Stories from Thursday, November 12, 2015

A Buena Vista University student and his younger brother are making headlines around the world and blowing up the internet after recreating a real-life version of "Andy's room," the setting for Disney Pixar's animated Toy Story movies. BVU sophomore Morgan McGrew and his 17-year-old brother Mason painstakingly transformed their own bedrooms at their family's home in Ankeny into exact replicas of the scenes in Toy Story 3, with some remodeling help from their handyman father. ...

St. Mary's held a Veteran's Day event Wednesday afternoon during which the students honored veterans with song and prose, thanking the vets for their service and for the country that we live in as a result. / Photo by Chip Hubert

The 30th annual Iowa Culture and Language Conference was held this week at the Coralville Marriott Conference Center. It was attended by over 800 Iowa educators who provide services to English Language Learners in schools and communities. As part of the event, awards were presented in the memory of Dan Chavez, former Bilingual Consultant for Iowa Department of Education, whose spirit inspired the development of the conference. ...

In the midst of a tempestuous, wearying campaign to determine the next president of the United States, local leaders of the Republican and Democratic parties are both optimistic - and worried - about what they are seeing. Neither Jim Eliason, Storm Lake, for the Buena Vista County Democrats, or Randy Ericksen, Alta, for the Republicans, have endorsed a candidate...

The Storm Lake Library, in conjunction with The Daughters of the American Revolution observed Veteran's Day from 10:30 to 11:30 on Wednesday, November 11th. This Veteran's Day marks the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War, and there was a 10 minute presentation to honor the occasion in the Public Room, with a memorial flag on display. ...

Taco John's will be hosting a special Nachos NavidadŽ holiday fundraiser and awareness campaign from Nov. 23 to Dec. 25, donating a portion of each Nachos NavidadŽ purchase to Special Olympics athletes in northwest Iowa. Taco John's locations participating in this campaign include Sioux City, North and South Sioux City, Cherokee, LeMars, Sheldon, Spencer, and Storm Lake. Along with the Nachos Navidad purchases, Taco John's will also be collecting change and selling paper ornaments...

On Monday, November 9, at the KC Hall, funds were distributed to four different charities in Storm Lake as a part of the 2015 Drive for Persons with Intellectual Disabilities conducted by the Storm Lake Knights of Columbus. Faith, Hope and Charity, Genesis Development, Storm Lake Special Education and Storm Lake Special Olympics each received checks for $1,166. ...

Christyn Abaray is the new Lawrence University Director of Athletics, President Mark Burstein announced today. Abaray takes over for Mike Szkodzinski, who announced this past spring he was stepping down to devote his full attention to coaching the ice hockey team. Abaray has served as director of athletics at Buena Vista University in Storm Lake, since June 2012...

Monday afternoon, Storm Lake Police were called to the Storm Lake High School for a belated report of a fight that occurred outside of the main south entrance just after school was let out. Police spoke with witnesses and school staff who reported a fight involving six female Storm Lake High School students, ages 14-18...

With the Keystone Pipeline finally laid to rest, the national coalition that helped secure victory must turn its attention to the Bakken Pipeline. Don't be fooled: Bakken is the replacement for Keystone -- a fact that became crystal clear to me during my 400-mile walk along the pipeline's proposed path earlier this year. Bakken's ultimate target is Alberta's tar-sands oil, not North Dakota's "sweet" crude...

I finally got a chance to go pheasant hunting last weekend. This is my first hunting season living in Iowa, so Brent, one of my wife's coworkers acted as a guide and guru, taking us to a public hunting area. The best part was bringing my brother-in-law Johnny, who took me fishing every time I went to Florida to visit Jane's parents. I owed him big time, and this would be his first pheasant hunt, too...

The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation. What is called resignation is confirmed desperation... Stereotyped but unconscious despair is concealed even under what are called the games and amusements of mankind. There is no play in them, for this comes after work."...

After winning its ninth regular season league title and falling just one game short of the conference championship last year, the Buena Vista men's basketball team is looking to repeat this level of success on the court with a slew of developing players this upcoming season...

