowa Legionnaire, the Legion’s newspaper for legion posts in Iowa to submit names for Fireman of the Year. The Lyle W. Barnes Post 398 of Quimby secured an application and filled it out, later discovering that Allbaugh had been selected...

Cherokee Parks and Recreation are now accepting registration for Adult Volleyball Teams.   Registrations can be done online at www.cherokeeiowa.net/vball and are due on October 28th.  Cost is $175 per team.   Play starts on November 4th with both a Womens and Co-Ed Leagues...

At the end of the month the Chronicle Times typically runs a feature highlighting the seniors of our community. This year, we choose to be conscientious of COVID-19 and are looking to try something new. We humbly request that you write up (or have someone write up for you) any memory that you would like to share with us and our readers about growing up in Cherokee County, your school days, or wisdom that you’d like to pass down to today’s youth...

The Cherokee Public Library will host its 21st annual Book Basket project, a popular, creative Library fundraiser that makes available unique, attractive gifts for the holidays, other occasions, or that special someone. To participate, all you have to do is choose a book, mix it with themed ideas (Christmas, Cooking, Sports, Exercise, Romance, etc.) arrange it in a decorative basket, and donate to the Library. ...

The City has put some bite into and cranked down the volume of a new noise ordinance geared at barking dogs and loud music. At Tuesday’s Cherokee City Council meeting, Police Chief Nate James stated the department has received numerous calls from residents relating to excessive noise created by loud music and barking dogs...

Recently CAEDC Executive Director Bill Anderson participated in a Clean Energy week panel with U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley, Iowa Senate Majority Leader Jack Whitver and Joe Murphy, Executive Director Iowa Business Council. The conversation was facilitated by the Washington Examiner and Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions...

According to Census data, Cherokee’s population over the age of 65 is nearly 25%. With that information in mind, the library has been exploring ways to ensure that we are effectively serving our senior population. Actually, the library currently has several ways that it serves our senior population...

October Rotary Student of the Month is Justine Spooner! Justine is the daughter of Gwen Spooner and Jason Spooner and was nominated for this recognition by staff members. Justine participates in volleyball, golf, group and individual speech, National Honor Society, and was a member of the 2020 Homecoming Court. A quote from one of Justine's teachers, "Justine is an excellent leader, very helpful. Justine always goes out of her way to help others." Congratulations to Justine!...