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Man Jailed For Making Death Threats

spencerpoliceSpencer, Iowa — A Spencer man was taken to the Clay County Jail Thursday afternoon after allegedly making threats against his mother, and his 4-year old daughter.

Spencer Police Chief Mark Warburton says that about 3:40 Thursday afternoon, the Spencer Police Department, along with the H.E.A.T. , or High Risk Entry and Arrest Team, executed an arrest warrant at 1007 West 7th Street in Spencer.  Warburton says the warrant was for 26-year old Michael Nelson, charging him with 2 counts of Harassment 1st Degree.  Warburton says the warrant stems from an incident earlier in the day in which Michael Nelson allegedly threatened to harm his mother and kill his 4 year-old daughter. 

Warburton said that due to the time of day, the threat of a weapon, and the proximity to multiple schools, bus locations, safe routes to school trail, and public parks, all Spencer Schools were advised to move to lockdown.    

He says Nelson was later taken into custody without incident and held at the Clay County Jail on a $10,000  bond.    

Flags To Half Staff For Patriot Day

Statewide, Iowa — It’s been fourteen years since the terrorist attacks known worldwide as “9/11”.
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Iowa Governor Terry E. Branstad has ordered flags be flown at half-staff Friday, September 11, 2015, from 8 AM to 5 PM, in remembrance of those killed in the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

Flags will be flown at half-staff on the state Capitol building and on flag displays in the Capitol complex, and upon all public buildings, grounds, and facilities throughout the state. Individuals, businesses, schools, municipalities, counties and other government subdivisions are encouraged to fly the flag at half-staff for the same length of time as a sign of respect.

On September 11, 2001, four passenger airliners were hijacked by 19 al-Qaeda terrorists to be flown into buildings. Two of the planes were crashed into the World Trade Center Towers in New York City, which both collapsed within two hours. A third plane crashed into the Pentagon in Washington, DC. A fourth plane was apparently also headed to Washington, but its passengers attempted to overtake the hijackers, and the plane crashed in a field in Pensylvania.

In all, nearly 3000 Americans lost their lives in the attacks.

Recent Rains Erase Precipitation Deficit

Northwest Iowa — The recent rains have basically brought us back to normal precip-wise in northwest Iowa. That’s the thought of the state climatologist and the official weather data monitored by KIWA.
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According to the weather data, we were at three inches below normal to nearly four inches below normal during parts of July and August. And even before that, we had been somewhat below normal on precip since the first of March. Finally on August 29th, we were right at normal again for the first time since this winter. The first week of September we were less than an inch below normal, and now, thanks to recent heavy rains we are almost two and a half inches above normal.

Iowa State Climatologist Harry Hillaker says that believe it or not, although the last few years have been a little drier, wetter years have been more common in the last 50 years or so.


He says it’s a little hard to believe since it’s been a little dry and we’ve had fairly significant droughts fairly recently.


According to the US Drought monitor, northwest Iowa has had some areas that were abnormally dry as recently as mid-August. Earlier this year, there were isolated patches of the area that were actually in moderate to severe drought for a while, but all those patches of less than normal moisture disappeared in mid-August and have stayed that way.

As far as this coming winter, Hillaker says it’s going to be an El Niño winter again. Eight out of the last nine times that’s happened, it’s meant milder temperatures and slightly less precipitation. But the last time we had an El Niño winter, we got the opposite effect — cold and snowy. Hillaker says he expects this winter to be like the other eight — mild. But as we all know, weather is difficult to predict.

First Reformed Sportsmen’s Banquet Is Saturday

Sheldon, Iowa — The 15th annual Sheldon First Reformed Church Sportsmen’s Banquet is coming up on Saturday, September 12th.
Branstad Bags Deer
The banquet, which in previous years had been a spring event, will be at the Northwest Iowa Community College Lifelong Learning and Recreation Center. They’ve got a great meal and a great speaker lined up. Doors open at 6:00 PM.

The guest speaker is Jason Cruise. One of the people behind the banquet, Even DeHoogh tells us about him.


DeHoogh tells us about the supper.


DeHoogh says raffle prizes, including several guns will be given away.


He says people look forward to the drawing — especially the guns. According to DeHoogh, it’s a great family event.


DeHoogh says there will be several taxidermy displays as well.

Heidi Brown Talks Hotel/Motel Tax Increase

MoneySheldon, Iowa — When Sheldon voters go to the polls November 3rd, they’ll be asked to approve an  increase in the City’s Hotel/Motel Tax from the current rate of 5% to the maximum allowable 7%.

Heidi Brown is the Chair of the Sheldon Marketing Committee, the group that allocates the revenues from the City’s Hotel/Motel Tax, and she says the beauty of this tax is that, while the citizens of Sheldon must approve the increase, they’re not the ones who will be paying the increased rate.

She says that the Code of Iowa sets out criteria for how Hotel/Motel Tax monies can be spent.

Brown says her hope is that the additional monies could be earmarked for the Parks & Rec Fund, so that it can be used for the needs of that department.

She says that last year, Sheldon’s Hotel/Motel Tax generated about $111,000 in revenues, and if the proposed tax increase passes, the additional 2% could account for an additional $40,000 or more in revenues to the City of Sheldon, and all without raising taxes on Sheldon residents.

Charges Filed In Death Of Nursing Home Resident Hit By Pickup

Pleasant Acres Fatal pic 1Hull, Iowa — Sioux County Sheriff’s officials have filed charges against a Hull man whose pickup struck a Hull nursing home, killing one of the home’s residents.

According to Sioux County authorities, 77-year old Lawrence Sohl of Hull has been cited for Failure To Maintain Control in connection with the crash that killed 88-year old Anna Dykstra of Hull.  The crash happened August 31st, when a pickup driven by Sohl struck the back of a minivan driven by his wife, 72-year old Kathleen Sohl, then continued down the street, through an intersection and across the lawn of the Pleasant Acres Care Center, striking the care center and travelling through two rooms before coming to rest completely inside the building.

The Sheriff’s Office says that Dykstra had been in her room at Pleasant Acres Care Center at the time of the crash, and that she was killed when the truck entered her room, striking her.