Author: Chris Baldus

Newspaperman, professionally, since 1991 Husband since 1992 Father since 2001, triplets plus two States I've lived in: Minnesota, Wisconsin, Idaho and Iowa Graduate of Augsburg College, Minneapolis, Minn. An offensive lineman who dreamed big
Charles City Post

CC School Board votes for cuts; bond referendum shelved

Chris Baldus

There will be no $27 million bond referendum in March to renovate Charles City High School. There will be cuts to the district’s music, business and at-risk programs. That is where the Charles City School District stands today, following the School Board’s vote 3-2 Monday night to support a package of staff cuts and other expenditure reductions to try to make up an anticipated operating budget deficit of $758,470 next school year. After that vote, the Board heard a report on the failed petition drive for the bond referendum. “We did not achieve our desired amount, required amount rather, so … Continue reading CC School Board votes for cuts; bond referendum shelved

Oelwein Post

NICL-East Boys Basketball standings and scores

Chris Baldus

Standings as of Sunday, Jan. 22 Conf. Season Wapsie Valley 6-0 13-1 Jesup 4-1 9-5 Oelwein 3-2 7-8 Union 3-3 7-10 Sumner-Fredericksburg 1-5 4-10 WEEK OF JAN. 15-21 Tuesday, Jan. 17, games Wapsie Valley 68, Union 53: WV’s Andrew Westphal led all scorers with 30 points. Mason Harter pitched in 16 points and 19 rebounds Hudson 77, Oelwein 42: Statistics not available. Jesup 68, Sumner-Fredericksburg 44 Thursday, Jan. 19 Sumner-Fredericksburg 49, New Hampton Aplington-Parkersburg 83, Union 56 Friday, Jan. 20 Wapsie Valley 74, Sumner-Fredericksburg 45: Mason Harter had 26 points and 14 rebounds to lead the Warriors. Teammate Andrew Westphal … Continue reading NICL-East Boys Basketball standings and scores

Oelwein Post

Hawkeye man, 26, facing sex abuse charges

Chris Baldus

A Hawkeye man accused of having a sexual relation with a juvenile is facing two felony counts of sexual abuse following a week long investigation by the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office. Kian Lee Halverson, 26, was arrested on Friday, Jan. 20, at his home in the 21000 block of P Avenue after a warrant was issued on Thursday, Jan. 19, according to a Sheriff’s Office news release. He was released from the Fayette County Jail on a $25,000 bond. Halverson is accused of having ongoing sexual relationships with a 13-year-old girl in 2018 and a 15-year-old girl from 2019-2020, according … Continue reading Hawkeye man, 26, facing sex abuse charges

Charles City Post

CC School Board to meet at fairgrounds tonight, discuss cuts and taxes

Chris Baldus

The Charles City School Board will meet tonight (Jan. 23) in The Youth Enrichment Center at the Floyd County Fairgrounds. The agenda includes possible action regarding the projected budget shortfall for next school year. The board has been presented with plans that included cutting teaching staff. Those caused a public outcry particularly over reducing music teaching staff. Administration pulled its support for those plans. The Board has since been presented with new options that would raise property taxes between 28 cents and 42 cents per $1,000 valuation. The new options are detailed in a memo to the Board: ● Option … Continue reading CC School Board to meet at fairgrounds tonight, discuss cuts and taxes

Nashua Post

Nashua AM Update (Jan. 23): Schools start late today

Chris Baldus

Good morning, it’s Monday, Jan. 23, 2023. LATE START FOR N-P SCHOOLS Because of a boiler issue, Nashua-Plainfield schools will have a 2-hour late start today. NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST TODAY —Patchy dense freezing fog this morning. Otherwise, cloudy through mid morning, then gradual clearing, with a high near 29. Southwest wind 7 to 15 mph. TONIGHT — Mostly cloudy, with a low around 19. West wind 6 to 11 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. TUESDAY — Partly sunny, with a high near 30. Light and variable wind becoming southwest 5 to 7 mph in the morning. … Continue reading Nashua AM Update (Jan. 23): Schools start late today

