The field of candidates for the Iowa 4th congressional district continues to grow on the Republican side, as a longtime state lawmaker is in the race for 2026.
State Representative Matt Windschitl, of Missouri Valley, launched his campaign on Monday. Another Republican, Chris McGowan, of Sioux City, became a candidate in late June, for the congressional seat being vacated by Republican Congressman Randy Feenstra, who instead is running for governor.
On his Matt Windschitl For Congress website, he described being elected at the young age of 22 to an Iowa House seat in 2007. Windschitl is currently the Iowa House Majority Leader, after years in that chamber’s party leadership.
Referencing the large voter registration advantage that Republicans hold in the Iowa 4th district, Windschiltl said the outcome of the congressional position “will be won” in the June 2026 party primary election. He said he is a principled leader who will fight for conservative values, such as gun rights, cutting taxes and government red tape, and having choices in education, since he was a homeschool graduate and both his children also were homeschooled.
*The city of Estherville is continuing to work towards getting more state money for a big $4 million project that is designed to improve the area along the West Fork Des Moines River in Emmet County, Iowa.
Estherville City Administrator Penny Clayton told Siouxland Public Media News that the River Recreation Enhancement Project will be beneficial, but city officials have shifted which state grant program to pursue.
The Estherville City Council in April voted to seek $950,000 from the Destination Iowa program, but then after the so-called pre-application stage, “Estherville was not invited to submit a full application,” Clayton said.
She said the new plan is to submit an application to the Community Attraction and Tourism program. Earlier this year, Clayton said if the $950,000 Destination Iowa grant panned out, Estherville would have all but $211,000 of the needed $3.8 million on hand, after fundraising and another $1.7 million in grants received.
Earlier this year, the Iowa Transportation Commission approved $650,000 for Estherville and three other Recreational Trails Program projects.
The ideal timeline that city officials are steering towards would include beginning construction by mid-2026, but that won’t happen until the funds are in place, Explore Okoboji News previously reported.
Some facets of the Estherville project include tearing down a river dam, a pedestrian bridge over the river, adding a recreational vehicle campground, and converting a pool bathhouse into a four-seasons unit.
*Additionally, almost $42,000 was approved Monday for more work towards completing the southmost segment of the Plywood Recreational Trail being built from Sioux City to Le Mars, Iowa.
The Sioux City Council approved that money for the crossing of a railroad near the Plywood and Floyd Riverfront trails in the Leeds area of the city. Earlier this year, officials said the segment from Sioux City to Hinton would be done by this summer.
Sioux City Parks and Recreation Director Matt Salvatore told Siouxland Public Media that the portion from the north edge of Sioux City to Hinton will be done by this fall. However he added that some miles of the trail within city limits are part of a different contract that will take longer, into early fall 2026.
The northmost section of the PlyWood Trail from Le Mars to Merrill officially opened in March, and the middle Hinton-to-Merrill segment is at least one year away.
The trail costing at least $23 million is being funded with grants and private contributions, and much of it is in proximity to U.S. Highway 75.
