Justin Rust
Verified
Managing editor of The N'West Iowa REVIEW.
Is this you? As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.
Claim your profile
Articles by Justin Rust
Election Day right around the corner
REGIONAL—Election Day is a little more than a week away on Nov. 3. There are plenty of statewide candidates along with an amendment on the ballot but there are also some regional races for the Iowa House and Senate and a school bond. To find the right precinct to vote at, go to the Iowa Secretary of State’s website at https://sos.iowa.gov/voters/find-my-precinctpolling-place. The polls are open 7 a.m.-8 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 3.
MOC-Floyd Valley ends season with win over Webster City
WEBSTER CITY—MOC-Floyd Valley may have missed the playoffs but ended the season by beating Webster City 34-21 in a Class 3A District 1 football game on Friday. “There isn’t a much better way you can go out,” said MOC-Floyd Valley coach Grant Hegstad. “The kids responded after a tough loss last week to Sioux Center. For them to come back this week, be resilient and to prepare well all week to play like this is huge. “To send our seniors out like this, their commitment to the season was great.
OABCIG comes back to end Western Christian's season
HULL—Western Christian jumped out to a 21-0 lead in the first quarter but couldn’t hold off sixth-ranked OABCIG in a 28-21 first-round Class 2A football playoff loss on Friday. The Wolfpack ended the season with a 4-5 record. “We had a great group of seniors that did an awesome job leading all fall,” said Western Christian coach Travis Kooima. “They wrote a great story for our team, even though there were some tough chapters this fall.
Marching Orabs finish season with two awards
The Sheldon High School Marching Orabs put on a fitting final performance for retiring director Cliff St. Clair and retiring color guard director Shairi St. Clair. The Marching Orabs competed at the Quad State Marching Contest in Vermillion, SD, on Saturday, and they came home with second place in Open Class II while being named the best color guard and best overall effect. “We had a good, solid performance,” Cliff St. Clair said.
Halloween activities in Sheldon area set
The Halloween season officially gets underway in the Sheldon area as activities begin Saturday, Oct. 24, a week before two days of trick-or-treating on Friday-Saturday, Oct. 30-31. The official holiday is on Oct. 31. The Prairie Arts Historical Park will host its annual Halloween Carnival 1-3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24 Then there will be trick-or-treating 4-5:30 p.m. Friday, Oct.
Rock Valley police officer injured after being struck by pickup
ROCK VALLEY—A Rock Valley police officer was injured after he was allegedly struck by a 47-year-old Rock Valley man on Wednesday night. The man is facing attempted murder charges. At approximately 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 21, two officers from the Rock Valley Police Department were on foot outside of the department at an adjacent parking lot, according to a Rock Valley Police Department press release.
Sheldon's United Fund gets underway for 2026
The Sheldon United Fund’s 2026 campaign is once again underway. The United Fund got underway on Monday and will run until Dec. 31. The United Fund’s goal is again to raise $30,000 for 22 area organizations. “We just leave it at that because with financial things, we never know how things go,” said board member Cindy Runger. “That sounds like a good goal to us.” Last year, the United Fund raised $30,018 and has hit at least the $30,000 mark for several years. “We’ve done very well,” Runger said.
Sheldon council plans to hold two closed sessions
The Sheldon City Council plans to hold two closed sessions at its 4:30 p.m. meeting today (Wednesday, Oct. 21) in the Sheldon Community Services Center. The first possible closed session will be to consider the purchase of property, per Iowa Code 21.5. This is the second straight meeting where the council will consider purchasing property. No action was taken after the closed session on Oct. 7. The second possible closed session is to consider city manager candidates, per Iowa Code 21.5(1)(i).
West Lyon clinches district title with win over Lawton-Bronson
INWOOD—West Lyon clinched the Class 1A District 1 football title as the second-ranked Wildcats shut out Lawton-Bronson 49-0 on Friday. “We needed a game to clinch the district, and our guys came out ready to play,” said West Lyon coach Jay Rozeboom. “We had a really good week of practice, and they played as they practiced. One of our goals was to win the district championship. We will celebrate tonight, but now it’s a new season.
Boyden-Hull/Rock Valley holds off Western Christian late
ROCK VALLEY—Boyden-Hull/Rock Valley had the last say in a back-and-forth game against Western Christian as the Nighthawks stopped a go-ahead conversion attempt by the Wolfpack late in the fourth quarter and held on for a 42-41 win in Class 2A District 1 football Friday. The Nighthawks' chance at a playoff spot had been burned a little earlier in the night when Cherokee beat Sheldon to clinch the final spot in the playoffs, but the win was still a big way to end the season for them.
