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Mike Yender, age 55 of Early, passed away January 16, at Unity Point Health - St. Luke’s in Sioux City, IA. Michael James Yender was born November 1, 1965, in Storm Lake, IA, to James and JoAnne (Meyer) Yender.  He later became a big brother to his sisters Jill and Jan...

A fund drive is getting underway to begin a K-9 program for the Buena Vista County Sheriff’s Department. Sheriff Kory Elston said he office recently received a donation from a local relator that was specifically aimed toward a police dog. “Over the years, we’ve often had people express an interest in having a K-9 program, but the timing has never quite been right. We feel like we have a more experienced staff now, and the time is getting close to be able to do this.”...

As mayor of one of Iowa’s most ethnically diverse cities, Mike Porsch was especially interested this week to see the new presidential administration tackle immigration issues. “I think it is a good thing for Storm Lake - certainly a step in the right direction,” Porsch said of President Biden’s flurry of inauguration-day executive orders...

Gov. Kim Reynolds said Thursday Iowa will expand COVID-19 vaccine eligibility to residents age 65 and older starting Feb. 1 - but there’s no guarantee how long they will need to wait for shots to become available. The national vaccine supply remains limited, she said. “While we’re excited to begin vaccinating a broader population of Iowans, we again need to emphasize that the demand for the vaccine will vastly exceed our supply,” Reynolds said during a news conference...

By DANA LARSEN Pilot-Tribune Editor Local non-profit day care agency Ready, Set, GROW continues to search for an option to create a day care center location in Storm Lake. The process has come with frustrations. Initially, the day care planned to partner with Methodist Manor senior facility to take over a wing that was formerly part of the nursing home. After 18 months working with Methodist Manor, issues with the building space prevented the proposal from moving forward...

A Storm Lake man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine while possessing guns has been sentenced to more than 10 years in federal prison. Jacob Hernandez, 27, received the prison term this week after a September 16 guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession of firearms during a drug trafficking crime...

Editor’s note: this is the final article in a long series by George Whitehouse, who passed away recently. his daughter Laura helped to prepare this for publishing. It probably is not an appropriate thing to publish a story about death and funerals during the present traumatic and ubiquitous COVID pandemic. ...

The 2021 legislative session has officially begun. The first week was busy organizing a new Senate and a new session. Eight new Senators were sworn in Monday, including myself. Governor Reynolds delivered the Condition of the State address on Tuesday evening to a joint session. On Wednesday, Chief Justice Susan Christensen from Harlan, IA delivered the State of the Judiciary address, and on Thursday, Major General Benjamin Corell delivered the Condition of the Guard address...

Week two of the Iowa General Assembly was a short week due to the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday. Our normal week is Monday through Thursday. This allows us, as citizen legislators, to be back home one business day a week to do the things we all need to do to maintain our jobs or businesses. Even though we only had a three-day week this week, many bills were assigned and have already passed their subcommittee and are ready for consideration in a standing committee...

More than 11,000 Iowa State University students have been recognized for outstanding academic achievement by being named to the fall semester 2020 Dean’s List. Students named to the Dean’s List must have earned a grade point average of at least 3.50 on a 4.00 scale while carrying a minimum of 12 credit hours of graded course work...

Buena Vista University congratulates more than 150 students who graduated in the Fall of 2020. The following local students earned degrees: Robert Carter of Fonda graduated with a bachelor of science in computer science (information technology track)...

The Newell Fonda FFA would like to thank Ron Jorgensen and Jamie Adams representing Parks of Iowa for their gracious donation to our chapter. The $500 donation will be used to help education our elementary students about Agriculture during our upcoming National FFA Week...

Three Alta-Aurelia football players recently were selected for all-state. Seniors Alex DeRoos, Cade Rohwer and Ryan Jensen were named to the Iowa Print Sports Writers Association (IPSWA) All-State Football Teams for 2020. The teams were selected on Nov. 22nd with assistance from the Iowa Football Coaches Association...

