For decades, Ollie’s Drive Inn was more than just a place to grab a bite—it was a local landmark. Now, thanks to a thoughtful renovation and a new partnership, the restaurant is entering its next chapter as Ollie’s 2.0 and Ollie’s Out Back, blending nostalgia with fresh energy.

The Union County Board of Commissioners met in regular session on July 8 at the county courthouse, with Vice Chairman Mike Dailey presiding. Commissioners Bob Ballard, Tom Kimmel, and Peggy Ustad were present; Commissioner Kevin Joffer was absent. The meeting opened with approval of the agenda, which included the addition of a discussion on the speed limit for County Road 23.

On June 23, the North Sioux City Fire Department, in partnership with the Union County Sheriff’s Office, honored Shawn Moller for his courageous and decisive response during an emergency last month.

A group of Panther students accompanied Dakota Valley high school art teacher Demi Harlan and chaperones to Europe on June 8-21, 2025. The art trip took the travelers to Italy and Greece for two weeks where they saw many sites and observed the area’s historical and cultural aspects.

North Sioux City’s elected officials gathered on July 7 for their regular commission meeting, where they reviewed ongoing recovery efforts, approved infrastructure plans, and addressed community concerns. Mayor Chris Bogenrief called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m., with Commissioners Lynn Hoffman, Julie Burhoop, Jessica Strain, and Vincent Tucker in attendance. City Administrator Jeff Dooley, Finance Officer Amy Lilly, and City Attorney Sarah Kleber also participated.

The North Sioux City library hosted Fontenelle Forest on Tuesday, July 8, 2025 for a raptor program starting at 2 pm. Two experts spoke to a crowd of approximately 40 people about their work at the nature center which is located in Bellevue, Nebraska. In addition to the pair of experts, there were also three winged creatures introduced to the crowd.

This past month has been busy and hopeful for North Sioux City, with progress taking shape in both new development and flood recovery efforts that will help our community move forward stronger than ever. Several exciting projects have broken ground recently.

On June 16, 2025 the Dakota Dunes Community Improvement District (CID) held a regular meeting at the Welcome Center on Sioux Point Road. The meeting started at 7 pm with the following on-site: Ken Beaulieu, Scott Wetz, Julie Shanafelt and Janet Finzen. District Manager Andrew Tramp and Finance Officer Katelyn Irby, as well as local resident Larry Wiese were also present. Bill Shorma attended the meeting via phone at 7:30 pm. Darrell Jesse, the CID’s attorney, also attended by phone.

The Elk Point City Council met in regular session on July 8, 2025, with Mayor Deb Mc-Creary presiding. Councilmembers Amanda Abraham, Renee Irwin, Ben Irlbeck, and Kris Hurlbert were present; Lance Penfield was absent. City staff in attendance included City Administrator Derek Tuttle, Finance Officer Erika Hammitt, City Attorney Craig Thompson, Engineer Gary Nebelsick, Police Chief Jacob Limoges, and Public Works Director Trevor Job.

The Jefferson City Council met in regular session on July 7 at City Hall, with Mayor Padraic Rigg presiding. Councilmembers Tony Boulware, Jason Casper, Mark LaFleur, John Lokhorst, Martin Nelkie, and Michael Stokely were present. The meeting opened with approval of the agenda and minutes from the June 2 meeting, followed by a review of financials showing a total fund balance of $320,668.90 as of June 30.