Sioux County Edition · No. 1 ·
Today's the voter deadline, plus a 42-41 thriller
About a 9-minute read · covering Orange City, Sioux Center, Rock Valley, Hull, Alton, Granville, Hospers and every gravel road between.
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Coffee & County
Five minutes on what's happening from Orange City to Rock Valley.
Good morning, Sioux County.
Welcome to the very first Coffee & County. Harvest is finally rolling after a soggy September, the week looks dry and sunny, and there's plenty going on in town. Pour the coffee. Here's what you need to know:
● Today is the last day to pre-register to vote or ask for a ballot by mail.
● The county's data center rules get their final vote Oct. 27.
● Sioux Center beat MOC-Floyd Valley, and Boyden-Hull/Rock Valley won a 42-41 thriller over Western Christian.
● Sioux Center's school board fills an open seat today.
OUT THE WINDOW
MON 🌤️ 64° / 47°Mostly sunny | TUE ☀️ 66° / 53°Sunny | WED ☀️ 70° / 51°Sunny |
Three dry, sunny days and 70 by Wednesday. That's prime harvest weather, so expect grain trucks and combines on the county roads and give them room, especially around dusk.
ELECTION · DEADLINE TODAY
Two weeks to Election Day. Today's the cutoff.
Monday, Oct. 19, is the last day to pre-register to vote and to request an absentee ballot by mail for the Nov. 3 general election.
● Vote early in person at the courthouse in Orange City through Mon., Nov. 2, at 4:30 p.m.
● Sample ballots:siouxcountyia.gov/elections
● Questions: Sioux County Auditor, 712-737-2216
TOP STORY
Data center rules head to a final vote Oct. 27
The Board of Supervisors moved the county's proposed data center rules forward 4-1 last Tuesday. Supervisor Dan Altena voted no again, saying residents who've contacted him are still uneasy about the county being among the first nearby to host one.
What the rules would do:
● Cap any data center at 25 megawatts
● Require closed-loop cooling, setbacks, and noise limits measured at neighbors' homes
● Require independent studies before opening and regular reviews after
● Make developers pay for power upgrades and create a community fund (amount still to be set)
What it doesn’t do: approve a project. PathOne, the company that's held public meetings here, plans to apply if the rules pass. Zoning director Shane Walter pointed to unused power infrastructure at the former Bison project site near Hull as one possible fit. The moratorium on data centers in rural areas stays in place until then.
Go: Final reading is Tuesday, Oct. 27, at 9 a.m. at the Board of Supervisors meeting. Agendas post at siouxcountyia.gov.
Read the full story at KIWA Radio →
PRESENTING SPONSOR
Put your business at the top of Sioux County's morning email. Hit reply to sponsor.
AROUND THE COUNTY
Sioux Center: School board fills an open seat today
The Sioux Center school board will appoint a replacement for Scott TeStroete at its meeting today. He resigned early instead of waiting for his term to end in 2027, so a new member can help plan for the district's aging buildings. Whoever gets the seat serves until the November 2027 election.
Read the full story at Sioux County Radio →
Sioux Center: Highway 75 gets its ribbon
City leaders and the Iowa DOT dedicated the $54 million, 2.5-mile Highway 75 rebuild last Monday at the fire station, more than three years after work started. Stretches north of 7th Street are still closed and are expected to reopen later this year.
Read the full story at KIWA Radio →
Rock Valley: FEMA covers a new city shop
FEMA awarded Rock Valley more than $3.8 million to replace the city shop the June 2024 flood destroyed, along with the street sweeper, pickup and skid loader inside it. The new shop moves to higher ground at the Rock Ridge Business Development Park.
Read the full story at the N'West Iowa REVIEW →
Orange City: Unity Christian breaks ground
Unity Christian High School broke ground on a $7.9 million project: a 13,000-square-foot industrial arts and agriculture wing with welding and carpentry shops, plus a new kitchen and 380-seat cafeteria. Nearly $3 million is pledged so far.
Read the full story at the N'West Iowa REVIEW →
Sioux Center: Renewed Hope thrift store will double in size
The City Council approved selling 1.35 acres on Second Avenue Southwest to Family Crisis Centers, plus a $50,000 donation, so the Renewed Hope thrift store can grow from about 3,900 to 8,100 square feet. Sales fund services for survivors of abuse.