Three Alta-Aurelia football players recently were selected for all-state. Seniors Alex DeRoos, Cade Rohwer and Ryan Jensen were named to the Iowa Print Sports Writers Association (IPSWA) All-State Football Teams for 2020. The teams were selected on Nov. 22nd with assistance from the Iowa Football Coaches Association...

Singer/songwriter Mace Hathaway, Omaha, reflects midwestern spirit in his original works, and he can really tell a story. Driven by his soulful voice, the energy in his delivery and clever lyrics have been known to consume the listener. Mace is what some might call a prolific writer, with over 200 Americana/country songs to his credit...

Snowmobile enthusiasts get ready — Cor PowerSports, the NASCAR of snowmobile racing, which headquarters out of Somerset, Wisconsin, is coming to East Lake Okoboji for the inaugural Okoboji 100 races on Jan. 23-24. Now in its 10th year, Cor Powersports hosts a series of cross-country snowmobile races across the Midwest. The local snowmobile club, the Dickinson County SnowHawks was instrumental in bringing Cor PowerSports to the area...

Doug Liman’s “Locked Down,” one of the first and most ambitious films to be conceived and shot during the pandemic, is, like our own quarantine experiences, erratic, a little absurd and sporadically delightful. Unlike our time in quarantine, it has Chiwetel Ejiofor and Anne Hathaway. ...

On a Monday starting the first week in January, Jeremiah “Jem” Ennen rolled up his left sleeve and watched as a fellow nurse gave him the Pfizer vaccine. It’s been a long time coming. “When they told us we’d get the vaccine and actually set a date, I kind of broke down,” says Ennen, a 2017 Buena Vista University graduate who works as a Medical/COVID-19 ICU Charge Nurse in the Mayo Clinic’s COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit. “The end might finally be in sight.”...

An entrepreneurship program is in the works to possibly begin in the fall of this year at Alta-Aurelia High School, business teacher Tim Galvin said. He will lead the program where the end product is to have students develop their own business plan and business. The project was discussed by high school Principal Scott Mitchell at the Jan. 18th Alta-Aurelia School Board meeting...

The Storm Lake City Council approved increased rates for the coming season at the municipal campground. Class A sites (lake view with patio, water, sewer, electric, cable TV and fire pit) will increase from $27 to $30. Class C sites (without cable TV) would increase from $26 to $28. Class E sites with water, sewer and electric only increase from $22 to $25. Class F sites (electric only) increase from $18 to $20. Tent camping sites remain at $12...

The city council moved Monday to accept a donation from the Wayne Andrews family of Storm Lake to provide for a monument and sign for Sleepy Hollow, the lakefront area just west of Chautauqua Park. An agreement with specifics of the project will be brought to the council at a later date...

Laurie L. Petersen, age 53, of Battle Creek, passed away on Sunday, January 17, at the MercyOne Siouxland Medical Center of Sioux City. No services will be held at this time. A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date. The Christensen-Van Houten Funeral Home of Battle Creek, Iowa, is in charge of the funeral arrangements. Condolences may be sent online at www.christensenvanhouten.com...

Lois Jean “Jeannie” Ohlson was born April 6, 1928 south of Aurelia, the daughter of Arthur & Florence Vesta (Hopper) Ohlson. She attended Diamond Center Country School and Aurelia Consolidated High School, graduating in 1945. She then attended Iowa State Teachers College in Cedar Falls and later Morningside College in Sioux City...

“Four years of Donald Trump, we can overcome,” then-candidate Joe Biden told an attentive crowd at Buena Vista University in early December, 2019. “I believe he had done significant damage to our country nationally and internationally - I think he’s damaged the soul of the country. Everything he has done is designed to pit us against each other.”...

The blizzard aftermath wasn’t fit for man nor beast. Bella sits this one out. / Photo by Bethany Larson, Storm Lake.

