FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

05/12/08

Democrats and Republicans vote June 3rd at polling places in O'Brien County. The Carroll/Floyd Township sample ballots are shown. As pdf files the printing is clear:     Democrats      Republicans

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

01/16/08

Representatives from the UNI Regional Business Center, Iowa Small Business Development Centers and regional economic development organizations will discuss the significance of being selected as a 2008 MyEntreNet region and provide an overview of the entrepreneurship system.

Adams County and O’Brien County have been selected as the two new regions for the MyEntreNet entrepreneurship development system. MyEntreNet receives funding through the State of Iowa’s Grow Iowa Values Fund.

MyEntreNet is an entrepreneurship development system which creates community-based support networks for entrepreneurs, provides start up and existing companies with advanced technical assistance and training, and connects rural entrepreneurs with the financial resources they need to launch or grow small companies.

Each region selected will receive two years of customized technical assistance, training and networking assistance from Iowa’s premier business development organizations, including the UNI’s Regional Business Center, UNI’s Institute for Decision Making, Iowa State University Extension Service, Iowa’s John Pappajohn Entrepreneurship Centers, Iowa Lakes SBDC, Northwest Iowa SBDC, South Central Iowa SBDC, Iowa Lakes Community College and Southwestern Community College. In addition, each selected region will receive a $10,000 cash grant from the University of Northern Iowa to support their business assistance efforts.

Regional leadership submitted strong applications that demonstrated potential demand from nearly 100 existing and pre-venture entrepreneurs for access to capital, customized technical assistance, and training over the next two years. Their application also reflected strong regional support for business development in the county.

New regions each year will be added through a competitive process over the next decade, creating a statewide network of rural entrepreneurship resources, connecting Iowa businesses and communities with opportunity, education and capital.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Choose an O'Brien Couty Ag Recognition nominee by Jan 30th.

The Ag Expo 2008 in Sheldon, Iowa, on March 7th, (Schedule) will include the presentation of an award for someone from O'Brien County who has contributed to advancing Agriculture in O'Brien County over the past year. Nomination forms are available the the OCEDC office or print the form from the web. (pdf format)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

O’Brien County Tourism to Receive Grant

Kiana Johnson, Director of O’Brien County Economic Development Corporation, recently announced that O’Brien County Tourism will receive a grant of $500.00 from the Western Iowa Tourism Region in cooperation with the Iowa Tourism Office, Iowa Department of Economic Development. The grant has been awarded for promotion and will be used in part to help defray the cost of developing the O’Brien County Tourism website and also for the publication of brochures promoting our county’s attractions.

The Western Iowa Tourism Region serves 36 counties in the western one-third of Iowa. Organizations, events and attractions are eligible to apply for a portion of the $38,000 in grant funds available for tourism promotion, advertising and education.

According to Beth Waddle, Adams Community Economic Development Corporation and promotions grant selection committee chairman, “Selection of grant recipients is an increasingly difficult task. Western Iowa continues to see an increase in private and public investment in tourism related projects and services, and we are pleased the grant dollars can assist with improving Western Iowa attractions and events.

“The Western Iowa Tourism Region has been excited about the interest in promoting tourism in Western Iowa and will continue to work with the Iowa Office of Tourism to encourage funding programs for local projects,” said Jim Robbins, Monona County Tourism and President of the Western Iowa Tourism Region.

Michelle Walker, Executive Director of the Western Iowa Tourism Region, reported that consumer interest in Western Iowa is increasing each year and that cooperative advertising and increased funds for advertising and promotion will continue to add to the visitor numbers in Western Iowa.

(Web Post: Aug 31, 2007)

February 2, 2007

Union County, SD Named 'Great Place To Live'

If you call Union County, South Dakota, home, you already know it's a great place to live and work. Once again, a national magazine has named it one of the best places to live in rural America.

Progressive Farmer magazine praised the county as "an anchor for agriculture, education and culture." Union County ranked fifth in the top-10 list.

But, when you break the list by region, Union County rises to #2. Also making the Midwest list: Sac County, Iowa at #3. O'Brien County, Iowa is at #6. Sioux County, Iowa ranks #7. And, Cuming County, Nebraska is at #10.

Updated: February 1, 2007, 7:03 pm

Pizza Ranch Opens Doors

Pizza Ranch lovers of O'Brien County welcome Pizza Ranch pizza's newest O'Brien County location. Find it located on the east side of Sheldon in the Runger Addition, across the street west of Van Drie Automotive. The Pizza Ranch Corporation owns the property, and the franchise will be owned by a group of investors. Those investors include, Brad Cleveringa, manager of the new Sheldon restaurant, Nate Voss, manager of the Orange City Pizza Ranch, Alex Van Voorst, manager of the Sioux Center's Pizza Ranch, and Rob Roozeboom, founder and director of RISE Ministries in Sheldon. Nate Breen from the Sioux Center Pizza Ranch will serve as Cleveringa's Assistant Manager.

O'Brien County Economic Development, in conjunction with the O'Brien County Revolving Loan Fund Committee has approved financing for the new restaurant. Revolving Loan Fund funds are used to attract, retain or expand business or industry. Revolving loan funds may be used for the following: Land purchases, Building purchases, Building Construction, Machinery purchases, Equipment purchases and any other uses deemed appropriate by the RLF Committee.

O'Brien County Economic Development Executive Director Kiana Johnson said, “We are excited to have Pizza Ranch returning to Sheldon. We look forward to utilizing their private meeting room facilities. Pizza Ranch will provide 4-5 full time jobs and 45 part time jobs. The new restaurant is going to be an asset to Sheldon and all of O'Brien County."

