The second owner of a curio shop in Orange City was arrested and accused of selling human bones on her shop's website and Facebook Marketplace was arrested on Saturday and charged with purchasing/selling human organs/tissue She was out of the Volusia County Branch Jail on $7,500 bail was arrested and also charged with purchasing/selling human organs/tissue Orange City police said that in December 2023 they received a complaint that the women were advertising human bones for sale on their store's website and Facebook Marketplace Police said they visited the Wicked Wonderland store at 2461 N in Orange City and confiscated a fragment of a human skull An arrest report shows Lelesi and Schopper were advertising on Wicked Wonderland's website and on Facebook Marketplace two human skull fragments listed for $90; a human clavicle and scapula also listed for $90; a human rib and vertebra listed for $35 each; and a partial human skull priced at $600 Lelesi and Schopper had $850 of human bones available for sale Orange City police filed charges against Lelesi and Schopper with the State Attorney's Office Prosecutors issued arrest warrants that resulted in the arrest of Schopper on April 10 and Lelesi on April 12 Attempts to reach the two women at their store were unsuccessful Closures & Delays Local News | Orange City Tulip Festival’s ArtBurst to Feature Multiple Artists “I’m excited for people to see the talent that will be on display and to find the perfect piece for their home “We have five new artists—including an Orange City artist originally from Ukraine—and there’s a wide variety of artwork that will be available to enjoy and purchase.” with best-of-show cash prizes awarded for both two-dimensional and three-dimensional work Serving as this year’s juror is Amy Williams of Orange City Williams is an instructor of art and design at Northwestern College who earned a Master of Fine Arts degree from California State University–Long Beach and a post-baccalaureate certificate in ceramics from Oregon College of Art and Craft Her art has been featured in group and solo exhibitions in California and Oregon as well as accepted into juried exhibitions in 11 states For more information, contact Anita Cirulis, ArtBurst committee chair, at 712-441-1858 or artburst@octulipfestival.com DC — Congressman Randy Feenstra (R-Hull) has announced that his office will host two in-person passport fairs — one in Iowa — This is National Correctional Officers’ Week Sioux County Sheriff Jamie Van Voorst says that this week Iowa — Over 50 area projects are sharing over $150,000 in grants from an area non-profit gambling license-holder some northwest Iowans may find their driver’s license is no longer an acceptable form of ID Office: 712-324-2597 | Text: 712-324-2597 | Studio: 712-324-5377 Contact us: newstips@kiwaradio.com Thanks for visiting The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here Nearly 600 students explored career possibilities on Tuesday in Orange City MOC-Floyd Valley High School hosted the “Build My Future” Career Fair Event at the district’s transportation center Students in MOC-FV grades 8th-11th along with Unity Christian sophomores attended the event Over thirty exhibitors connected with students during their time together MOC-FV Assistant Principal Grant Hegstad said the experiential career fair had a strong focus on the skilled trades professions  Beyond networking with skilled trades industry leaders students had hands-on experiences related to various professions Vander Pol Excavating brought in a mini excavator where students could attempt to move a ball from the ground to a barrel using the bucket Hegstad explained the idea was to create an awareness of new career opportunities for some students that they have never considered before along with sparking interest and curiosity for them as they continue to plan and dream for the years ahead Hegstad expressed that while the event had a strong focus on students who might be interested in trades professions they also emphasized that these industries employ professionals from many other career paths to manage business operations it becomes an event that can have meaningful opportunities for all students The “Build My Future” Career Fair Event has been organized by MOC-Floyd Valley High School CAPS Associates (Center for Advanced Professional Studies) – in coordination with the Orange City and Alton Chamber of Commerce / Economic Development Offices The career fair was made possible through a grant MOC-FV High School received from the Iowa STEM BEST® Council along with the generous donations of exhibitors and community partners (This story along with photo are courtesy of our Community First Broadcasting partner Randy Feenstra (R-Hull) announced that his office will host two in-person passport fairs Randy Feenstra (R-Hull) announced that Ella Strudthoff – a The MOC-Floyd Valley Board of Education announced this morning that they have hired Mr The water main has been replaced from 5th St Iowa’s agricultural community saw a mix of modest gains and subtle shifts Orange City Police have arrested a juvenile after a fire was reported at Unity Christian High School when the Orange City Fire Department was paged by an alarm to the high school at 1:43 p.m they were told that someone started paper towels on fire in a school rest room After reviewing camera footage and conducting several interviews Obituaries | Brenda K May 2nd at the Orange City Area Health System A visitation with the family will be held on Friday Memorials will be given to the Orange City Area Home Health and Hospice You are invited to leave a message of condolence and print a memorial folder at www.oolman.com A Deltona woman was arrested Thursday, accused of selling human bones listed for $850 through her Orange City business and Facebook Marketplace After a 15-month investigation into the dealing of human body parts was arrested Thursday night on a warrant at her India Boulevard home She was charged with the purchase and sale of human organs and tissue Charges have been filed against her business partner, Ashley Lelesi, who faces arrest, said Orange City Police Capt Schopper was released from the Volusia County Branch Jail on $7,500 bail "It's not everyday that you find real human bones online," said El-Shami when asked about the case Friday it is illegal to sell human remains in Florida." Human remains for sale at Wicked Wonderland in Orange CityAn Orange City resident alerted police in December 2023 about Wicked Wonderland which advertised the sale of the human bones on its Facebook page Police reviewed Wicked Wonderland's Facebook page and saw two human skull fragments listed for $90; a human clavicle and scapula also listed for $90; a human rib and vertebra listed for $35 each; and a partial human skull priced at $600 Schopper had $850 of human bones available for sale "I am just glad it has come to an end," El-Shami said Two calls made to Wicked Wonderland on Friday were sent to a voicemail with a message that said Ashley or Kymberlee Wicked Wonderland posted on Facebook that the store would be closed and that their weekend hours "may vary from our usual schedule." Wicked Wonderland co-owner: We've been selling human bones for yearsOrange City police visited the business at 2461 N told police they had been selling human bones for several years and did not know that it was