Siouxland News - Local News

Openly Gay Boy Scouts Allowed in 2014

Olivia Wilmsen — Fri, 24 May 2013 23:44:00 EDT

(SIOUX CITY, IA) - Starting next year, the Boy Scouts of America will allow openly gay boys to become scouts. Two Sioux City Scout representatives say they agree with the decision.

Experts Goal to Get Sioux City Streets Pedestrian Friendly

Heather Leigh — Fri, 24 May 2013 23:43:00 EDT

(SIOUX CITY, IA) How often do you walk around downtown Sioux City? Experts say probably not enough.

Railroad Museum Gets Big Boost for Upgrades

Olivia Wilmsen — Thu, 23 May 2013 23:42:00 EDT

(SIOUX CITY, IA) - A major makeover is in the works for what's now been named the "Sioux City Railroad Museum." A big grant is giving the museum a chance to save the area's railroad heritage.

Sheldon, IA, on Water Watch Waiting for Government to Pay Up

Heather Leigh — Thu, 23 May 2013 23:42:00 EDT

(SHELDON, IA) The city of Sheldon, Iowa has put its residents on a water watch. The city's water plant is taking in less water than it did last year at this time and city leaders say if the trend continues

Hometown Farmer: Seed Saving Library

Jacob Heller — Thu, 23 May 2013 11:24:00 EDT

(SOUTH SIOUX CITY, NE) Dave Mixdorf in South Sioux City is on a seed saving mission.

Donating to Oklahoma: Woman Keeps Husband's Memory Alive

Olivia Wilmsen — Wed, 22 May 2013 23:46:00 EDT

(MERRILL, IA) - In the wake of the tragedy in Oklahoma, Siouxlanders are banding together to help those who lost everything. One Merrill, Iowa woman is keeping her husband's memory alive by making a difference in the lives of others.

Argosy Owner Claims Sioux City Played Favorites

Heather Leigh — Wed, 22 May 2013 23:45:00 EDT

(SIOUX CITY, IA) Just a few weeks after the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission gave the green light to build a Hard Rock Casino in Sioux City. The company that owns the current Argosy Casino is fighting

New Nonprofit Launches Community Garden Network

Wed, 22 May 2013 22:54:00 EDT

(SIOUX CITY, IA) A Non-profit organization has started a community garden in Sioux City, hoping to offer access to fresh produce to people living in "food deserts."

Tornado Season: Are You Prepared?

Olivia Wilmsen — Wed, 22 May 2013 00:07:00 EDT

(SOUTH SIOUX CITY, NE) - We're no strangers to tornadoes here in Siouxland, especially big ones like the Little Sioux twister of 2008 and Mapleton in 2011.

Norovirus Blamed for School Illnesses

Tue, 21 May 2013 23:47:00 EDT

(SIOUX CITY, IA) - Health officials on Tuesday said a Norovirus was to blame for an illness that sickened dozens of children and staffers at Bryant Elementary School last week.

Nebraska Man Accused of Kidnapping Wife in Madison County

Heather Leigh — Tue, 21 May 2013 22:38:00 EDT

(MADISON CO, NE) Vern Hjorth has been the sheriff in Madison County, Nebraska for 30 years... "We've seen a lot of bizarre things in 30 years in this county but this rank up right up among them."

Iowa Red Cross Ready to Assist Oklahoma

Tue, 21 May 2013 11:44:00 EDT

American Red Cross crews in Iowa are on standby to help tornado victims in Oklahoma. In a statement, Kara Kelly from the Iowa region of the American Red Cross said teams are assessing the situation in

Two Girls Abducted from Bus Stop, One Still Missing

Tue, 21 May 2013 11:19:00 EDT

Two girls were taken Monday 4 p.m. from a bus stop in Northern Iowa. One girl, a 12-year-old, was found walking around a farmhouse in Boone County. The second girl, Kathlynn Shepard, 15, is still missing

Manufacturing Plant Is Staying Open

Heather Leigh — Mon, 20 May 2013 22:50:00 EDT

(SPENCER, IA) It looked like the end of the line last week for Simonsen Iron Works in Spencer. The company was out of money and closed its doors. But now, there's a new owner, and new hope for the future.

