Hanging up his helmet
HONORING 42 YEARS OF SERVICE Alvord Fire Chief Tanner Van Middendorp, right, presents a plaque to Gib Van Hill for his 42 years of service as a firefighter and EMT at Alvord Fire and Rescue. (Photo/Amy Lyon) A HERO’S CLOTHES Pictured is Gib Van Hill in his firefighter gear. In December 2024 Van Hill retired from Alvord Fire and Rescue after 42 years of...
Nature’s music maker
Up Close With Nature Naturalist Dayton Buntjer displays a wing from a Canada goose during the bird-themed Coffee with Conservation program Tuesday, April 15. (Photo/Tristan...
Keeping a strong jazz culture at West Lyon
West Lyon Wildcat Jazz The West Lyon Wildcat Jazz Choir members: Front Row: Easton Robinson, Colt Metzger, Maggie Kooi, Hazel Niemeyer, Kiann Blomgren, Justina Bruggeman, Sophia...
Current News
Current News
Baskets of fun
READY, SET, GO! The 4- to 6-year-old kids take off running during the Lester Easter egg hunt April...
West Lyon Community School third quarter honor list
4.0 Honor RollSeventh Grade – Brystol Berentschot, Isaiah Boote, Hadassah Harmon, Winslow...
A Christmas Carol
Peek into the past A fifth grade production of “The Spirit of Christmas,” on Thursday, December...
The Book Busters Get Ready For Battle at Marshalltown
By Zoe Kellenberger For the first ever time in West Lyon history, a strong group of readers...
Poems from Mrs. Bahnson’s class
In honor of National Poetry Month, the Mass Media class will run a 4-week series featuring the...
Iowa FFA Leadership Conference
West Lyon FFA The entire West Lyon FFA chapter was ready for a fun-filled two days of convention....
Finding a permanent, loving home for every child
Randy Feenstra In the United States, there are approximately 370,000 children in the foster care...
Courts, Congress And The Constitution
Q&A with Chuck Grassley Q: What are “universal injunctions?”A: An injunction is a court order...
’Cats shoot season-low
Cole Koch tees off during the Siouxland Conference Meet at Rolling Hills Country Club. West Lyon...
Two girls set career lows
Meg Lapka tees off during a meet at Meadow Acres Golf Course. Lapka played junior varisty during...
Conference merger leaves confusing result
West Lyon coach Aaron Johnson was named 2A State Boys Basketball Coach of the Year by the Iowa...
First times two
Annie Metzger clears a hurdle during the Central Lyon Relays in Rock Rapids. Strong performances...
Obituaries
Phyllis Lynch
82 La Crosse, Wisconsin February 2, 2025 Phyllis E. Lynch, 82, of La Crosse, Wisconsin, died Sunday Feb. 23, 2025, at Riverside Transitional Care Facility in La Crosse.Memorial service will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, April 26, with visitation from 10-11 a.m. at Good...
Mary Van Roekel
88 Inwood, Iowa April 4, 2025 Mary Van Roekel, 88, of Inwood, Iowa, passed away Friday, April 4, 2025, at Fellowship Village in Inwood.Funeral service was Wednesday, April 9, at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Inwood, with interment in Christ Lutheran Cemetery, Alvord,...
Nelvina Moser
79 Hull, IowaApril 11, 2025Nelvina Moser, 79, of Hull, Iowa, passed away Friday, April 11, 2025, at Pleasant Acres Care Center in Hull.Visitation will be Tuesday, April 15, from 5-7 p.m. with the family present at Bethel Reformed Church in Lester, Iowa. Funeral...
Janet Ripperda
85 Larchwood, Iowa March 29, 2025 Janet Ripperda, 85, of Larchwood, Iowa, died Saturday, March 29, 2025, at Lyon Specialty Care in Rock Rapids, Iowa. Memorial service was Friday, April 4, at Peace Lutheran Church, Rock Rapids. Janet Marie Hansen was born Oct. 24,...