against the law Investigators said the store had several human bone fragments bought from private sellers which Lelesi described as "genuine human remains and delicate in nature," investigators noted in the report so police confiscated the remaining human skull fragment The bones were sent to the Volusia County Medical Examiner's Office where they were analyzed Schopper and Lelesi showed up at the Orange City Police Department to ask for their bones back and told police that they needed to get a warrant if they wanted more information Schopper told police the human bones were protected by Florida law as educational models and the women became upset when police told them they could not get the human remains back because they were being examined While it's possible Schopper and Lelesi purchased the human remains from an online educational store selling human remains in Florida is still illegal The medical examiner's testing showed the skull fragment had archaeological origins and the vertebra was possibly an anatomical model and did not come from a burial environment The medical examiner also identified the partial skull as that of an adult male was of archaeological origin and signs of trauma was not observed on it it was determined that Schopper knowingly purchased and listed human bones for sale through Facebook Marketplace and their business website," investigators concluded in their report Get the best experience and stay connected to your community with our Spectrum News app. Learn More Ohio— Five years after the start of the pandemic schools across the country are still dealing with learning loss and its effects including absenteeism and lower test scores Here in Ohio nearly every school district has seen a decline in learning “I knew we’d be poised to still be right where we were," Orange City School District Superintendent Lynn Campbell said.  The Orange City School District is the only district in Ohio that is performing above its pre-pandemic levels in both math and reading, according to the Education Recovery Scorecard. Campbell says the reason the district has had success is its commitment to each student.  "We knew going into the pandemic there would be challenges but we also knew that everybody would be facing them," Campbell said "We doubled down on doing what we do best and that’s focusing on every kid The Education Recovery scorecard is a study conducted by researchers at Harvard It combines the National Assessment for Educational progress with state test results Campbell explained that his school district not only prepares kids for those tests but invests in more ways to enhance learning.  “Behind the scenes what you wouldn’t see is the amount of collaboration we’ve invested in within our district allowing our teachers to work together to study data study kids and not just achievement in testing but looking at behaviors and social and emotional needs.”  Stéphane Lavertu is a professor at The Ohio State University and has conducted significant research on the topic of pandemic learning loss in Ohio He said the pandemic is still having lingering negative effects on other school districts across the state.  "Whether people value going to school and that really jumped with the pandemic," Lavertu said "There were some changes in norms and discipline levels at the schools.”  In order for the rest of the schools across the Buckeye state to begin the process of bouncing back to pre-pandemic learning levels like Orange City Schools has Lavertu said focusing on economically disadvantaged students and prioritizing funds is the key.  “One thing we need to do is think about what’s going on with those lower income kids and why is that decline happening with them If we go back to using those funds how we were pre-pandemic maybe we’d have more gains in student achievement.”  Campbell agrees and thinks that other Ohio schools need to adapt to the “Orange Way” of supporting each child inside and outside of the classroom.  “I think what’s most important is focusing on the day to day experience and the growth of each individual student," Campbell said "Having top notch teachers in the classroom as well as having some of those supports like nursing psychologists and social workers looking at the whole child That’s been the Orange way and that’s what we’re going to continue to do.” This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page one of Europe’s most famous circus families is kicking off its international tour in Volusia County Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInORANGE CITY Iowa (KTIV) - An Orange City man was arrested after deputies were called to a Siouxland hospital Saturday morning The Sioux County Sheriff’s Office says 23-year-old Shayne Jacobson was arrested after Sioux County deputies were called to a disturbance at Sioux Center Health Authorities say upon further investigation deputies learned Jacobson was under the influence of alcohol and had been in a car accident where he was charged with operation of a motor vehicle while intoxicated He was also cited for failing to maintain control of a motor vehicle and failing to provide proof of insurance The car accident reportedly took place on 410th Street Jacobson was reportedly driving east on 410th Street Authorities say there were two people inside the vehicle that were transported to Sioux Center for the treatment of their injuries Approximately $5,000 of damage was sustained from the accident The Sheriff’s Office was helped by the Sioux Center Police Department 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 ORANGE CITY – A Deltona woman was placed in handcuffs after an officer found human bones among her wares at an Orange City curio store In an affidavit, police said they’d received a complaint just days before Christmas in 2023 about the store — dubbed “Wicked Wonderland” — trying to sell those bones the store had reportedly been advertising various human bones on its Facebook page Investigators said they found the following human remains for sale on the store’s website: Afterward, an officer went to the store and spoke with one of its owners, who stated that the business had been selling human bones for years and was unaware it was illegal to do so in Florida [EXCLUSIVE: Become a News 6 Insider (it’s FREE) | PINIT! Share your photos] “She confirmed that the store had multiple human bone fragments and mentioned she has documentation for these transactions but could not provide it at that moment,” the affidavit reads “She described the bones as genuine human remains and delicate in nature.” The owner allowed police to collect the human remains as evidence and she and the other store owner — identified as Kymberlee Schopper 52 — later met with investigators to discuss what was going on Schopper claimed that the bones were “educational models,” which would protect their sale under state law “Schopper and (the other owner) then became upset when they were unable to recover the collected human bones or obtain a copy of the original police report,” the affidavit continues “They were informed that the human bones were currently being held as evidence in the case and would not be released to them at this time.” several of the bones were examined by experts Schopper — who was listed as the store’s primary owner — was ultimately arrested on Thursday night and now faces a charge of trading in human tissue She was released early Friday morning on bond of $7,500 Copyright 2025 by WKMG ClickOrlando - All rights reserved TV Listings Email Newsletters RSS Feeds Contests and Rules Contact Us / Follow on Social Media Careers at WKMG Closed Captioning / Audio Description Public File Current EEO Report Terms of Use Privacy Policy Do Not Sell My Info FCC Applications EEO Report Disability Assistance Copyright © 2025 ClickOrlando.