Nashua Post

Nashua AM Update (Jan. 21): Winterfest today

Chris Baldus

Good morning, it’s Saturday, Jan. 21, 2023. NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST Today: Areas of fog before 1 p.m. Otherwise, cloudy, with a high near 29. Southwest wind 3 to 6 mph. Tonight: Cloudy, with a low around 18. Light and variable wind becoming north around 5 mph after midnight. Sunday: Partly sunny, with a high near 24. North wind 5 to 7 mph. NASHUA’S DAM WINTERFEST At Cedar View Park unless otherwise noted. SPORTS TODAY TOP OF IOWA-EAST FRIDAY SCOREBOARD Boys Basketball Nashua-Plainfield 62, Central Springs 59: Northwood-Kensett 80, Rockford 59 West Fork 76, Newman Catholic 56 Saint Ansgar 43, … Continue reading Nashua AM Update (Jan. 21): Winterfest today

Oelwein Post

UPDATE: Hawkeye woman pleads not guilty in sword attack

Chris Baldus

A Hawkeye woman accused of attacking her husband with swords had her first appearance in Fayette County District Court on Thursday. Kim Renee Cannon, 58, is charged with attempted murder. Magistrate Judge David Hansen set her bail at $25,000 cash or surety. If she makes bail, she must be supervised by Pretrial Services. Hanson also appointed attorney Nathan Moonen, of Ossian, to represent her at state expense and issued a no contact order to protect Cannon’s husband, who was transported to a La Crosse, Wis., hospital with life-threatening injuries to his face and head. On Friday, Moonen entered a plea … Continue reading UPDATE: Hawkeye woman pleads not guilty in sword attack

COLUMNS

COLUMN: Help save our public schools

Chris Baldus

BY REP. SHARON STECKMAN House District 59 We are now about to reach the end of the second week of the 90th Assembly. Two of the committees on which I serve (Education and State Government) have already been assigned a number of bills. Education has 19 bills currently assigned to subcommittees with two more pending. Every subcommittee has to be composed of two majority party members and one minority party member. With just eight minority party members on the full committee, each one of them will be handling several subcommittee assignments as the year progresses. Tuesday evening, there was a … Continue reading COLUMN: Help save our public schools

Nashua Post

Nashua AM Update (Jan. 20)

Chris Baldus

Good morning, it’s Friday, Jan. 20, 2023. NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST TODAY: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 25. Northwest wind 8 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph. TONIGHT: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 16. West wind 6 to 9 mph. SATURDAY: Cloudy, with a high near 26. Southwest wind around 7 mph. (Extended Forecast) COMMUNITY CALENDAR After Prom Soup Supper, 4:30 p.m., today, N-P High School cafeteria. Fundraiser for After Prom activities. HUSKIES SPORTS TONIGHT Continue reading Nashua AM Update (Jan. 20)

Charles City Post

Charles City AM Update (Jan. 20)

Chris Baldus

Good morning, it’s Friday, Jan. 20, 2023. NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST TODAY: Cloudy, with a high near 24. Northwest wind 9 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph. TONIGHT: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 15. West wind 6 to 8 mph. SATURDAY: Cloudy, with a high near 26. Southwest wind around 7 mph. (Extended Forecast) SNOWFALL TOTALS These are the preliminary snowfall totals from the National Weather Service from the winter storm that passed through the region Wednesday night through Thursday morning: Continue reading Charles City AM Update (Jan. 20)

Oelwein Post

Hawkeye woman charged with attempted murder with a sword

Chris Baldus

A Hawkeye woman accused of injuring her husband with swords is facing an attempted murder charge. The Fayette County Sheriff’s Office took a 911 call at 8:29 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 18, reporting a domestic assault in progress at a residence on P Avenue in rural Hawkeye, according to a news release from the Sheriff’s Office. Deputies responded to the residence where they found Cannon and then a 70-year-old man with severe lacerations to his face and back of his head, according to the criminal complaint. He was transported to a La Crosse, Wis., hospital with the life-threatening injuries. Kim Renee … Continue reading Hawkeye woman charged with attempted murder with a sword

