PSA: Please clear snow away from your hydrants
Fire hydrants are a vital source of water for firefighting and if they are buried in snow, critical time is lost, as fires can double in size every minute. You can help the Orange City Fire Department by removing snow away from fire hydrants as it may save you or your neighbor’s family or property.
Thanks!
Denny Vander Wel
OCFD Fire Chief
Beware of Utility Scam
It has come to the attention of the City Office of a utility scam that is in the area.
This scam involves receiving a call from someone claiming they are from Orange City Utilities or other local utilities. They indicate that payment for your utilities has not been received and that you will be disconnected soon.
To avoid disconnection, you are asked to get a money order and give them the payment.
The City of Orange City does NOT use an outside company to collect delinquent utility bills. All correspondence regarding any delinquent bill would come directly from the city.
Also, in accordance with the Iowa Utilities Board rules, we do not disconnect on weekends or if the temperature is forecast to be below 20 degrees within the next 24 hours.
If you receive one of these calls, please contact the Orange City Police Dept. @ 707-4251.
Library invites staff and board to celebrate
All current and former library staff and board members are invited to celebrate the Centennial of the Orange City Public Library.
Sioux County to receive Home Base Iowa designation on oct. 28
Orange City, Iowa – Sioux County will be designated as a Home Base Iowa county during a ceremony on Wednesday, Oct. 28. The designation will take place in the courtroom of the Sioux County Courthouse at 8:30 a.m., and the public is invited to attend. Governor Terry Branstad will present the official designation at the event.
Home Base Iowa provides veterans with resources that assist them in finding employment in and becoming part of Iowa communities.
To receive the Home Base Iowa designation, communities and counties must meet four requirements: 10 percent of the businesses in the designated area must become Home Base Iowa businesses and pledge to hire a specific number of veterans; a welcome and incentive package must be developed for veterans; Home Base Iowa designation signage must be prominently displayed; and the local governing body must give a resolution of support.
“We are proud to receive the Home Base Iowa designation. We are excited to have a program that will help our local employers find much needed skilled employees,” says Mark Gaul, community development director for the City of Orange City. “We are glad to be able to assist our people coming out of the military and to provide them with quality employment and a place to call home.”
More information on the Home Base Iowa program is available on the county’s website: www.siouxcounty.org.
Orange City Arts awarded grant from Arts Midwest Touring Fund
ORANGE CITY — The Orange City Arts Council has been selected to receive funding from Arts Midwest Touring Fund, to assist in bringing Ballet Quad Cities and The Nutcracker to Sioux County.
Two performances of The Nutcracker, at the Unity Christian Knight Center in Orange City, will feature Ballet Quad Cities and 45 local young dancers. The performances will be at 1:30 and 7:30pm on Saturday, Dec. 19. In September, Ballet Quad Cities conducted master classes for local dance students, and library workshops at Orange City and Sioux Center: “Dance me a Story.”
The Ballet Quad Cities December residency will include a school assembly, a lighting design workshop, a talk with the choreographer and a question and answer session.
Arts Midwest Touring Fund is a program of Arts Midwest, based in Minneapolis and supported by the National Endowment for the Arts with additional contributions from the Crane Group and General Mills Foundation. In 2013-2015, Orange City was selected to be the community in Iowa to participate in Arts Midwest World Fest—week long residencies here featuring four international music ensembles.
Sioux Center Arts Council is joining with Orange City Arts in bringing The Nutcracker to Sioux County. “This is a huge undertaking,” said Janine Calsbeek of Orange City Arts, “but we’re so excited. Businesses in our communities are stepping up to assist with funding. And of course, we’ve had dozens of people ask about tickets!”
Tickets will be available beginning Wednesday, Nov. 11 at the Orange City Chamber office and Sioux Center City offices, front desk. The tickets are reserved seating, and purchasers are asked to come in person. Advance tickets are $15 adult, $10 student. At the door, tickets are $20 and $15.
Those interested in participating as corporate sponsors or individual donors may contact Orange City or Sioux Center Arts: orangecityarts.net, ocArts@orangecityiowa.com, 707-4885, siouxcenter.org/arts, arts@siouxcenter.org or 7220781 x118.
Arts Midwest has been the regional arts organization for nine states for 30 years, working to engage professional artists and promote interstate touring in dance, music, theatre and other performing arts The 2015 grant to Orange City Arts totals $4,000.
C&S Developers to build professional plaza on Highway 10 in Orange City
C&S Developers to build professional plaza on Highway 10 in Orange City
The Orange City Development Corporation is pleased to announce the sale of the property and the building of a professional plaza along Highway 10, due west of Casey’s General Store.
C&S Developers, LLC, owned by Brian Schutt of Alton and Dave Cleveringa of Sioux Center, will own and manage the property. The 16,000-square-foot facility will offer build-to-suit space for multiple businesses.
