‘Can’t imagine moving any other place’
Lester Parade Marshals 2025 Bob and Cindy Leuthold have been named the parade marshals for this year’s Lester Days celebration. From running a business to helping start the town’s rescue squad, the two have been part of Lester for years. (Photo/Tristan Taylor) Leuthholds Named Lester Days Parade Marshals Tristan Taylor | Editor rom being classmates to...
Riverboat Foundation completes grant payments to Merrill Pioneer Community Hospital
RIVERBOAT FOUNDATION PRESENTS FINAL HOSPITAL GRANT PAYMENT On Wednesday, Aug. 6, the Lyon County Riverboat Foundation completed the final payment of a $1 million grant agreed to...
For the success of the students
Seeing the Kids Succeed Noreen Greer is starting as the new elementary principal at West Lyon Community School this fall. She said her philosophy is to always do what is best for...
Current News
Current News
A celebration in the village
Lester Days 2024 A photo from Lester Days 2024, featuring Colin and Clara Metzger riding in a...
FFA Members
Peek Into the Past Members of the West Lyon FFA photographed before a meeting. Members from left...
The journey through grief
First Reformed Church to offer GriefShare support groups Tristan Taylor | Editor rief is something...
How to make mental health matter
Mental health is now discussed more openly than it once was. Mental illness or issues that...
‘More than anything I can imagine’: The inevitable human experience of grief and sympathy
Pastor Jeremy Winter of St. John Lutheran Church in Boyden says faith can be instrumental when one...
Jurrens Funeral Homes offer funeral pre-planning
Funeral pre-planning with a professional eases anxiety Dominique Kooiker | Writer The death of a...
Senior living residents enjoy the great outdoors
STILL CASTING STRONG Wayne Groeneweg enjoys a beautiful morning of fishing at Lake Pahoja with...
1,000 books before kindergarten
1000 Books, 1000 Stories Tirzah Rinkenberger (left) and Jazlynn Rozeboom (right) completed the...
Weathering the Storm
Path of the Storm Pictured is the path of the tornado that touched down a mile east of Alvord...
Competing with the best
The National Stage (Left to Right) Dallas Koedam, Kinser Koedam and Emma Poppens, members of Plum...
Celebrating 75 years of conservation
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD On Tuesday, July 29, at the Lyon County Soil and Water Conservation...
State ed board moves millions in career and tech education funding to K-12 schools
Brooklyn Draisey Iowa Capital Dispatch How career and technical education for students across the...
Obituaries
Carolyn Thiessen
84 Kansas City, Missouri July 21, 2025 Carolyn Thiessen, 84, of Kansas City, Missouri, passed away Monday, July 21, 2025, at her home. A family memorial service will be at a later date. Carolyn Thiessen was born July 8, 1941, at Rock Rapids Iowa, daughter of Henry and...
Gayle Johnson
Gayle Johnson 87 Rock Rapids, Iowa July 27, 2025 Gayle Johnson, 87, of Rock Rapids, Iowa, passed away Sunday, July 27, 2025, at Lyon Specialty Care in Rock Rapids. Funeral service was Thursday, July 31, at Peace Lutheran Church, Rock Rapids, interment in Riverview...
Sara Daale
Sara Daale 46 Ponca, Nebraska July 23, 2025 Sara Daale, 46, of Ponca, Nebraska, formerly of Fairview, South Dakota, passed away Wednesday, July 23, 2025, at her home. Memorial service was Sunday, Aug. 3, at Porter Funeral Home, Hawarden, Iowa, Survivors include...
Sadie Faber
Sadie Faber96Inwood, IowaJuly 24, 2025Sadie Faber, 96, of Inwood, Iowa, passed away Thursday, July 24, 2025, at Fellowship Village, Inwood. Funeral services were Tuesday, July 29, at Inwood Christian Reformed Church, Inwood. Sadie Folkerts was born March 29,...
Nancy Thompson
Nancy Thompson66Sioux Falls, South DakotaJuly 18, 2025Nancy Ilene Thompson, age 66, of Sioux Falls, SD, passed away Friday, July 18, 2025.Celebration of life gathering will be from 1-3 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 2, at the Sky Lounge in Tea, South Dakota.Nancy Ilene Hamburg...
Douglas Plueger
Douglas Plueger71 Rock Valley, Iowa July 18, 2025 Douglas Plueger, 71, of Rock Valley, Iowa, died Friday, July 18, 2025, at Avera McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Mass of Christian burial was Tuesday, July 22, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Rock Valley....
Wayne Ireland
84Sioux Falls, South DakotaJuly 5, 2025Wayne Ireland, 84, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, passed away Saturday, July 5, 2025, at Dow Rummel Village in Sioux Falls.Celebration of life will be Saturday, July 19, at Miller Funeral Home – Southside Chapel (7400 S. Minnesota...
Dale Plueger
71Rock Valley, IowaJuly 8, 2025Dale Plueger, 71, of Rock Valley, Iowa, passed away Tuesday, July 8, 2025, at Whispering Heights in Rock Valley.Mass of Christian burial was Tuesday, July 15, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Rock Valley, with inurnment in Riverview...
Sports
On to the state semis
West Lyon softball poses for a picture following its state championship loss to Van Meter in Fort Dodge. Back row left to right: Coach Alexis Severson, Lucy Doorneweerd, Jessa Ciesielski, Hadlee Vander Sanden, Mallorie Koch, Brooke Poppens, Ella Langenhorst, Mara...
WL caps year in Carroll
West Lyon baseball poses for a picture following its season-ending loss to Pleasantville in the Class 2A State Tournament. The program’s senior class stands right behind those kneeling and surrounds the group’s trophy. (Photo/Andrew Buckman) Several key seniors play...
State participants for ninth time
West Lyon baseball poses for a picture with its banner after earning its spot in the Class 2A state tournament following a blowout of Okoboji. In the bottom of the fifth inning Tuesday, July 15, the Wildcats walked in a mercy rule-clinching run to defeat the Pioneers...
Back to state for first time since ‘06
Following its 3-1 win over Hinton, West Lyon softball poses for a banner photo as a team. The Wildcats defeated the Blackhawks in a defensive battle Monday, July 14, in Larchwood to advance to the Class 2A state tournament. (Photo/Andrew Buckman) West Lyon Softball...
’Cats advance to district championship
Squad plays near flawless game for first playoff win following bye Carson Meyer slides into second base as the baseball bounces past one Lawton-Bronson fielder and toward another. West Lyon defeated the Eagles 10-0 in Larchwood. (Photo/Lily Jurrens) Andrew Buckman |...
Softball squad takes playoff win at home
Hawks shut down by Hawf on mound, can’t limit WL small-ball runs West Lyon junior Leah Blauwet (2) holds her glove in the air and looks up in hopes of catching the descending softball. The Wildcats defeated Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn 8-0 Wednesday, July 8. (Photo/Lily...
Doubleheader goes to ’Cats
Easton DeJong watches the pitcher in a bent-over position after reaching first base. West Lyon went on to drop a 9-0 result to MOC-Floyd Valley in Larchwood. (Photo/Andrew Buckman) Junior Cooper Schoening prepares to release a pitch during West Lyon’s home game vs....
WL wipes out Orabs in five innings
West Lyon Softball Squad begins final week of regular season with convincing win Andrew Buckman | Sports Editor West Lyon 1-1-3-5-2 12Sheldon 1-0-0-0-0 1 SHELDON – West Lyon began the final week of the regular season with a dominant victory in five innings over a...