Ashley Cameron Found Not Guilty of First Degree Murder

Heather Leigh — Fri, 17 May 2013 18:49:00 EDT

(ONAWA, IA) The Verdict is in for the Onawa Mother accused of Drowning her 15-month-old baby in the bathtub. Ashley Cameron faced a possible life sentence for first degree murder but the judge convicted

School Sickness Spreads, Parents Urged To Keep Kids Home

Olivia Wilmsen — Fri, 17 May 2013 18:48:00 EDT

(SIOUX CITY, IA) - A nasty stomach bug is floating around Bryant Elementary School keeping dozens of students home the past couple of days. The Siouxland District Health Department is investigating.

Jamal Dean Pleads Not Guilty

Olivia Wilmsen — Fri, 17 May 2013 18:47:00 EDT

(SIOUX CITY, IA) - Jamal Dean pleaded not guilty on Friday to five different counts including attempted murder and assaulting a police officer.

KKK Application Taped to Middle School Locker

Fri, 17 May 2013 15:45:00 EDT

Eighth-graders in a Des Moines suburb found a Ku Klux Klan application form taped on the outside of a student's locker. Dante Johnson-Taylor, 14, who is African-American, went home on May 9th to tell

Puppy Saves Couple from Fire

Fri, 17 May 2013 11:52:00 EDT

A puppy named Toby, a pit-bull lab mix, saved his owner, Jeremy Aldrich and his girlfriend from a fire. Given as a Christmas present to the girlfriend, Toby started barking about 5 a.m. Thursday, and

Good Question: Why have Gas Prices Jumped in the Last Month?

Heather Leigh — Thu, 16 May 2013 23:45:00 EDT

The temperatures are noticeably higher but the mercury isn't the only thing on the rise. Pain at the pump is a growing concern especially with the holiday weekend approaching.It's a warranted concern because

Tulip Festival Float Celebrates Orange City History

Olivia Wilmsen — Thu, 16 May 2013 23:44:00 EDT

(ORANGE CITY, IA) - Despite the rain and lack of flowers this year, the 73rd annual Tulip Festival kicked off in Orange City Thursday. Part of the fanfare is the festival's twice-daily parades and getting ready for them is a lot of work.

Hard Rock Pearl Street Plans Stir Up Controversy

Olivia Wilmsen — Thu, 16 May 2013 21:40:00 EDT

(SIOUX CITY, IA) - A bit of controversy is stirring around the Hard Rock Casino plan, specifically construction along Pearl Street.

Three Faces of Transplantation

Thu, 16 May 2013 21:36:00 EDT

(SIOUX CITY, IA) They're three strangers with a unique bond. One may eventually need a new liver. One got a new kidney. And one donated five of her son's organs. Tonight we look at "the three faces

A Set of Three: Cow Triplets Born in Larchwood, IA

Heather Leigh — Thu, 16 May 2013 15:40:00 EDT

(LARCHWOOD, IA) If you've never heard of a cow giving birth to triplets, you're probably not alone. That's because it's very rare but it can happen and it did at a farm in Larchwood, Iowa.

Hometown Farmer: Castle Creek Family Farm

Jacob Heller — Thu, 16 May 2013 10:36:00 EDT

(NEWCASTLE, NE) Jerimiah Hinz is doing things the old fashioned way at Castle Creek Family Farm.

Raging Fire Destroys South Sioux City Home

Olivia Wilmsen — Wed, 15 May 2013 23:40:00 EDT

(SOUTH SIOUX CITY, NE) - A devastating house fire leaves a South Sioux City family homeless. Firefighters got the call about noon Wednesday.