Veteran state legislator Gary Worthan is a bit troubled by a uncertain start to the 2021 session. “We’re kinda feeling our way yet. Nobody knows just exactly what this session is going to look like,” the Storm Lake Republican said. “When the governor gave her address the House chamber was half empty - people are staying away unless they have to be here. I don’t know if it’s right or wrong, but the reality is that there is exposure here.”...

Beth Sibenaller graduated from the Iowa Department of Public Safety Basic Academy and became a Trooper with the Iowa State Patrol. Sibenaller works out of the Spencer district and covers a northwest Iowa area roughly from Larchwood to Estherville. Sibenaller, a 2019 graduate of Buena Vista University, says a combination of athletics and classroom instruction at BVU prepared her for this career...

Eleven students from Brazil and Chile have filed a federal lawsuit accusing a northwest Iowa community college, a recruitment company, a pet food manufacturer and a packaging company of human trafficking and involuntary servitude. The lawsuit filed in the Northern District of Iowa says Western Iowa Tech Community College and J&L; Staffing, both in Sioux City, lured the students to Iowa in 2019 under a work- and study- based visa exchange program only to push them into factory jobs that had no educational value and were unrelated to the field of study.. ...

With the continuing pandemic, many Iowans are rethinking when they will retire, whether sooner or later than they originally had planned. Iowa State University Extension and Outreach is delivering educational online workshops beginning in January that address both scenarios...

Orchids are a popular and colorful addition to any home setting. In this installment of Yard and Garden from Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, Aaron Steil, associate director of Reiman Gardens, answers some common questions about how to care for and grow orchids at home for all to enjoy...

The Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) is sharing data on statewide COVID-19 vaccine administration. These updates will be published each week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Reports will initially be static visualizations, including high-level information on vaccine administration totals, as well as county-level information. The current update and future dashboard will be housed on the existing coronavirus.iowa.gov website...

Predicting the spread of COVID-19 using standard statistical models has its challenges, which is why two Iowa State University researchers developed a network-based approach to look at the impact of specific policies and vaccination strategies throughout the many stages of the pandemic...

Despite 2020 being one of the most unusual years to date, one thing remains certain, new life and new beginnings continue to provide hope for the future. In 2020, 229 babies were born at Spencer Hospital, with 118 of those girls and 111 boys. “This has been quite a unique year in our birth center trying to navigate our way through the COVID-19 pandemic, yet our team continues to enjoy the opportunity to help families welcome little ones into the world as well as educating and pampering new moms,” commented Jeannette Hasley, Spencer Hospital Birth Center Director.. ...

Hazel Linsted, proprietor of Hazel’s Cafe in Nemaha, Iowa went to her eternal home on January 12, at Park View Rehabilitation Center in Sac City. Hazel Lucille Godbersen was born on a farm near Odebolt, on March 17, 1934, to parents Edward and Dorothy (Siebrecht) Godbersen. She grew up on the family farm southwest of Schaller. Hazel attended country school and completed 8th grade at Schaller Community School...

Rep. Megan Jones, R-Sioux Rapids, was sworn in to the Iowa House of Representatives on the first day of the 89th General Assembly. The swearing in ceremony was shortly followed by opening remarks by Speaker of the House Pat Grassley, outlining some of the priorities of the Legislature for the 2021 session. During session Jones can be reached by email at [email protected]. /Photo submitted...

Gov. Kim Reynolds’ proposed bill to increase penalties for those who attack the police has yet to be introduced at the Statehouse, but it’s already facing strong opposition from Des Moines leaders of the Black Lives Matter movement. In her Condition of the State address, Reynolds said cities such as Minneapolis, Portland and New York have “embraced the attacks on law enforcement, and now their violent crime rates are rising for the first time in a generation. ...