West Sioux wins first district title in three seasons
HAWARDEN—Second-ranked West Sioux beat Le Mars Gehlen 55-7 on Friday to win the Class A District 1 title, the first district title for the Falcons in three seasons. West Sioux went eight straight years with a district title but then went three years without one until Friday night. “One of our goals was to win a district championship,” said Falcons coach Ryan Schwiesow. “We are going to celebrate being district champs tonight and then dig into the film tomorrow.
Marching Orabs 'Superior' again at state festival
The Sheldon High School Marching Orabs have traditionally delivered a first-rate performance while hosting the Iowa High School Music Association State Marching Band Festival for North District 1. Saturday was no different as the Marching Orabs earned a Division I “Superior” rating for their performance of “Where Shadows Meet the Sunset” at Orab Field.
South O'Brien can't overcome tough second quarter to Le Mars Gehlen
LE MARS—South O'Brien played Le Mars Gehlen tight for three of the four quarters, but an uneven second quarter allowed the Jays to build a big lead as they beat the Wolverines 34-7 in Class A District 1 football Friday. Le Mars Gehlen outscored South O'Brien 21-0 in the second quarter, and a couple of the touchdowns were set up by Wolverine turnovers. "An interception set up a touchdown for them, then we had a fumble, so twice we gave them the ball in good position.
MOC-Floyd Valley snaps three-game losing streak
HUMBOLDT—MOC-Floyd Valley's defense got a fourth-down stop on Humboldt's first drive and got another one on the Wildcats' last drive. The Dutch added a couple of scores between then and snapped a three-game losing streak by beating the Wildcats 13-7 in Class 3A District 1 football Friday. "I'm really excited for our kids. I'm really proud of their preparation from the last week and how they came ready to play," said MOC-Floyd Valley coach Grant Hegstad.
West Lyon rolls after giving up early score to MVAOCOU
MAPLETON—West Lyon fell behind early by giving up a score to MVAOCOU, but the second-ranked Wildcats quickly recovered and controlled the rest of the game to win 56-12 in Class 1A District 1 football Friday. “It was a long road trip for us. We got off to a poor start. They took the ball and drove it down the field on us. They did a good job of executing, so credit where credit is due,” said West Lyon coach Jay Rozeboom. “Some of it came down to poor tackling and a couple of blown assignments.
RiseFest 2027 announces first two artists, Wilson and West
RiseFest 2027 will bring back a familiar performer while welcoming one of Christian music’s rising stars when the festival returns to Sheldon June 11-12. Matthew West is set to make his sixth appearance at the family-friendly Christian music festival, while Anne Wilson will return for her third RiseFest performance and serve as one of two headliners. The second headliner has yet to be announced, so it remains unclear which night Wilson will take the stage as a headliner.
American Legion flag
You are the owner of this collection. You have permission to edit this collection. Serving N’West Iowa since 1972 | 712-324-5347
Marching Orabs earn sweepstakes again at Algona
The Sheldon High School Marching Orabs are ready to compete in front of their home crowd after winning the sweepstakes at the Algona Band Day Festival. Sheldon High School is hosting the Iowa High School Music Association State Marching Band Festival for North District 1 on Saturday at Orab Field. The Marching Orabs will perform their program “Where Shadows Meet the Sunset” at 12:45 p.m. Saturday, right after the lunch break for the day.
RiseFest 2027 announces first two artists
RiseFest has its first two acts for June, including one of the two-day Christian music festival’s headliners. Anne Wilson will be one of the two headliners. Which night Wilson will be headlining is still to be determined since the other headliner has not been announced yet. It will be Wilson’s third appearance at RiseFest. Matthew West is the other act announced for RiseFest June 11-12 in Sheldon, and he will be making his sixth appearance.
Light agenda for Sheldon City Council meeting Wednesday
There’s only one item in the old or new business for the Sheldon City Council meeting at 4:30 p.m. today (Wednesday, Oct. 7) in the upper level at the Sheldon Community Services Center. The one item isn’t even open to the public either. It’s for a possible closed session for the possible purchase of property, per Iowa Code 21.5. There are items on the consent agenda, which are voted on all at once by the council early in the meeting.