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group ORANGE CITY, Fla. — Orange City residents are concerned about the flooding impacts from an affordable housing project approved by the Volusia County council in May The four different housing projects are part of an extended effort to address the affordable housing crisis Council members approved $7.8 million to build more housing units on West Minnesota Avenue noting a 35% increase in local rent costs since 2021 hurricane season caused concerns over extensive flooding in certain areas that aren’t used to seeing that type of overflow Many Volusia County residents attended a town hall nearly two weeks ago to address those concerns they said they are still uncertain of how county leaders will fix the ongoing issues The 68-unit development is located next to the Coggin DeLand Ford and Honda dealerships While the lot sits at approximately 60 feet above sea level the road travels downward toward neighboring homes Stetson University Environmental Sciences professor Dr Wendy Anderson said she believes this type of development could create additional flooding issues for residents in the future Anderson also sits on the board of the Volusia Soil and Water Conservation District she reviews topographic maps to determine how development within her county will change the hydrology in the area She said that when she looked at the topography for the West Minnesota Avenue project it took her about 3 minutes to determine the flood risk to neighboring homes “There’s a bunch of houses that are down in this very low elevation area and I’m assuming that at least that road probably already floods on a regular basis But the houses down in there are sitting pretty high but a couple of them aren’t,” Anderson said She said removing the trees that currently stand where the site will be will also exacerbate the problem since they help to absorb the stormwater runoff from the Ford and Honda dealerships While Anderson acknowledges there is an affordable housing crisis in Volusia County she said flooding contributes to that problem by increasing homeowners insurance rates She said she believes the county needs to first figure out a long-term solution to flooding in order to address low-income housing developments.  She also said a building moratorium is just a Band-Aid solution adding that there are other ways to go about addressing flooding “Low-impact development isn’t just a set of site-planning tools it’s also creating amenities," Anderson said "Like people living in low-income housing deserve access to green space and nature just as much as people living in high-end homes And so why not leave some of that forest available for kids in that apartment complex to be able to go out and explore and have fun?” Volusia County Council members will hold a special meeting on Jan 14 to address residents’ ongoing flooding concerns which will include discussions of a potential building moratorium This story has been updated to include new information An Orange City police officer arrested Tuesday on accusations he illegally used his work computer and law enforcement database to track the whereabouts of his former girlfriend will be fired on Friday if he does not appeal a termination notice, a department spokesman said on Thursday. Officer Jarmarus Brown, 29, of DeBary, turned himself in at the Volusia County Branch Jail Tuesday night, said Orange City Police Capt. Jason Ward. Brown was charged with stalking and unauthorized access of a computer system/network (damage over $5,000). He was jailed on $15,000 bail. It was not immediately known if Brown was released on bail or still in jail as his mugshot and updated bail information were not available Thursday. Ward said Thursday that Brown was served with a notice two days ago that his employment with the police department will be terminated. Brown has three days to appeal the decision, and if he does not, his final day of employment will be Friday, Ward said. Brown was placed on paid administrative leave on Nov. 21, Ward said. When asked Thursday if Brown has filed an appeal, Ward replied "No, he has not." Ward said that after receiving information of possible policy violations by Brown, the Orange City Police Department requested the Volusia County Sheriff's Office conduct an internal affairs investigation. That investigation was postponed after findings of criminal activity, the captain said. According to an investigative report from the Volusia Sheriff's Office, a detective was asked in December to investigate a stalking complaint from the Orange City Police Department. In the investigation process, the detective obtained reports the victim filed with the Seminole County Sheriff's Office where she stated that she was Brown's girlfriend for 10 months but that they broke up in October 2024, an Volusia County Sheriff's arrest report shows.. The woman said she met Brown in December 2023 and everything was fine at first but then he began displaying extremely controlling behavior. She said he attempted to control her daily activities, tried to distance her from her family, limited the amount of makeup she could wear and the length of her fingernails and demanded she share her location with him at all times. Brown also often sat in his patrol vehicle outside her Orange City workplace, the sheriff's office charging affidavit shows. The woman claimed Brown put an Apple Air tag GPS in her wallet when he replaced one she lost to track her whereabouts. The woman did not know about the tracking device until she heard it beeping in her bag while on the way to work one day, the arrest report states. The woman also became suspicious that he was using license plate readers to monitor her movements, after Brown showed the victim her vehicle going through an intersection during a video chat. The photo of the vehicle was displayed on the screen of Brown's work computer, the investigator said. After breaking up with Brown, the woman started a friendship with another officer, and that officer told the woman Brown was spreading rumors about her being suicidal. The officer told the woman that Brown had previously used a law enforcement database to track her whereabouts, the report stated. The woman then called Orange City Police and asked if an audit of Brown's police computer could be done. The woman then sent Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood an email expressing her concern that nothing was being done about her case, investigators said. An audit of Brown's computer provided to sheriff's investigators showed Brown ran the license plate of the woman's car, as well as the tag for her mother and brother, a total of 108 times between April 15 and November 2024, the report highlighted. The victim at times drove her mother's or her brother's vehicle to work, the report pointed out. The officer who alerted the woman also told investigators that Brown said he used the Flock camera system/license plate reader to track