Several crime victims and their advocates joined more than a dozen other Iowans who spoke Thursday against a legislative proposal to reinstate the death penalty in Iowa. Clinton native Christy Wolfe’s two younger sisters, Susan and Sarah, were killed by a neighbor in Pittsburgh, Pa., in 2014. She read a statement from their mother, who wrote that while Pennsylvania had the death penalty, the family was “relieved” when the jury did not impose it on the man convicted of the crime...

A medical assistance relief fund has been established for longtime Spencer High School Band Director and local musician Jack Ryan. Ryan has been diagnosed with cancer, melanoma in the chest area, a very aggressive and advanced stage cancer, and is in the Des Moines area receiving treatment and living in a care center facility near his niece, Jaci...

Neil Anders will be in a concert at Shiny Top Brewery in Fort Dodge, Thursday, February 25. Showtime is 7 p.m. and admission is free. Guitarist/vocalist/songwriter Anders, from Odebolt, has played extensively with a variety of bands for over a decade, becoming a staple of the northwest Iowa music scene. In addition to performing frequently as a solo artist, Anders plays regularly with the Jay Clyde Band and Nashville recording artist Brad Morgan...

Over the course of the last few months, the Iowa Great Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and staff have been meeting regularly to monitor the COVID-19 situation in the region and across the country to assess its impact on the 2021 University of Okoboji Winter Games...

The A-list is back. How A-list? Try Lady Gaga and J. Lo. Inauguration officials announced on Thursday that the glittery duo would appear in person on Jan. 20, with Gaga singing the national anthem as Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are sworn in on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol, and Jennifer Lopez giving a musical performance...

Bomgaars held a Ladies’ Shopping Night on October 25 where 5 percent of sales went back to programs to help women fighting cancer. Ron Thompson and Cindy Mortiz from the Storm Lake Bomgaars present Katie Schwint with Buena Vista Regional Medical Center a check for $1,643. / Photo submitted...

Hy-Vee, Inc. announced today that it has given more than $167.2 million in bonuses and other benefits to its employees in 2020. Over the last year, Hy-Vee introduced a variety of new and enhanced employee benefits as part of its mission to be the “Best Place to Work in America.”...

Tyson Foods is partnering with Matrix Medical Network, a leading clinical services company, to ensure the company’s U.S. team members are educated about and have access to the COVID-19 vaccines. Matrix will collaborate with Tyson Foods’ health services team to deploy mobile health clinics and expert clinical staff to support vaccine communications, administration and counseling at Tyson Foods facilities beginning in early 2021 and continuing throughout the year. ...

On March 2, voters in Alta and Aurelia will go to the polls to decide a request for a Public Educational and Recreation tax levy (PERL). It is the first time that levy, which is not often used in Iowa, has been proposed for the district. If approved, Alta-Aurelia would be the first school in the county to create the levy. It would be permanent, unless voters rescind it...

Alta City Clerk Megan Peterson discussed the next fiscal year budget with council members at a Jan. 11th special city council meeting. She indicated that revenue has not changed significantly so she is estimating the upcoming fiscal year budget to be similar to the current one. The new fiscal year begins July 1st. ...

Alta city council members discussed at a Jan. 11th special meeting a proposal from ISG in their plan to provide engineering services for replacement/repair of drainage and sewer lines. The project involves the design of a sewer replacement project on Cherokee and 9th Street and a sewer lining project in the area of Lake Street. ...

Several Storm Lake recreation projects that have languished during a pandemic could begin to move forward this spring. A dog park proposal suffered a setback when a potential site was lost. A Storm Lake landowner had offered property to be donated for the project, but amid delays, the owner passed away and survivors decided not to proceed with the donation...

A Storm Lake man faces multiple charges after police allege he met a 15-year-old girl on Snapchat, and later engaged in sexual contact with her at residences in Storm Lake during December. Police were notified of possible sexual assault on January 10. Investigation indicated that Nixon Mendoza Munoz, age 22, met the girl on the messaging application about two months before the alleged sexual abuse took place...