The Buena Vista women's basketball team is gearing up to rebound from a down 2014-15 in the upcoming season. The Beavers are coming off a season where they finished 8-17 overall and 3-11 in the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. BVU was also one game shy from the IIAC championship game a year ago...

The Buena Vista County Corn Growers will hold their Annual Planning Meeting Thursday, November 19, at 6:30 p.m. at Lake Avenue Lounge Meeting room. All Grower, Student and Associate members are welcome to attend as well as anyone interested in becoming a Corn Grower member to plan the county's events and activities for the upcoming year. A meal will be served. Please call Deb Jesse 712-732-3442 or 291-6259 or email debrajesse@gmail.com with any questions or for more information...

Even millennials can use a refresher course on social media! On Thursday, November 19th, the Young Professionals of Storm Lake will be hosting a Social Media Etiquette workshop at Legacy Steakhouse. Happy hour will begin at 5:15 p.m. with the presentation starting at 6 p.m. Guest Speaker for the night will be Dr. Andrea Frantz, Professor of Digital Media at Buena Vista University...

Last Thursday Hyvee hosted a Business After Hours, featuring free samples throughout the store. "We just wanted to showcase all the things we can do for our customers, and demonstrate our community involvement," said Josh Osborne, Store Director. Lots of customers were sampling every thing from appetizers through salads, entres, deserts, wine and beer, and more. ...

"I am a product of my product," says Alberto Quinones, owner of Nutricion. "I lost 35 pounds by using my product, and my wife went from size 14 to size 6." Quinones is a wellness coach, and opened his new store at 107 W. 5th street in Storm Lake on Monday. ...

Jerrod Niemann will be performing at the Hard Rock in Sioux City on Saturday December 12 at 8 p.m. Must be 21 or older to attend. Sea Gayle/Arista Nashville's Jerrod Niemann just released this third album Nigh Noon, the follow-up to his acclaimed album, Judge Jerrod & The Hung Jury, which include "One More Drinkin' Song," the Gold-certified "What Do You Want," and the Platinum No. 1 single, "Lover, Lover."...

Join in the fun at King's Pointe on December 31 for their Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre. Happy hour begins at 6:30 p.m., show begins at 7:30 p.m. and after hours at 10 p.m. Tickets are available at the front desk or you may call 712-213-4500.

Saturday night, the Zahasky family completed their 2,744-mile trip from Juneau, Alaska to greet a full house at the Rosemary Clausen Center for Performing Arts in Holstein. Much of the chatter before the show related to the forty-foot bus and vintage camper parked outside...

October 9, 1924 - November 6, 2015

July 20, 1933 - November 7, 2015

Wanted persons On the morning of Monday, October 26, at approximately 11:19 a.m., a person wanted by the Storm Lake Police Department was apprehended at the Buena Vista County Courthouse. Storm Lake Police were advised that a Buena Vista County Deputy had taken into custody Larry McCullough, age 23 of Storm Lake, at the courthouse. ...

St. Paul Lutheran Church of Schaller will be having their annual Christmas Tour of Homes on Sunday, December 6 from 4-7 p.m. Homes include: Jordan and Joel Hustedt (Jordan from Total Concepts), Tessa and Kelly Rydberg and Kelly and Arnie Wiener. All proceeds go to help youth attend the National Youth Gathering in New Orleans next July...

Notice is hereby given that the Regional Transit Authority dba RIDES Board of Directors will conduct their regular business meeting on Monday, November 23. The meeting will be held at the Regional Transit Authority Office, 522 10th Avenue East, Spencer. The meeting will start at 10:30 a.m...

Since 1985, Storm Lake Dollars for Scholars has been awarding scholarships to our college-bound seniors from both Storm Lake High School and St. Mary's High School. The annual fund drive will soon be underway, and student board members will be contacting local residents first by mail and then by telephone on Tuesday, November 10th, and Wednesday, November 18th. ...