Read the full story at Sioux Center News →
Sioux Center: Christmas for a Cause is coming back
Mark the calendar: the free walk-through light display at Heritage Village returns for year six, Nov. 27 through Dec. 27, 5 to 10 p.m. nightly. Donations go to All Kids Can, which helps local kids afford camps, sports and activities. The first five years raised more than $63,400.
Read the full story at Sioux County Radio →
FROM THE BLEACHERS
Friday night: a one-point finish in Hull
| FINAL | SCORE |
| Boyden-Hull/Rock Valley vs. Western Christian | 42–41 |
| Sioux Center vs. MOC-Floyd Valley | 20–13 |
| Central Lyon/G-LR vs. Unity Christian | 36–13 |
| West Sioux vs. Gehlen Catholic | 55–7 |
The regular season is over for the smaller classes, and three Sioux County teams open the playoffs Friday, Oct. 23:
● Class 2A: OABCIG at Western Christian
● Class 2A: Unity Christian at Kuemper Catholic
● Class A: Logan-Magnolia at West Sioux
Sioux Center, Boyden-Hull/Rock Valley and MOC-Floyd Valley weren't in Saturday's pairings. Classes 3A through 5A play one more regular-season game Friday, and their playoff brackets come out after that.
Playoff pairings at Western Iowa Today →
MOC-Floyd Valley pitcher commits to UCLA
Junior Henry Heller is headed to UCLA baseball. Last spring he struck out 69 in 32 innings, hit .451 and helped the Dutchmen reach the 3A state semifinals.
Read the full story at KIWA Radio →
PUBLIC SAFETY
Local officers mourn a Sioux Falls deputy
Sioux County Sheriff Nate Huizenga and the Sioux Center and Orange City police departments shared tributes to Minnehaha County Deputy Katherine Frank, 26, who died Oct. 12 after being shot on a call. Officers here are wearing mourning bands over their badges. Her funeral is today at 1 p.m. at the Denny Sanford Premier Center in Sioux Falls, and the public is invited.
Read the full story at KIWA Radio →
Drug task force makes three arrests in Sioux Center
Three people face felony drug charges after allegedly selling meth to undercover Northwest Iowa Drug Task Force officers near Tower Fields last Wednesday. No court dates are set.
Read the full story at Sioux County Radio →
Two crashes with trucks, no deaths
An Orange City man was hurt the afternoon of Oct. 9 when his pickup collided with a semi four miles southeast of Boyden. Earlier that day in Sioux Center, a woman was seriously injured at 3rd Avenue SE and Ridge Road after pulling in front of a truck. Both were taken to Sioux Center Health.
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MARKETS
At the elevator
| NW IOWA CASH | AVG. BID | BASIS |
| Corn | $4.34 | −35¢ to −45¢ Dec |
| Soybeans | $12.02 | −45¢ to −67¢ Nov |
| FUTURES | CLOSE | CHANGE |
| Corn (Dec) | $4.74¼ | −3¾¢ |
| Soybeans (Nov) | $12.61¼ | −1¾¢ |
| Live cattle (Dec) | $228.35 | +$1.10 |
| Feeder cattle (Nov) | $341.90 | −5¢ |
| Lean hogs (Dec) | $66.92 | +35¢ |
Friday's closes. Corn and beans slipped a little as harvest kept rolling, while live cattle climbed again to end the week.
| STOCKS + RATES | CLOSE | CHANGE |
| S&P 500 | 7,659.44 | −1.1% |
| Dow | 52,002.41 | −0.3% |
| Nasdaq | 26,140.03 | −2.1% |
| 10-year Treasury | 5.08% | +0.01 |
| 30-year mortgage | 7.40% | unch. |
| 15-year mortgage | 6.71% | −0.02 |
A chip-stock selloff gave the Nasdaq its worst week since June. Mortgage rates are Freddie Mac's weekly average from Thursday; the 30-year has held at 7.40% for two weeks.
Sponsor our Markets section. Co-op, ag lender, financial advisor or equipment dealer? Put your name on this section. Hit reply.