New District 6 State Senator Craig Williams admits to a bit of impatience. “There was a little more pomp and circumstance than I was expecting. I’m a guy who likes to get my shirtsleeves rolled up and go to work. I was complaining the first couple of days down here - where are the bills to work on? Then I came in today and there was a two-inch thick stack of bills to read. I learned to be careful what you ask for,” he chuckles...

A Storm Lake man who trafficked and intended to distribute large quantities of methamphetamine pled guilty Tuesday in federal court in Sioux City. Christian Javier Ramirez, age 31, was convicted of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. At the plea hearing, Ramirez admitted that earlier this year, he had conspired with others to deliver methamphetamine for him from Colorado to Iowa. According to the complaint filed in this matter, approximately seven pounds of methamphetamine was intercepted in Colorado by the Colorado State Patrol and was destined for Storm Lake, at the direction of Ramirez.      . ...

You hear that familiar voice on Iowa Public Radio, either introducing both obscure and well-known blues tracks, or touting the virtues of why this particular take of “Come Together,” by the Beatles is different than the well-known studio version. Iowa musician/band leader/radio personality Bob Dorr has given Iowans the gift of his love of music, through his radio shows, or gigs fronting the Blue Band, and its various musical off shoots, for decades now. ...

Buena Vista University staff began receiving their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine this week. BVU nurses and athletic trainers are among group 1B, and the first at BVU, to receive the vaccine in preparation for future distribution to employees and students according to Centers for Disease Control guidance...

Phyllida Lloyd’s “Herself,” an Irish drama of spousal abuse set against Dublin’s housing crisis, has some narrative weak spots but its foundation of resilience and heart is strong. Previous forays into film by Lloyd, a veteran theater director, have been more elaborate, starrier affairs (“Mamma Mia!” “The Iron Lady”). ...

In 2020, the music stopped at the Iowa State Fair, but what better way to launch the 2021 Iowa State Fair Grandstand Concert Series presented by Homemakers Furniture than with big name country icon Blake Shelton? Last performing on the Grandstand in 2008 with Tracy Lawrence, Shelton will perform at the Iowa State Fair with special guest Matt Stell on Friday, August 13, at 8 p.m. ...

The annual Burning of the Greens and Fireworks Extravaganza will be held Saturday, January 30 at Preservation Plaza, next to the Arnolds Park Amusement Park, starting at 6:30 p.m. There is no admission fee. The 90 minute show serves as the closing ceremonies for the University of Okoboji Winter Games. ...

The Prairie Heritage Center, Peterson, is presenting the Moon Adventure Game, Saturday, January 23. There is no charge to participate in the collaborative experience. The Moon Adventure Game, created by the NISE Network, is a fictional story grounded in actual NASA science. ...

The Des Moines Symphony performs the fourth livestreamed concert in its “Live from the Temple” series, Dance, Rhythm, & Blues, on Thursday, January 21 at 7 p.m. From Stravinsky’s L’Histoire du Soldat to the ragtime riffs of Joplin’s The Entertainer, this wide-ranging program features dance music from French and American Impressionism to jazz, blues and swing. ...

Storm Lake Middle School band students have been selected to participate in the 53rd annual Northwest Iowa Junior High/Middle School Honor Bands Festival. Normally, students audition in person for a position into the two honor bands. Due to the pandemic, this year students recorded and sent in their audition tape. ...

The Storm Lake Public Library Trustees are discussing the future of a mural of children’s book characters on the wall of the children’s section. The Friends of the Storm Lake Library organization recently raised the possibility of using the wall as a projector screen or to mount a video monitor that could allow the library to host movie-type events tying in with books...

On January 6, Storm Lake Police located a wanted subject in Storm Lake identified as Nikki Segebart, age 36 of Denison. Segebart was wanted on two felony Pottawattamie County warrants charging her with violation of probation for Controlled Substance violation and Theft 1st Degree.  Police further allege that Segebart was in possession of approximately half an ounce of crystal methamphetamine, as well as drug paraphernalia...