the woman and even asked the officer to go on a "stakeout" with him to try and see where the woman's vehicle was, the report states. The officer warned Brown to stop using the computer for non-work purposes, detectives said. When the sheriff's investigator spoke with Brown, his attorney attended the interview via telephone. When asked why he ran the woman's tag numerous times, Brown explained that their relationship started to break apart and he noticed the victim doing suspicious things such as not sharing her location with him, lying about where she was and about who she was with, the investigator wrote in the report. Brown claimed the woman was pregnant and started missing her OBGYN appointments, so he used the license plate reader to track her whereabouts. He said he only ran the woman's tag 10 times, the arrest report noted. "Officer Brown stated it was a comfort and safety thing for him to run her tag to confirm where she was at," the sheriff's investigator wrote in the report. Investigators said Brown concluded his interview by saying "like I told my agency, it was dumb as hell on my end, emotions flowing, mind going." In concluding his report, the investigator said Brown admittedly knew he exceeded his authorization when using his work computer for no legitimate reason but to harass and cause the victim emotional distress. "Officer Brown knowingly and intentionally accessed the password protected computer systems, Flock and DAVID (police database) to run license plates of vehicles (the victim) frequently drove for her own personal reasons," the investigator wrote in the report. "There was no work related, justifiable reasons to do so other than to track (the victim's) whereabouts." AcademicsChallenge and support New learning and ideas will challenge you at Northwestern But as part of our Christian academic community you’ll also receive the support you need to make sense of it all Academics @ NWC Get an advanced degree with Northwestern College Our convenient and cost-competitive Graduate & Adult Learning programs are designed to fit your life All Programs Our Christian college might be right for you Learn how you’ll grow intellectually and spiritually Admissions @ NWC Your Northwestern education doesn’t stop when class is over Some of the best lessons for life happen in your residence hall Campus life @ NWC but the bigger victory is the lessons in character and commitment that last long after the season is over Visit nwcraiders.com A Northwestern education is for your head and your heart Because the world needs people who are more than just smart It needs brave Christians committed to making a difference Faith @ NWC Stay connected to Northwestern by reading the Classic alumni magazine and encouraging smart Christian students to check out your alma mater Alumni @ NWC Giving to Northwestern is more than just making a donation It’s an investment in Christian higher education and students who will make a difference in God’s world Giving @ NWC Northwestern has been delivering an excellent education within the context of community and a Christian worldview About NWC There’s always something going on at Northwestern News & events @ NWC MyNWC is a Web-based system that allows you to access information about your financial aid MyNWC Northwestern College congratulates 524 students who earned a spot on the Academic Dean’s List for the fall 2024 semester The Dean’s List is comprised of students who have achieved a semester grade point average of 3.50 or above while carrying a minimum of 12 graded hours 322 attained Collegiate Scholar status for earning a GPA of 3.75 or higher Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application of Orange City and formerly of Paullina who passed away on Saturday at Prairie Ridge Care Center in Orange City at First Reformed Church in Orange City with Rev To view Margaret’s service via livestream please visit: https://firstreformedchurch-ia.subspla.sh/4k2v9n8  Burial will be at Prairie View Cemetery in Paullina  Visitation with family present will be from 5 to 7 P.M at the Eldridge Family Funeral Home in Paullina “God Will Take Care Of You” sung by Gwen Van Roekel After the graveside service relatives and friends are invited to join the family in the Laue Room of the Paullina City Hall Margaret Dianne Klein the daughter of Garret and Marian (Kruse) Hofstra was born May 6 She received her education in George schools 1971 she was united in marriage to Arnold W Klein at St Patrick Catholic Church in Sheldon After their marriage the couple lived in Hospers Sheldon for one year before settling in Paullina in 1984 Margaret was employed as a Nurse’s Aide at the Sheldon Hospital Wide View Nursing Home in Paullina and for many years at the Orange City Hospital until her retirement She moved to Orange City to be near her family in 2014 She became a resident of the Prairie Ridge Care Center in Orange City in December of 2022 She passed away at Prairie Ridge on Saturday  She was a member of the First Reformed Church in Orange City She enjoyed spending time with her family especially her grandchildren  Margaret leaves to cherish her memory her three children; Arlyn Klein; Melissa Klein and Trisha and her husband Iowa; Marty Kruse in Oklahoma; Sharon Kruse of South Sioux City Nebraska and Paul (Cindy) Kruse of Sioux Falls She is also survived by many other relatives and friends  She was preceded in death by her husband Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors — Three weeks after Hurricane Milton made landfall residents in Volusia County are still dealing with debris left behind by the storm  Resident Ian Sanmoogan drove to the vegetative debris disposal drop-off site in DeLand to help with the cleanup.  “I already cleared my home out — this is for my friend's and family home," he said I kind of do this on my off days to help them out." Volusia County announced the opening of a fourth vegetative debris disposal drop-off site as part of the recovery efforts The new site is located at 1360 Veterans Memorial Parkway in Orange City and is the fourth of its kind the county has opened since Milton People who show proof of residency can dispose of vegetative debris daily at the new site in Orange City as well as the three existing ones “I feel like it's helpful because it's free but I feel like they can make it a little better by helping us once we get here,” Sanmoogan said referring to the fact that they are self-serve sites where the residents have to unload and dispose the debris themselves.   