Ida County Courier

06/24/2025

Making space for new businesses in Odebolt

By: Dan Mundt
Ida County Courier

A new building to house multiple businesses is in the works for Main Street in Odebolt.

“Since the Farm to Table Dinner last August, we have been trying to get a thrift store started, but we exhausted all options for buildings in Odebolt,” said Kenzee Reik, president of the Odebolt Community Foundation.

The other members of the foundation are Lauren Mohrhauser, Vance Lundell, Carol Auen, and Brooklyn Ronda.

“We finally decided that our last resort is building something new, and we looked at a lot of different locations,” Reik said.

The foundation members decided that because the organization’s original goal was to improve the downtown area of Odebolt, the empty area just north of Swanson Insurance on Main Street would be ideal.

“In the meantime, we had gotten calls from multiple people looking for Odebolt buildings to put their businesses in, and there is just nowhere,” Reik said. “So we decided to make it a multi-storefront building.”

The Bridie’s building, which was demolished in November 2024, was not an option.

“That opportunity was already gone because it deteriorated so fast,” she said.

Plans for the new building call for a single-story structure that covers an area of 75 by 100 feet to be divided into three units.

Caption: This lot on Main Street in Odebolt is the future home of a multi-unit storefront that will include the Odebolt Thrift Store. Photo by Dan Mundt

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https://www.idacountycourier.com/content/making-space-new-businesses-odebolt

06/24/2025

OABCIG outduels Ridge View 8-2

By: Brent Harm
Sports Editor

The OABCIG baseball team hosted Ridge View in a Western Valley Conference showdown on Friday night. The two squads sported similar records, as the Raptors came into the contest at 9-3, while the Falcons were sitting at 7-3.

It was Ridge View who struck first, taking a 1-0 lead in the first inning. OABCIG answered with a run of their own in the bottom of the inning to tie the contest at 1-1. The Falcons claimed their first lead of the game in the second inning, going up 2-1. OABCIG tacked on another run in the fourth inning for a 3-1 advantage.

The Raptors closed the gap to one at 3-2 in the fifth inning, but the Falcons responded by plating three runs in the bottom of the fifth for a 6-2 cushion. OABCIG added a couple insurance runs in the sixth inning and came up with an 8-2 victory.

Ridge View got base hits from Blake Myrtue, Ryan Barry and Aiden Myrtue. Owen Worthan drove in a run, while Broc Wilken and Luke Braunschweig both scored a run. Wilken also had a pair of stolen bases.

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https://www.idacountycourier.com/content/oabcig-outduels-ridge-view-8-2

06/24/2025

River Valley upends OABCIG 10-2

By: Brent Harm
Sports Editor

The River Valley softball squad was in Battle Creek on Wednesday, to take on the home team Falcons of OABCIG.

The Wolverines jumped out to a 5-1 lead in the second inning, then tacked on a pair of runs in both the fourth and fifth innings for a 9-1 advantage.

The Falcons scored again in the bottom of the fifth to pull within 9-2. River Valley closed out the contest from there, however, adding an insurance run in the seventh inning for a 10-2 win.

OABCIG was led at the plate by Hailey Bender, who blasted three hits including a double. Jenessa Kolar, Calli Ulrich, Lia Hansen and Re*****on Blackmore each smacked base hits in the contest.

Caption: Bender belts one!: OABCIG’s Hailey Bender blasts one of her three hits, during the Falcons’ showdown with River Valley last Tuesday in Battle Creek. Photo by Brent Harm

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https://www.idacountycourier.com/content/river-valley-upends-oabcig-10-2

06/24/2025

Ridge View girls shut out Siouxland Christian 14-0

By: Brent Harm
Sports Editor

The Ridge View softball team hosted Siouxland Christian last week, in a conference softball showdown in Galva. The Raptors took control of the contest from the get-go, jumping out to a 6-0 lead in the first inning.

In the middle of the second inning, the dark clouds rolled in, the wind came up, and the rain started falling. The two squads, as well as the spectators, took cover. Following a 90-minute delay, the action resumed, and the Raptors picked up right where they left off, plating seven runs in the bottom of the second inning for a 13-0 advantage. Ridge View tacked on a score in the third inning, and cruised to a 14-0 four-inning win from there.

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https://www.idacountycourier.com/content/ridge-view-girls-shut-out-siouxland-christian-14-0

06/24/2025

OABCIG blanks Newell-Fonda 3-0: Falcons’ Kolar blasts two-run homer

By: Brent Harm
Sports Editor

The OABCIG baseball squad hosted Newell-Fonda on Thursday, shutting out the Mustangs 3-0 in Ida Grove.

The Falcons got on the scoreboard early, as Brysen Kolar smashed a two-run homer over the left field fence in the first inning, for a 2-0 OABCIG lead. That score held up until the bottom of the sixth inning, when OABCIG’s Zach Balder tagged up from third base after a deep fly ball by Bodie Hansen, racing home before the throw for a 3-0 advantage. The Falcon defense slammed the door shut from there, as OABCIG earned a 3-0 shutout of the Mustangs.

Four different Falcons belted two hits, led by Brysen Kolar with a home run and a single.