Oelwein Post

Jury selected in stray voltage civil trial

Chris Baldus

A jury of nine people has been selected for the Vagts Dairy stray voltage trial. Civil trials call eight jurors and one alternative juror. On Tuesday, eight men and one woman were selected. Four of the jurors are retirees. One is listed as a laborer and another as a farmer. The others work in the medical and transportation fields. The trial didn’t return to session on Thursday because of the winter storm. Mark, Joan and Andrew Vagts and Vagts Dairy LLC filed suit in March 2021 in Fayette County District Court against Northern Natural Gas claiming it created a nuisance … Continue reading Jury selected in stray voltage civil trial

Oelwein Post

Jury selection begins in stray voltage nuisance trial

Chris Baldus

Something was seriously wrong in the herd at Vagts Dairy. Milk production and health problems emerged in the late 2010’s in the 500-cow Holstein herd. Cows eventually were not responding to veterinarian treatments, and many had to be shot or were sold, the West Union dairy farm owners say. After determining that stray voltage from a pipeline transversing the farm was the cause, Mark, Joan and Andrew Vagts and Vagts Dairy LLC filed suit in March 2021 in Fayette County District Court against Northern Natural Gas Company. Two parts of the original petition have been dismissed, but a nuisance claim … Continue reading Jury selection begins in stray voltage nuisance trial

Oelwein Post

Oelwein AM Update (Jan. 18): Snow tonight

Chris Baldus

Good morning, it’s Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2023. WEATHER Between 2 and 4 inches of snow is expected to fall overnight as an east wind gusts at around 30 mph. Otherwise, today will be cloudy and breezy with a high near 34. The east wind of 9 to 17 mph will gust at times. There is a 50% chance of snow and rain around 4 p.m., with the likelihood growing to 100% later in the evening. The night’s low will be around 29. (Extended Forecast) TUESDAY SCOREBOARD Boys basketball Hudson 42, Oelwein 42: The Huskies lost their second in a row, … Continue reading Oelwein AM Update (Jan. 18): Snow tonight

Nashua Post

Nashua AM Update (Jan. 18): N-P wrestlers win; storm to precede Winterfest

Chris Baldus

Good morning, it’s Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2023. WEATHER The Nashua area is under a winter storm warning until noon Thursday. Heavy snow is expected to hit this evening. Today will be cloudy with a high around 35. A light north wind will become east this morning and wind gusts of around 25 mph are possible. There is a 40% chance of rain and snow between 4-5 p.m. That ratchets up to 100% tonight when the snow could be heavy at times with 3 to 7 inches of accumulation possible. The low temp will be around 28 and a northeast wind … Continue reading Nashua AM Update (Jan. 18): N-P wrestlers win; storm to precede Winterfest

Nashua Post1 Comment

N-P wrestlers put on dominating performance at home

Chris Baldus

The Nashua-Plainfield boys wrestling team won every individual varsity match last night in its home quad against South Winneshiek, Starmont and Postville. The girls varsity was 3-1 in its matches against North Butler-Clarksville. See results below. GIRLS: N-P vs. NORTH BUTLER-CLARKSVILLE 100: Sara Babu (N-P) over Addy Johnson (NB-C) (Fall 2:34) 135: Savannah Pierce (NB-C) over Amy Goerke (N-P) (Fall 1:14) 135: Makinzey Brannon (N-P) over Savannah Pierce (NB-C) (Fall 0:29) 190: Kylie Vance (N-P) over Sydney Lovrien (NB-C) (Fall 1:47) BOYS: N-P vs. STARMONT 120: Hayden Munn (N-P) over Zach Taylor (STAR) (Fall 0:50) 132: Kendrick Huck (N-P) over … Continue reading N-P wrestlers put on dominating performance at home

Nashua Post

Nashua AM Update (Jan.): Teen Tuesday today, N-P wrestling tonight

Chris Baldus

Good morning, it’s Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2023. WEATHER — It will be cloudy today and tonight with a high of 34 degrees and a low around 30. A west wind of 13-15 mph will become northwest in the evening, slowing to 6-13 mph, according to the National Weather Service. On Wednesday, expect a mostly cloudy day with a high near 35, north wind of 6-15 mph becoming east in the afternoon and a 30% chance of scattered rain and snow showers after 3 p.m. COMMUNITY CALENDAR Teen Tuesday, 3:45-4:45 p.m., today, Nashua Public Library. 5th-12th graders welcome for Wii games, … Continue reading Nashua AM Update (Jan.): Teen Tuesday today, N-P wrestling tonight