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CWHS 2026 Homecoming Court

Cherokee Schools will celebrate homecoming next week, Sept. 28-Oct. 2 with the theme “Take Back the Night.” Seniors nominated to the court in front: Addie Wilkie, Addy Wolfswinkel, Deidra Doeden, …
Sadie Byers with help from mom Jill cuts the ribbon in celebration of the new sports complex at Aurelia Park.
The Aurelia Development Corporation and local community celebrated the grand opening of their new sports complex at Aurelia Park on Sunday with a ribbon cutting. Two new regulation pickleball courts …
For over 40 years, Cherokee County fifth grade students have participated in the CAEDC Agri-Business Committee farm tour. This year students from Alta-Aurelia, MMCRU and River Valley toured …

100th birthday

Arlene Betz Grienke will host a coffee at the Aurelia Community Center on Wednesday, Oct. 7 from 9-11 a.m. to celebrate her 100th birthday. No gifts, please. Cards can be sent to 705 W 7th St., Room …

Estate of deceased Schoon worker sues landlord, property manager for wrongful death

Landlord, property manager deny civil charges, ask for trial Tracy Dean Coombs, 48, of Cherokee, died last August while boring fiber optic cable to a Sergeant Bluff duplex.  His estate …

Vandals strike back at Big Brother

Storm Lake police are investigating why something was damaged – presumably a Flock camera – near the Buena Vista University Facilities Management building.  Dana Larsen, a spokesman for …

Area colleges pass on Iowa Climate Statement

NWCC says ‘political’ climate statement outside of mission Not a single professor from any of the post-secondary institutions with a physical footprint in Buena Vista or Cherokee counties …

Farm Bureau county voting delegates adopt resolutions; general election Nov. 3

Farmers can make a difference on important agriculture issues when they come together and speak with a unified voice, Iowa Farm Bureau President Brent Johnson said in his annual speech to voting …
The Aurelia Kiwanis Yard of The Month for September is located just a few miles north of Aurelia. It is the beautiful acreage that Lowell & Paula Smith built and designed themselves. They have …

Cherokee History Week: Missing in America Project

Guest Speaker Mike Rowley, Iowa Society of the Sons of the American Revolution.

Four interred veterans are newly recognized at the Beacon Hollow Cemetery thanks to the Missing in America Veterans Recovery Program. The Sanford Museum hosted national project director Don Gerspach …

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Opinion
Letter to the Editor: Ugly ads aimed at Nate Willems are hogwash
My son Nate Willems is running for Iowa Attorney General. As a mom I was prepared for negative ads against him. But the ugly, vicious lies currently running are way beyond the norm for negative ads. …
A month out, Iowa poised for a political turn
Iowa is setting up for a course correction one month out from the November midterm elections. The Republicans’ 10-year grip over the state’s politics is slipping. Iowa is aiming to elect a …
Editorials: Hinson hides
Rep. Ashley Hinson has been a loyal soldier for President Trump in Congress and a tireless partisan in the Second District. This week she voted in support of the war on Iran while her Republican …
Remembering two literary greats – Wendell Berry and Annie Dillard
Writer Wendell Berry died on Aug. 31. A smidge over two weeks later, writer Annie Dillard died at the age of 81. Compared to Berry, who was 92, she was a pup. They both wrote fiction, poetry, and …
Guess who loses when the gov’t official snoozes?
When dealing with the Iowa Public Information Board, being a mind-reader helps. That is one takeaway from the board’s dismissal last week of a public-records complaint against Attorney General …
Sports

Royal girls hit 20 aces to take home win over Mustangs

REMSEN - The MMCRU volleyball team hosted George-Little Rock on Tuesday and took a 3-0 victory to rise to 12-7. MMCRU led early to start the first set, but the Mustangs fired back to lead 15-9 …

Cherokee boys win at Alta-Aurelia XC Meet

ALTA - The Alta-Aurelia cross country team hosted a meet on Monday where they, Cherokee, MMCRU, Ridge View and South O’Brien competed. The Cherokee boys won the meet with a team score of 67, …

Raptors win 3-0 over Siouxland Christian

HOLSTEIN - The Ridge View volleyball team hosted Siouxland Christian on Tuesday and swept the match for a 3-0 victory. The Raptors won the first two sets with a score of 25-19 in each set before …

Cherokee girls tennis ends season in regional to Spirit Lake

SPIRIT LAKE - The Cherokee girls tennis team traveled to take on Spirit Lake to start the Class 1A Region 4 tournament on Monday, but the Indians took a 6-0 win, ending the Braves’ season. Mya …

Warrior volleyball goes undefeated at home tournament

ALTA - The Alta-Aurelia volleyball team hosted a tournament on Saturday where they won all four of their matches to rise to 18-5. The Warriors first took a 2-0 win over Remsen St. Mary’s with …

Obituaries
Kathy Smith
Kathy “Kat” “Beaver” Smith, 71, of Quimby passed away in her home on Sept. 24, 2026, after a short battle with cancer. Memorial service will be 10:30 a.m on Saturday, Oct. 3, at Quimby …
Jeffery McKenzie
Funeral services for Jeffery A. McKenzie, 61, of Aurelia were held Monday, Sept. 28, 2026, at First United Methodist Church in Aurelia. Redig Funeral Home of Aurelia was in charge of the …
Gary McClaren
Gary D. McClaren, 75, of Sutherland passed away on Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026, at St. Mary's Medical Center in Blue Springs, Mo.  Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, Oct. …
Donald Magnussen
Donald “Don” Magnussen, 94, of Primghar passed away on Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2026, at Prairie View Retirement Home in Sanborn. His funeral service was held Saturday, Aug. 29, at Zion Lutheran …
Wayne Cave
Wayne L. Cave, 99, of Cherokee passed away on Tuesday evening, Sept. 29, 2026, at Accura Healthcare. Memorial services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 3, at Bethlehem Lutheran …
Births
Amie and Dominick Anderson of Aurelia are thrilled to announce the birth of their new son, Blake Michael Anderson. He was born on Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, at 4:20 p.m. Blake weighed 7 pounds, 0 …
Tiffany and Tyler Nelson of Hornick are thrilled to announce the birth of their new son, Tracey Layne Nelson. He was born on Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026, at 1:08 p.m. Tracey weighed 7 pounds, 8 …
Jacob and Isabelle Grinstead of Ankeny are the proud parents of their first child, a son, Henry Isaiah, born Aug. 20, 2026, in Ankeny. Grandparents include Todd and Sonja Faust of Cherokee, and …