News

Erickson selected to lead Southwest Valley

The Southwest Valley School District has selected its new superintendent.During the week of March 17, the Southwest Valley School District interviewed three finalists to replace outgoing superintendent Chris Fenster, who is leaving the district at the end of the school year. Officials with the...

Council approves second reading of changes to waste ordinance

The Red Oak City Council held a second reading of ordinance changes regarding garbage.While the council has stepped back from plans to initiate mandatory citywide curbside garbage collection, at its March 3 meeting the council did pursue plans for multiple clean up days with a small fee assessed to...

Community fridge opens at Y

The Red Oak community has a new way to help people maintain food security.Earlier in March, a community fridge was installed at the Montgomery County Family YMCA at 101 E. Cherry St. It’s the first of its kind in Southwest Iowa.Laura Kloewer with Montgomery County Memorial Hospital and Live Well...

Austin receives Quilt of Valor

Emerson veteran Max E. Austin received a Quilt of Valor earlier in March for his service and dedication to his country. Austin joined the United States Marine Corp in 1967 and served until he retired from the service in 1988 with the rank of Captain. Austin has been married to his wife Donna for...

Celebrate ISU Extension and Outreach Week April 7-12

Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Week is April 7-12. Iowa’s 100 county extension offices will host “I Spy Cy” activities and educational events throughout the week to thank Iowans for their support of ISU Extension and Outreach throughout the state. County extension staff and extension...

Red Oak cat Gatsby is a viral sensation

Red Oak’s Jean Noyes and her cat, Gatsby, are spreading joy while being viral sensations.Gatsby, a unique tuxedo kitty, has amassed more than 141,000 followers on his Instagram account run by Noyes, and videos through Instagram and Tik Tok have garnered millions of views. Noyes said she came into...

An early taste of Spring

Spring break for the Red Oak Community School District coincided with some beautiful warm weather this past week, and some of the kids around Red Oak took advantage of the city’s parks. Pictured above: Javier, Cherokee, Jaedyn, Liz, and Shyann are all smiles on the teeter totter at Fountain Square...

City of Red Oak receives 2023 audit report from state

Auditor of State Rob Sand released an audit report on the City of Red Oak.The City’s receipts totaled $9,238,714 for the year ended June 30, 2023, a 4.1% decrease from the prior year. Disbursements for the year ended June 30, 2023 totaled $9,408,177, a 6.1% increase over the prior year. The...

Fenster resigns as SWV superintendent, three finalists selected for position

After many years leading the Southwest Valley School District, superintendent Chris Fenster is moving on.Fenster announced that he will remain superintendent for the remainder of the school year, and his resignation is effective on June 30. Fenster described the experience as an honor, and he’s...

Council trashes plans for municipal garbage collection

The Red Oak City Council has taken a step back from plans to incorporate mandatory garbage collection in the city.Red Oak Mayor Shawnna Silvius said per the conversations that people have provided to the city, city administrator Lisa Kotter spent time working with city attorney Bri Sorensen on a...