Elijah Helton

Lake Merritt

Staff Writer at The N'West Iowa REVIEW

retired newsperson | g'awks | t/t

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Articles

Sandbulte on her last ride as Mustang

Apr 11, 2024 | nwestiowa.com | Elijah Helton

GEORGE—Brenda Sandbulte is turning the final pages of her career at George-Little Rock High School. Across three decades, she has taught language arts and social studies, directed theatre and coached the Mustangs’ well-decorated speech team. In her last semester, she said community support of education in general and trust in her in particular have been key to her success. “I like being a generational teacher,” Sandbulte said.
New owners at long-standing auto shop

Apr 10, 2024 | nwestiowa.com | Elijah Helton

HARTLEY—Stan’s Service is switching gears as Stephen and Kelly Embrey take over the decades-old vehicle repair shop in Hartley. The couple signed the paperwork in March and began operations as the new owners Monday, April 1. Stan and Bonny Jacobs had run the garage for 40 years. “This is just a place where you love your job, and it goes from there,” Stan said. “We never knew when we would quit, but Stephen and Kelly just asked if we were thinking of retiring.
Long-held ARP project OK'd in Lyon

Apr 8, 2024 | nwestiowa.com | Elijah Helton

ROCK RAPIDS—Lyon County is advancing its seven-figure construction project after several delays and a split vote on the board of supervisors. Rising price estimates have been the main roadblock. The plan remains that the engineer’s department will move out of the county’s troubled Annex Building in downtown Rock Rapids and into a building yet to be constructed next to its main machine shop at the edge of town.
Bill would make pesticide lawsuits harder

Apr 6, 2024 | nwestiowa.com | Elijah Helton

DES MOINES—A bill that will make it harder to sue pesticide companies for negligence passed the state Senate on Tuesday with N’West Iowa Republicans splitting their votes. Sen. Jeff Taylor of Sioux Center joined three other GOP legislators and all Democrats in opposition to Senate File 2412. He said the bill would preemptively close the door to consumers getting their day in court, especially concerning cancer, against agrochemical giants like Monsanto, now owned by Bayer.
Graphic designer to open RR shop

Apr 4, 2024 | nwestiowa.com | Elijah Helton

ROCK RAPIDS—A storefront is about to get more than a new coat of paint from Stan Wissink. The one-man graphic design team that is Wissink Creative soon will move out of his home office and into a brick-and-mortar location in downtown Rock Rapids as he expands his services with a printing and sign shop. “All of that is just around the corner now, so it’s very exciting,” Wissink said.
GOP legislators debrief AEAs, pipeline

Apr 3, 2024 | nwestiowa.com | Elijah Helton

ROCK RAPIDS—Education and pipelines were the top topics at a legislator forum in N’West Iowa. What else is new? State Rep. Skyler Wheeler (R-Hull) and Sen. Jeff Taylor (R-Sioux Center) hosted a mid-session check-in last Saturday, March 23, with those two topics top of mind for most of the couple dozen people in attendance. It was the final Eggs & Issues in Rock Rapids for this legislative session. Wheeler, who chairs the House Education Committee, opened discussion on Area Education Agencies.
Virgil running outside lane of Feenstra

Apr 2, 2024 | nwestiowa.com | Elijah Helton

HULL—Kevin Virgil has been hitting the campaign trail, which recently included a stop just a couple blocks from his rival’s residence. The Republican primary challenger to U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra was in Hull on March 20 as the June 4 election comes into view. “I know I’m right here in the hornet’s nest of my opponent’s hometown,” Virgil said.
Joenks plots path as WC ag teacher

Mar 29, 2024 | nwestiowa.com | Elijah Helton

HULL—Emily Joenks harvested the payoff of her education faster than most folks, and she even got to stay planted close to home. The new agriculture teacher at Western Christian High School always knew she wanted to go into something related to farming growing up outside Everly. Originally on track to become a veterinarian, her studies convinced her down the teaching route.
Three of many paths to all-state speech

Mar 25, 2024 | nwestiowa.com | Elijah Helton

REGIONAL—A full cast of students from N’West Iowa schools earned all-state slots to conclude the speech season. After qualifying at the northwest region’s state-level contest on March 9, the area is sending 34 performers to be recognized at the Iowa High School Speech Association Individual Events All-State Speech Festival. The ultimate program took place today (Monday, March 25) at the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls.
Central Lyon robotics makes nationals

Mar 23, 2024 | nwestiowa.com | Elijah Helton

ROCK RAPIDS—A robotics team from Central Lyon Elementary is shipping up to Boston. ROARbotics, a nine-member crew of fifth-graders, will represent the Rock Rapids school at the FIRST LEGO League invitational June 9-10 in Massachusetts. Computer science teacher Eric Arnold has been working with the team since preparations started in September. “They were ecstatic, thrilled; one of my students was in tears,” Arnold said.