TOP HEADLINES


  • Heidi shows off her store: Heidi Swartz is the owner of Remarkable Treasures and Jewels, located in the former Murray Jewelers store in downtown Ida Grove. Photo by Brent Harm
    Remarkable Treasures & Jewels
    02/23/2026 - 1:41pm

  • 2025 Ida Grove Heritage Days parade. File photo
    Council approves Heritage Days measures
    02/23/2026 - 1:39pm

  • McGowan makes campaign stop: Chris McGowan, Republican candidate for Iowa’s 4th Congressional District, made a campaign stop in Ida Grove last week. McGowan spoke at the Ida County Republican party meeting in the Ida Grove Rec Center on Monday night. Pictured, from left, are: Don Poggensee, Steven Schnabel, Lori Leonard Reyman, Chris McGowan, Gordon Goodenow, Teresa Paulsrud, and Val Wiese. Photo submitted
    McGowan makes campaign stop in Ida Grove
    02/23/2026 - 1:38pm
  • Primary election approaching
    02/23/2026 - 1:36pm

  • Mike Modrell. Photo submitted
    Modrell joins Rasmus Realty
    02/23/2026 - 1:34pm

  • Local fire departments responded to a fire near Cushing. Photo courtesy of Holstein Fire Dept.
    Area fire departments respond to Cushing grass/field fire
    02/23/2026 - 1:32pm

  • “Jury of Her Peers” is a murder mystery set in rural Iowa around the year 1900. Photo submitted
    ‘Jury of Her Peers’ at King Theatre this Saturday
    02/23/2026 - 1:30pm

  • Pictured (front row, l-r) are: Henry Lucht, Averlee Collins, Brynn Ernst, Mahaela Spetman, Peytin Boyle, Julia Clausen, Stella Chesney, Espe Hoffman, Haley Johnson, and Olivia Lampman. Back row: Jenner Fineran, Payton Lampman, Emmery Nussbaum, Jacob Todd, Beckham Lindgren, Kirk Harman, Ella Sporrer, Esther Schultz, Mason Roeder, and Abbott Miller. Not Pictured: Lyric Verschoor and Grayce Ulven. Photo courtesy of OABCIG
    OABCIG MS Jazz Band wins at Festival
    02/23/2026 - 1:29pm
  • Five Free Movie Mondays in March at King Theatre
    02/23/2026 - 1:27pm
  • Free movies in March at Holstein State Theatre
    02/23/2026 - 1:24pm

  • Jack grabs a rebound: OABCIG’s Jack Schroeder goes after a rebound, during the Falcons’ 63-31 playoff win over West Central Valley (Stuart). Photo by Brent Harm
    OABCIG wallops West Central Valley 63-31
    02/23/2026 - 1:20pm

  • Adam goes up for two!: Ridge View’s Adam Stephan takes the ball to the basket against Shenandoah. Adam scored 17 points to help lead the Raptors to a 74-53 playoff win on Friday night in Holstein. Photo by Brent Harm
    Ridge View rolls past Shenandoah 74-53
    02/23/2026 - 1:19pm

  • Blake shoots through!: Ridge View 190-pounder Blake Myrtue gets low to grasp his opponent, during the Iowa High School State Wrestling Tournament. Myrtue won third place in the Class 1A 190-lb. division last week in Des Moines. Photo courtesy of Mid-America Publishing
    Ridge View wrestlers Else, Myrtue place at State Tournament
    02/23/2026 - 1:17pm

  • Irelyn drives baseline: OABCIG’s Irelyn Wittrock works her way past a Cherokee defender, during the Class 3A basketball playoff contest. Photo submitted
    OABCIG girls fall at #9 Cherokee 63-33
    02/23/2026 - 1:15pm

  • Chloe looks to score: Ridge View’s Chloe Murphy eyes the basket before scoring two points, in the Raptors’ 53-14 playoff win over Ogden. Photo by Brent Harm
    Ridge View girls oust Ogden 53-14
    02/23/2026 - 1:14pm

News


Heidi shows off her store: Heidi Swartz is the owner of Remarkable Treasures and Jewels, located in the former Murray Jewelers store in downtown Ida Grove. Photo by Brent Harm
02/23/2026 - 1:41pm
Remarkable Treasures & Jewels
A new business in downtown Ida Grove has people buzzing. Heidi Swartz has opened a home decor and so much more store, called “Remarkable Treasures and Jewels.” The business is located downtown Ida Grove in the old Murray Jewelers building, between...
Council approves Heritage Days measures
McGowan makes campaign stop in Ida Grove
Primary election approaching
Modrell joins Rasmus Realty
Area fire departments respond to Cushing grass/field fire

Opinion

02/23/2026 - 1:08pm
Pro-Life Update: HF2316, HSB704 & HF2332
Here’s why HF2316 does not have the support to advance: First, under this legislation, women who have an abortion would be subject to Iowa Code 707.2, 1st Degree Murder charges. This approach is opposed by every major pro-life group in the country....
Dies Irae
Supporting Iowa’s Troops and Veterans
Faith and Sports: Can they co-exist?
Rapid motion characterizes current situation
The big happenings

Sports


Jack grabs a rebound: OABCIG’s Jack Schroeder goes after a rebound, during the Falcons’ 63-31 playoff win over West Central Valley (Stuart). Photo by Brent Harm
02/23/2026 - 1:20pm
OABCIG wallops West Central Valley 63-31
The OABCIG boys basketball squad roared past West Central Valley 63-31 on Friday night in Ida Grove.  The Falcons hosted the Wildcats in a Class 2A playoff contest, and raced out to a 22-1 lead after one quarter of play. OABCIG then increased their...
Ridge View rolls past Shenandoah 74-53
Ridge View wrestlers Else, Myrtue place at State Tournament
OABCIG girls fall at #9 Cherokee 63-33
Ridge View girls oust Ogden 53-14
Ridge View girls throw scare into Rock Valley: Raptors’ upset bid falls just short, 64-55

Obituaries

02/23/2026 - 7:53pm
Gary Schwier
Gary Schwier 1947 – 2026   BATTLE CREEK - Gary L. Schwier, 78, of Battle Creek, passed away on Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026, at his residence of Battle Creek. No Services will be held at this time. The Christensen-Van Houten Funeral Homes of Ida Grove...
Herbert C. Irgens
Larry Brown
Larry Schumann
Sally A. Porter
Walter Ferdinand Sonksen

The Ida County Courier

Ida County Courier
214 Main Street
PO Box 249
Ida Grove, Iowa 51445
Phone:  712-364-3131

Mid-America Publishing

This newspaper is part of the Mid-America Publishing Family. Please visit www.midampublishing.com for more information.