Sheldon announces finalists for city manager
The city of Sheldon announced on Tuesday afternoon two finalists for the city manager position — Heidi Kramer of Hull and Joe Darter of East Peoria, IL. The naming of the finalists follows a national recruitment process and detailed screening process. There will be a public meet-and-greet with the two finalists 5-6 p.m. Friday, Oct.
Sheldon Fire responds to blazes at AGP and Kent
The Sheldon Fire Co. responded to two fires in 48 hours at two processing plants last week in Sheldon. The fire at Kent Nutrition Group on Thursday morning in Sheldon was the second in nine days after an explosion left one of the towers damaged on Monday, Sept. 21. The second fire Friday night was at a baghouse at Ag Processing at 804 Second Ave. in Sheldon. Firefighters were at the facility until early Saturday morning.
Streit goes into Sheldon Hall of Fame
The Honorable Judge Michael Streit was honored by the Sheldon Historical Society on Monday, Sept. 7. The 1968 Sheldon High School graduate who later became a justice of the Iowa Supreme Court became the 40th member of the Sheldon Hall of Fame. “When your hometown gives you an award, you cannot pretend you arrived here entirely on your own,” the 76-year-old Streit said. “Sheldon knew me before there were titles before my name or honors after it.
Kruse receives ag Hall of Fame award
SANBORN—Gary Kruse of Calumet Farms received his 2026 Ag Hall of Fame award on July 27 at the O’Brien County Fair. Since 2001, the O’Brien County Value Added Ag steering committee has recognized an outstanding citizen with its annual Value Added Ag Hall of Fame Award. In 2016, awards were given out in a business category and an individual category. Since then, some combination of two individuals or businesses have been recognized each year with this award.
Sioux Central controls second half against Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn
HARTLEY—Host Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn was within striking distance of Sioux Central going into halftime, but a tough second half helped the Rebels win 29-12 in Class A District 1 football Friday. Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn coach Jeremiah Delzer said his team's execution throughout the game was rough. "That’s kind of the story of the game. It’s not that we didn’t play hard or physical. The execution just wasn’t there," Delzer said. "We stalled out on the goal line a couple times.
Second-ranked Lions beat Wolfpack to stay on top of district
HULL—Central Lyon/George-Little Rock broke off a few big plays in the first half to gain an edge against Western Christian, and then the second-ranked Lions locked down defensively to pull away for the 30-18 win in Class 2A District 1 football Friday. The win also gives the Lions, who improved to 6-0 overall and 3-0 in the district, a one-game lead over Western Christian, which fell to 3-3 overall and 2-1 in the district, and Unity Christian.
Another incident at Kent Nutrition Group in Sheldon
SHELDON—The Sheldon Fire Co. was called out to Kent Nutrition Group’s facility for the second time in nine days for an incident. The latest call was at 12:26 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 1, for a reported explosion in Building 6 at the facility at 1500 RTM Ave. Firefighters met with employees on site and assessed the situation. Then the O’Brien County Emergency Management Agency arrived on the scene and deployed a drone to check the building for signs of damage and fire.
Marching Orabs finish in seventh place at Starfest
Sheldon High School Marching Orabs director Cliff St. Clair warned his band that they could go from first to fourth place easily due to the quality and depth of the competition in Class 3A. The Marching Orabs started the season with a first-place finish in Class 3A at the Bulldog Battle of the Bands on Sept. 19 in Le Mars, and it only took a week for St. Clair’s point to be proven. The band traveled to Sioux City for Starfest on Saturday and finished in fourth place in Class 3A.
RiseFest 2027 announces first two artists, Wilson and West
SHELDON—A familiar face and an artist who’s risen to fame are the first two acts announced for RiseFest 2027. Matthew West will make his sixth appearance at RiseFest June 11-12 in Sheldon, and Anne Wilson, making her third appearance, will be one of the two headliners at the family-friendly Christian musical event. Which night Wilson will be headlining is still to be determined since the other headliner has not been announced yet.
Awakening Grace combines annual carnival with 5K
Awakening Grace is combining its annual carnival with its fourth annual 5K Remembrance Color Fun Run on Saturday, Oct. 3, at the Northwest Iowa Lifelong Learning and Recreation Center at Northwest Community College in Sheldon. Check-in on Saturday for the 3.1-mile event begins at 8 a.m., with the run at 9 a.m. The carnival will be 9:30 a.m.-1 p.m. The morning will be a day of remembrance, community, and color to support those who have experienced the loss of a baby or infant.
