Andrew Schneider

A period of dry conditions will end soon, with multiple rain chances settling in. According to the National Weather Service, several rain chances return, starting overnight tonight, and again on both Friday and Saturday. Widespread heavy rainfall is not expected, but the wetter weather could impact both postseason football games and trick-or-treating on Halloween. Additional chances return in the middle of next week, with above average temperatures expected to last through at least Wednesday, before a cold front moves in and brings more November-like conditions to the area by late next week.

As residents are set to fall back this weekend for Daylight Saving Time and its end on Sunday at 2 a.m., area fire departments encourage residents to review the batteries and the status of their fire alarms. It’s especially important in the fall, according to Pella Fire Chief Randy Bogaard, especially as furnaces and other heating elements in homes get more use in the upcoming winter months. Residents should check the status of all smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, both for batteries and for expiration, as the units have a limited shelf life. The change over for Daylight Savings is overnight this coming Saturday.

With a season-long ice skating rink returning soon in the City of Pella, a local group is aiming to expand interest in sports that can be played on the ice and in the coldest months of the year. Bob Zylstra with the Spirit of Pella and the Pella Ice Sports Association says registration is ongoing for a youth hockey program in the community. Skating lessons and hockey instruction for those ages five to 16 are available as part of the program, with the goal of creating multiple age-group based teams and competitive scrimmages as the season progresses. A registration event will be held this Saturday at 10 a.m. at the Pella Public Library. Those with questions should email

The Pella High School girls swimmers are preparing for next weekend’s district meet, and do so now knowing that soon, they’ll have their own identity in the pool.

The lawsuit by the NAACP, Texas NAACP, and Texas LULAC follows revelations that more than half a million voter registration applications were delayed in the runup to early voting.

Pella Community School District has announced the hiring of Dr. Lindsy Brandt as the Director of Teaching and Learning. Lindsy, a long-time Math Teacher and Instructional Coach at Pella Middle School, has accepted the role as the leader of Pella’s curriculum beginning with the 2027-2028 school year. This is pending board approval.

The Pella Community School District announced that Julie Miller as its new Nutrition Director. Superintendent Dr. Kyle Koeppen says Miller has extensive experience in school food service and brings valuable knowledge and expertise that will support the district’s commitment to providing nutritious, high-quality meals and service to students.

The most recent Fall Colors update from the Iowa DNR shows that colors remain vibrant across the region.

Pella High School is presenting a classic fall musical this fall. The Music Man will be performed November 5th through the 7th with three total shows in the Pella High School Auditorium. The 2026 production is directed by Brystal Hopkins and Samantha Robilliard, and features a large cast presenting the tale based in Iowa. Find ticket purchasing information here. Listen to the cast and crew from The Music Man on today’s Let’s Talk Pella.

The theme of the Drive for Five in the 2026 season brings the Pella cross country program back to familiar ground on Saturday, as the Dutch compete in both the girls and boys Class 3A state championship races.