Mary Smith
86 Nova Scotia, Canada March 25, 2025 Mary Smith, 86, of Nova Scotia, Canada, died Tuesday March 25, 2025, at Parkland at the Lakes Care Facility. Mary Therese Kelly was born May 9,1938, to Ralph and Minnie (Grendler) Kelly of Alvord, Iowa. Mary attended a one-room...
Thomas Miller
80Larchwood, IowaMarch 8, 2025Thomas Miller, 80, of Larchwood, Iowa, passed away Saturday, March 8, 2025, at Bethany Home in Brandon, South Dakota.Funeral services were Friday, March 14, at First Evangelical Free Church, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, with interment in...
Beverly Knutson
88 Sioux Falls, South Dakota February 25, 2025 Beverly Knutson, 88, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, passed away Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025. Memorial services were Monday, March 3, at Miller Funeral Home, Sioux Falls, with interment in Richland Cemetery, Inwood,...
Elaine Childress
92 Alvord, Iowa February 25, 2025 Elaine Childress, 92, of Alvord, Iowa, passed away Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025, at Fellowship Village in Inwood, Iowa. Memorial service was Saturday, March 1, at Jurrens Funeral Home, Rock Rapids, Iowa, with interment in Alvord Cemetery....
Sports
’Cats shoot season-low
Cole Koch tees off during the Siouxland Conference Meet at Rolling Hills Country Club. West Lyon finished with team score of 164 Tuesday, April 15, at Rolling Hills. (Photo/Andrew Buckman) West Lyon Boys’ Golf Hoogeveen finishes in final medal spot at Rolling Hills...
Two girls set career lows
Meg Lapka tees off during a meet at Meadow Acres Golf Course. Lapka played junior varisty during West Lyon’s Siouxland Conference home meet. (Photo/Andrew Buckman) Madi Cornell pushes her cart not long after teeing off at hole Tuesday, April 15. Cornell finished with...
Conference merger leaves confusing result
West Lyon coach Aaron Johnson was named 2A State Boys Basketball Coach of the Year by the Iowa Basketball Coaches Association for the 2024-25 season. Johnson led the Wildcats to 23-4 overall record and a Class 2A state title appeareance this past season. (Photo/Andrew...
First times two
Annie Metzger clears a hurdle during the Central Lyon Relays in Rock Rapids. Strong performances from Metzger, including a first-place finish in the 400-meter hurdles, helped catapult West Lyon to a first-place team result. (Photo/Lily Jurrens) West Lyon Boys’ and...
’Cats dominate Early Bird Triangular
Mason McCarty runs the 400-meter dash to close out the 800-medley sprint medley for West Lyon. McCarty closes the gap late to deliver a first-place finish for the Wildcats. (Photo/Andrew Buckman) Senior Kyndra Gramstad runs the final leg of the 800-meter sprint medley...
’Cats clutch sixth in Rock Rapids
West Lyon senior Braeden Otkin watches his putt travel the green Tuesday, April 8, in Rock Rapids. Otkin finished with a 47 during the first meet of the season for the Wildcats. (Photo/Lisa Miller) West Lyon Boys’ Golf Boys’ golf group participates in first meet of...
Bauder tops ’Cats in Hull
West Lyon junior Haley Folkens holds her follow through on a practice swing before teeing off at Rolling Hills Country Club. Folkens finished second for the Wildcats with a 50 at the meet. (Photo/Andrew Buckman) Emma Evans watches her putt roll on the green at Rolling...
West Lyon Spring Sports Preview Golf
Boys’ Golf Front row (L-R): Brodix Ageson, Cody Snyders, Evan Erpenbach, Brody Martin, Jullian Snyders, Lincoln Bruggeman, Austin Sanderson, Jack Haubert, Brayden Otkin, Drenden Van Wyhe; Back row (L-R): Tristan Bliek, Brayden Faber, Trace Dreke, Peter Rens, Jacob...