Western Iowa Congressman Randy Feenstra continues to argue against any effort to remove President Trump in the closing days of his administration. Anticipating a 25th Amendment resolution Tuesday, Feenstra was critical. “Last week, I stated that I will strongly oppose any attempt to remove the president from office before the end of his term. ...

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources has set up a memorial at the Dickinson County Courthouse Plaza for a Spirit Lake man who patrolled the area’s state parks and waters for almost two decades. Memorial services will take place at 10 a.m. Friday at Good News Community Church in Okoboji for Iowa DNR Conservation Officer Steven Reighard Sr. Visitation will take place from 3-9 p.m. Thursday at Henry-Olson Funeral Chapel in Estherville...

By DAVID PITT Special to The Pilot Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds said Tuesday night that she will ask lawmakers to immediately send her a bill to sign into law that would require schools to offer parents the option of having their children in classrooms full time despite continuing high levels of coronavirus throughout Iowa...

In her first Condition of the Judiciary message, Iowa Supreme Court Chief Justice Susan Christensen introduced herself as “Suzy,” disclosed that she used to be called the “Cookie Judge,” and described her two main post-COVID priorities for Iowa’s court system, both of which involve keeping children with their families...

Today, the Kim Reynolds for Iowa Committee announced that it raised nearly $1.6 million in 2020 and has nearly $2.1 million cash-on-hand. This fundraising total breaks the record for contributions an Iowa Governor has received two years following a gubernatorial election. The campaign also announced Governor Reynolds goes into the year before a gubernatorial election with the largest cash-on-hand in state history...

The Iowa Lakes Corridor Development Corporation (Corridor) announced today the appointment of Brian Dalziel to the position of Interim CEO effective February 2021. The Corridor provides professional economic development services for Buena Vista, Clay, Dickinson and Emmet counties. ...

Roy Beukelman July 16, 1953 - January 10, 2021 Roy A. Beukelman, age 67, of The Villages, FL, died on Sunday, January 10, at The Villages Regional Hospital, due to complications of Covid-19. Celebration of Life Service will be held in Storm Lake at a later date. The Fratzke & Jensen Funeral Home in Storm Lake is in charge of the arrangements...

Meta Karen (Miller) Johnson, 83 of Adel, passed away Sunday, January 10, at her home. Services will take place at a later date. Meta was born on May 12, 1937 in Iowa City to Alden and Edna (Olsen) Miller and grew up with her four siblings, Shirley, Joan, Jim and Jack. She graduated from Storm Lake High school on May 26, 1955...

Private family services for Bonnie J. Ebel, 79, of Cherokee, formerly of Aurelia, will take place at a later date at the Good Hope Cemetery. The Redig Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Bonnie Jean Vander Pol was born December 8, 1941, the daughter of John and Artie (Brink) Vander Pol at Sheldon, Iowa. ...

Marilou Rude, 91, of Sioux City, passed away, January 10, surrounded by her family. A graveside service will be held Thursday, January 14 at 11 a.m. at Buena Vista Memorial Park Cemetery in Storm Lake, IA. Meyer Brothers Morningside Chapel is handling the arrangements. Online condolences may be made to www.meyerbroschapels.com...

Marshall Peterson, age 87, of Laurens died Sunday, January 3, at Laurens Care Center, Laurens Iowa. Private family services will take place Saturday, January 16, at 10:30 a.m. at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Albert City, Iowa. To watch the live stream of the service, use the following link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81719534283?pwd=RUdlbWxvS0RBbU0yMXh4MWhHYmFLUT09 and enter the password: funeral. ...

Kirkwood Community College has released its Dean’s List for the fall 2020 semester. These students have achieved a 3.3 grade point average or higher after completing 12 or more credit hours at the college. Included is Edgar Nunez of Storm Lake.

