Sheldon, Iowa — Easter is this coming Sunday, and one traditional Easter festivity will be taking place in Sheldon this Saturday, March 26th. The annual Sheldon Chamber and Development Corporation Children’s Easter Egg Hunt is scheduled for Saturday morning in the Sheldon City Park.
Sheldon Chamber Director Allison Cooke tells us more.
Cooke says last year they began a staggered start process for the Easter Egg Hunt.
She says that, while the Children’s Easter Egg Hunt will begin Saturday morning at 10, that’s not the only reason for kids to come to the park that morning.
Cooke stressed that the registration forms for the bicycle giveaway will NOT be available at the park Saturday morning.
Registration forms for the bicycle giveaways can be downloaded here, then you can fill them out and take them with you Saturday morning.
A powerful late winter storm will bring snow and strong northerly winds, to southeast South Dakota, parts of southwest Minnesota and northwest Iowa through tonight. Snow will become widespread by mid afternoon as cooling coincides with increased moisture. The highest threat for heavy snowfall amounts have now shifted into southwest Minnesota and much of northwest Iowa. Areas west of Interstate 90 can expect 2 to 6 inches of new snow, with lesser amounts in the far northwest from Chamberlain into the De Smet area. Be sure to stay tuned for the latest updates on the developing winter storm.
WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM THIS
AFTERNOON TO 4 AM CDT THURSDAY.
* TIMING...RAIN WILL GRADUALLY DEVELOP THIS MORNING AND CHANGE TO
SNOW THIS AFTERNOON. PERIODS OF FREEZING RAIN OR SLEET WILL BE
POSSIBLE DURING THE TRANSITION IN THE MID TO LATE AFTERNOON.
PERIODS OF MODERATE TO HEAVY SNOW WILL BE POSSIBLE DURING THE
EVENING. SNOW WILL DIMINISH LATE TONIGHT.
* ACCUMULATIONS...4 TO 8 INCHES WITH ISOLATED HIGHER AMOUNTS
POSSIBLE. VERY LIGHT ICE ACCUMULATIONS ARE POSSIBLE ON ELEVATED
SURFACES.
* WIND AND VISIBILITY...STRONG NORTH TO NORTHEAST WINDS BETWEEN
20 AND 35 MPH GUSTING AS HIGH AS 45 MPH THIS AFTERNOON AND
EVENING WITH WINDS DECREASING LATE TONIGHT. VISIBILITY IN
FALLING AND BLOWING SNOW MAY BE REDUCED TO UNDER A QUARTER
MILE AT TIMES.
* IMPACTS...MIXED PRECIPITATION...TRANSITIONING TO FALLING SNOW
AND BLOWING SNOW...WILL LEAD TO DIFFICULT TRAVEL CONDITIONS...
INCLUDING DURING THE EVENING COMMUTE.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS:
A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW MEANS
SEVERE WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING.
SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF SNOW ARE FORECAST THAT WILL MAKE TRAVEL
DANGEROUS...AND VISIBILITIES WILL BE LIMITED FURTHER DUE TO STRONG
WINDS BLOWING SNOW AROUND. ONLY TRAVEL IN AN EMERGENCY. IF YOU
MUST TRAVEL...KEEP AN EXTRA FLASHLIGHT...FOOD...AND WATER IN YOUR
VEHICLE IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY.
Northwest Iowa — Spring is here, and while the weather is still far from being springlike, soon, northwest Iowans will be zipping around on their bicycles.
A new survey finds many people who enjoy pedaling their two-wheelers could use a refresher course in cycling laws. Gail Weinholzer, spokeswoman for Triple-A-Iowa, says the results were something of a surprise.
Studies find that wearing a bicycle helmet can prevent 85-percent of all traumatic brain injuries in cycling accidents, but many people don’t bother to buckle one on.
Before pumping up the tires and heading out on the trail for the first time, she suggests cycling enthusiasts review the safety recommendations and familiarize themselves with the laws.
For more tips on choosing a bike and helmet, as well as maintaining and riding a bike, download Bike Basics – The AAA Guide to a Great Ride by clicking here
Orange City, Iowa — An Orange City man has thrown his hat into the ring for the open Iowa General Assembly House District 4 seat recently held by Dwayne Alons, and after his death, during this session by John Kooiker.
