Iowa (Northwest Iowa Now) — The Estherville City Council and Emmet County Board of Supervisors have agreed to adjust the Ambulance Service contract and City Manager Penny Clayton tells Northwest Iowa Now.com more:adButlerLazyLoad("1353308840248048200",100,["731206","731206","731206"],"177045"); adButlerLazyLoad("646705710339978432",100,["731206","731206","731206"],"177045"); Clayton says they also agreed to accept grants to help with some projects adButlerLazyLoad("565556979327701511",100,["731206","731206","731206"],"177045"); Clayton says they are hopeful the dam work will be done this winter Okoboji Chamber Director Blain Andera says one of the tagged fish was caught just two hours after the tournament began at midnight Friday The city of Spencer will hold another flood meeting Wednesday night at Sacred Heart Parish Hall The Spirit Lake police department has released information about a collision between a passenger vehicle and a cement truck Even with diminished winds over the weekend things are so dry that a planned burn near Wallingford got out of control IA (Northwestiowanow.com) — Dickinson County Treasurer Kris Rowley says after several delays Be sure you have your GPS enabled and try again the Des Moines Register will be presenting one of the daily maps for RAGBRAI 2025 Milford to EsthervilleMiles: 41.2.Feet of climb: 1,103.Themes: Thin Line Appreciation Day celebrating law enforcement emergency medical services and public safety dispatchers.Pass-through towns: Wahpeton and Superior in Iowa Brown Park in Minnesota also will serve as a pass-through.Meeting town: None.Highlights: The highlight of the day will be a 15-mile trip through southern Minnesota the first time RAGBRAI has left Iowa's borders Riders also will pause at Brown Park in Minnesota before re-entering Iowa and pausing at Superior before ending in Estherville Philip Joens has ridden parts of 19 RAGBRAIs He has completed the river-to-river trek eight times He covers retail and real estate for the Des Moines Register and can be reached at 515-284-8184 or at pjoens@registermedia.com Iowa (KTIV) -The Estherville Police Department is asking for the public’s help in the search for a missing woman According to the Estherville Police Department’s Facebook page officers are asking for information on the whereabouts of Christi Hazen Hazen was reported by her family to the Estherville Police Department the day before If you have any information about Hazen’s whereabouts call the Estherville Police Department at 712-362-3515 Want to get the latest news and weather from Siouxland’s News Source? Follow these links to download our KTIV News app and our First Alert Weather app IA (Northwestiowanow.com) — Estherville fire fighters were able to bring a fire at Hardee’s under control with just extinguishers Thursday morning.adButlerLazyLoad("244263938792364600",100,["731206","731206","731206"],"177045"); They were dispatched to the restaurant on highway 9 East around 5:30 after a blaze started in a fryer Employees activated the emergency kitchen equipment designed for exactly that purpose Assistant Chief Brian Mack arrived first and put out the fire inside the building The first engine crew arrived and used extinguishers to put out the flames that had extended into the exhaust system and roof.adButlerLazyLoad("312036873812395456",100,["731206","731206","731206"],"177045"); The Wallingford fire department was called for backup There were no injuries and firefighters were on the scene for about 60 minutes Estherville to Forest CityMiles: 73.9.Feet of climb: 1,338.Themes: Vintage RAGBRAI Jersey Day John Karras Century Loop.Pass-through towns: Armstrong Crystal Lake.Meeting town: Bancroft.Highlights: Crystal Lake is home to the "World's Largest Bullhead." An Iowa man carved the 12-foot long 4-foot high ode to the bottom-feeding fish in 1958 This will be the eighth time RAGBRAI has stopped in Crystal Lake and the bullhead is always a popular backdrop for photos Forest City last hosted RAGBRAI when it served as an overnight town in 2014 It was the longtime home of recreational vehicle manufacturer Winnebago The company still has a large factory there but moved its headquarters to a Minneapolis suburb in 2021 Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInESTHERVILLE, Iowa (KUOO) - Estherville authorities are telling residents to make sure they lock their vehicles The Estherville Police Department says with the warmer weather Officers say there have been a rash of vehicle burglaries that took place on the city’s northside Anyone who owns a Ring doorbell video showing suspicious activity or someone messing around with vehicles is urged to call the Estherville Police Department at (712) 362-3515 IA (northwestiowanow.com) — Hold on tight Estherville has officially been selected as an Overnight Host Town for this summer’s RAGBRAI July 21st.adButlerLazyLoad("1069262485577672672",100,["731206","731206","731206"],"177045"); Estherville has announced the official theme for the event: “Tour de Ville”—a playful nod to the iconic Le Tour de France and cycling excitement as riders make their way through the heart of Estherville.adButlerLazyLoad("1518175584660129650",100,["731206","731206","731206"],"177045"); Estherville has also launched a dedicated website where visitors and locals can stay up to date on event details be sure to follow the town’s official