Stories from Monday, March 20, 2017

“March Madness” is upon us and as usual, there is a lot of chatter throughout the Capitol revolving around basketball. With the completion of the Iowa high school tournaments, attention now turns toward the college teams, both men and women, as they battle for national championships. ...

The vernal equinox, as it is called in the Northern Hemisphere, is the equinox on the Earth when the subsolar point appears to leave the southern hemisphere and cross the celestial equator, heading northward as seen from Earth. On the Gregorian calendar the vernal equinox can occur as early as March 19 or as late as March 21. ...

Demolition work has been ongoing at the North 1st Street Water Plant in Cherokee, with mud and soft ground from recent snows and rains, and fluctuating temperatures impacting the operation. The City plan is to demolish the plant in winter time with frost in the ground to alleviate mud, soft ground, and possible road damage from the heavy equipment used...

ALTA - The Alta-Aurelia Jazz Choir, Audacity, has been selected to participate in the 2017 Iowa Vocal Jazz Championship - the 4th year in a row that the Audacity Jazz Choir has been selected. Audacity placed 1st at the 2014 State Championship, 6th in 2015 and 3rd in 2016...

Ancient Native Americans have left behind many mysteries for archaeologist to try to unravel. Small masks with two eyes and long noses, made out of either marine shell, bone or copper are examples of the mysteries left behind the ancient civilization of Cahokia in the Mississippi valley. So why have three been found around Northwest Iowa, hundreds of miles away from Cahokia?...

**March 18 Hallie Dessel of Cherokee **March 20 Roger Ashbaugh of Cherokee

The Cherokee County Board of Supervisors last week approved one-year union contracts for a 1.5 percent wage increase with the Secondary Roads and Law Enforcement Center employees. The employees, falling under the auspices of Operating Engineers Local 234, and the County were forced to re-negotiate prior collective bargaining after the Iowa State Legislature gutted the former collective bargaining bill that allowed for various benefits beyond wages...

The annual Cherokee County Recognition Banquet is Saturday, March 25 at the Aurelia Community Center. Social Hour is at 5:30 p.m., with dinner at 6 p.m. and awards at 7 p.m. Tickets are $25, and can be purchased at the Cherokee Chamber of Commerce/CAEDC offices at 225-5739...

The Cherokee City Council has approved the third and final reading of an Ordinance implementing a Sewer System Maintenance Fee of $4, effective April 1, that will apply to all utility customers and support municipal wastewater operations. City Administrator Sam Kooiker said he fee was necessitated by the loss of Tyson Foods revenue maintaining the industrial treatment plant, and factoring in upcoming maintenance costs...

On Thursday, March 16, 2017, the Aurelia Commercial Club hosted its annual Commercial Club Kickoff dinner at the Aurelia Community Center. A sizable crowd enjoyed a fine meal, catered by Home Plate Catering, and Alta-Aurelia Superintendent Lynn Evans, Aurelia Mayor Gene Suhr and Aurelia Fire Chief Roman Redig each presented brief updates, respectively, on the school, town and Aurelia Fire Department...

Donna Wilmot Witcobe Gadke of Waterloo, 89, formerly of Cherokee, passed away Friday morning, March 17, 2017 at Pinnacle Specialty Care in Cedar Falls, Iowa. Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, March 22nd at 2 p.m. at the Boothby Funeral Home in Cherokee, with Pastor Tom Lewis officiating, and burial will be in the Oak Hill Cemetery at Cherokee. ...