Caption: Round tripper!: OABCIG’s Brysen Kolar rounds the bases after hitting a two-run homer, as his Falcon teammates wait to celebrate with him. Photo by Brent Harm

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https://www.idacountycourier.com/content/oabcig-blanks-newell-fonda-3-0-falcons%E2%80%99-kolar-blasts-two-run-homer

06/24/2025

Pick up this week's copy of the Ida County Courier and find...

•HMH ER/Lab expansion
•2nd & Main Farmers Market
•Battle Creek gears up for July 4th
•Ida Grove Splash Pad
•OABCIG FFA cattle show
•OABCIG / Ridge View baseball and softball

Or subscribe online to access these stories and more right from your device at
https://idacountycourier.com/

06/24/2025

Ridge View girls best OABCIG 8-0

By: Brent Harm
Sports Editor

The Ridge View softball team had a fine performance on Friday, topping OABCIG 8-0 in a conference showdown at Battle Creek.

The Raptors jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead in the first inning, and scored three more in the second for a 5-0 advantage. Ridge View added a run in the third inning for a 6-0 cushion, and scored twice in the sixth for an 8-0 victory.

The Raptors were led at the plate by Reese Hawthorne, who blasted three hits including a double. Addy Tesch smacked two hits, while Emma Mentzer and Cora Tesch both belted doubles. Addy Tesch drove in two runs, while Mentzer and Savannah Cudaback each contributed an RBI.

Caption: Tesch takes off for first!: Ridge View’s Addy Tesch lets go of the bat and takes off for first base, after putting the ball in play against OABCIG on Friday night. Photo by Brent Harm

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https://www.idacountycourier.com/content/ridge-view-girls-best-oabcig-8-0

06/24/2025

Falcons wallop Westwood 14-0

By: Brent Harm
Sports Editor

The OABCIG baseball squad shut out Westwood 14-0 on Saturday morning in Ida Grove. The game was a continuation of a contest from earlier in the week, which rained out with the Falcons leading 8-0 after one inning.

OABCIG went right back to work when they got the chance, plating six runs in the second inning and rolling to a 14-0 victory.

The Falcons were led at the plate by Miles Chesney and Jaxx DeJean, who both belted a pair of hits, and by Zach Balder, who blasted a home run. Brysen Kolar smacked a double, and Kade Spotts contributed a base hit. JJ Parks reached base twice by way of a walk.

Caption: Balder barrels into home!: OABCIG’s Zach Balder dives into home plate for a score against Westwood, during Saturday morning’s matchup in Ida Grove. Photo by Brent Harm

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https://www.idacountycourier.com/content/falcons-wallop-westwood-14-0

06/24/2025

06/19/2025

Ida Grove Heritage Days is almost here

By: Dan Mundt
Ida County Courier

Ida Grove’s four-day Heritage Days celebration starts at 3 p.m. on Thursday, June 26, with an ice cream social at Horn Memorial Hospital.
“That will be followed by the farmer’s market (at Godbersen Park from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.), and then we’ll do our traditional Little Miss and Mr. Heritage Days, followed by our free movie at the King Theatre,” said Stephanie Mulstay, who is a member of the Ida Grove Heritage Days Committee.
Other committee members are Kelsey Brosius, Heather Bogue, Amy Forbes, Sheila Redenius, Matt Grell, Carly Taggart, and Bobbie Billings.
The free movie, “Dennis the Menace,” will begin at 7:15 p.m. Thursday.
On Friday, the event will start with a sidewalk chalk art expo for kids and adults at Godbersen Park.
“The fun really starts in the evening/after work hours,” Mulstay said. “We start with our fifth annual Joseph Hopkins Memorial Fishing Tournament, and then a lot of fun activities. We’ll have Ladies Night (at Jepsen’s Simply Rustic), there’ll be a foam party at the bowling alley along with live music.”
The band Wicked Fun will play at Ida Bowl from 7 to 10 p.m. on Friday.

Visit the Ida Grove Heritage Days page or email [email protected] for additional information about the event.

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https://idacountycourier.com/content/ida-grove-heritage-days-almost-here

06/19/2025

Conoco station to open for Heritage Days

By: Dan Mundt
Ida County Courier

“After spring work got completed, we were able to get back in here and make a big push to have it ready for Heritage Days so people can come take a look at it,” said Brian Lundell of the work taking place at the old Conoco gas station at the corner of 2nd and Quimby streets in Ida Grove.
He and his dad, Jim Lundell, are working to restore the building to its condition when it was a functioning service station in the middle part of the 20th century.
A major project has been to clean up all of the station’s old electrical lines and outlets.
Tyson Blackman has been working on that task.
“When we’re done, it’ll all be out,” Brian said. “Fortunately, back in the day in this facility, they ran conduit to all the lighting fixtures. We’re fortunate that we can pull all that old wire out and run all new wire from the panel to all the fixtures. That’ll be happening later on next week.”

Caption: Years of effort will be revealed when the old Ida Grove Conoco station opens to the public during Heritage Days next weekend. Photo by Dan Mundt

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https://idacountycourier.com/content/conoco-station-open-heritage-days