News

The Place to be: Alvord Days 2025

Sandy CompetitionThe competition was fierce and competitors even fiercer during the sand-volleyball tournaments as part of this year’s Alvord Days. (Photo/Tristan Taylor) Fun in the ParkThis young girl comes sliding out of a bouncy house in the Alvord city park. There...

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The biggest test

Sworn As A Citizen Andres Acosta (middle) at his Naturalization Ceremony the last week of May alongside his wife Veronica (middle-right) and their daughter Ellah (right). Veronica was also granted citizenship earlier this year in February. (Photo/Submitted) Americans...

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They like to move it

THE KING OF NEW YORK CITY Jackson Groen strikes a pose as Alex the lion during the opening song of the Madagascar Jr. musical to be performed June 11-13 at 7 p.m. at the Forster Auditorium in Rock Rapids. (Photo/Amy Lyon) TOGETHER FOREVER The cast of Madagascar Jr....

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New royalty has been crowned

MISS INWOOD 2025 Erica Meendering was crowned Miss Inwood 2025 June 7 at Inwood Christian Reformed Church. (Photo/Amy Lyon) Meet Miss Inwood 2025 Amy Lyon | Staff Writer On June 7, the 2025 Miss Inwood and Little Miss Inwood pageant took place at Inwood Christian...

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A clown with a cause

SOMETHING OUT OF NOTHING Frances Metzger laughs at the conclusion of an act with Toby the Kid in which they tore up tissue paper but magically transformed it into a hat. This was just one of the many entertaining parts of the show at the Larchwood City Hall June 4....

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Digging up fun

SUCCESSFUL EXTRACTION Calder Doorneweerd checks out his dinosaur after extracting it from a clay egg June 4 as part of a two-day fossil camp at the Lyon County Nature Center (Photo/Amy Lyon) VELOCIRAPTOR CLAWLyon County naturalist Dayton Buntjer shows off an example...

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Lyon County Attorney pleads guilty to OWI

Dominique Kooiker | Editor On May 29, Lyon County Attorney Nolan Michael McGowan was sentenced for operating while under the influence-first offense, a serious misdemeanor. He had been arrested Feb. 2 in Osceola County and charged with OWI (operating while...

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West Lyon June 2025 Newsletter

Shawn Kreman | Superintendent I was reminded by a member of our community that it had been a while since I’ve shared a monthly newsletter with our district. So I apologize for that, and plan to have a couple more updates yet this summer!This will be the last...

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Canton-Inwood Area Health Foundation awards scholarships

In an effort to support the future of health care, Canton-Inwood Area Health Foundation awards scholarships annually to deserving students who are pursuing an education in health care.The 2025 Health Care of Tomorrow Scholarships have been awarded to Claire Metzger,...

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First Big Bash of the Summer

Preview of this year’s Alvord Days Tristan Taylor | Editor chools are out for the summer and the weather is much warmer, that means it’s time to celebrate! And the first big celebration of the season in West Lyon is almost here with Alvord Days 2025. The City of...

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And the work goes on

Construction Tour On April 21, 2025, staff at West Lyon Community School took a tour through the construction areas on the north wing of school, led by Hausmann Construction. They toured the areas such as the new weight room and auditorium. (Photo/Tristan Taylor)...

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Meet your future Miss Inwood

Erica Meendering Chloe Van Essen Bria Berentschot Brooke Dieters Cora Van Beek Daenerys Snyders Elsie Van Beek Jazlynn Rozeboom Rylee Halma Tennyson Reinke Violet Bixler Zaylie Norris Tristan Taylor | Editor It’s almost time for the new Miss Inwood to be crowned with...

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Taking the oath

The Newest Members AT LEFT: On Wednesday, May 28, Tristan Taylor (left) and Natalie Bohlke (right) were inducted into the Inwood Kiwanis Club by president Randy Gacke (middle). Both took the Kiwanis oath and are now official members of the organization. (Photo/Tristan...

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Summer fun

Local water parks opening for the season Tristan Taylor | Editor It’s time for some summer fun in the West Lyon area, with the Splash Pad in Larchwood and the Aquatic Center in Inwood opening for the summer season.The Larchwood Splash Pad, located in the city park, is...

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‘Well, we all are going to die’

U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst defends Medicaid cuts at heated town hall Robin Opsahl | Iowa Capital Dispatch Parkersburg — At a sometimes-raucous town hall meeting Friday morning, U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst faced vocal opposition to her support for spending cuts to programs such as...

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Pizza From Start to Finish

From left to right: Caroline Huyser, Cindy Van Voorst, Paul Kippley and Randy Gacke make pizzas together at the old Inwood fire station.

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Preparing for the international stage

Top-10 in the World Aria Murray (middle) stands with her parents, Weston and Alex. They all wear shirts saying “Blast off With Braille,” the theme for this year’s Braille Challenge Aria herself came up with. Winning the competition and placing top-10 in her entire...

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Cleaning up the county

PREPARING TO PAINT Harper Bergestadt, left, and Aubrey Ahrenholtz scrape off old paint in preparation to paint a building at Granite on May 22 as part of West Lyon Junior High community service days. (Photo/Amy Lyon) STRENGTH IN NUMBERS Caleb Groeneweg brings a bucket...

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