Kiwanis Club opens can return shed Dominique Kooiker | Editor Those hoping to donate their 5-cent cans and bottles toward a good cause will now have an option in Rock Rapids. The Rock Rapids Kiwanis Club is placing a can return shed in the parking lot south of Dollar General. Those wishing to donate their […]
Regulations for discharging fireworks In Iowa, state law permits the discharge of fireworks from June 1- July 8 between the hours of 9 a.m. and 10 p.m. On July 4 and the Saturday and Sunday immediately before or after July 4, the discharge time is extended to 11 p.m.However, city officials in each community can […]
Fireworks have been integral components of celebrations for centuries. These pyrotechnics originated in ancient China, with their earliest forms thought to be made from bamboo stalks thrown into a fire. Fireworks ultimately evolved into gunpowder-filled paper tubes. Modern fireworks still largely use traditional gunpowder as well as additional ingredients like aluminum and iron to create […]
Premier Bank recently announced the promotion of Dan Taylor to president. Since joining Premier Bank in 2000, Taylor has held several key roles, including lender, assistant vice-president and senior vice-president. This role was previously held by Wade Gort, who will continue to serve as the bank’s chief executive officer.Reflecting on his journey, Taylor shared “I […]
Brian Hilt | Lyon County Sheriff The month of May was an exciting month internally at the sheriff’s office. One highlight of the month, which I don’t have space to really address here, was for members of the team to be able to go to Washington, D.C., during National Police Week to honor the service […]
Letter to the Editor This past week I received the bill for my (Rock Rapids, Iowa) home insurance for the fiscal year 6/15/2025 to 6/15/2026. It is not an exaggeration to say I had some real sticker shock. My home insurance has, in one year, gone up from $1,528 to $2,071. That was an increase […]
Randy Feenstra | District Representative One year ago, catastrophic floods devastated communities across western Iowa.From Rock Valley, Correctionville and Hawarden to Spencer, Sioux City and Cherokee, countless towns faced unthinkable destruction and first responders bravely jumped into action. Homes, businesses, hospitals, schools, farms and other infrastructure were damaged — many beyond repair — leaving families […]
To the Citizens of Lyon County,As you may have heard, in the early morning hours of Feb. 2, 2025, I was charged with Operating While Intoxicated, First Offense, following a traffic stop that began because I was speeding. I entered a plea of guilty to that charge on May 29, 2025, and received the minimum […]
Amy Lyon | Staff Writer What started as a windy yet sunny day Wednesday, June 11, quickly turned dark during the very early afternoon. A sudden outbreak of powerful wind storms tore through northwest Iowa, causing widespread damage across multiple counties.In the stretch of land between Rock Rapids and Little Rock, winds were clocked up […]