Stories from Thursday, October 8, 2015

As America watches the plight of refugees making their way to Europe on the news, one former diocesan parishioner is making a direct impact with those who have been forced to leave their country of origin. Angela Wells, a 2008 graduate of St. Mary's High School in Storm Lake, works for the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS), a humanitarian non-governmental organization (NGO)...

Faith, Hope & Charity has received a $35,330 grant from Variety-the Children's Charity to fund a renovation to the multi-purpose room at the facility located at 1815 W. Milwaukee in Storm Lake. The Variety grant will be used to update the Muli-Purpose Room (MPR). ...

Local historical leaders want to explore new ways of sharing their old treasures

The Storm Lake City Council has voted to apply for $8,633,000 in grant funds designed to mitigate storm water damage and reduce nutrients to the lake and rivers. The City has listed eight projects outlined in the grant application. Targeted areas include 10th and Ontario Streets, Seneca and Spooner Streets, Memorial Park, and 4th Street from Western Street to Barton Streets, and 4th and Oates Streets. ...

The first meeting of a new Early Childhood Facility Committee met early this week for a tour of current East School and former Gingerbread House sites - a first step in what the Storm Lake School District hopes will be fresh thinking about the needs for the community's youngest students...

Motorists may be doing a double take at the pump in the next week as gasoline prices in the Midwest begin to spike as refiners shut down for maintenance or unplanned repairs, crimping gasoline supply. "If I was paid every time I mentioned a refinery issue, I could have retired years ago," said Patrick DeHaan, senior petroleum analyst for GasBuddy.com. ...

Iowa pheasants have enjoyed a good two-year run of milder winters leading to the highest bird numbers since 2008, but that run of good luck can't last forever. Weather and habitat are keys to bird survival and over the last eight years Iowa has lost 500,000 acres of CRP statewide...

You have the opportunity to make a positive difference in a child's life

Goats are proving to be a more effective solution to weed problems than the City of Storm Lake had dared to hope. The City contracted with the company The Hungry Herd to provide 20 animals for 30 days for an experiment as a more cost-effective and "green" solution to human labor and chemicals...

Jim Eliason, who has for weeks been prodding the Storm Lake City Council to pass a resolution supporting a constitutional amendment to limit corporate political campaign spending, has accepted that the council will not act. But not without expressing his displeasure...

Rain gardens planned for the new North Lake Avenue Trail will not be completed this fall as planned. On Monday, the City Council voted to remove the rain gardens from the current construction contract, with the understanding that they will be bid out next spring as a separate project...

Have you ever stopped to think about things you couldn't live without? What few things you would put in the ragged old duffel bag of your life, if you had to go away and start again? Funny how few of your things really matter when you think of it that way. Out of all of the goods you've worked so hard for so long to get, how many really mean something?...

A few weeks ago I wrote an article about my trip on the Glacier Trail. I mentioned that I needed to return to hike the prairie. Later that week it occurred to me someone might actually read that and ask me how the hike went. To fortify myself with a good answer, I went back and hiked it. Of course no one asked how it went, so I am obliged to answer here in print...

I am sure you must know how appreciative I am of your article which informed readers of my June visit to Storm Lake, Iowa to speak at the Buena Vista County Historical Society. I hadn't properly thanked you for your publicity. Please forgive me for my lateness. ...

The Storm Lake United Investor Development Committee is always looking for ways to promote Storm Lake United member businesses. On September 23, the committee successfully staged an Ambush at three local member businesses. The goal of the Ambush is to thank the business for being a member of Storm Lake United and draw a little attention to them in the process. ...

Paxtons Jewelry has teamed up with BVRMC's P.I.N.K. project to celebrate Pink Rocktober with a balloon bash cake dig fundraiser! Every $10 donation gets a chance to bash a balloon and win a gemstone. Each balloon is a winner, with chances to win gemstones like pink tourmaline, blue topaz, peridot, and many more. Winners of the pink pearls will be contestants in our Diamond Cake Dig. Grand prize this year is a gorgeous, rose gold ring with shimmering champagne diamonds valued at over $700...

The Providence Go-Getters 4-H Club met to paint the front windows at Fareway to promote National 4-H Week, which started October 4th and goes until October 10th. Anyone who would like more information about joining 4-H can contact Nichol at the Buena Vista Co. Extension Office in Storm Lake...

Storm Lake vs. Boyden-Hull/Rock Valley The Storm Lake football team attempts to keep its postseason dreams alive in the matchup with Boyden-Hull/Rock Valley this Friday in Storm Lake. The Tornadoes (2-3) need at least one more district win to have a chance for a playoff berth. After last week's 49-20 lost to Sergeant Bluff-Luton, Storm Lake only has two more chances to get that third district "W", Boyden-Hull/Rock Valley (4-2) being one of them...

The St. Mary's volleyball team dropped a nonconference match to River Valley in five sets at home on Monday. The Panthers (10-13) won the first set 25-16, then lost a second 26-19. From there, St. Mary's took the third set against River Valley in a close 26-24 battle. However, the Panthers were unable to hold of the Wolverines in the final two sets, losing 25-22 and 16-4 for the defeat...

The Tornado volleyball team fell in three straight games to Lakes Conference rival Spencer Tuesday night, despite putting up an epic struggle in the final set. The Tigers won 15-25, 15-25 and 23-25. Storm Lake Coach Kim Johnson was concerned with what she saw from her team in their third straight 0-3 loss...

The Sioux Central Rebels will storm Albert City Athletic Field for the final time in their matchup against LeMars Gehlen Catholic on Friday. The field has served as the Rebels' home since its construction in 1969. However, with the finishing touches being put on a new football complex, Sioux Central is retiring Albert Field with a ceremony after Friday's game...

BOONE- The Storm Lake Tornado swimmers continued their winning ways by picking up a pair of dual meet wins in Boone Tuesday. Versus the host team, Boone, the Tornadoes won 60-41. and they beat Carroll 57-44, despite the fact that Storm Lake was the only team without divers, and had to surrender 7 points to each opponent. Boone and Carroll tied in their dual...

October brings harvest and Halloween, fall leaves and pumpkin pies. Fall also brings many opportunities for you to visit your local community library. Put them on your 'to do' list and see what the Newell library has to offer to you and your family. They welcome any input on services we could offer to the public and program ideas you might like to see...

June 11, 1931 - October 2, 2015

Fire alarms On Wednesday, September 16, at approximately 9:45 p.m., the Storm Lake Fire Department responded to 905 Evergreen Avenue, in reference to fire alarm. Upon arrival, it was determined that a faulty detector in the upstairs bedroom was the reason the alarm went off. There was no fire...

Iowa KidsNet, the statewide organization that recruits, trains, licenses and supports Iowa's foster and adoptive families, will hold an information session in Spencer from 6 to 8 p.m. on October 13 for individuals interested in becoming foster or adoptive parents...

BucketsNBoards puts on a bang of a show

Country fans in Siouxland will have the opportunity to see two of country's favorite stars perform this winter in Hard Rock Hotel & Casino's Anthem. The local entertainment destination has announced it will host two new artists this December: country icon and Grammy winner Crystal Gayle, who is most known for her admired song "Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue;" and country singer/songwriter, Jerrod Niemann, who is recognized for his iconic Platinum No. 1 song "Lover, Lover."...

U.S. Breast Cancer Statistics About 1 in 8 U.S. women (about 12%) will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of her lifetime. In 2015, an estimated 231,840 new cases of invasive breast cancer are expected to be diagnosed in women in the U.S., along with 60,290 new cases of non-invasive (in situ) breast cancer...