The Storm Lake Community School District recently named two new principals to guide schools within the community. Both professionals are Buena Vista University graduates. Megan (O’Malley) Richardson ’02 formally began her tenure as Storm Lake Middle School Principal on Jan. 4. Michael Sullivan ’05 will serve as principal of the new Storm Lake Early Elementary School, set to open in January 2022...

Buena Vista County providers have nearly completed vaccination of the health care community, the first stage of the massive vaccine rollout to battle COVID-19, but expectations of availability to the general public have slowly been pushed backward...

A wanted Storm Lake man turned himself in to the county jail Friday after allegedly breaking into a home, choking a woman and threatening to kill her with a knife. Jesus Adrian Herrera Calcada, age 32 of Storm Lake, was held without bond. On January 3, police received a report of a burglary that had happened earlier in the day at a home in the 500 block of Lincoln Road...

Education advocates are calling on the Iowa Legislature to hold school districts that lost enrollment due to COVID-19 financially harmless. Iowa’s public schools experienced a 1.2% reduction in enrollment, totaling nearly 6,000 students in fall 2020 as families chose to send their kids to private school or keep them at home instead...

Education advocates are calling on the Iowa Legislature to hold school districts that lost enrollment due to COVID-19 financially harmless. Iowa’s public schools experienced a 1.2% reduction in enrollment, totaling nearly 6,000 students in fall 2020 as families chose to send their kids to private school or keep them at home instead...

One element of the pandemic year that has been positive for schools is federal funding that has made school lunches free to all students until the end of the school year. The action is relieving schools of a burden in a time when many families are struggling. Storm Lake Superintendent of Schools Stacey Cole and other superintendents would like to see that program be permanent, so schools can concentrate on education...

Sometimes, the creative needs to push a community service project forward come from unexpected sources - opportunity presents itself, and people figure out what to do. For Will and Landon Voyles, they just wanted to get rid of some toys from their collection. ...

Alliant Energy has presented 300 face shields for Alta-Aurelia High School, to help protect students and staff from virus concerns. Randy Brummer and Jeff Jensen of Alliant Energy delivered the shields recently. Students showed off some of the shields: Front: Jimmy Segovia, Armando Alarcon, Kiersten Ryherd. Back Row: Matthew Kueny, Jeff Jensen, Randy Brummer, Cade Ahneman. / AA schools photos...

After a busy December in Spencer Hospital’s Birth Center, January started very quietly – so quiet that the first baby of the New Year didn’t arrive until January 6th. As long as the wait seemed for the birth center staff, it really felt long for new mom Patty Schulz and her husband Dave. Patty’s labor started Tuesday morning yet baby Reba Jayne didn’t make her appearance until early Wednesday evening, after 36 long hours of labor for her mom...

District 4 Congressman Randy Feenstra issued a statement Friday opposing efforts to forcibly remove President Trump from office. “We are at a critical point in time in our nation’s history - a time where both parties need to come together for the good of the American people. Any effort by the House to impeach President Trump will only deepen divisions, and I will strongly oppose any attempt to remove the president from office before the end of his term...

Canadian folk musician Ben de la Cour will return to the stage at Byron’s in Pomeroy Sunday, February 7 for an unplugged concert. Showtime is 5 p.m. There are singer-songwriters, and there are troubadours. Singer-songwriters are sensitive, polished souls, sharing their journal entries with the world… whereas troubadours do their best just to stay out of jail. ...

Pete Docter’s “Soul” features stairway-to-heaven visions of the afterlife, a pre-birth “before” realm where souls are glowing turquoise orbs and an in-between spiritual realm trafficked by some kind of psychedelic pirate. And yet, kind of magically, it’s about “just regular old living.”...

The current Witter Art Gallery virtual exhibit Quar-Art-Tine features Storm Lake area artists, reflecting the works they have been able to tackle during the months of pandemic. Even gallery director Cindy Barahona Roth got into the act with this painting. See the Witter Gallery Facebook page for a video tour of the exhibit, and a continuing series on some of the participating artists. / Photo submitted...