Public Works Director Ben Bartlett said the county is continuing to pick up debris in unincorporated areas of the county and along county roads we've picked up just over 50,000 cubic yards of debris," he said We've worked with them to get it up upwards of 30 hauling units in the county “We're hopeful that based on those averages that we're going to be able to meet the governor's requirement of getting this debris picked up within the time frame of the 100% reimbursement from FEMA,” Bartlett said Spectrum News also reached out to cities within Volusia County to ask how the debris pickup process is going they reported picking up more than 89,000 cubic yards of vegetative debris Bartlett said the county has 30 hauling units provided by contractors and three road and bridges crews working to pick up debris we're working with our contractor to try to get this material picked up as fast as possible," Bartlett said "And I think we're on the right track." Volusia County will begin collecting vegetative storm debris stemming from Hurricane Milton on private roads in unincorporated areas starting Friday received Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) approval to request reimbursement for debris pickup on county-maintained roads allowing the county to seek reimbursement for debris removal costs on private roads as well County crews and contractors will make a single pass to collect unbagged vegetative debris Residents along private roads in unincorporated areas must separate vegetative debris from bagged debris as well as from construction and demolition materials and hazardous items such as paint and tires Only unbagged vegetative debris is eligible for collection The county's debris hotline (833-843-2985) is available daily from 7 a.m Those living within city limits should contact their local city government for debris removal information News | Orange City Lights Up for 2025 RAGBRAI with Enthusiastic Town Hall Iowa — Orange City is buzzing with excitement as it prepares to host the 2025 Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa (RAGBRAI) on July 19 During a Town Hall event at city hall Wednesday night organizers shared thrilling updates and plans for the starting overnight host blending community pride with heartfelt efforts The event kicked off with a warm welcome from Mike Hofman Executive Director of the Orange City Chamber of Commerce who introduced the executive committee and emphasized the community’s enthusiasm for hosting RAGBRAI once again highlighting its history and the global reach of this annual bike ride across Iowa Themes and entertainment then took center stage at the Town Hall The RAGBRAI committee unveiled this year’s theme, “Take Off from Tulip Town,” alongside a striking logo featuring tulips and a windmill-inspired bike wheel Designer Vaughn Donahue highlighted its creative journey stating, “We wanted something with motion and Dutch elements…so here we have motion lines with the wheel and the windmill for spokes.”  The theme beautifully ties into RAGBRAI LII’s overall theme of “Take Flight.” Residents can support the theme by purchasing logo T-shirts showcased last night in a lighthearted fashion show led by Aria Clothing Company from Orange City Music lovers can look forward to a spectacular entertainment lineup featuring headliners Above the Covers and 90s Rockshow, from Southern California with lead singer Seth stating, “We’re coming to rock your faces with all your favorite ’90s hits!” The lineup also includes local bands like Sarah Pemberton Hospitality team members urged locals to get involved through decorations As Co-chair John Weber shared, “We’re proud of our Dutch heritage and excited to welcome riders from around the world.” The community decorations effort is in full bloom with elementary students creating 1,000 tulip artworks to line the riders’ path A “Light It Up Orange City” initiative invites residents to brighten the town with white lights culminating in a friendly lighting contest judged by a celebrity guest Close to 20 committees are tackling logistics for around 25,000 cyclists with teams like housing working tirelessly and the committee is calling on community members to get involved From working shifts in beverage gardens and information booths to preparing campsites and hosting riders there are plenty of opportunities to contribute Housing chair Pat Brenneman emphasized the importance of forming long-standing friendships with riders encouraging locals to open their homes and yards Enthusiastic participants are already reliving connections from 2017 with Weber recalling, “A 90-year-old was recently contacted by his team from Sioux Falls It’s amazing to see these relationships endure.” Also discussed at the event was: “Where will RAGBRAI riders dip the tires of their bikes?” It’s a tradition for riders to dip their back tire in the Missouri River dip their front tire in the Mississippi River when they finish Orange City is over 20 miles away from the Big Sioux River There are two options to complete the tradition riders can complete the tire dip right in downtown Orange City Organizers will bring water from the Missouri River and fill up a canal located at Windmill Park riders could travel to Oak Grove County Park the closest location to Iowa’s western border which is 30 miles northwest of Orange City traditionalists can access the Big Sioux River via a boat ramp for a tire dip RAGBRAI LII kicks off in Orange City and concludes July 26 in Guttenberg with other northwest Iowa overnight stops in Milford and Estherville For more updates on Orange City RAGBRAI or to get involved visit ragbrai.orangecityiowa.com or follow the Orange City RAGBRAI Facebook and Instagram pages Orange City is ready to shine again on the global stage (Courtesy fellow Community First Broadcasting station KSOU in Sioux Center) passed away at the Prairie View Care Center in Sanborn There will be a funeral service on Saturday February 15 at 10:30 in the Chapel at the 1st Reformed Church in Orange City Visitation with family will be an hour prior to the service at the church The Burial and Committal service will be at the Boyden Cemetery at 1:30PM and Grace (De Jager) Muyskens on a farm near Newkirk (Rural Hospers She graduated from the Newkirk High School in 1957 She then attended Northwestern College where she earned a 2-year teaching certificate She began teaching 1st grade at the Newkirk School and attended night school at Westmar College in LeMars to complete her BA at the First Reformed Church in Orange City IA where Wayne held a teaching position for 3 years Wayne then accepted a teaching position in Boyden The family moved to Boyden and made it their home for close to 45 years a move was made to a Duplex in Orange City where she lived until a stroke in the Fall of 2020 made it necessary to move to the nursing home in Sanborn.  Sharon was a stay-at-home wife and mother for several years She then became one of the town’s librarians until she retired shortly before their move to Orange City Sharon loved the Lord and shared her faith through her acts of service and example She was very active in the children’s and women’s ministries at the Boyden Reformed Church She loved sewing and crafting and used these gifts in her work with children both in church and at the library Creating and providing ideas and decorations for Women’s ministry meetings and banquets was something she enjoyed.  Sharon enjoyed attending her children’s and later some of her grandchildren’s activities whenever possible She loved going on bus trips with her husband until his Parkinson’s disease became too advanced and he moved to the nursing home She was his faithful spouse for 51 years of marriage.  Left to cherish her memory are her 3 children Sheryl (Evan) Grotenhuis of Hospers Brent (Mary Jo) Vander Schaaf of Three Rivers her 8 Grandchildren Karissa (Mike) De Jager Andrew (Bethany) Vander Schaaf and 9 plus one on the way Great Grandchildren.  