GROWING
Where the new houses are going
40new single-family home permits in Sioux Center in 2025 | 64apartment units permitted there last year | 2.2%county unemployment in August, among Iowa's lowest |
Sioux Center: the building boom keeps going
The city's building official expects another 40-plus homes this year. Vision Builders is putting cottage-style homes in the Ledges addition, east of CenterView Apartments, and Axis plans duplexes near CenterView in the Harvest Heights addition. Ridge Creek's developer plans 13 more apartment-style units.
Read the full story at Sioux Center News →
Orange City: 23 more lots at the old airport
The city is moving ahead on Industrie Centrum West Second Addition, on the former airport land. It's zoned industrial, but a proposed mixed-use overlay would allow homes too, from single-family to apartments. Four lots in the first addition are ready for sale now.
Read the full story at Dakota News Now →
Sponsor our Growing section. Real estate agent, home builder or mortgage lender? Put your name on this section. Hit reply.
NEW IN TOWN
Rock Valley: Peoples opens a new building
Peoples Insurance and Peoples Bank Wealth Management opened a 7,670-square-foot building at 1420 10th St., just east of the bank.
Read the full story at the N'West Iowa REVIEW →
Opening, moving or expanding? Hit reply. New businesses get a free mention.
NOW HIRING
Jobs around the county
| Motor vehicle / driver's license clerk Sioux County Treasurer · Orange City · Full-time | Apply → |
More local openings are posted at Sioux County Radio's Job Hunter.
Hiring in Sioux County? Hit reply to post your job here.
THIS WEEK
On the calendar
MON19 | Voter deadline. Last day to pre-register or request a mail ballot. Auditor's office: 712-737-2216. |
TUE20 | Spelunking for seniors at 10 a.m., 12:30 or 2:30 p.m. Prairie Woods' SELF program. Call 712-552-3057 to register. Prairie Woods Nature Center, Oak Grove Park near Hawarden. |
TUE20 | Sioux Stitchers at 1:30 p.m. Monthly needlework group with a guest presenter. Drop-ins welcome. Sioux Center Public Library. |
WED21 | Pop-up puzzle night, 6:30–8:30 p.m. Puzzles of 100, 300 and 500 pieces, plus snacks. Free; register ahead with the Sioux Center Public Library. |
SAT24 | College football on the road: Dordt at Mount Marty and Northwestern at Waldorf, both 1 p.m. |
TUE27 | Data center rules: final vote at 9 a.m., Sioux County Board of Supervisors. |
THU29 | Free advocacy and response training, 9 a.m.–3 p.m. Hosted by CAASA with the Iowa Attorney General's office. Prairie Winds Event Center, Orange City. |
SAT31 | Hawarden Trunk or Treat, 4–5 p.m. Anyone can host a trunk: email chamber@cityofhawarden.com and bring candy for up to 500 kids. Hawarden Community Center parking lot. |
EN ESPAÑOL
Hoy es el último día para inscribirse
El lunes 19 de octubre es la fecha límite para preinscribirse para votar y para pedir una boleta por correo para la elección del 3 de noviembre. Puede votar en persona en el juzgado de Orange City hasta el lunes 2 de noviembre a las 4:30 p.m. Preguntas: 712-737-2216.
Voto final sobre centros de datos
Los supervisores del condado votarán por última vez sobre las nuevas reglas para centros de datos el martes 27 de octubre a las 9 a.m. El público puede asistir.
ONE GOOD THING
A town buys its sports photographer a new lens
Dan Wolfswinkel has run Warrior Sports Photography since 2019. When Nikon said it could no longer fix his 15-year-old lens, he set out to raise up to $12,600 for a new one. Within a week, more than 100 people had given about $20,000, in gifts from $5 to $2,500. The new lens arrived Sept. 18.
GOOD TO KNOW
Medicare open enrollment runs through Dec. 7, and the Iowa Attorney General says scammers are calling to fish for personal information or push plan switches. Don't engage with unsolicited callers, and report anything suspicious.
Read the full story at Sioux County Radio →
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Orange City Area Health System is encouraging women 40 and older to book a mammogram, which takes under 20 minutes. Call 712-737-2000.
Read the full story at KIWA Radio →
Refill Wednesday. ☕
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