The Heat is On In Sioux City!

Heather Leigh — Tue, 14 May 2013 22:51:00 EDT

(SIOUX CITY, IA) Tuesday was the hottest day ever recorded in Sioux City for the month of May, coming in at 106 degrees. It may have been a scorcher, but that didn't stop a lot of people from getting out.

Sizzling Temps Bring Boaters To Lakes

Olivia Wilmsen — Tue, 14 May 2013 22:50:00 EDT

(OKOBOJI, IA) - There's no doubt the hot weather has people thinking about cool water - either taking a dip or boating.

Nebraska Courthouse Seeks Dog

Tue, 14 May 2013 11:54:00 EDT

The Sarpy County Courthouse is looking to have a dog in the courtroom as a reassuring influence. The Omaha World-Herald reports Canine Companions for Independence in Nebraska has trained many dogs, but

Holocaust survivor speaks at memorial groundbreaking

Tue, 14 May 2013 11:47:00 EDT

A survivor of the Nazi Holocaust will be among the people attending a groundbreaking of a new memorial in Des Moines on Tuesday. Mark Finkelstein, a spokesman for the Jewish Federation of Greater Des

Good Question: Cleaning-Up The Floyd River: Who's Responsible?

Olivia Wilmsen — Mon, 13 May 2013 22:51:00 EDT

(SIOUX CITY, IA) - It's been two years since the Missouri River flooded, but it wasn't the only body of water that overflowed. We had a viewer ask a good question.

Farmer in Need Gets a Helping Hand from Farm Rescue

Heather Leigh — Mon, 13 May 2013 20:10:00 EDT

(HULL, IA) Farmers across Siouxland are planting this year's crop right now, but for one farmer in Hull, Iowa, a simple knee injury turned into a much bigger problem.

Hometown Farmer: Apple Orchard Origins

Jacob Heller — Thu, 9 May 2013 10:46:00 EDT

(Little Sioux, IA) Have you ever stopped to think about how much work goes into an orchard before it bears fruit?

Hometown Farmer: Cultivating a Sense of Conservation

Jacob Heller — Thu, 2 May 2013 09:55:00 EDT

(SIOUX CENTER, IA) Farmers are always changing the way they work the land; Matt Schuiteman is one of those farmers.

Hometown Farmer: Is Wet Weather Pushing Planting Back?

Jacob Heller — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 11:50:00 EDT

(NEAR HINTON, IA) Last year at this time some farmers were nearly done planting, but Dave Howe doesn't feel like he's behind when it comes to putting those crops in the ground.

Above & Beyond: Bobby McCauley

Heather Leigh — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 23:45:00 EDT

(PAULLINA, IA) South O'Brien Senior Bobby McCauley keeps busy cataloguing the experiences of his classmates.

Hometown Farmer: Tucker Hill Vineyards

Jacob Heller — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 11:36:00 EDT

(HINTON, IA) When you think of wine Iowa probably doesn't come to mind right away, but it should. Thanks to folks like Barry Dittmer and his Tucker Hill Vineyards, making fine Iowa wine since 2009.

Hometown Farmer: Getting's Garden

Jacob Heller — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 09:47:00 EDT

(NEAR SANBORN, IOWA) Even when it doesn't quite feel like spring outside the family at Getting's Garden near Sanborn, Iowa is gearing up to give you a taste of spring.

Hometown Farmer: A "Growing" Business

Jacob Heller — Thu, 4 Apr 2013 23:49:00 EDT

(NEAR IDA GROVE, IA) When you're talking about folks who know farming, you can't forget Jolene Riessen.

Above & Beyond: Tabitha Wagner

Olivia Wilmsen — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 23:43:00 EDT

(ONAWA, IA) - Tabitha Wagner has her hands full for a highschooler. She's in key club, track and field and she's a musician who has so much passion for playing, it's taking her to college.