Jeff VanDerWerff, a Professor of American Government at Northwestern College for the past 17 years, filed his nominating petitions and affidavit of candidacy with the Secretary of State’s office in Des Moines this past week.
VanDerWerff says he wants to be “the voice that champions the conservatism animating Sioux County.”
“Home to a livestock boom, a thriving machine shop industry, an impressive agricultural mix of feedlots and biotechnology, not to mention hard work, health care, and higher education, Sioux County is thriving. While many small towns and rural counties across the state are losing jobs and/or population, profits as well as people are flowing into communities like Sioux Center, Rock Valley, Hull and Orange City, among others,” noted VanDerWerff.
He contends that what is happening in Sioux County is an example worth emulating, a cultural climate that needs to be protected and preserved.
Photo: (L-R) Michael Ross, Deputy Secretary of State and Jeff VanDerWerff (R), filing paperwork placing name on the primary ballot
Rock Rapids, Iowa — A book-signing ceremony was held on Saturday, March 19th at Homeology in Rock Rapids, for the book by Phil and Sandy Hamman, called Gitchie Girl.
The book tells the story of then 13-year-old Sandra (Cheskey) Chrans, who on November 17, 1973, went with her teenage boyfriend and three of his guy friends to hang out, talk, sing, and just enjoy each other’s company, at Gitchie Manitou State Preserve in far northwest Lyon County. Within hours her boyfriend and the other three boys were dead, and the young girl had been sexually assaulted. Amazingly, however, one of the killers drove her to her home and let her go.
Phil Hamman is a published author who grew up in Sioux Falls, and was actually friends with the victims of the quadruple slaying. Hamman says he was approached by Cheskey, about writing a book to get her story out.
We were able to visit with Cheskey at the book signing. We asked her how being a victim of the crime has affected her.
Cheskey was requested to testify at the trial of the killers. She says that was also quite the experience.
We asked her how she has persevered and how she got to be where she is today.
Cheskey says she finally had a dream recently and it really has helped her to heal.
She says she wants to thank those who have helped her.
The foot traffic at the book signing at Homeology seemed to be steady. If you are interested in purchasing a physical copy of the book, there may be some left at Homeology, or you can get a physical book or the e-book version online at amazon.com.
UPDATE — The Statewide Tornado Drill that was planned for Wednesday of this week — March 23rd — has been postponed to Thursday, March 24th, due to impending weather.
Sheldon, Iowa — This is Severe Weather Awareness Week in Iowa. Each day this week, the National Weather Service is focusing on a different severe weather topic.
Today’s topic is severe thunderstorms.
Thunderstorms are a common occurrence each spring and summer across the Midwest. Thunderstorms can be extremely dangerous storms which may bring deadly tornadoes and lightning, damaging high winds and hail and can lead to flash flooding.
The National Weather Service issues severe thunderstorm warnings for thunderstorms that are producing, or are capable of producing one of two weather events, says Warning Coordination Meteorologist Todd Heitkamp with the Sioux Falls office.
A Severe Thunderstorm Watch means conditions are right for severe thunderstorms, and you should stay aware that a warning may be issued.
A Severe Thunderstorm Warning means National Weather Service meteorologists have determined that a severe thunderstorm is occurring or likely to occur. Warnings indicate imminent danger to life and property to those in the path of the storm.
But many people do not pay as much attention to a severe thunderstorm warning as a tornado warning, saying, “it’s just a severe thunderstorm warning”. Heitkamp says that severe thunderstorms can be just as dangerous as tornadoes, perhaps more than some, it’s just that the winds are straight, not in a vortex. He gives a recent example in the Sheldon area.
Heitkamp says the weather service also wants you to remember that not all warnings are the same, and people need to listen to the specifics to hear what kind of weather for which to prepare.
Also, although lightning can be deadly, it is not a criterion for what the National Weather Service defines as severe since even ordinary thunderstorms can produce a lot of lightning.
Tomorrow’s theme is warning reception. The weather service wants to help you decide how you are going to make sure your family knows about and acts on severe weather watches and warnings.
Sheldon, Iowa — Easter is this coming Sunday, and one traditional Easter festivity will be taking place in Sheldon this Saturday, March 26th. The annual Sheldon Chamber and Development Corporation Children’s Easter Egg Hunt is scheduled for Saturday morning in the Sheldon City Park.