VOLUSIA COUNTY – An Orange City police officer has been accused of using license plate readers to track the whereabouts of a woman last year investigators said they received a complaint about the behavior in early November 2024 after a woman came forward to report it The woman told detectives that she and the officer — Jarmarus Brown 29 — had been in an “intimate relationship” for around 10 months Officer Brown exhibited controlling behavior by attempting to control her daily activities often sitting in his patrol vehicle outside of her workplace and even placed a GPS air tag in her wallet without her knowledge or consent,” the affidavit reads investigators said she told them that Brown would often show her videos of her own vehicle traveling through intersections and she believed he was using a license plate reader to track her whereabouts [EXCLUSIVE: Become a News 6 Insider (it’s FREE) | PINIT! Share your photos] the woman claimed the relationship ultimately fell apart by October 2024 though Brown would continue showing up uninvited to places where she was at “After the two broke off their relationship (REDACTED) reconnected a friendship with Officer Shadrach King,” the affidavit adds she was alerted by Officer Shadrach King that Jarmarus was spreading rumors about her The complaints sparked an audit into Brown’s search history of the Flock license plate reader program which revealed he’d been repeatedly running tags for three specific vehicles over the course of roughly seven months The identities of the respective vehicle owners were redacted in the affidavit the affidavit does say that Officer King had noticed Brown’s activity on the Flock system and he’d mentioned that Brown “needed to stop running her vehicle in that system because he could get in trouble.” When confronted about the allegations in an interview with detectives last month Brown reportedly claimed that the woman had been doing “suspicious things” earlier that year such as refusing to share her location with him and lying about where she was Brown was asked about the tags he’d been running Brown was later arrested and faces charges of stalking and accessing electronic devices without proper authority News 6 has reached out to the Orange City Police Department for comment and is awaiting a response Get today’s headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily: – County leaders want to boost tourism revenue on the West side of Volusia County and one way is through a proposed $39 million sports complex The county is eyeing the land it owns right across from Pfc The current proposal has a mix of over a dozen turf and natural fields that could host seven different sports the county council voted to explore a public-private partnership for development and management of the complex the ability to be able to develop some commercial development adjacent to this 100 acres has really made this a prime spot,” said Brad Burbaugh “We certainly have the capital funds through our ballot-approved ECHO program to build such a facility.” Burbaugh said that not only have the youth and league sports on the West Side of Volusia outgrown their current facilities but it could give a much-needed boost to the tourism economy in that area “Just the fields alone would generate about $14 million in additional economic activity on that west side of our county,” he said Volusia County isn’t the only one in the area looking to cash in on the traveling sports crowd City leaders in Daytona Beach told News 6 last month that they were looking to get funding for a $185 million complex on 600 acres the city owns Daytona Beach city leaders’ goal is to get the potential investors lined up in 2025 could generate $90 million in that area’s economy annually Burbaugh said the county doesn’t see Daytona Beach’s potential complex as a competition “We’ve got the ingredients here in Volusia County to do it multiple places,” he said the county said it will select a consultant to guide it through the process and align the public and private partners staff will draft a proposal to bring back to the council for approval — For the first time in Orange City’s history In January, Orange City honored Mayor Kelli Marks, who was sworn into office in November 2024, with a proclamation celebrating her.  who is the former Orange City District Four council member brings six years of experience to the table She says she enjoys serving a community she loves.  I just got inspired by wanting to make a change and here I am Marks said being mayor is a dream come true — she’s wanted the job ever since she was a kid.  “When I moved to the west side of Orange City I saw the possibilities,” Marks said.  She said she’s hopeful that being elected as the city’s first female mayor will encourage other women in the city to get involved in politics it inspires other women that they can be a political figure and move up as high as you want to go,” Marks said.  Marks said she is focusing on an issue Volusia County residents know well: flooding.  Marks said she is trying to keep her eye on potential solutions.  She’s also working toward an initiative called Citizens Academy which has a goal of getting residents involved in Orange City government so they can learn how it works “I just want to make the citizens feel that this is their city Marks is keeping her positive attitude.  “I think we have a lot of great things going forward from the higher level to the lower level here of local cities,” she said Marks said that following Hurricane Milton members of the Orange City council are working to make sure they are communicating with residents effectively.  She said the City Council voted to bring forward a communications platform through text messages on emergency operations — so The City Council is still discussing the process Orange City Vice Mayor Alexander Tiamson – who at 10 immigrated from the Philippines to the United States – visited many of the states and began traveling the world most recently witnessing the Northern Lights in Iceland His journeys ended last week when he died at age 60 served on the City Council since 2020 and had been reelected to a second term in 2024 when no one challenged him He died as a result of "an unexpected medical episode,' Dawn Tiamson two brothers and a sister to San Francisco Their lives had been comfortable in the Philippines "He remembered fondly that time," Dawn Tiamson said Sometimes it's hard here in the United States.' And they would always say 'We came to the United States for a better life.'" President Ferdinand Marcos had declared martial law and had become a dictator Many Filipinos fell into poverty during his 20-year reign Tiamson related to his wife that he found high school "a cruel place," but he found his way into the Marine Corps at 19 and served four years starting in Pensacola where he became a law enforcement officer in specialized units and task forces before being promoted in 2007 to detective Unlikely romance grows from Orlando police stingHe met his wife in 1999 when Orlando Police worked with her on a sting operation after guests had complained of items being stolen from their rooms They were introduced and that first glance at each other was different and he said the same thing," Dawn Tiamson said Tiamson found reasons to visit her at the hotel and the relationship grew from there Alex Tiamson was described by people who knew him as a people person who never met a stranger you'd walk away feeling more informed," his wife said His political career was an extension of his interest in helping others in the community He participated in motorcycle rides to benefit St he learned of a veteran who "was in a bad way Orange City resident Leah Brooks said she met Tiamson when she approached him about a city issue and they became friends she posted on Facebook a tribute to Tiamson "You are a man who had his priorities straight You poured your love to others and served everyone who was in need children and the elderly (especially veterans)," Brooks wrote with plans to go to Tiamson’s native Philippines later this month “My husband was a curious guy,” Dawn Tiamson said “If I told him about a trip or cruise I was looking at always his response would be: ‘Book it!’”  