“We are pleased to partner with C&S Developers to add retail and office space for new and expanded business in our community,” says Daryl Beltman, president of the Orange City Development Corporation.
Mike Hofman, executive director of the Orange City Chamber of Commerce, explains that the new addition will complement the town’s business and retail community. “A vibrant retail environment fosters growth, and we believe this space will continue to enhance the many great things happening in Orange City,” he says.
Hofman adds that businesses have already expressed interest in the new development. “This building will allow us to offer additional options for location and retail space to people looking to locate or start their small business in Orange City,” he says.
C&S Developers is committed to the enhancement of the local business community. “We recognize the importance of strong economic and retail growth, and we look forward to working with current and future Orange City businesses in creating a positive economic impact for the community,” says Schutt.
Groundbreaking for the professional plaza is scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 15 at 11 a.m.
Schelling Construction of Sioux Center will build the professional plaza and plans to have some units ready for occupancy by Jan. 1, 2016.
Orange City Fifth Among Nation’s Top Christian College Towns
Orange City, home to Northwestern College, has been ranked fifth among the nation’s top 10 Christian college towns by CollegeandSeminary.com. The website’s rankings are based on how well a city that houses a Christian college offers students big-city amenities with a small-town feel.
“Northwestern College has played an integral role in the development of Orange City,” says Mayor Deb De Haan. “The residents enjoy a healthy ‘town and gown’ relationship that exists between the city and the college, and they recognize that many of the cultural and entertainment amenities available to them are a result of Northwestern being located here.”
The website’s ranking is based around both the on-campus atmosphere and the off-campus amenities located in the town surrounding a college or university. According to the website, “Most of the colleges that made the list are big cities with small-town charms. Let me be clear: Orange City is a small town with small- town charms.” It goes on to say, “It’s very Dutch, very clean and very safe. Students walk to the movies, to the coffee shop, and to Pizza Ranch. It’s a community rooted in family, which helps make it feel like home.”
In addition to amenities, community members and local churches also act as a benefit to Northwestern students. Local residents often welcome college students into their homes for meals, holiday celebrations and free laundry service.
“Among the many benefits Northwestern students and employees receive in Orange City are a safe environment and a vibrant local economy in the middle of America’s heartland,” says Mark Bloemendaal, Northwestern’s dean of enrollment and marketing. “Significant interaction between local residents and college students make it a home-away-from-home that results in lifelong relationships that cross generations, time zones and even continents.”
Orange City has been called one of the cleanest towns in America. With a population of around 6,000, it boasts a five-screen movie theatre, 18-hole golf course and restaurants ranging from coffee houses to fast-food chains and one-of-a-kind eateries. Orange City has also been ranked as the best town in Iowa to raise a family by Niche rankings (the 43rd best in the nation), and one of the 100 best small towns in the United States by livability.com.
The rankings, at http://tinyurl.com/pr8h6cz, list Nashville, Tenn., first; followed by Grand Rapids, Mich., at second. Other cities in the top 10 include Seattle and San Diego.
Fall Programming Kicks Off at the Library
Fall programs for kids, teens, and adults begin September 14
welcome back students & faculty
The cities of Orange City and Alton and all of our citizens are happy to welcome you to our schools and our communities this fall. Our merchants are ready to serve you with the finest merchandise and dependable service to help make your school year an enjoyable experience. Stop in to visit with us, we enjoy meeting you!
Caution: Our children will be walking and bicycling to and from school on sidewalks and painted, designated walkways. Please drive with care when entering our school route zones. Parents, please instruct your children to the safest and best routes to travel to school.
ORANGE CITY AREA HEALTH SYSTEM NAMED AMONG TOP 20 CRITICAL ACCESS HOSPITALS (CAHs) IN AMERICA FOR SECOND YEAR
OCAHS was also named in Top 20 CAH for Patient Satisfaction and among top 15% of all hospital nationally for patient experience.
For the second consecutive year, Orange City Area Health System has been named one of the 20 highest ranked critical access hospitals (CAHs) in the United States by the National Rural Health Association, as determined by iVantage Health Analytics. The determining factors for the Top 20 CAHs were based on eight indices of strength using the iVantage Hospital Strength INDEX, the industry’s most comprehensive rating of U.S. acute care hospitals and the only one to include the country’s 1,300 CAHs. In addition to the Top 20 Critical Access Hospital recognition, 60 “best practice” designations were given to facilities that have achieved success in one of three key areas of performance: quality, patient satisfaction, and financial stability. Orange City Area Health System was named among the Top 20 in the Patient Satisfaction category. “We are truly honored to be listed in the Top 1% of critical access hospitals in the nation,” reports Marty Guthmiller, CEO for Orange City Area Health System. “It is a true testament to each of our 500 employees for the quality of care they provide, as well as the support attributed to us by our patients.” Orange City Area Health System was also recently recognized by Healthgrades as one of the top hospitals across the nation for patient experience. This recognition “distinguishes Orange City Area Health System as one of the top 15% of hospitals nationally and is based on paient response to the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey. Orange City Area Health System is a comprehensive non-profit health system including a critical access hospital and birth center; four medical clinics served by 17 family practice providers; a sports medicine clinic: a behavioral health clinic; fertility, prenatal, OB, and birthing services; surgical and diagnostic imaging centers; physical and aquatic therapy; home health and hospice; and a senior care campus consisting of a retirement community and senior care center. More information at ocHealthSystem.org.
