News

The Fiddler on the Roof is a musical set in Imperial Russia in 1905, with a lead character named Tevye. The Fiedler on the Courts is a Director of Buildings & Grounds set in Imperial Cherokee School District in 2021, with a lead character named Mike...

Fiedler grabs tennis ‘racket’ with both hands

$300,000 land purchase for Wescott Park relocation

Due to the harsh weather conditions, Friday's edition of the CT (January 15, 2021) will be delivered with Moday's edition of the paper (January 18, 2021). We thank you for your understanding.

I have exciting news! The Cherokee Public Library was one of 200 libraries selected to receive a $3,000 Libraries Transforming Communities grant from the American Library Association.  In September 2020, ALA announced plans to award nearly $2 million to small and rural libraries in 2020 and 2021 to help them address issues of concern in their communities. ...

‘Communities have challenges. Libraries can help.’

Mid-Sioux Opportunity, Head Start and Child Development Center is currently recruiting 3 & 4 year old children for the 2021-2022 school year. Head Start centers are located in Akron, Cherokee, Ida Grove, LeMars, Orange City, Rock Valley, Rock Rapids, and Sioux Center. There is a Child Development Center located in Hawarden...

(1-8-21) - Following the Emergency Use Authorization of both the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines, the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) is partnering with county public health departments to begin vaccinating Iowans. Both vaccines are currently being administered in Iowa to the Phase 1A priority populations of health care personnel and long-term care residents and staff...

A Cherokee County woman won a scratch ticket at a family Christmas gathering and scratched off a $50,000 prize. “My dad actually got the tickets for us,” Jacee Sangwin of Aurelia told officials on Monday after claiming her prize at the lottery’s Storm Lake regional office. “Every year we go to my parents’ house and we play card games. Whoever wins the card game, you get a ticket, and then at the end of the night we all scratch our tickets.”...

River Valley Elementary school fifth graders continue participating in a new Project Jack opportunity, a statewide pay-it-forward project. Project Jack was founded in honor of Jack Lindaman, a child from the Quad Cities area who passed away at the age of 6 from spinal muscular atrophy...

Cherokee County Township Trustee and Clerk appointments were approved by the Board of Supervisors at the Jan. 4 organizational meting. The four-year terms end Dec. 31, 2024. They include: Gary Anderson as Afton Township Trustee. Daryl Ducommun as Cedar Township Trustee...

How very proud Donald Trump supporters must be today after their demented “leader” incited thousands of the naive and gullible to risk theirs’ and others’ lives in an armed attack on America. And they did it as the entire world watched, laughed and cringed at how the mighty USA has fallen to the depths of a lawless third-world country where peace, principle, decency, and democracy had given way to the second coming of the People’s Temple, and Branch Dividians...

At Monday’s January organizational meeting, the Cherokee County Board of Supervisors elected Gary Lundquist as Chair and Rick Mongan Vice Chair for the 2021 year. New Board member Bryan Peterson assumed his position, replacing former Supervisor Dennis Bush who was elected to the Iowa House in November replacing Rep. Dan Husman, who retired...

Frenzied mob follow President’s lead

At an abbreviated Dec. 29 meeting, the Cherokee County Board of Supervisors acknowledge a $51,071.70 wage authorization (85% of Director’s Salary) and change of status from full-time Naturalist to Assistant Director/Naturalist for Laura Jones, effective January 1, 2021 as previously approved by the Cherokee County Conservation Board...

New route may be announced in January

The Cherokee County Landfill will be reopening to the general public on Monday January 4, 2021. (This includes our household hazardous waste facility.) We appreciate everyone’s patience and understanding in our attempt to keep everyone here at the landfill healthy and your community as well...

Cherokee Middle School students may do a little more “doodling” second semester starting this month (January), but also will improve their attendance marks because of a special attraction at the school, courtesy of Principal Scott Aden. Aden, an effective, caring administrator, has acquired and will house and handle a young female Golden Doodle (Charlie) that he is more than happy to train to serve as the CMS “therapy dog,” a popular trend in schools that provides vast benefits for students, faculty and staff.. ...

Last week in our three-page spread featuring letters to Santa Claus, readers may have noticed a few that were signed by some familiar not-so-little-anymore authors. But where did we find them? The answer is courtesy of the digitized archives of the Cherokee newspapers, which are available for free via the Cherokee Public Library website. ...