RAGBRAI social media accounts on Facebook and Instagram under “Estherville RAGBRAI.” the Midget mascot and team name have been a source of pride for the Estherville school district it's an offensive term that has no place in the modern vocabulary So when the three members of the Mascots Matter Campaign wrote the Estherville Lincoln Central Community School District asking school officials to drop the mascot of a tiny man wearing a singlet “They don't answer our questions,” Mascots Matter Campaign cofounder Rachel Wherley told the Register There's been no comments or conversation that I think could be anything more than just wanting to approach an educational institution and have a discussion and they have completely cut us off and limited our access.” Wherley reached out to then-Superintendent Tara Paul to discuss the mascot’s name contending not only that the term is derogatory toward people with dwarfism but that it could violate federal laws meant to protect people with disabilities Paul’s email response gave Wherley the history behind the school district’s nickname but she declined an offer to talk Wherley received a similar response when she contacted new ELC Superintendent Aiddy Phomvisay was a contestant on Dancing with the Stars in 2016 and a member of the "Little Women: LA" cast The group’s campaign is largely run on Instagram at MascotsMatter Members chose the online platform because they all have large social media followings and want to reach young people “I feel like children are growing up now with more passion (and) more compassion,” Jolé said Wherley shared emails with the Register that she exchanged with ELC officials including Paul Phomvisay and school board President Jeff Soper Paul and Phomvisay expressed to Wherley that the school community is proud of the team name and mascot and have no plans to change them Phomvisay directed the Register to Paul's March 2024 letter but otherwise declined to comment “The district’s position regarding this matter is clearly set out in former Superintendent Tara Paul’s email response to Ms 2024,” he said in an email to the Register officials said the district is proud of its identity there is a real sense of pride behind the Mighty Midget because of what we believe a mascot represents,” Paul wrote “It is a rally cry and what we as a school system and community get behind We would not have a mascot that would demean our students and community of which we do have a contingency of little people.” ELC, then Estherville, adopted the moniker from a local reporter, according to the district's 2024-25 school year final draft parent handbook posted to its website the Estherville football team was extremely short," the handbook states "They played a team that was very tall and defeated them When the newspaper printed the article for the paper they referred to the Estherville team as ‘Midgets.’ The nickname has stayed with the team and has been adopted as the school mascot." Paul is now the Indianola Community School District superintendent in Indianola, Iowa. The school district is among several districts that have faced controversy over their mascot, the Indians, in recent years Jolé and Holloway contend that changing the ELC mascot’s name could have a positive ripple effect even though this is happening in those other states when they make those changes,” it can spur a larger conversation around disability rights The slur was popularized during the era of circus sideshows “There's a culture with seeing a little person that dates back all the way to the freak show era or even before that when little people were court jesters and put in the circuses because to society it's humorous to be smaller,” Wherley said would put little people on display for others’ amusement The sentiment continues when little people are portrayed as mascots “And even though we (are not) being put on display for public amusement in a freak show we are still treated as something amusing,” Wherley said The disability community is “the largest minority in the world,” Holloway said Little People of America — a group that focuses on advocacy and improving the lives of people with dwarfism — has long campaigned to end the use of the "M word." Last month the organization released a letter calling for people to quit using the word and stating they were “committed to having it eliminated from all contexts — including its use as mascots.” derogatory label that we have been spending decades trying to eliminate,” said Jennifer Crumly And seeing this word used as a mascot is really very disappointing and frustrating for our community.” The Mascots Matter Campaign's cofounders believe the names of the Estherville Lincoln Central’s mascot and mascots in North Dakota Wisconsin and Missouri violate Section 504 of the federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act ADA is a "federal civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in everyday activities," according to the U.S. Department of Civil Rights Division website and so that's why we have a dog in the fight,” Wherley said The women are concerned that a little person living in a community with an offensive mascot might not speak up out of fear of being bullied Society needs to learn “that we are a part of the disability community and midget is a derogatory slur,” Holloway said A campaign by Des Moines Public Schools’ elementary