Northwestern College to host conference on communication Aug. 10-12
The Northwestern Leadership series conference, Courageous Communication, will offer proven strategies for employing the power of language to speak and lead better.
A professional conference focusing on effective communication will be held on the campus of Northwestern College Aug. 10 through 12. The Northwestern Leadership Series conference, titled Courageous Communication, will offer proven strategies for employing the power of language to speak and lead better. The conference is being sponsored by Northwestern College’s Graduate School and the college’s Franken Leadership Center in partnership with Pizza Ranch. Sessions will cover successful negotiating; conflict resolution; crafting powerful presentations; messaging that motivates; and using technology and remote communication to expand your business, brand and ability to get everyone on the same page. Keynote speakers include former news anchor Kristie VerMulm. Among the other speakers will be Dr. Chris Gurrie, a communication scholar at the University of Tampa; Paul Ten Haken, president of Click Rain, a digital marketing firm in Sioux Falls; Scott Peterson, CEO of Interstates Companies; Dr. Rick Melmer, South Dakota’s former secretary of education; and Angela Ten Clay, communication manager for Wellmark Blue Cross/Blue Shield and president of the Iowa chapter of the American Marketing Association. Sessions will also be led by three college presidents: Greg Christy of Northwestern College, Kurt Dykstra of Trinity Christian College and Dr. Alethea Stubbe of Northwest Iowa Community College. Conference registration is open until July 27; the Courageous Communication fee is $400 until July 15 and $450 starting July 16. Northwestern College alumni can attend the conference at a discounted rate of $350. Overnight accommodations are separate from the conference fee and are being provided by the Hampton Inn, Orange City, and the Holiday Inn Express, Sioux Center. Visit www.nwciowa.edu/lead for conference details and to register.
OCAHS CREATES $29 MILLION IMPACT ON LOCAL ECONOMY
Orange City Area Health System (OCAHS) generates 679 jobs that add nearly $29 million to the region’s economy, according to the latest study by the Iowa Hospital Association. In addition, OCAHS employees by themselves spend $6.1 million on retail sales and contribute over $368,000 in state sales tax revenue. “Once again we are reminded of the significant impact that health care has on the local and regional economy,” said Marty Guthmiller, CEO of Orange City Area Health System. “Second to our mission of providing excellent health services, this is something we are proud to contribute to the area we serve.”
The IHA study examined the jobs, income, retail sales and sales tax produced by hospitals and the rest of the state’s health care sector. The study was compiled from hospital-submitted data on the American Hospital Association’s Annual Survey of Hospitals and with software that other industries have used to determine their economic impact. The study found that Iowa hospitals directly employ 71,324 people and create another 50,131 jobs outside the hospital sector. As an income source, hospitals provide $4.2 billion in salaries and benefits and generate another $1.8 billion through other jobs that depend on hospitals.
In all, the health care sector, which includes offices of physicians, dentists and other health practitioners, nursing home and residential care, other medical and health services and pharmacies, contributes $14.3 billion to Iowa’s economy while directly and indirectly providing 293,758 jobs, or about one-fifth of the state’s total non-farm employment. “Hospitals positively influence their local economies not only with how many people they employ and the salaries of those employees, but also through hospital purchases from local businesses as well as the impact of employee spending and tax support,” said Kirk Norris, IHA president/CEO. “Whether at the local level or statewide, there are few Iowa employers that generate economic activity comparable to hospitals.”
Dutch Street Organ plays as it and wooden shoe equipment find new home in Orange City’s Stadscentrum
Wednesday, May 6 marked the grand opening and ribbon cutting for downtown Orange City’s latest addition, Stadscentrum. Stadscentrum, meaning City Center in Dutch, is located on the corner of Central Avenue and 2nd Street North downtown Orange City. The new building is now home to the Orange City Tulip Festival’s Dutch Street Organ and wooden shoe making equipment.
new can redemption center to open
The new can redemption center opened on Wednesday, April 15 and is located at 602 14th Street Southeast in Orange City, directly east of Quatro Composites. Tonya Venema is the owner operator and can be reached at 712-395-1970.
redemption center hours
| Tuesday | 8:30 am | 2:30 pm |
|---|---|---|
| Wednesday | 10:00 am – 2:00 pm | 6:00 pm – 10:00 pm |
| Thursday | 8:30 am | 2:30 pm |
What you may bring into the redemption center:
1. Clean, redeemable Iowa 5¢ deposit, soda or beer cans and plastic soda bottles, only those bought from grocery stores or merchants within city limits in clear plastic garbage bags.