Tiamson had been studying the best places to visit and eat while visiting the Philippines He had also retained his ability to speak Tagalog “We had lots of plans to travel,” she said who plans to have a memorial service locally believes her husband deserves one more trip for a memorial service at Arlington National Cemetery From the Great Lakes of Iowa to an RV manufacturing hub to a major college town RAGBRAI 52 will let riders experience the variety and scenic charm of northern Iowa The route for the 52nd edition of the Register's Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa will extend 406 miles from Orange City to Guttenberg Along the way riders will stop overnight in Milford ending and overnight towns on the July 20-26 ride More: Easy riders: 2025 RAGBRAI route will be among shortest, flattest, announcement reveals Previous times on RAGBRAI: Pass-through town in 1975 Pella may be famous as the Dutch-est city in Iowa a state that was a historic destination for immigrants from the Netherlands but Orange City is no slouch when it comes to windmills and wooden shoes it has an annual spring Tulip Festival and Dutch-themed decor It takes its name from the Royal House of Orange in the Netherlands a 17-year-old resident of — you guessed it — Pella But there is one thing that sets Orange City apart from Pella: its food Pella has its eponymous bologna and the S-shaped pastries known as Dutch letters Orange City takes it to a whole different level as the home of Pizza Ranch 200-plus store chain was founded in 1981 by Adrie Groeneweg in nearby Hull and moved its headquarters to Orange City in 2007 More: Meet the 'Legendary Pizza Ranch Guest' from Iowa who has visited all 224 locations But Pizza Ranch’s style — buffet service with not just pizza but chicken as anyone who’s ever visited one of Amsterdam’s countless buffet restaurants can testify Iowa's 68 Pizza Ranch locations are a favorite stop for politicians campaigning in the Iowa caucuses and also for RAGBRAI riders after a hunger-inducing day on the road Of course there’s a Pizza Ranch in Orange City gravy and a sugary slice of dessert pizza and dig in Note: This is one of those years when a lot of riders are likely to forego the traditional Missouri River tire dip Orange City is about 4 ½ miles from neighboring Alton on the Floyd River but it’s 10 times that far from the closest stretch of the Missouri itself in Sioux City Previous times on RAGBRAI: Pass-through town in 1982 and Milford is the southern gateway to this vacationland welcoming thousands of tourists each summer including East and West Okoboji and Big Spirit are collectively one of the most popular tourism draws in the state The shores of the clear-water glacial remnant lakes are lined with vacation homes and boat-up bars and restaurants plus the famous Arnolds Park amusement park with its vintage roller coaster and Ferris wheel And for fans of all sorts of two-wheeled vehicles the neighboring city of Spirit Lake is home of the Indian motorcycle factory Milford has served as a RAGBRAI pass-through town five times before but this will be its first time it's a full-fledged overnight town Previous times on RAGBRAI: Overnight town in 1982 Home to Iowa Lakes Community College, Estherville is another town in the Iowa Great Lakes region. It’s also known for what happened on May 10, 1879, when a meteorite exploded along a 7-mile path in the surrounding countryside. The three largest fragments fell 4 miles north of Estherville, weighing 431 pounds, 151 pounds and 106 pounds, respectively, according to the University of Iowa. Portions of the meteorite are on display in the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History and the Naturhistorisches Museum in Vienna A sizable chunk also resides in the Estherville Meteorite Center downtown and fragments of the big rock are on display in the Estherville Public Library Another monument marks a spot outside town where pieces of the meteorite fell Forest City was the longtime headquarters of recreational vehicle manufacturer Winnebago Industries which moved its offices to a Minneapolis suburb in 2021 It still is a major production center for the vehicles so synonymous with their segment that some people call all motorhomes Winnebagos Winnebago in 2024 had revenues of almost $3 billion The Forest City area also is home to Pilot Knob State Park its most distinctive feature is a 33-foot circular observation tower Previous times on RAGBRAI: Overnight town in 1978 Tucked into the Iowa River Greenbelt in Hardin County, Iowa Falls is surrounded by picturesque valleys and woods Most scenic of all are the limestone bluffs lining the river where it runs through town RAGBRAI riders in 2021 enjoyed splashing and floating in the downtown waters and the swinging pedestrian bridge across the river is a local landmark is what is billed as Iowa’s oldest operating popcorn stand but Iowa Falls has had a popcorn stand since the 1870s offers public and private cruises on the river from June through mid-October Previous times on RAGBRAI: Pass-through town in 1985 The largest overnight town on this year’s route Cedar Falls is home to the University of Northern Iowa and along with the University of Iowa and Iowa State University is one of just three public universities in the state including a tasting room of the appropriately bike-themed SingleSpeed Brewing one of Iowa’s largest makers of craft beer Cedar Falls takes its name from the Cedar River a 329-mile-long waterway that starts in southeastern Minnesota and is a tributary of the Iowa River Cedar Rapids also takes its name from the river Cedar Falls sits about 8 miles from downtown Waterloo which served as a RAGBRAI overnight town in 2021 and is a major manufacturing center for John Deere tractors Previous times on RAGBRAI: Pass-through town in 2014 Oelwein was founded in 1872 by the Burlington The town was named after the Oelwein family who owned the land where its railroad station was established Today Oelwein is an industrial center with employers like Ashley Industrial Molding Transco Railway Products and Bertch Cabinet Manufacturing It’s also where RAGBRAI Ride Director Matt Phippen grew up and where he first encountered RAGBRAI when Oelwein hosted the ride in 1990 The ride’s stop there also will be a homecoming for some of the Iowa state troopers directing traffic for the ride: It’s headquarters for the state patrol’s District 10 Nestled in the southwest corner of the Iowa’s portion of the unglaciated Driftless Area the countryside around Oelwein is home to a community of Old Order Amish and the Oelwein Chamber offers motorcoach tours Previous times on RAGBRAI: Ending town in 1980 the area was originally named Prairie La Porte meaning “the door to the prairie.” German immigrants incorporated the city in 1850 but when you line up for the Mississippi River