students in 2022 led the school board to greenlight changing the name of Andrew Jackson Elementary to Mary Jackson Elementary The Jackson Elementary students cited the seventh president of the United States' ownership of enslaved people and mistreatment of Native Americans as the reason for the name change Mary Jackson — whose story was made famous in the 2016 book and film "Hidden Figures" — was NASA's first Black female engineer Dropping the "M word" from team names has not been met with the same call to action “One of the most popular reasons why they don't want to change the mascot is just the history that they have with it,” Holloway said Paul and Phomvisay said in emails to Wherley that students parents and the general public were given the opportunity to change the school name in 2000 "The choice was between the Red Storm and the Mighty Midgets," Paul wrote "The vote came out to remain the Mighty Midgets and keep the strong history of the name and the responsibility of representing the name well." Wherley asked Phomvisay if he would be willing to meet with her during an upcoming visit and discuss the issue “We committed to keeping our mascot as is,” he wrote in response “Thank you for your offer but we will decline.” Wherley still hopes that school officials are open to a conversation about the Midget mascot Estherville Lincoln Central’s school board president responded to Wherley’s email agreeing to meet virtually “The words that they cheer and feel a sense of school pride in I would like to have that energy directed into taking pride in being an inclusive and thoughtful school,” Wherley said Samantha Hernandez covers education for the Register Follow her on Twitter at @svhernandez or Facebook at facebook.com/svhernandezreporter IA (Northwestiowanow.com) – The Estherville National Guard held a meeting yesterday to discuss their upcoming mission as part of Operation Inherent Resolve.adButlerLazyLoad("67361055420118824",100,["731206","731206","731206"],"177045"); Soldiers from Estherville and surrounding areas in Iowa will be deploying to the Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC) in Louisiana for training in large-scale combat operations This rigorous training involves active duty and includes a reception and staging phase and a force-on-force scenario against a near-peer threat lasting about two weeks.adButlerLazyLoad("212190897713312628",100,["731206","731206","731206"],"177045"); soldiers will either transition to federal active-duty orders for deployment or return home adButlerLazyLoad("2152522170896143792",100,["731206","731206","731206"],"177045"); The deployment mission involves joining coalition forces and maintaining stability in the Middle East The deployment will last approximately 365 days with soldiers remaining in-country for the entire period A farewell event is scheduled for May 29th from 10 AM to 2 PM at all stations where soldiers will board buses to leave for Louisiana IA (northwestiowanow.com) – Anticipation is building as Estherville prepares to welcome participants of the 2025 Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa (RAGBRAI) The Housing Committee has officially opened applications for both riders seeking accommodations and residents interested in hosting.adButlerLazyLoad("196201073183621826",100,["731206","731206","731206"],"177045"); Cyclists can now apply to be matched with local hosts for an overnight stay while homeowners are invited to offer space—ranging from yards to full home access enjoyable experience by pairing compatible riders and hosts.adButlerLazyLoad("889087601920512551",100,["731206","731206","731206"],"177045"); visit www.estherville.org/ragbrai-2025 or follow @EsthervilleRagbrai on Facebook Questions Contact esthervillehousing@gmail.com adButlerLazyLoad("890729106123164800",100,["731206","731206","731206"],"177045"); IA (Northwestiowanow.com) — Soldiers attached to the Estherville National Guard Armory will complete five years of specialty training this summer and then deploy to the Middle East for the efforts to contain Islamic terrorists Major General Stepen Osborn discussed the assignment during his address to the state legislature.adButlerLazyLoad("1229928362660329560",100,["731206","731206","731206"],"177045"); adButlerLazyLoad("851965299346582421",100,["731206","731206","731206"],"177045"); There will be a community meeting at the Estherville Armory to explain more about the mission Thursday Deployment is scheduled for May 29th with a community send-off also being planned A small town Iowa school is resisting calls to change its mascot even though the name is considered a derogatory slur for a little person The Estherville Lincoln Central "Midgets and Midgettes" have been using the terms for their district mascot and sports teams for nearly a century now Iowa — A small town Iowa school is resisting calls to change its mascot The Estherville Lincoln Central "Midgets and Midgettes" have been using the terms for their district mascot and sports teams for nearly a century now a slur and derogatory name for people with dwarfism The group says not only is the name offensive to a marginalized community but it could also be in violation of federal laws meant to protect people with disabilities other than the district is proud of the name and doesn't have any plans to change it "There's been no comments or conversation that I think