Articles written by Nick Pedley
Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 575
By 
Lawmakers crack open new Students First Act at Eggs and Issues
There were eggs on the menu, but education was the main dish Saturday morning at the first Eggs & Issues forum of 2023. Four local lawmakers fielded questions from patrons during the first of...
CC/E board discusses snow make-up days
An abundance of snow days this winter garnered significant discussion Jan. 25 by the Clay Central/Everly school board. Snowy conditions have kept students out of the classroom multiple days since Dece...
Hartley hires new gas superintendent
The Hartley City Council on Jan. 24 filled one of two key vacancies in the public works department. Members voted to hire Isaac Molendorp as the city's new gas superintendent. He succeeds Adam Lux,...
Education reform bill passes in Legislature
While most Iowans were sleeping, the Legislature on Monday night and Tuesday morning passed sweeping changes to K-12 education funding that will allow taxpayer dollars to be used for tuition at...
Blaze damages downtown Spencer buildings
Investigators are still trying to determine the cause of a fire Sunday that damaged several businesses and upstairs apartments on Grand Avenue in Spencer. According to a news release from the Spencer...
Frosty fishing fun at Scharnberg Pond
The sight of 1,500 rainbows dazzled visitors at Scharnberg Pond near Everly Saturday, but their gazes weren't fixed on the sky above. Curious anglers and other onlookers crowded the pond's south...
Everly council approves wage increases
The Everly City Council handled a variety of New Year business during its meeting Monday. Wage increases for city employees garnered the bulk of discussion. The council in previous years had approved wage increases based on a percentage; however,...
Hartley's pool situation remains unchanged
Officials at City Hall are remaining tight-lipped about Hartley's never-opened new pool. City Administrator Erica Haack last week declined to comment on any potential progress made towards opening...
One wild ride
Ever since he was a little boy, Randy Guggisberg knew he wanted to work with horses. Decades later, he's still riding and reaping the rewards for his hard work. This weekend he'll accept the award for...
City to purchase new sewer pickup
The Hartley City Council on Monday approved a bid for $51,812 for a new sewer department truck. Ron Drenkow Motors, of Sheldon, was the winning bidder, with the only other submission coming from...
Education and taxes are targets for Iowa GOP majority in 2023
With strong majorities in both the House and Senate, Iowa Republicans are hoping to keep Gov. Kim Reynolds' desk piled high with bills to sign during the 2023 legislative session. The 90th Iowa Genera...
Maybe next time
The Clay Central/Everly school board on Dec. 28 had to rescind a measure that had been rescinded once already. A resolution regarding board member elections was yanked from the books after being...
Pedley's Ponderings
Here we are in 2023. While I used to be an optimist with each New Year, the sands of time have somewhat smudged my perspective. Nowadays, I just assume everything will be more of the same regardless of the calendar’s numbers. Nonetheless, I do...
Out with the old
And just like that, the sun has set on 2022 and we're on to the New Year. Though the pages of the Sentinel-News were filled with hundreds of stories over the past 365 days, some stood head and...
Pre-Christmas blizzard blasts NWI
It wasn't so much the snow as it was the wind. An intense winter storm blew through the upper Midwest last week just in time to wreck travel plans and cancel Christmas events throughout the region....
O'Brien County farmland is prettiest penny in Iowa
The average value of an acre of O'Brien County farmland is now the highest in Iowa. The annual Iowa State Land Value Survey released this month reported a 20.6 percent increase in O'Brien County...
Landowners express concerns about pipelines at Hartley meeting
Farmers and landowners gathered at the Hartley American Legion on Saturday to share concerns and information about two controversial pipelines that would affect O'Brien and Clay counties. Citing...
Bull truck will ride again
Everly's famed bull truck is down, but she's not out. The city council on Monday signed off on a $1,305 quote for repair expense on the 1941 International truck. It started on fire last weekend prior...
Resignations accepted by Hartley City Council
A pair of resignations will have the Hartley City Council looking to fill some big shoes in the coming months. Public Works Director Jaron Benz and Gas Superintendent Adam Lux submitted their letters...
Sweeping renovations would make former elementary school one of NWI's 'crown jewels'
After sitting vacant for a year and a half, there's new hope on the horizon for the future of the former Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn Elementary school. Michael Reese, whose firm Hestia Investments...
Hardware Hawks!
Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn Dance Attack members needed to make room for extra cargo on their way home from Des Moines last week. The team won several awards during the 47th annual Iowa High School and...
Grant helps HFD get new gear
Five Hartley firefighters are looking fresh thanks to a grant from the O'Brien County Community Foundation (OCCF). The local department was able to purchase new bunker gear for a portion of the squad...
CC/E board changes director district election process
After more than a year of discussion and one negated attempt, the Clay Central/Everly school board on Nov. 30 finally changed the way members are elected. "This will give our district more...
Pedley's Ponderings
There are things in this world I can tolerate and there are things I cannot. Hanging Christmas lights falls under the latter category. I’ve bemoaned the annual task several times in this space before. At our old house in Ocheyedan, the chore fell...
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas
Tuesday's snowfall arrived just in time to set the mood for Christmas activities this weekend in Hartley and Everly. Several holiday events are planned in both communities starting Friday and...
