Central Lyon celebrates homecoming Dominique Kooiker | Editor The theme of Central Lyon homecoming 2024 was Candyland. Students, faculty and staff participated in a variety of dress-up days, contests, activities and more.During coronation Wednesday, Sept. 18, Matt Elbert and Alexis Austin were crowned homecoming king and queen. Captains and leaders of the football, volleyball, cross-country […]
Ripe harvest and rich history
Amy Lyon | Staff Writer When Dave and Mary Fields moved to their current residence 21 years ago, they never had intentions of starting an apple orchard. Fast-forward to present day, however, and they have 100 apple trees and counting in what they named Arlington Orchard.This name had no special meaning for the Fields but […]
Preserving a piece of family heritage
FIFTH-GENERATION FARMERS The Martens family has farmed their land southeast of George for five generations. Pictured is the Martens family in front of their 1896 barn. Front, left to right, Matt and Sherry’s children: Kirra, Mason, Sydney and Kade. Back, Matt and Sherry Mitchell; Linda, Bob and Steve Martens. (Photo/Submitted) A PIECE OF FAMILY HERITAGE […]
Uncovering the rest of the story
Dominique Kooiker | Editor Many people wonder about their family’s stories, wondering what happened in the lives of those who came before. Richard Reitsma of Rock Rapids is one of those people, and his quest to discover his family’s stories led him to write a book titled “Forgetfulness: The Holocaust Orphan Jay’s Lost Dutch-Jewish Family […]
Central Lyon students head back to school
Dominique Kooiker | Editor Friday, Aug. 21 marked the first day of the 2024-2025 school year at Central Lyon. It might have been a little cloudy as students entered the building, but they were greeted with sunny smiles from teachers, staff and friends to start off the first day of the new school year.Once inside […]
Celebrating a delayed Freedom Days
George hosts annual celebration Bryan L. Valentine | ContributorThe 2024 Freedom Days parade Saturday afternoon started off with a bang. Literally, a cannon shot up in the air to signify the beginning of the festivities that greeted young and old alike.Main Street was lined up with spectators from George and neighboring communities waiting for the […]
Catching a river monster
Rock Rapids teen reels in massive catfish Dominique Kooiker | Editor Early in the morning on Thursday, Aug. 8, Central Lyon sophomore Ethan Geerdes and a friend headed down to Island Park in Rock Rapids to do some fishing. Neither of the boys expected to encounter one of the biggest fish they’d ever seen in […]
Family business toprovide more options for community
Pixel Six Graphics opens in Rock Rapids Dominique Kooiker | Editor This month, Rock Rapids will welcome a new shop to the business district: Pixel Six Graphics. Pixel Six is a family-run sign shop and apparel printing business alongside a retail space for selling items they design and anything else they find a need for […]
Making the most of fair week
Dominique Kooiker | Editor Even though the flood at the end of June meant the Lyon County Fair could not safely be hosted on the fairgrounds in Rock Rapids this year, the fair board and the community alike were determined to gather together as a community and to give 4-H and FFA exhibitors a chance […]
Bringing Smiles after the storm
CREATING A CAST OF CHARACTERS Linda Silvey of Rock Rapids poses with her newest character, Shirley, on Main Street Monday, July 15. Silvey has been creating these mannequins to bring a little bit of joy to people after the June flood. (Photo/Dominique Kooiker) Dominique Kooiker | Editor Over the course of the past few weeks, […]