could be anything more than just wanting to approach an educational institution and have a discussion Disability advocates say that's exactly why the school should change it since the slur was assigned to the team during a time when little people were relegated to circus sideshows and keeping the name only perpetuates stereotypes IA (northwestiowanow.com) — RAGBRAI announced their route last month and the second overnight stop is in Estherville Executive Director Lexie Ruter tells KICD news more.adButlerLazyLoad("1464509447876449428",100,["731206","731206","731206"],"177045"); adButlerLazyLoad("2425410481905541004",100,["731206","731206","731206"],"177045"); A lot of details and work is involved with RAGBRAI planning And it’s just begun for the City of Estherville adButlerLazyLoad("446135475225273750",100,["731206","731206","731206"],"177045"); Ruter hopes for all helping hands to show off the wonderful community Estherville has to offer RAGBRAI will make an overnight stop in Estherville on Monday Mount Vernon’s Courtney Franck (22) dribbles during a state tournament semifinal between Mount Vernon and the Estherville Lincoln Central at … Home / Photos and Videos The Gazette offers audio versions of articles using Instaread Photojournalist covering everything from sports to breaking news for The Gazette. View our Photos and Videos page The Gazette has been informing Iowans with in-depth local news coverage and insightful analysis for over 140 years independent journalism with a subscription today © 2025 The Gazette | All Rights Reserved Martindale was the coach in charge during the 2022 season when the Midgets captured the Class 3A state championship Estherville-Lincoln Central reached the state tournament five times under his guidance during eight years .@Elcgirlsbball head coach Don Martindale announced his resignation after eight seasons at the helm of the program. During his tenure, E-LC made five @IGHSAU 3A State Tournament appearances and win the 2022 title. WATCH HERE 🏀⬇️https://t.co/hh74LctQsr pic.twitter.com/KJCdW79QR6 their fourth consecutive season with at least 20 wins That was the most since the 2012-13 season went 23-4 Estherville-Lincoln Central never won few than 14 games in a season winning 26 games during the state-title season Estherville-Lincoln Central graduates all five senior starters in Cara Schiltz DANA BECKERDana Becker has been a sports writer in Iowa since 2000 Dana resides in northcentral Iowa and started as a writer with SB Live Sports in 2022 focused on the state of Iowa Along with providing coverage of football and wrestling He began writing for High School on SI in 2023 © 2025 ABG-SI LLC - SPORTS ILLUSTRATED IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF ABG-SI LLC The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Sports Illustrated or its affiliates All picks and predictions are suggestions only and not a guarantee of success or profit If you or someone you know has a gambling problem crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER Introduced by Democratic Sen. Molly Donahue Senate File 382 - if passed - would bar public school and private schools along with community colleges and state universities from using what the bill describes as discriminatory mascots.” those schools would not be provided state tuition aid Mascots Matter, an advocacy group, told CBS2Iowa.com that they are working to ensure students with disabilities do not have to experience discrimination in their schools “If a student were to be enrolled in this school with dwarfism this puts undue emotional labor on that student and their family to have to constantly educate and express that you don’t call me that name,” Rachel Wherley “And it does create a discriminatory environment The nickname for Estherville-Lincoln Central is the Midgets the school became consolidated with Estherville and Lincoln Central school districts in 1997 and has over 1,100 students Estherville was the Midgets before the consolidation Illinois and other states have followed a similar bill the prohibited mascots would need to be phased out by 2027 Mason City High School recently changed its nickname from Mohawks to Riverhawks (Estherville)– The Estherville-Lincoln Central Community School District has a new superintendent The announcement was made public on Friday Feb 14th Andrew Armstead has been hired to the position Armstead currently is the principal at Maple Valley-Anthon-Oto/Charter Oak-Ute High School in Mapleton He has experience in planning and staff professional development and budgeting along with teacher supervision and evaluation He also previously was a middle and high school principal at De Smet Schools in South Dakota He also has experience as a technology coordinator dean of students and instructional coach and has experience in athletic coaching Jeff Dicks will be stepping down in his role as interim Superintendent at E-L-C once Armstead officially assumes his duties this coming July 1st IA (Northwestiowanow.com) — Estherville will become the latest city to update garbage collection soon Code Enforcer Greg VanLangen says the new truck will hit the streets Monday.adButlerLazyLoad("198573895889885035",100,["731206","731206","731206"],"177045"); each address will get a container on wheels – which you will be responsible for The pickup schedule will remain the same to begin but might be changed