Sheldon council seeks sit-down with Children's World
The Sheldon City Council has $60,000 set aside for Children’s World for the 2026-27 fiscal year, but it is debating the best way to help the daycare. The council has not heard many suggestions from the Sheldon daycare, so a sit-down will be set up with council members Jeff Wagner and Shantel Oostra and the Children’s World Board of Directors. Oostra is the council’s liaison for the Children’s World board. The $60,000 was the main topic of discussion during last Wednesday’s council meeting.
Building damaged after explosion at Kent Feeds
SHELDON—An explosion at Kent Nutrition Group’s facility on Monday morning has left one of its towers with a large hole. The Sheldon Fire Co. was paged shortly after 5 a.m. to Kent Nutrition Group at 1500 RMT Ave. for a report of an explosion in the feed mill. Firefighters met with employees upon arrival and could see the damage to the east side of the tower in the north part of the facility. Utilities were then shut down to that part of the facility.
Fourth-ranked Lions surge past Cherokee
ROCK RAPIDS—Central Lyon/George-Little Rock got out to an early lead against Cherokee, and then a late second-quarter surge by the Class 2A fourth-ranked Lions put them in cruise control for a 52-0 win in District 1 football Friday. The Lions went up 10-0 in the first quarter, but it was a red zone stop and two scoring drives in the final four minutes of the second quarter that sparked 14 points before the half and 28 more points in the second half.
South O'Brien struggles to contain Sioux Central
SIOUX RAPIDS—Sioux Central ran over South O’Brien in a 37-8 Class A District 1 football win Friday. South O’Brien coach Mark Fuhrman had a question for his team after the lopsided loss. “I questioned my kids if they were really ready to play,” he said. “When you have a team that runs right at you, you have to be ready to play, and I don’t know if we were.
MOC-Floyd Valley starts off slow in loss to Algona
ALGONA—MOC-Floyd Valley got off to a slow start, digging too deep a hole to get out of in the second half against Algona in a 38-21 loss in Class 3A District 1 football Friday. Algona got the first score of the game, but MOC-Floyd Valley did answer with a 65-yard touchdown pass from Trycen Groendyke to Albear Van Zee. Will Evans made the first of his three extra point attempts.
Marching Orabs start season with first-place finish
Cliff St. Clair’s final season directing the Sheldon High School Marching Orabs started on a high note. The Marching Orabs finished first in Class 3A at the Bulldog Battle of the Bands on Saturday in Le Mars. Senior Theresa Nilles earned the Class 3A Best Drum Major Award and the color guard — which is directed by Shairi St. Clair, who is in her last season too — earned the second-highest color guard score of all classes.
House damaged after fire in Hospers
HOSPERS—One person was injured after a residential fire Wednesday morning at 103 Fifth Ave. N. in Hospers. The Hospers Fire Department and Hospers Ambulance were paged shortly after 10 a.m. for a residential structure fire in Hospers, according to Sioux County Emergency Management. Firefighters encountered heavy flames and smoke coming from the one-story home when they arrived.
Building damaged after explosion at Kent Feeds
An explosion at Kent Feeds on Monday morning has left one of its towers with a large hole. At 5:06 p.m., the Sheldon Fire Co. was paged at Kent Nutrition Group at 1500 RMT Ave. for a report of an explosion in the feed mill. On arrival, firefighters met with employees and could see the damage to the east side of the tower in the north part of the facility, which is the large hole. Utilities were then shut down to that part of the facility.
Eighth-ranked CLGLR pulls away from Boyden-Hull/Rock Valley
ROCK VALLEY—Central Lyon/George-Little Rock was tied with Boyden-Hull/Rock Valley after one quarter, but the Class 2A eighth-ranked Lions took control of the game after that and defeated the Nighthawks 31-15 in 2A District 1 football Friday. The Lions scored 24 straight points from the second quarter to the fourth. "It was a ball control game," said Central Lyon/George-Little Rock coach Curtis Eben. "We got our run game going. We ran the ball efficiently and controlled the clock.
Dutch struggle in red zone in loss to Le Mars
ORANGE CITY—MOC-Floyd Valley only converted on half of its trips in the red zone against Le Mars, and it cost the Dutch in 20-12 nondistrict football Friday. "Our kids competed really hard. There were things that we grew and improved on from the first three weeks," said MOC-Floyd Valley coach Grant Hegstad. "The biggest thing is when we are in the red zone, we have to come away with points.