Items CANNOT be flattened or crushed! All containers must be free from litter, food, mold, insects, wrappers, rodents, cigarette butts, chew or shew spit, syringes, and other waste matter. Orange City Can Redemption Center has the right according to the Iowa Grocery Industry Association and the Iowa Bottle Bill Law, to refuse any container that has any foreign matter other than the dried residu of the beverage itself. Bags may not have liquids in them!
2. Clean redeemable Iowa 5¢ label, glass beer or wine bottle — in original box or on flats.
Glass MUST NOT be, handled for redemption, in bags. Once you enter the Orange City Redemption Center’s door, a table will be available to take each glass bottle out and set it in a box or flats to be counted. Glass bottles are NOT redeemable of they are broken in any way!
What you may not bring into the redemption center:
- Non-redeemable cans, plastic, and glass without Iowa 5¢ deposit label
- Plastic juice, tea, Gatorade and/or Powerade bottles
- Plastic, non-carbonated water bottles
- Brands that are not sold within city limits (ex. HyVee, IGA, Kmart, etc.)
Prairie Exhibits and Events at the Orange City Public Library
During the month of April, the Orange City Public Library will be host to two installations: one of watercolor paintings and another of historical farm equipment. These installations will be accompanied by a variety of programs focusing on the prairie and local history.
Judy Thompson’s Homestead Series will go on display on April 1st and be available for viewing through April 30th. Thompson’s painting Silver Lake Reflections commissioned for use as the cover art for the recently released Pioneer Girl: the Annotated Biography by Laura Ingalls Wilder. The Homestead Series includes 13 prairie watercolors.
Judy will offer an Artist Talk on April 7 at 6:30 pm. She will discuss the inspiration for her work in the Homestead Series.
Also on display will be a variety of farming tools on loan from the Sioux County Historical Society Museum. These pieces give insight into the historical practices of farming on the prairie. Bob Huibregtse of the Sioux County Historical Society will present two programs during April. The History of Orange City will be presented on April 9 at 6:30 pm. Huibregtse will use books written by locals and residents, about Orange City and the area, to inform attendees on the history of Orange City. Farming on the Prairie will be offered on April 30 at 6:30 pm. This program will feature machinery, practices, and the challenges faced by pioneers farming on the prairie.
All programs are free and open to the public. No registration is required. Please contact the library for more information.
Play Pac-Man on the streets of Orange City
For a short time on Google Maps you will be able to play Pac-Man on the streets of Orange City.
Simply go to the place you want to play by searching in Google Maps, then click on the Pac-Man view in the lower left of your map to turn your current view of the city into a Pac-Man level in the picture of downtown Orange City above. The fun works on places like the walking paths near Christ’s Chapel on the campus of Northwestern College as well.
Join in the fun and let us know on Facebook if you find any place that is especially fun to play!
Habitat ReStore has new donation site in Orange City
Siouxland Habitat for Humanity (SHFH) is now offering a new donation site for the SHFH ReStore.
The donation site is a white storage container in the parking lot of the former MOC-FV administrative offices along Hwy. 10 in Orange City. ReStores are nonprofit home improvement stores and donation centers that sell new and gently used furniture, home accessories, building materials and appliances to the public at a fraction of the retail price. The Restore in Sioux City is owned and operated by the local affiliate, SHFH, and proceeds are used to build homes, community and hope locally and around the world. The ReStore thrives on donations from individuals and businesses. This donation site is by appointment only. To schedule a donation, donors must contact the donation site volunteer, Ken Oldenkamp, at 712-395-1209. There is a list of acceptable and non-acceptable items on the door of the container. Mr. Oldenkamp will make sure the materials are sellable at the ReStore before accepting the donation. Donating to the ReStore is a great opportunity to not only keep usable items out of the landfill, but also help generate revenue for the Habitat ministry. Donations are tax-deductible, and donors will receive a donation receipt at the donation site. If you have further questions, please visit the website, www.siouxlandhabitat.org or call the ReStore at 712-224-6133. Siouxland Habitat invites the public to shop the ReStore, Mondays through Saturdays, 9 AM to 5 PM. The ReStore is located at 1150 TriView Ave., just off of Hamilton Blvd., right behind the Horizon Restaurant.
City of Orange City
125 N Central Ave.
Orange City, IA 51041