in the future to reflect faster collection times If the automated garbage collection works out the city might move to a similar recycling system.adButlerLazyLoad("1753483101580913105",100,["731206","731206","731206"],"177045"); Home / Sports / Iowa High School Sports / High School Basketball Mustangs avenge loss to Midgets in last year’s 3A state semifinals “You don’t get a lot of opportunities to play a game again,” Mount Vernon Coach Nate Sanderson said “There was obviously a lot of motivation from that Class 3A second-round Mount Vernon avenged its state-semifinal loss to No Evansville recruit Sydney Huber led Mount Vernon (1-0) with 19 points and the Mustangs closed the game with a 15-4 surge after ELC (1-2) took a brief 38-37 lead “We could have played an easier team here today,” Mount Vernon’s Taylor Franck said “But we wanted to play a harder team to see what we are.” “We’re good,” Franck said “The last game of last year didn’t end the way we wanted,” Huber said “We really wanted to start (this season) on the right note.” Mount Vernon seemed to be in control most of the way but the Mustangs didn’t put a headlock on it until late Mount Vernon took the lead for good on a bucket by Chloe Meester a three-point play by Franck (off a sweet feed from freshman Savanna Wright) and another Meester jumper Minnesota State recruit Haylee Stokes led ELC with 20 points despite a sore ankle High School Sports Reporter. Get the Sports Newsletter IA (northwestiowanow.com) – As Estherville prepares for RAGBRAI 2025 the community is calling for volunteers to help make the event a success volunteers will assist with tasks such as parking and more.adButlerLazyLoad("57817655013011652",100,["731206","731206","731206"],"177045"); Volunteers are essential to creating a welcoming experience for RAGBRAI participants. Those interested can register on the Estherville website at www.Estherville.org/ragbrai-2025 or through the Estherville Ragbrai Facebook page contact esthervilleragbraivolunteers@gmail.com.adButlerLazyLoad("196304118424070135",100,["731206","731206","731206"],"177045"); Ia (Northwest Iowa Now) – One of the KICD 9-County area’s most successful coaches has moved on from his position with the Estherville Lincoln Central girls Basketball team.adButlerLazyLoad("3357611353874905236",100,["731206","731206","731206"],"177045"); Don Martindale was a coach for both Spencer and Estherville Lincoln Central a press release came from ELC stating that Martindale was stepping down as the coach of Estherville Lincoln Central’s girls’ basketball team.adButlerLazyLoad("2764500513585593654",100,["731206","731206","731206"],"177045"); Martindale joined us on the KICD Sports Beacon podcast to look back on his time at both schools adButlerLazyLoad("1202152497322745781",100,["731206","731206","731206"],"177045"); Martindale knew coaching was his patch from a young age Martindale was asked how he’s seen the game evolve over his career adButlerLazyLoad("840874071831629875",100,["731206","731206","731206"],"177045"); Martindale highlighted the versatility of Estherville Lincoln Central’s student athletes adButlerLazyLoad("2174187015463264641",100,["731206","731206","731206"],"177045"); The graduating class of 2025 had a ton of success in multiple athletics Estherville Lincoln Central made 4 tournaments in 4 years with that class one in which they brought home a State Title adButlerLazyLoad("209420907288748320",100,["731206","731206","731206"],"177045"); You can hear the full interview with Don Martindale on Season 2 Episode 33 of the KICD Sports Beacon which is available on northwest Iowa now.com under the podcasts tab ESTHERVILLE—Algona continued their outstanding season by setting two more school records on Thursday April 17 at the 103rd running of the Dick Barrett Relays The meet was the last chance to qualify for the Drake Relays as the red-and-black ended up qualifying seven young men in five different events for the annual event Estherville IA (Northwest Iowa Now) –Estherville Lincoln Central Schools has made an update to their district goals in an effort to simplify them district wide New Superintendent Aiddy Phomvisay spoke with Northwest Iowa Now about the new goals.adButlerLazyLoad("126995618973103274",100,["731206","731206","731206"],"177045"); adButlerLazyLoad("780213047221356322",100,["731206","731206","731206"],"177045"); Phomvisay says that one of the keys to a successful school district is that everyone feels safe including staff members and students adButlerLazyLoad("1493457093844378870",100,["731206","731206","731206"],"177045"); Phomvisay also mentioned as a goal for ELC was the retention and recruitment of students and staff adButlerLazyLoad("3180181123925309868",100,["731206","731206","731206"],"177045"); Phomvisay replaces long time ELC Superintendent who left earlier this year (Estherville)– The Estherville City Council voted unanimously last Monday evening to purchase a building at 509 1st Avenue South that will become the new headquarters for the city’s Police Department City Administrator Penny Clayton says this particular building best fits their needs adding it will require a minimal amount of remodeling…2-24-25 clayton cut 1  “Kind of what we were thinking in that regard would be the existing office space Most of it would stay intact the way it is We would actually add in an entry that is a secured entry and