(Web post: Mar 23. 2007)

ND MillWerk Salvage & Sales Expands

Looking for vintage doors, hardware, columns, wordwork and much, much more? Soon they will be showcased at ND Millwerk Salvage and Sales' new store location in Paullina, Iowa. Construction is underway to adjoin Paullina's old car wash and ND MillWerk's current location. The old car wash will serve as a store front and display space for their timeless treasures. O'Brien County

Economic Development, in conjunction with the O'Brien CountyRevolving Loan Fund Committee and the USDA Rural Development have approved financing for the expansion.Revolving Loan Fund funds are used to attract, retain or expand business or industry. Revolving loan funds may be used for the following: Land purchases, Building purchases, Building Construction, Machinery purchases, Equipment purchases and any other uses deemed appropriate by the RLF Committee.

O'Brien County Economic Development Executive Director Kiana Johnson said, “What a unique niche market. I am excited to see their inventory on display and I am privileged we were able to assist with their expansion.."

(Web post: Mar 23. 2007)

DK Plastics to Expand

Big news for the small community of Archer. DK Plastics, owned by Dave DeKok and family is expanding their custom plastic extrusion business. The dirt work already started last fall and now that spring is here, you'll see big changes at the current site on Primghar Ave., Archer. DeKok advised he will add 15 full time jobs with in 3 years of the expansion completion.

O'Brien County Economic Development, in conjunction with the O'Brien CountyRevolving Loan Fund Committee and the USDA Rural Development have approved financing for the expansion.Revolving Loan Fund funds are used to attract, retain or expand business or industry. Revolving loan funds may be used for the following: Land purchases, Building purchases, Building Construction, Machinery purchases, Equipment purchases and any other uses deemed appropriate by the RLF Committee.

O'Brien County Economic Development Executive Director Kiana Johnson said, “The committee and myself praise and support this project and feel it will bolster the economic basis in Archer and O'Brien County. We are very pleased that we are able to support their endeavor."

(Web post: Mar 23. 2007)

O'Brien County Chapter Makes Iowa Pheasants Forever Country

All Iowa Counties Now Home to PF Chapters

Anthony Hauck (651)209-4972

Primghar, Iowa - March-27 -

Residents from O'Brien County have formed the newest chapter of Pheasants Forever (PF). The new chapter becomes Iowa's 105th and means all of the state's 99 counties are home to PF chapters. Iowa becomes the first state to claim such a distinction.

"Iowa's pheasant enthusiasts and conservationists are truly passionate about preserving the future of pheasants and other wildlife, and residents of O'Brien County are the latest examples of that fact," said John Linquist, PF Regional Representative from Iowa. "Iowans have decided that when it comes to conservation, they will be leaders."

The O'Brien County Chapter of PF will focus efforts on improving O'Brien County wildlife habitat and connecting local youth to the outdoors. "There's a million habitat projects we can get started on right away, and youth programs have been long-lacking in the area and are definitely a main focus," said Eric Rodger, the chapter's newly-elected president. Rodger said he and his fellow members are extremely excited to finally be a part of Pheasants Forever in Iowa. "We've received a ton of support from other PF chapters," Rodger said. "They really want to see us succeed. It's great to be a part of a state network and a national network."

PF and its quail division, Quail Forever, are the only national conservation organizations that empower local chapters with the responsibility to determine how 100 percent of their locally raised conservation funds are spent. This local control allows members to see the fruits of their chapter efforts in their own communities, while belonging to a national organization with a voice on federal conservation policy in Washington, D.C.

The O'Brien County chapter gives local landowners the conservation resource they've been missing. "A lot of landowners in the area are looking for assistance, and now they have that resource to go through to get habitat projects started," Linquist said. After one meeting, the new chapter is well-represented, with members coming from all but one O'Brien County city. "Landowners, the communities, the businesses - they're all behind the chapter," Linquist said.

In addition to Rodger, the chapter has elected Dan Daggett of Sanborn as vice president, Shawn Doyle of Hartley as treasurer, Scott Osborn of Primghar as habitat chair and Chris Rodger of Sheldon as the youth/education chair. The chapter will hold its next meeting on Thursday, March 29 at 7 PM at the Pizza Ranch in Primghar. The public and media are invited to attend. For more information on the O'Brien County Chapter, contact Eric Rodger at (712)949-7030 or via e-mail at erodger@tcaexpress.net. If you are interested in joining a Pheasants Forever chapter in Iowa, please contact John Linquist at (712)754-3221 or via e-mail at jlinquist@pheasantsforever.org.

Iowa's 105 chapters account for over 22,000 members statewide. Those chapters have spent more than $27.8 million on habitat and youth education projects since the first PF chapter in Iowa formed in 1984. In turn, those funds have completed over 82,000 habitat projects, benefiting more than 800,000 acres for Iowa wildlife along the way.

Pheasants Forever is a non-profit conservation organization dedicated to the protection and enhancement of quail and other wildlife populations in North America through habitat improvement, land management, public awareness, and education. Such efforts benefit landowners and wildlife alike.

© 1982-2007 - Pheasants Forever, Inc. All Rights Reserved

(Web Post Apr 17,2007)

Groundbreaking for VeraSun Ethanol Plant
Photo from VeraSun web page.

Hundreds of Iowans braved rain showers on Thursday, May 3 to join VeraSun Energy officials, local officials and Iowa political leaders for the groundbreaking ceremony for VeraSun Hartley, a 110 million-gallon-per-year ethanol production facility located just west of the Hartley, Iowa community. (From the VeraSun Energy webpage).

(Web Post May 21, 2007)