The Hartley Sentinel-The Everly/Royal News

06/12/2025

Burley's Appliance, a downtown Hartley staple, will close its doors at the end of the month after 106 years in business.

"It's hard to see it done, but on the better half, you know it's gotta be. Things don't go on forever," said Arla Rae Westphalen.

The inside of Burley's Appliance presents an interesting sensory experience these days. The show floor is nearly empty, and if nobody is around, you could hear the echo from a pin dropping. "It's bittersweet," said Arla Rae Westphalen, the second generation to own and operate Burley's Appliance. "It...

05/02/2025

First the first time, Hartley will host the Live Healthy Iowa Kids Track Championships on Saturday. Events kick off at 10:30 a.m., and everyone is invited to come out and cheer on the young athletes. There is no cost to attend. The event is being sponsored and organized by the Hartley Health & Fitness Center and Hartley Parks & Rec Department.

Local kids are getting their calisthenics in before the gun sounds Saturday morning in Hartley. For the first time, the Live Healthy Iowa Kids Track Championships will be held at the H-M-S High School track for kids ages 7-12. The event was founded in 2015 to continue on the tradition of the Hershey...

04/17/2025

For the second time in four months, the Hartley City Council is down a member.

The Hartley City Council is once again down to four members. Matt Dolphin unexpectedly resigned Monday afternoon prior to that evening's meeting. He was serving his first term on the council, having been elected in 2023. As per Dolphin's letter to the council, his resignation was effective immediate...

04/10/2025

A community RAGBRAI planning meeting is slated for Monday, April 21 at 6 p.m. at Hartley City Hall.

The population of Hartley will explode on July 20 when Iowa's biggest party on wheels rolls through town. RAGBRAI officials last week announced the final route for this year's ride. Included as a pass-through town on Day 1 was Hartley, which last welcomed riders in 2017. Council Member Matt Dolphin,...

04/03/2025

Here are a few photos from RAGBRAI's last visit to Hartley back in 2017.

04/03/2025

Hartley and May City have been included as pass-thru towns on this year’s RAGBRAI route.

Introducing your RAGBRAI LII Route! Wait... does that flight pattern go into MINNESOTA?? Can't wait to Take Flight to new adventures on RAGBRAI LII!

Orange City RAGBRAI Milford Ragbrai Estherville Ragbrai RAGBRAI Forest City RAGBRAI Iowa Falls Cedar Falls RAGBRAI Oelwein Ragbrai 2025 Guttenberg Ragbrai 2025

🛫 More info: RAGBRAI.com/take-flight
🛫 Ride with us: RAGBRAI.com/registration

03/21/2025

The can donation bin in downtown Hartley has generated tens of thousands of dollars for local causes since it was installed in 2018. Now, the Parents of Daycare group will carry on that tradition one nickel at a time.

One local fundraising group has kicked the can to another. The Hartley Rec Trail Committee this week handed over the downtown can and bottle donation bin to the Parents of Daycare (POD) group. POD will assume redemption duties immediately while learning the ins and outs of the operation from trail c...

03/07/2025

After more than two years of preparation, Hartley Cold Services is open for business.

It's been a long time coming, but Hartley Cold Services is finally open for business. Owner Stephane Comtois marked the first day of official operation on Monday. He was thrilled to finally get going, as the process took two years and nine months. "As we went along, there were a lot of changes," he....

03/06/2025

The owner of the former elementary school in Hartley says the wind-damaged roof will be repaired once weather allows.

Ongoing issues at the old elementary school in Hartley continued last week thanks to strong wind gusts. A portion of the roof liner on the west side of the building ripped off and came to a rest hanging from the south side. Michael Reese, of Hestia Investments, which owns the old school, said repair...

02/28/2025

Today's wind gusts are so strong that they have ripped off a portion of the old elementary school's roof liner, which is now hanging on the south side of the building.

02/21/2025

The H-M-S boys' bowling team is rolling to state for the second time in three years.

For the second time in three years, Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn will compete in the Class 1A boys' state bowling championships. In addition, two Hawks will compete in the individual state tournament. H-M-S won the team title at the state qualifying meet on Tuesday at Locomotion Lanes in Sanborn. Their fi...

02/20/2025

New H-M-S FFA advisor Olivia Grooters isn't a stranger to the local chapter by any means.

Classes may be months away from dismissing, but it has already been a memorable year for new Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn FFA advisor Olivia Grooters. The first-year instructor took the reigns of the local chapter in August. She succeeded Lindsey Meyers, who left the post at the end of 2024 after leading....