FEMA to fund 75% of $300,000 land costs

At the Dec. 15 Cherokee County Board of Supervisors meeting, Amy Crouch, Little Sioux Watershed Project Director, explained a two-phase approach for reducing soil and property damage by slowing flood waters as they enter main tributaries. A first step would include approaching landowners along rivers about developing oxbows for water retention, restoring wetlands and riparian strips (wetland adjacent to rivers and streams), and returning low lying farmland back to pasture...

The goal of the Aurelia Historical Society is to preserve the the past of the community for future generations to come. They are a non profit organization that relies on donations and fundraisers to keep the Heritage Museum and House open in Aurelia...

Hello again, readers! I was amazed by the response a few weeks ago regarding Libby and access to e-magazines and audiobooks offered by the Cherokee Public Library! Not even halfway through the month, we have doubled magazine usage and have added several new users to the system. It’s results like this which help inform the library board and myself which direction to take (as well as what I should probably talk more about in this space.)...

The Cherokee Schoo Board Monday night appointed Brian Freed to fill out the term of former Board member Chuck Wulfsen, who resigned his post in November because he was leaving town. Wulfsen’s term ends in November 2021. Freed was one of three well-qualified District stakeholders coming forward to apply for the position that also included John M. Loughlin and Raegan Bunting...

To the Cherokee Regional Community: This time last year we would have never dreamed that 2020, and especially this holiday season, would turn out to be a world pandemic hitting home in Cherokee County. Last year we enjoyed our routine holiday gatherings and never thought about widespread risk to our loved ones. ...

At Monday’s December meeting, the Cherokee School Board is expected to name a replacement for former Board member Chuck Wulfsen, who resigned his post in November and is leaving town. Through Thursday, the District had received letters from three District residents applying for the post to fill out Wulfsen’s term the expires November 2022...

Some area school districts saw increases in enrollment this fall over 2019, including Cherokee with 1,126 PK-12 students this school year compared to 1,111 last year. That (+15) difference is attributed to an increase of open enrolled students, according to the District...

At Monday’s December meting, the Cherokee School Board is expected to name a replacement for former Board member Chuck Wulfsen, who resigned his post in November and is leaving town. Through Thursday, the District had received letters from three District residents applying for the post to fill out Wulfsen’s term the expires November 2022...

The Cherokee Public Library can add another accolade to its list of achievements and services offered to members of our community. Director Tyler Hahn has recently completed the process making the library a member of the National Network of the Library of Medicine, which is charged with improving access to health information, increase engagement with research and data, expand professional knowledge, and support outreach that promotes awareness and use of NLM resources in local communities. ...

Cancer victim draws strength from mother

At last week’s Cherokee County Board of Supervisors meeting, Zoning Administrator/County Engineer Sarah Tracy provided an update on the status of the proposed Airport Height Ordinance and requested clarification of coordinating with the City of Cherokee as previously discussed...

The Cherokee Chamber of Commerce has announced that the 26th annual Ag Show has been canceled due to COVID-19 restrictions. 
The show was originally scheduled for February 9 at the Little Sioux Event Center, but due to capacity restriction and unknown future of events, the Ag Show ultimately had to be canceled...

Hello again, readers! From time to time, I like to give insight into what it is like being the director of the library. For the most part, it is an extremely rewarding job which I am eternally grateful to serve. There are a lot of difficult things to do like any job, and one of the most difficult I find is copyright law...

Nominations deadline Jan. 8

Mid-Step Services is an organization dedicated to providing residential, vocational, educational and recreational services to people with intellectual disabilities in a caring, supportive environment where each individual is encouraged to reach his or her highest potential. The past year while living under the cloud of the COVID-19 pandemic has been difficult for those who call the group residences home. In Cherokee, Mid-Step has a duplex, which is home to five full-time members...

The Boards of Directors of First Cooperative Association of Cherokee, and Alceco of Albert City, have signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) to conduct a unification study between the two cooperatives. Marketplace dynamics are changing dramatically and the Board of Directors of both cooperatives believe this is the right time to conduct this merger study. Each cooperative is financially strong and can approach the opportunity from a position of strength while ensuring local ownership and control...