Hy-Vee, Inc. announces the launch of its new, virtual dietitian services platform, Healthie, as another way to connect with its customers during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. Free services include virtual store tours, dietitian discovery sessions and monthly virtual classes led by a Hy-Vee registered dietitian to help customers start – or continue – their wellness journey. ...

After a year of toxic stress ignited by so much fear and uncertainty, now is a good time to reset, pay attention to your mental health and develop some healthy ways to manage the pressures going forward. Brain science has led to some drug-free techniques that you can put to use right now...

The Buena Vista Regional Medical Center Nursing Scholarship Committee will again be accepting scholarship applications until March 31 for the 2021-2022 academic year. The annual scholarship award is $1000. Since its inception in 2003, one-hundred fifty two scholarships have been awarded to area nursing students provided entirely by donations to the scholarship program...

An Iowa man was jailed early Saturday on charges accusing him of taking part in the riot at the U.S. Capitol by supporters of President Donald Trump. Des Moines Police Sgt. Paul Parizek said officers assisted the FBI in arresting 41-year-old Doug Jensen on Friday night at his home on the south side of the city...

John and Kathi Hinn of Spirit Lake are safe and sound after a fire consumed a portion of their home Friday morning. But, if their morning had been just a few minutes different, the day might have been marked by tragedy. “Had I gone to work when I was supposed to, John would have burned up,” Kathi Hinn said. “It was that fast.”...

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds ended limits on sports and recreational gatherings as of Friday on a day when the state recorded 59 additional deaths caused by the coronavirus. Reynolds announced Thursday night that she would end restrictions on the number of fans who can attend high school sporting events. Spectators still must wear masks and adhere to social distancing rules at indoor events...

Storm Lake native Lawrence Dorr, a surgeon who innovated early developments in joint replacement surgery and founded the international non-profit Operation Walk, has passed away in California at age 79. Dorr created Operation Walk to provide free joint replacement surgery for people in underserved countries such as Cuba, Nepal, and Guatemala, the Los Angeles Times reported...

The Storm Lake City Council continues to lament spending projected at half a million dollars for the coming five years for the municipal golf course. While the council agreed this week to let the capital expenses plan for the course stand, members want to see the course turned around so that it can at least pay its own way...

Each year Storm Lake United awards business members who have enhanced business growth and tourism in the Storm Lake Area. The nine businesses and business professionals that were recognized for their leadership and accomplishments in 2020 are as follows:...

Newly-elected 4th District Congressman Randy Feenstra was sworn in just in time to experience the most frightening incident inside the Capitol in generations. “Today is a very sad day in our nation’s history. While every American has a First Amendment right to free speech, which includes the right to peacefully protest, violence is never the answer,” Feenstra said of a pro-Trump mob’s assault on the building during the counting of presidential electoral votes Wednesday. ...

The Bridge of Storm Lake has reached its goal for the neighborhood youth ministry’s annual fundraising campaign. The goal for the end-of-the-year effort was $25,000, earmarked to provide for a new van to replace a vehicle that has seen better days. “It went really well - we were able to meet our goal, and we’re super excited about that,” Bridge CEO Shelly Rock said this week...

ESTHERVILLE - The Storm Lake boys struggled early against Lakes Conference foe Estherville Lincoln Central, but finished strong for a 53-45 win. The Midgets led 12-8 after a quarter and 21-16 at the half, but Storm Lake outscored them 16-10 in the third to take a 1-point lead, and finished off with a 21-point fourth, including a 12-0 run, to pull away late...

STORM LAKE - The St. Mary’s boys suffered a 53-32 setback Monday at the Panther pit. St. Mary’s grabbed a quick 4-0 lead out of the gate and looked to slow play to keep scoring down, but the Rockets went on a run to led 10-8 after a period. The Panthers could only find 3 points in the second and 6 in the third. They rebounded for a 15-point final period, but it was too little, too late...