News

Car backfire ignites D.C. shed
Dakota City barber injured

Out of the ashes of a devastating fire arose a new, modern appliance store.
Fire ravaged Seiler Appliance on the evening of May 17, 2016.
Owner Russ Seiler and employees Travis Grebner, Deb Ruberg and David Seiler didn’t miss a beat though, opening for business the next day in a storage building Seiler owned next door.
Eight months later a completely remodeled store opened. Now the company will be celebrating with a grand re-opening Wednesday, Sept. 27. Read more about the special occasion in a special section in this week's Humboldt Independent. Subscribe for all the news by clicking on the link at the top of the page. Like/Follow the Humboldt Newspapers on Facebook and view for addition content.

Several generations of families have shown livestock in the show ring at the Humboldt County Fair.
The show ring, which dates back to the 1960s, needs to be replaced and the Humboldt County Fair Board is seeking donations to help fund the $90,000 project.
“We had planned to replace the roof on the show ring and the attached barn,” Jeff Haselhuhn, Fair Board President, said. “But it didn’t make sense to put a new roof on a building that has broken rafters and rotting support posts.”
A committee was formed to look at options and they determined the best option was to tear down the old show ring and build a new, larger one with a higher ceiling, new electrical, new lighting and an improved sound system. It will be in the same location attached to the bunny barn.
To read more about the project see this week's Humboldt Independent. Subscribe by clicking on the link at the top of this page.

In this week's edition of the Humboldt Independent, read about how Humboldt County residents approached designing, decorating and living in their new homes. The Humboldt Independent's annual Home Edition not only features articles and photos of many new homes in the area, it is loaded with useful information from local businesses who can help provide ideas for a new or remodeled home of your dreams.
Homeowners featured in this year's section include Marc and Linda Arends, Joe and Carissa Behounek, Barb McDonough, Brian and Katie Ricklefs, Dustin and Andrea Scott and Austin and Christie Vitzthum.

By Kent Thompson
The Humboldt City Council was caught in a “Catch 22” position in regard to a city ordinance during its meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 5.
The Council approved on second reading an ordinance amending Chapter 160 of City Code, pertaining to flood plain regulations.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has revised flood plain maps and the city must adopt them by ordinance prior to Nov. 3, or the city will lose the ability to participate in the National Flood Insurance Program. The new maps do not use elevations from the previous maps and are not accurate.
Basically the agency took the 1981 flood maps and placed them over Google Map imagery.
“Until (FEMA) does actual hydrological studies on the river and sets base elevations, this is what we have,” Humboldt City Administrator Travis Goedken said.

Ron and Pam Sande made a $125,000 donation to Ken and Marilyn Nielsen to help equip the new Humboldt Recreation Center (HRC).
Ken and Marilyn Nielsen are building the rec center on about five acres just north of Humboldt High School along Wildcat Road. Once the building is completed, the Nielsens will turn it over to the city of Humboldt. Fundraising efforts are underway to help outfit the new rec center. The goal is to raise $500,000 in contributions. Tax deductible contributions can be sent to Humboldt Recreation Center, PO Box 73, Humboldt, IA 50548. Contributors will be recognized on a wall of donors.
Sande Construction is the general contractor on the 70,000 square foot facility, which has a target completion date of Dec. 31, 2018.
“It is our hope that others will contribute to help meet or exceed the $500,000 goal of equipping the building for what is needed after the building is done,” Ron Sande said.

It appears the Humboldt Community School District will have two new directors on the Board of Education, according to unofficial election results released Tuesday evening by the Humboldt County Auditor’s Office.
For Humboldt director district one, challenger Michael Heier topped incumbent Janell Smith by a vote of 122 to 101, according to the unofficial vote totals.
For director district 3, challenger Robert Myott received 121 votes to 99 for incumbent Randy Hildreth, according to the unofficial counts.
For the at-large director seat, it appears that incumbent Suzanne Newton has retained her seat with 117 votes received to 100 for challenger Joe Jacobson.

The sixth annual Humboldt County Hardpack 30 bicycle ride on the Three Rivers Trail will be Saturday, Sept. 23, starting at 9:30 a.m. at Rutland. Riders will pedal from Rutland to Rolfe, a distance of about 13.5 miles. And then they’ll return to Rutland (27 miles round trip).
Entry fee is $30, which includes a long sleeved t-shirt designed by Hardpack 30 organizer Jake Zweibohmer. This year, the first 100 to register for the Hardpack 30 will receive custom designed Hardpack 30 bandanas, a $10 value, for free. There will also be some other giveaways included when people pick up their shirts before the ride.
Online registration is available this year at www.hardpack30.com, a website created by Bri Berte.
Profits from the ride go towards trail improvements. More than $7,000 has been raised and donated to Humboldt County Conservation and Pocahontas County Conservation over the first five rides.

By Jeff Gargano
Dirt work is under way and plans are on place for the new Humboldt Recreation Center along Wildcat Road across from Humboldt High School and Middle School.
The Humboldt Recreation Center is being built by the Ken and Marilyn Nielsen family. Upon completion, the Nielsen family will donate the facility to the city of Humboldt.
The 70,000 square foot facility will be called the Humboldt Recreation Center (HRC) and the gym/track area will be named the Ken and Marilyn Nielsen Family Fieldhouse.
Sande Construction of Humboldt is the general contractor on the project, which has a target completion date of Dec. 31, 2018.