CKS Studio's 5K for Francis family brings in $16,000
Eric and Brianne Francis have lived in Sheldon for less than two years, but the community has already rallied around their family. Eric and Brianne have three kids — 9-year-old Camden, 6-year-old Cohen, and 4-year-old Lainey. The couple received the news every parent dreads when, in April, Cohen was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Cohen had weekly treatments throughout the summer at Sanford Children’s Hospital in Sioux Falls, SD.
Homecoming candidates
Parents: Shane and Christie Jager Favorite part about homecoming? He-man volleyball because it’s a fun time. Favorite school tradition? Homecoming. It’s a fun time. Which color is better, orange or black, and why? Orange because it’s more colorful. I’m not into black, it’s more dark. Future plans? Going to Northwest Iowa Community College in Sheldon to be a power line man. Parents: Chad and Sara Lang Favorite part about homecoming? He-man volleyball. It’s something fun and it brings everybody together.
NCC graduates awarded good wages after school
Northwest Iowa Community College in Sheldon is performing above state and national averages in student completion rates, at 66 percent. The national average is 40 percent, and the state rate is 49 percent. Succeeding in getting a job after graduation or at the four-year school the student transferred to is 70 percent. The state rate is 56 percent, and the national rate is 52 percent.
City of Sheldon plans to buy Mouw land
The Sheldon City Council has a pending purchase agreement for Jill Mouw’s land at 425 W. Seventh St. The purchase would cost the city $28,500. The purchase agreement will be reviewed during the council meeting at 4:30 p.m. today (Wednesday, Sept. 16) in the upper level of the Sheldon Community Services Center. The purchase agreement was signed by Mouw on Sept. 4, two days after the council held a closed session pertaining to the possible purchase of property.
Gibson: Why life insurance matters
September is Life Insurance Awareness Month — a great time to review your family’s financial safety net. According to LifeHappens.org, 41 percent of adults say they know little to nothing about life insurance, and more than 100 million Americans either lack coverage or need more. At its core, life insurance pays a tax-free benefit to your beneficiaries after your death.
Sheldon council votes to recoup abatement costs from property
The Sheldon City Council wants to make an example of the nuisance property at 315 W. Eighth St. The council voted unanimously during last Wednesday’s meeting to abate the property and to seek recoupment of 100 percent of the abatement costs. The city has been dealing with the property owned by Wayne and Debbie Den Hartog for a few years. The couple lives on a farm near Ritter and used to rent out the West Eighth Street property after buying it in 2007.
Ninth-ranked OABCIG shuts out Boyden-Hull/Rock Valley
IDA GROVE—Boyden-Hull/Rock Valley was in a battle with Class 2A ninth-ranked OABCIG for most of the first half until the Falcons got two scores late in the second quarter to take control of the game. Host OABCIG went on to beat the Nighthawks 34-0 in a nondistrict football game Friday. The Nighthawks held the Falcons scoreless in the first quarter and for most of the second, but Boyden-Hull/Rock Valley was also kept out of the end zone.
New mural paints picture of Sheldon
It’s wise to resist rushing an art project. A mural project in Sheldon has been discussed by the Sheldon Community Foundation for several years. That vision became a reality last Wednesday when a mural was installed on the west exterior brick wall of the Locke’s of Hair building on the northeast corner of Third Avenue and Ninth Street downtown. The colorful mural was printed and installed by Infinity Graphics in Boyden.
Tenth-ranked Central Lyon/George-Little Rock pulls away from Spirit Lake
ROCK RAPIDS—Not even a lightning delay could slow Class 2A 10th-ranked Central Lyon/George-Little Rock as the Lions handed Spirit Lake its first defeat with a 30-6 nondistrict football victory Friday. The Lions improved to 3-0, already surpassing their win total from last season when they had two victories. “We knew we had the potential last year, but we couldn’t capitalize on it. The guys are ultra-focused and having fun,” said Central Lyon/George-Little Rock coach Curtis Eben.
Pies for a Purpose in Sheldon will be Sept. 28
The Pies for a Purpose fundraiser is returning to Sheldon. Some downtown businesses a few years ago created a fundraiser in which local celebrities took a pie to the face, but the catch was that enough money had to be raised for those celebrities to participate. All the money raised went to the Sheldon School District, Sheldon Christian and St. Patrick’s Catholic School. The fundraiser evolved as participants got water and slime poured over them.
Show More
loading
Actions
Get in touch with Justin
Contact Justin, search articles and posts on X, monitor coverage, and track replies from one place.
Learn more about Muck Rack