add in an additional office plus split an office or a conference room in half to create two spaces but leaving most of the existing walls in the place where they are now There would be various other technological advances that would need to be done.” Clayton adds the Estherville Police Department has simply outgrown their current facility…2-24-25 clayton cut 2  “If you recall during the 2020 era and covid we had seven of eleven officers out at one time due to sickness We’re trying to make sure we have proper ventilation and just even separation I think will be helpful in that regard It’s kind of what prompted us to focus money on the existing law enforcement situation but they are in a very tight space and as they have grown and their needs have grown for computers and desk space they just don’t fit like they used to very easily.” Clayton notes another advantage to the 509 1st Avenue South location is the fact the city owns an adjacent lot The city takes possession of the building this coming August 1st IA (Northwestiowanow.com) — According to a press release the Estherville Lincoln central (ELC) has accepted the resignation of Superintendent Aiddy Phomvisay effective February 28th or when an interim Superintendent is appointed.adButlerLazyLoad("1433764674070790996",100,["731206","731206","731206"],"177045"); Phomvisay will be on leave for personal reasons until his resignation takes effect ELC’s High School Principal Brad Leonard will assume the role of acting Superintendent during this time.adButlerLazyLoad("64287807872290649",100,["731206","731206","731206"],"177045"); ELC Board president Jeff Soper says “The Estherville the Lincoln Central School board is committed to ensuring a smooth transition and maintaining stability and success of our district during this time.” The search has been initiated by the board for an interim Superintendent and expects to have a full replacement by July 1st IA (Northwestiowanow.com) — The Estherville Lincoln Central has extended a contract offer for Superintendent and it has been accepted The district announced Friday morning that their new top administrator will be Andrew Armstead – the current High School Principal at MVAOCOU in Mapleton Prior to that Armstead worked in South Dakota.adButlerLazyLoad("104471504855096010",100,["731206","731206","731206"],"177045"); School Board President Jeff Soper says the board was impressed with Armstead’s experience and leadership qualities The district’s recruiter – Trent Grundmeyer – says one specific attribute of Armstead’s past was working in a school district that serves so many different communities.adButlerLazyLoad("2190768131461619050",100,["731206","731206","731206"],"177045"); Armstead tells Northwestiowanow.com he’s humbled and grateful to have been selected and that he and his family look forward to becoming part of the community Armstead is scheduled to be our guest on The Big Interview Tuesday morning at 7:40 on Newsradio KICD More people are joining the conversation surrounding a derogatory slur still being used by five American schools for their sports team mascots For nearly a century, the Estherville Lincoln Central Community School District has rallied behind its “Mighty Midgets” mascot. Initially coined by a local reporter in 1927 to describe a victorious football team the nickname remains a point of pride for the district (and people who care about their feelings) the term—referred to as the "M word"—is offensive At the heart of the debate is a fundamental disagreement: whether tradition justifies the continued use of a term many consider a slur Advocates say the “M word” carries a harmful legacy rooted in the exploitation of little people in circuses “The term itself was coined during the circus sideshow harkens back that same imagery that comes to people's minds,” Crumly explained then we ourselves as adults with dwarfism are then sort of compared to this outdated stereotype.” Crumly said the mascot reinforces damaging perceptions of people with dwarfism and limits societal progress like we haven't progressed,” she said president of the Iowa chapter of Little People of America shared his personal experience with the “M word” and its impact Growing up near a school with a similar mascot he recalled being directly targeted by the community’s use of the term Taylor added that the harm is only perpetuated when derogatory mascots remain unchanged "Let’s imagine a little person into their community That’s just like crushing that kid all the way to the ground.” Foster explained that the “M word” dehumanizes people with dwarfism and reinforces their status as objects of ridicule “Peter Dinklage said it best: 'Little people are the butt of the joke,' and it comes down to that,” Foster said I'm supposed to be this tough rock crusher for a living who has written a children's book raising awareness about dwarfism even for those who may not initially understand its impact “It’s a very dehumanizing and belittling word and they just don’t have the same connection to it that we do,” she said “I grew up not realizing that the 'M' word is a word that hurts people and dehumanizes them and I realize now how hurtful words can actually be and so I have removed it completely from my vocabulary.” The Estherville Lincoln Central Community School District has defended its mascot calling it a symbol of pride and tradition a community