Good morning, Sioux City! In today’s edition: Council buys downtown lot with Walgreens and Burger King, hands-free citations begin, Sip Happens, and more. Let’s get to it!

— Cait Baker

🏆 Most popular this week

Curated by popular demand — here are this week’s most-clicked events, local spots, and stories.

Future of the site: Sioux City Council finalized buying a four-acre downtown lot with Walgreens and Burger King, while three members held their final meeting. A traffic study is due by January 31 — get all the details.

Inside a $130 million-plus project: Iowa’s Economic Development Board approved $4.2 million to help Sioux Honey Association expand in Sioux City, with California operations set to relocate and 39 new jobs expected — get details on the project.

Stricter enforcement for motorists: Iowa police began issuing citations January 1 to drivers who handle phones while driving. If officers see a phone in your hand, they will write a ticket — see what drivers should know.

Safety changes for area commuters: The Iowa DOT has lowered the northbound US-75 speed limit from 65 to 55 between exit 99 and less than a mile from Highway 75 Storage toward Le Mars, following crash concerns at Highway 75 and C70. Iowa State Patrol and the Plymouth County Sheriff’s Office are helping drivers adjust. See where speeds are reduced.

Broader care benefits enacted: A new Iowa law removes the 21-year age limit and $36,000 annual cap on Autism spectrum disorder coverage, and expands outpatient treatment access, including more visits for patients — see how coverage rules changed.

Paramedic response gets boost: Sioux City Fire Rescue received four advanced life support ambulances after a two-year wait, replacing high-mileage frontline units. The last vehicle was delivered on December 19 — read the full story.

Are you overpaying? The national average for car insurance is around $175 per month. I was paying over $300 for ONE car until I checked out various quotes, switched providers, and ultimately cut my premium in half. If you haven’t checked in a while, you’re probably losing money too — this free comparison tool makes it easy.

Gold & silver are hot: Gold just had it’s best year since 1979. Silver did even better, climbing nearly 150% in 2025… and analysts expect the momentum to continue. If you’re curious about adding precious metals to your portfolio as a market hedge, American Hartford has a helpful guide that covers everything you need to know. It’s free — and definitely worth a read.

A new haircare solution: My hair’s been thinning and I’ve been quietly ignoring it, hoping it’ll fix itself. Plot twist… it hasn’t. When I finally started looking into what I should do, there were so many options I didn’t know where to start. I stumbled on Keranique, and its simplicity really sold me. One kit, no pills, no choosing products, and no confusion whatsoever. It’s also on sale with a money-back guarantee (although I doubt you’ll need it).

📆 Sneak peek at next week

Have an event to share? BaseLocal Verified Businesses can submit them for free! Learn more about how to submit an event here →

All events are subject to change without notice. Always check official event pages for the most up to date information.

💃 Dinner and Dance @ South Sioux City Senior Center | Monday (1/12) at 5:00 PM – Open to all, this Senior Center night starts with quick health checks, moves to a hearty dinner, then ends with actual dancing, not just chair swaying. Suggested $10 donation, proceeds support the Center. Bring comfy shoes, leave the TikTok moves at home.

🐦 Loess Hills Audubon Society Photo Exhibition @ Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center | Tuesday (1/13) at 12:00 PM – Ready to go birding without the frostbite? Betty Strong Encounter Center is hosting A River Runs Through It, a Loess Hills Audubon photo exhibit featuring local shooters and feathered show-offs, free admission, donations welcome, and plenty of Siouxland pride, history, and wow-that’s-a-hawk moments.

🏺 Art Class: Beginning Wheel Throwing @ Sioux City Art Center | Wednesday (1/14) at 5:30 PM – If you’ve been threatening to take up pottery since the kids left, here’s your nudge. Beginner wheel throwing with demos, critique, encouragement, tuition includes everything from clay to firings to open studio access. Eight sessions, center your clay and mind, members get a discount.

🦅 AM Homeschool: Exploring Eagles @ Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center | Thursday (1/15) at 10:00 AM – Trade the tablet for a homeschool morning with 60+ eagle species, plus what sets raptors apart. Hear the bald eagle’s comeback story, take a short hike, and call it science with fresh air, all free. Pre-registration appreciated, bring kids, binoculars, and sturdy shoes.

🚰 History at High Noon: Sioux City Waterworks @ Sioux City Public Museum | Thursday (1/15) at 12:00 PM – Give your tap some respect and swing by this lunchtime History at High Noon about Sioux City’s waterworks. From 1880s downtown wells to today’s reservoirs, towers, and pumps, see vintage photos, learn how it all flows, and bring your lunch. Free, of course.

🍷 Sip Happens @ The Crown Rooftop Bar | Thursday (1/15) at 5:00 PM – Because Friday Eve deserves a toast, The Crown Rooftop at The Warrior is pouring the good stuff with a side of skyline views. Grab your people, snag a perch, and lean into that pre-weekend glow, because sip happens, and we’ve earned it.

💆 New Year, New You: Spa Open House @ Two Finches Spa | Friday (1/16) at 4:00 PM – New year calls for less chaos, more cucumber water. Two Inch Spas is opening the doors at The Warrior Hotel for mini services, giveaways, and event-only discounts. Grab a goodie bag with a booking, sip something bubbly, and remember self-care counts as productivity.

Wanna see more? Browse our full events calendar →

📣 Own or manage a local business?

Meet BaseLocal Business — a free and easy way to get your business happenings in front of our readers.

How it works:

• Sign up (it takes less than 5 minutes)
• We’ll manually verify your business is legit
• Once verified, you’ll be able to share events, news, and special deals with us any time

Everything you share is reviewed, and approved submissions are automatically considered for future newsletters. AKA… your business has a much higher chance of being featured in front of thousands of Sioux City locals who live, shop, eat, and share good things with their friends.

We also regularly spotlight verified businesses just because we think they’re great.

Click here to get started (it’s free) →

📻 Sioux City report

Weather forecast

Today – High: 34°F – Low: 15°F – Precip: 61%

Snow likely between 10am and 3pm. Mostly sunny. High near 34, with temperatures falling to around 31 in the afternoon. West northwest wind 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New snow accumulation of less than half an inch possible. Later: Mostly clear, with a low around 15. Northwest wind 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.

—

Tomorrow – High: 39°F – Low: 28°F – Precip: 0%

Sunny, with a high near 39. Southwest wind 0 to 10 mph. Later: Partly cloudy. Low around 28, with temperatures rising to around 31 overnight. West southwest wind 5 to 10 mph.

Most popular house this week

Completed in 2025, the kitchen opens to an addition, pairing white cabinetry with butcher block, an island, and fresh lighting. Dining adds a built-in coffee bar, cup washer, and drink fridge. Three main-floor bedrooms sit near a remodeled bath, and the living room shines with LED cans, crown molding, and USB outlets. Cohesive finishes keep the look calm and intentional.

The finished lower level adds a tiled den, an office with custom shelving, a 2019 half bath, laundry, and garage access. Key upgrades include a 7.7 kW Tesla solar array, hardwired ethernet, and a 2020 furnace. Outside, a 14×16 deck and powered 8×12 shed add space. Showings start 1/2/26.

Take a peek inside →