Despite warnings about water-covered roadways and “Road Closed” signs in the Siouxland area, a man chose to disregard them and drove around the barriers, getting his car stuck in floodwaters. Onlookers laughed as he attempted to fix the car, but two women eventually helped him before leaving. The incident emphasized the importance of heeding safety warnings. Continue reading Local driver is a slow learner
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The ice on Spirit Lake went out this year on March 3.
From 1944, when the record-keeping began, through 1981, the ice went out in the latter half of April about once every third or fourth year. Since 2001, the ice has gone out in the latter half of April only once.
Looking at it another way, the ice cover on Spirt Lake has been decreasing in terms of how long it lasts each year for the past quarter-century or so.
The obvious conclusion is that the water temperatures in the Iowa Great Lakes are getting warmer, a result of ongoing global warming, which is part . . .
Continue reading Warmer weather at Okoboji: What it means for the lakes and those who use them
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Yeah, I know, it’s been a while since I’ve posted a “Siouxland Observed” feature – two months almost to the day. Let’s see if we can get more folks participating in this photo guessing game with two pictures of a popular Union County eating spot until it closed a couple of years ago.
The restaurant/lounge sat on the outskirts of one of our population centers. It had good cow, chicken, fish, and a salad bar. Continue reading Siouxland Observed, #10: Where is this and what was it called?
Arts South Dakota is encouraging South Dakota teens to enter the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. The awards are a national recognition program for teen writers and artists and the deadline for submission is Friday, Dec. 15 at 9:59 MT/10:59 CT.
Students submit their work to their region for initial evaluation. Submissions are $10 per individual work and $30 for a senior portfolio; if the fees present a barrier to participation, students can use a fee waiver, which is available in their student account. Once the works are submitted, South Dakota writing professionals read each student’s work and assign it a Gold Key, Silver Key, Honorable Mention, or no award. Continue reading Entry deadline for S.D. Scholastic Arts and Writing Awards is Dec. 15th
He’s leaning a little bit, but not too much. You can see right into his heart, by golly. Word is he might be scheduled for a bypass, but he isn’t talking. He doesn’t want to get anyone too riled up — at least not any more than they already are. After all, it’s Thanksgiving. He says even with a bypass he’ll do just fine. In fact, Ol’ Red says the doctors tell him he will probably be feeling better. He might even take up water skiing next summer. Continue reading Siouxland Observed #7: Where is this old fellow?
I said this edition of Siouxland Observed wouldn’t be too difficult. And it shouldn’t be if you pay attention while driving through the area just west of Sioux City’s downtown. The only thing more specific I can tell you is the sign can be seen from a short distance from the street you drive as you travel on your merry way to bowling leagues or go out for some Vietnamese food. I’d like the name of the business that this particular sign refers to, please. I’ll put the answer and the name(s) of those answering correctly in an upcoming edition … Continue reading Siouxland Observed #6: Where do you go with a flat tire? (Where is this sign?)
Okay. Now we all know this is an excavator. Or a shovel. Whatever you want to call it. And it’s sitting in the middle of a muddy construction site. But the big question is just where is that construction site?
There is a lot of construction going on northwest of the confluence of the Big Sioux and Missouri Rivers and west of Hamilton Boulevard in Siouxland. This particular site is one plenty of people would drive by on their way to and from school or work every day. In fact, you might even find this excavator sitting in about the same spot right now as there doesn’t seem to be a whole lot of progress at the construction site since the day I took this photo. Continue reading Siouxland Observed #5: Where is it?
This is a new feature of The Siouxland Observer called Siouxland Observer: Where Is It? The editor will post a photo from time to time that he took of something or someone in Siouxland. You’re invited to guess where that person or thing is located. Continue reading Siouxland Observed: Where is it?
This last Saturday I was up for a good wander. It didn’t take much convincing to get Nancy to accompany me on a journey northwest from Dakota Dunes – to SD 50 and west through Vermillion. Then by Mechling’s six … Continue reading Not Violin, but Volin
This film, co-produced and directed and written by Twin Cities photographer, filmmaker, teacher and poet Mike Hazard, provides an excellent insight into the late writer Frederick Manfred. Nicknamed Media Mike, Hazard has written, directed and produced five films that have been released nationally on PBS. His documentary on the late Senator Eugene McCarthy was awarded the D.L. Mabery Prize, Minnesota’s Oscar. Continue reading The Lizard, hungry hogs and a photo a day for eight years
The Siouxland Observer 