vote reaffirmed the use of the nickname with district officials maintaining that the mascot reflects the school’s history Advocates argue that tradition cannot justify the continued use of a harmful term Crumly pointed to the broader societal implications of maintaining such symbols “Whenever someone outside of your community says it’s not that big of a deal you’re not the one walking down the street having this slur hurled at them So it really isn’t your space to say that it’s okay She described the pushback as a missed chance for the district to lead by example it’s sad to see that there is this beautiful opportunity for this community to embrace change and really progress forward,” she said Taylor Foster criticized the district’s failure to align its values with its actions noting that the school’s mission statements emphasize inclusivity “The school’s mission statements all include something about being inclusive and accepting all students,” Foster said Iowa's News Now has reached out to the district and its superintendent but did not hear back in time for this article Advocates are urging the district to follow the example of other organizations that have retired offensive mascots Mady Foster pointed to the Washington Commanders as a case where change “We’ve seen the Washington Commanders change their name a much bigger team than this small public school and they’re willing to make that change on a much more massive level,” Crumly said I think it would be a simple step for something much smaller.” Mady Foster argued that changing the mascot would signal progress and inclusivity It’s not just something to go out and feel pride in and it matters on a much more deeper level than just winning a sports game,” she said Crumly emphasized the need for continued advocacy and education to combat harmful stereotypes “People don’t see us beyond that imagery,” he said IA (Northwestiowanow.com) – The City of Estherville is changing its garbage collection schedule due to a new automated machine During the recent City of Estherville Council Meeting City Administrator Penny Clayton announced that the garbage collection schedule will be reduced from four days to three.adButlerLazyLoad("78547721674827678",100,["731206","731206","731206"],"177045"); Clayton mentioned that holiday adjustments will be made Residents can expect a calendar and color-coded map to be mailed to them soon Additional information will also be shared through news releases and social media outlets.adButlerLazyLoad("1177776012504232936",100,["731206","731206","731206"],"177045"); IA (Northwestiowanow.com) — Just a year after filling the Estherville Lincoln Central Superintendent’s job – it’s open again Recruiter Trent Grundmeyer says the district got multiple and the calendar might work in their favor this time around.adButlerLazyLoad("272472510060745124",100,["731206","731206","731206"],"177045"); adButlerLazyLoad("3512183391594517591",100,["731206","731206","731206"],"177045"); The ELC board is on the fast track to get the position filled adButlerLazyLoad("737722155638749411",100,["731206","731206","731206"],"177045"); And the ELC board liked the community input they received last time around Last year Aiddy Phomvisay was hired to replace Superintendent Tara Paul He resigned after five months citing personal reasons The job is being filled on an interim basis by Jeff Dicks who retired last year as the Superintendent at Newell Fonda.adButlerLazyLoad("97465245607598274",100,["731206","731206","731206"],"177045"); Ia (Northwest Iowa Now) – The Spencer Girls and Boys Basketball teams hit the road on Monday night to begin their second round of Lakes Conference games.adButlerLazyLoad("275880490719670749",100,["731206","731206","731206"],"177045"); Estherville Lincoln Central girls got out to a great start on their home floor against the Tigers outscoring Spencer 20-4 in the first 8 minutes Spencer would put together a better quarter in the 2nd Both defenses were pretty stingy in the 3rd as the two teams combined for only 18 points and Estherville Lincoln Central led going into the 4th 49-26 outscoring Spencer 16-2 down the stretch to win 65-28.adButlerLazyLoad("2261755255555562897",100,["731206","731206","731206"],"177045"); Estherville Lincoln Central outscored Spencer a combined 36-6 in the 1st and 4th Quarters Haylee Stokes led ELC with 22 points and Rylee Yager scored 18 Spencer was led by Kennedy Graettinger in the loss with 16 The Tigers are now 4-12 on the year and 0-5 in the Lakes Conference.adButlerLazyLoad("8915941794622060",100,["731206","731206","731206"],"177045"); Estherville Lincoln Central has now won 32 consecutive Lakes Conference contests and are 6-0 in the League with a 15-2 overall record as the #2 team in Class 3A Spencer got off to a nice start offensively and led 20-13 going into the 2nd outscoring Estherville Lincoln Central 15-10 in the 2nd Spencer would match their season high for points in the 68-39 win.adButlerLazyLoad("2307031094258697104",100,["731206","731206","731206"],"177045"); with Ethan Hansen and Cael Bruning also in double digits Sincere McMurran had 15 and Amari Armstrong scored 10 for ELC Estherville Lincoln Central has dropped 7 in a row and are now 2-13 on the year with a 0-6 Conference record Spencer has won 3 of their last 5 since a 3-game losing streak in early January Their overall record improves to 9-6 