tire dip remember that the locals pronounce the name with a short u as in “gut,” as opposed to the “goot” of the similarly named German city Buildings from the era of German immigration made with limestone mined from nearby bluffs Today the city is known for manufacturing and its recreational opportunities along the river 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 at pjoens@registermedia.com or on Twitter @Philip_Joens — Crews in Orange City are working to restore access in the area of Shady Lane and Miller Road a place that still has leftover flooding following Hurricane Milton Volusia County officials say they are trying to elevate Miller Road temporarily so that residents can reach their properties who owns Renaissance Villa Assisted Living Facility says he’s never seen the water as high as it is now Lorgeat says pharmacy deliveries can’t go through and some family members have gotten their cars stuck in the water we had one of our residents who wanted to go to a hospital and they were having a hard time coming in,” Lorgeat said “They had to leave their big truck out here and use a pickup truck to come and pick up the resident County officials say they will remain in communication with residents in the area and throughout the county to offer potential assistance where needed Lorgeat’s 12 residents are understanding of this situation the people that can do something about this would be able to see what we’re going through,” Lorgeat said our problem is finding a way for people to come and see their family members,” Lorgeat said Volusia County officials say they will monitor lake levels and evaluate options They do not plan on pumping water out of Miller Lake at this time PORT ORANGE — Division was clear among those who spoke about water fluoridation during the City Council’s Tuesday night meeting, which ended with a 3-2 split vote from the board to keep adding fluoride to the city’s water supply Residents worried about their children’s health, and some, who argued water fluoridation is a form of forced medical treatment, spoke against the practice as a whole. On the other hand, several local dentists spoke in favor of community water fluoridation emphasizing its proven safety and effectiveness in preventing tooth decay over many decades Councilmembers Shawn Goepfert and Jonathan Foley and Vice Mayor Tracy Grubbs approved a motion to continue the city’s water fluoridation operation Mayor Scott Stiltner and councilman Lance Green were opposed Port Orange councilmembers weigh fluoride decisionIn 1945, Grand Rapids, Michigan, became the first city in the world to fluoridate its drinking water, according to the National Institute of Health After 11 years of monitoring 30,000 school children in the city officials found that cavity rates among the group “dropped more than 60%.”   Water fluoridation was a discussion item on the City Council’s agenda with the possibility of a vote if a councilmember made a motion to either continue or discontinue the practice Stiltner thanked community members who reached out with information and opinions on both sides of the debate The mayor said residents’ personal choices were “a big factor” in his consideration of the issue in a lot of the data and research that you read the concept of fluoridation early had a lot to do with … large communities that struggled to provide dental hygiene — they don’t have that,” Stiltner said you have got to ask yourself: Are we that city?” He argued that Port Orange is a “well-off” city where dental hygiene is “very teach children about caring for their oral health and I don’t see a city that fits that prior mold of ‘How else are they going to take care of their teeth?’” Grubbs said the information surrounding the subject “is a lot to take in when you are dealing with people’s health.” The vice mayor said one the aspects of the discussion that he found concerning was how accessible dental care might be for community members “It is a major concern,” Grubbs said, highlighting the county’s health department program, Volusia Volunteers in Medicine which can offer free medical and limited dental care to residents who meet certain requirements “That’s a big concern for me — everybody should have equal health.” Foley said he is open to new information about the issue, which he expects will come out the state Legislature’s proposed Senate Bill 700 which would prohibit local municipalities from adding fluoride to public water systems “There is a lot of testimony and a lot of evidence and they are going to get a much better presentation than the five of us are going from the information we are getting,” Foley said “I think we might want to make sure to let the state hear all the arguments and then follow their lead on this.” local dentists offer opposing viewsMichelle Edwards was one of the residents who sent “numerous studies” to council members which she claimed document the “negative effects of fluoridated water.” Edwards took issue with the argument that Port Orange’s level of concentrated fluoride in the water supply is lower than other cities and below the U.S Public Health Service recommended .7 milligrams per liter limit “Focusing on the concentration levels overlooks the fact that it is the total daily dose of fluoride that causes toxicity,” Edwards said that should not be the main focus of this discussion.” “is that our citizens currently do not have the ability to opt out of something being added to their water for medical purposes Fluoride debate heats up: Parents are seeking fluoride-free dentists. Here's what experts say. “No one should be subjected to a medical intervention without having the freedom to make the decision for themselves especially when it comes to something as fundamental as the water we drink,” she added Several other residents echoed Edwards’ call for individuals to be able to choose what goes in the water they and their families drink with many adding that access to fluoride treatment can be available through other means said she has seen what water fluoridation can do to help the community’s oral health as well as the negative sides of no fluoridation “It’s traumatic for children whenever they need to get dental work done,” Smillie said adding that most children are more comfortable seeing a pediatric dentist as opposed to coming to a general practice office “Even with a great pediatric dentist here in town access to care is still a big issue that we struggle with.” National organizations and medical groups such as the American Dental Association the American Academy of Pediatrics and the U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have stood by their view that water fluoridation in the U.S is safe and effective in preventing tooth decay in children and adults Athas Kometas said has been in practice for almost 40 years even before the city had adopted water fluoridation when he “saw the fillings that were being done.” “But what gets me is why the hell am I here?” Kometas said “I stand to gain from the fluoride being removed from the water because I know first-hand we will have more cavities But I actually believe I want to help my patients … And I really want to help the patients who can’t afford the care.” He suggested the city consult its planning and zoning officers if they decide to remove fluoride from the water supply “because you are going to need twice as many dentists.”