News

An Algona man is being held in Pocahontas County on an attempted murder charge.
According to the Pocahontas County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) an Algona man has been arrested related to an incident that occurred on Saturday, Sept. 12.
On Sept. 12, deputies were called to 102 Grant St. in Rolfe, after witnesses reported that a shooting had taken place. According to the PCSO, an argument over property occurred at the residence in Rolfe. Joshua Jordan Schmidt, 18, of Algona, then allegedly pointed and fired a shotgun at another person. Schmidt subsequently fled the scene of the crime on foot, carrying a shotgun. The subject who was shot at was not injured in the incident.

By KENT THOMPSON
The Humboldt County Board of Supervisors offered verbal support for Humboldt County Conservation to access borrowed funds to help serve as matching dollars for grant monies to rehabilitate or remove the Reasoner Dam in Humboldt.
The discussion was held at the Board’s Sept. 8 meeting at the courthouse.
Humboldt County Conservation Director Todd Lee was at the meeting and updated the Board on the project so far.
“We did move forward with a hydrological study. The purpose of that was to look at the flood plain above the dam and also study the effects of taking a foot off the dam and what would that do when the river comes up, or what would taking two feet off do,” the conservation director told the Board.

By KENT THOMPSON
The vote to continue the Local Option Sales and Service Tax (LOSST) in Humboldt County was overwhelmingly approved last week by every entity where votes were cast.
The caveat is that there were two locations in the county where no votes were cast either for or against.
No votes were received from the incorporated portion of Lu Verne in Humboldt County.
Also, no votes were received from any resident of the town of Rutland.
Those communities will have a chance to schedule a special election at city expense, or miss out on collecting receipts from the one penny per dollar local sales tax.
The way the tax works, Local Option Sales and Service taxes are remitted by retailers to the state and then placed in a special within a special distribution fund for the county, based on population and property tax levies.

Humboldt High School held a Homecoming parade and coronation ceremony on Sunday evening, Sept. 13, with the coronation taking place at Bicknell Park. Kylie Moser was crowned Homecoming Queen and Gabe Gidel was crowned Homecoming King. Pictured from left to right are: Bae Arnold, Colten Goodell, Kendal Clark, Samuel Fischer, Queen Kylie Moser, King Gabe Gidel, Deni McDaniel, Quinton Orr, Sydney Savery, Zayne Smith, Emily Zaugg and Max Mason. The Wildcat football team hosts Webster City on Friday, Sept. 18, at 7 p.m. in the homecoming game. Check out many photos from the parade and coronation in this week's Humboldt Independent and on this website. Just click the buy a photo tab.

On Tuesday, Sept. 15, at 12:51 p.m., the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office was notified of an explosion at a residence in the town of Gilmore City.
Emergency personnel were dispatched to 401 SE 4th St. in Gilmore City in reference to an explosion at a residence. The victim was identified as Ryan Angell, 49. Angell lives in that residence.
Angell was transported by Humboldt County EMS to Humboldt County Memorial Hospital and was later transferred by LifeFlight helicopter. He remains at a Des Moines hospital in serious condition. The force of the blast reportedly caused serious injuries to the hand, arm and torso of Angell’s body.
There was another individual in the residence at the time of the explosion, but that person was unharmed.

Humboldt Community School District will celebrating Homecoming slightly differently this year, with an early Sunday evening Homecoming Parade and Homecoming Court Coronation to follow.

By KENT THOMPSON
Leadership doesn’t come naturally. It is something that is learned and earned.
For Humboldt’s Reed Burres, it’s just like his crops, it’s a passion that keeps growing.
Reed farms on Kentucky Avenue north of the Humboldt Northwest Industrial Park.
Read about Reed's leadership experiences and how he became involved with the Iowa Soybean Association and received a top honor in a very short time. It's all in this week's Humboldt Independent, your trusted source for local news and sports.

By KENT THOMPSON
Just weeks before the expected opening of Humboldt County’s first animal shelter, the benefactor of the project has died.
Word was received last week that Mary Moffitt, a longtime California resident, whose heart remained in the Dakota City/Humboldt area, passed away. Moffitt died Aug. 31 in California. She was 63 years old.
Moffitt grew up in the Humboldt/Dakota City area and came back to spend time in the summers at the family property on the south edge of Dakota City.
Moffitt announced late last October that she was donating $250,000 to help get an animal shelter built in Humboldt County.
The donation was out of the blue and surprised even the most optimistic of those serving on the 501c(3) non-profit board that had been working for a year to incorporate, plan and raise funds to get an animal shelter established.

Seven people were injured in a two-vehicle accident that occurred at the intersection of Highway 3 and Highway 15, five miles west of Gilmore City, Friday, Sept. 4 at 6:05 p.m.
According to the Iowa State Patrol (ISP) there were seven people injured in the two vehicles, two with minor injuries and five people with serious injuries. Three of the people with serious injuries were Life Flighted from Humboldt County Memorial Hospital in Humboldt. Humboldt County EMS and Pocahontas County sent out available crews to the accident site.
According to the ISP, a 2013 Dodge Dart driven by Adrian Kannard, 17, of Rockwell City, was eastbound on Highway 3 and was turning north onto Highway 15. A westbound 2015 Ford F-250 pickup driven by Thomas Hemmingsen, 65, of Newell, struck the Kannard vehicle in the westbound lane as Kannard was attempting to turn.

By KENT THOMPSON
The Local Option Sales and Service Tax (LOSST, or often shortened to LOST) may not be the engine that drives the train, but it is a key ingredient in the fuel that keeps the train on track.
Every year, of the 7 cents the public pays on every dollar of goods purchased of which sales taxes are applied to, one penny comes back to the local community to spend on public infrastructure and public projects.
That’s because for the past 20 years, Humboldt County and all incorporated communities in the county have approved a one cent Local Option Sales and Service Tax.
Tuesday, Sept. 8, voters will be going to the polls to renew the tax. Read about some of the benefits to Humboldt County in this week's Humboldt Independent newspaper. Subscribe by clicking on the link at the top of this page.