with a Conference record of 2-3.adButlerLazyLoad("137788958159700456",100,["731206","731206","731206"],"177045"); Up next for Estherville Lincoln Central will be a road trip to Cherokee on Friday featuring a top 8 matchup in the Girls contest Spencer will host Spirit Lake on Friday as both teams look to avenge losses taken back on January 9th (Estherville)–Authorities in Emmet county have released information into an investigation earlier this month that resulted in the arrests of two people on drug charges The Estherville Police Department says it goes back to the late afternoon of November 12th when the Emmet County Sheriff’s Office requested assistance with a possible domestic incident in a moving vehicle which was heading into Estherville southbound on Highway 4 Officers pulled over the vehicle and deployed a K-9 that alerted to the presence of illegal drugs Authorities seized the vehicle and obtained and executed a search warrant on it later that evening It resulted in police seizing about 26.6 grams of methamphetamine Minnesota was arrested on charges of possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine a drug tax stamp violation and possession of drug paraphernalia 45-year-old Sara Robertson of Estherville was arrested and charged with possession of methamphetamine possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia (Northwest Iowa Now) –Avera Holy Family Hospital in Estherville has a new CEO Michelle Majerus was recently named the new CEO.adButlerLazyLoad("1435769174079107468",100,["731206","731206","731206"],"177045"); Regional President and CEO of Avera McKennan Hospital Dr says that “The Avera Holy Family Hospital Board and I are excited to welcome Michelle Majerus and look forward to the leadership she will provide to our health care ministry.” Majerus served as the Vice President of Operations of Hutchinson Health in Hutchinson Majerus we’ll take over her new role at Avera Holy Family Hospital September 30th.adButlerLazyLoad("272755402005526440",100,["731206","731206","731206"],"177045"); Mustangs hold the Midgets to 29-percent shooting in a 35-34 semifinal victory But it beats the alternative; the Mustangs were on the other end of it last year Top-ranked Mount Vernon avenged last year’s Class 3A state-semifinal loss — same level Let’s go!!” Taylor Franck proclaimed The Mustangs (25-1) overcame some offensive shortcomings of their own holding ELC (21-4) to 29-percent shooting and 16 turnovers they won their 24th consecutive game and advanced to Friday’s 3A title game against No Not many people get it,” said Chloe Meester who led the Mustangs to the 3A volleyball championship in November The Mustangs earned it because they did a reasonably good job limiting ELC star Haylee Stokes The Minnesota State commit scored 15 points with four assists and four steals “We knew we had to give her a hard time,” Meester said “We always had somebody on her,” Courtney Franck said “When you have 6-foot-whatever (Meester) it creates difficult shots in the lane.” “You have to give Mount Vernon a lot of credit I think we made them work for everything.” Mount Vernon trailed most of the first half but back-to-back 3-pointers by Sydney Huber and Courtney Franck sent them to the locker room in front The Mustangs led by as many as seven points on three occasions in the fourth quarter ELC’s Hillary Ruschy hit a 3-pointer with 12 seconds to go then added another one at the horn when the Mustangs didn’t defend the Midgets’ final possession and Meester provided six points and 14 rebounds ESTHERVILLE-LINCOLN CENTRAL (34): Cara Schiltz 0-2 0-0 0 MOUNT VERNON (35): Savanna Wright 1-6 1-2 3 Estherville-Lincoln Central 11 3 7 13 — 34 Mount Vernon 7 10 10 8 — 35 IA (Northwestiowanow.com) — A former math and science teacher has been selected as the new Superintendent for Estherville Lincoln Central Andrew Armstead has experience in both Iowa and South Dakota’s education system.adButlerLazyLoad("2641774576161666439",100,["731206","731206","731206"],"177045"); adButlerLazyLoad("213664048655817180",100,["731206","731206","731206"],"177045"); and 7th grade son are all excited about the move adButlerLazyLoad("1686311261763030486",100,["731206","731206","731206"],"177045"); Northwestiowanow.com asked Armstead what his goals would be in his first year at ELC Andrew Armstead has nearly completed his Doctorate in school administration and takes over as superintendent in Estherville Lincoln Central July 1st.adButlerLazyLoad("78062692408657572",100,["731206","731206","731206"],"177045"); IA (Northwest Iowa Now) – Estherville Lincoln Central’s Haylee Stokes will continue her basketball career with the reigning and defending NCAA Division II National Champions Minnesota State.adButlerLazyLoad("18633620221431028",100,["731206","731206","731206"],"177045"); Stokes was second in the State of Iowa in Points Per Game as well as Assists Per game Stokes and her ELC teammates are coming off a State Runner-Up finish in 2024 for Class 3A A strong portion of that team comes back as Estherville Lincoln Central chases a State Championship in the 2024-2025 season.adButlerLazyLoad("149076826863025212",100,["731206","731206","731206"],"177045"); Minnesota State won the 2024 NCAA Division II National Championship over Texas Woman’s finishing with a record of 32-5 and a 20-2 Northern Sun mark Be sure you have your GPS enabled and try again.