In front of a meager Covid restricted crowd here Monday, Cherokee's Braves went into a feeding frenzy via a full-court press and reeled in a dominating 62-20 win over MVAOCOU's Rams. Cherokee starters, seniors Braydon Farver and Colton Woltman, along with juniors Will Lugar, Mason Carver and Joe Benson slapped a 1-3-1 full-court press on an unsuspecting MVAOCOU squad that sent the Rams into a turnover plaque first quarter...

Congratulations to Henry Lugar for being named the December Cherokee Chamber of Commerce Student of the Month! Henry is the son of Cody and Matt Lugar.   Henry is very active in Braves athletics taking part in football, baseball, basketball, and track...

Jan Carlson RN/ARNP - CRMC Public Health is warning area residents that there are vaccine telephone scams starting. Some elderly citizens have received calls. The scammers are targeting elders and asking for credit card information to "reserve" a COVID vaccine for them. These calls are not legitimate calls and people should not answer or give out any information on the phone...

Leon Freeman of Iowa Department of Homeland Security joined Tuesday’s Cherokee City Council meeting by phone and explained a proposed FEMA project spurring the potential acquisition of land for the relocation of Wescott Park. FEMA has offered the City an option to do an improved project consisting of federal financial assistance to move the park to another location in order to mitigate potential flooding hazards, rather than partially finance the frequent repairs for the damage to Wescott Park caused by the 2018 and 2019 floods, and several other floods through the years. ...

Did you know that you have access to over 70 magazines anywhere with your library card and the Libby app? Yes! You can view the latest volumes of your favorite magazines such as People, O: the Oprah Magazine, The Pioneer Woman, Kiplinger’s Personal Finance, and many more with the Libby app, which is a free resource connected to your library card...

At the Dec. 1 Cherokee County Board of Supervisors meeting, CAEDC Director Bill Anderson and CAEDC Board Chair Brian Freed presented an overview of successful economic development projects over the last year. Anderson stated that workforce, housing and day care continue to be the main issues that need to be addressed...

BUSINESS 1st Place: Northstar Community Credit Union 2nd Place: Ludvigson Chiropractic 3rd Place: Spreading Elm Farms NON-PROFITS 1st Place: Cherokee Regional Medical Center 2nd Place: Bethlehem Lutheran Church 3rd Place: 4-H Congratulations to all the winners and an enormous thank you to all those who participated in this year’s parade, despite the unconventional setup. Special thanks to the Cherokee Police Department...

In August I had the privilege of helping Director Tyler Hahn and the Cherokee Public Library out with a little bee problem. A honey bee swarm from a neighboring beehive temporarily placed themselves 20+ feet up in one of the library’s towering spruce trees...

Unless changes are made, the postponed 2020 RAGBRAI XLVIII is scheduled for July 25-31 2021, beginning in Le Mars and ending in Clinton. The 2020 event was postponed due to Covid but it is now thought that vaccines becoming available to the masses in early 2021 will reduce or possibly eliminate the pandemic and that fear...

There are seventy-six officially confirmed Iowa counties for emerald ash borer. Allamakee was the first county confirmed positive in May 2012. So far, EAB has not entered Cherokee County, but experts say it’s just a matter of time and that time is coming soon...

The dredging process at Cherokee’s Spring Lake began last week and will continue as long as funding lasts. According to Duane Mummert, Cherokee Parks Superintendent, the City of Cherokee has allocated $10,000 to the project with another $8,750 generously donated by concerned local citizens wanting the dredging to include more of the lake...

MARCUS - Longtime MC, MMC and MMCRU Middle School Athletic Director Mark Brighton has been inducted into the Iowa High School Athletic Director Association’s (IHSADA) Hall of Fame, attaining that coveted level for his many years of service to students, his school, the IHSADA and IHSAA...

It is the season for giving and receiving and for one family, that includes everyone. Nash Pigott-Staver, an 11-year old fifth grader from Cherokee has regularly assigned himself a service project since he was in the second grade. His mom, Mary Beth Ehrig, remembers that "he just wanted to do something small, for his class."...

Cassandra Immele of Cherokee has received the WITCC TRIO-Student Support Services Achiever of the Month Award for December. This award recognizes Western Iowa Tech TRIO students for demonstrating qualities of leadership and citizenship while achieving collegiate academic success. ...