Stories from Thursday, February 4, 2016

Millennial students are constantly plugged in and as digital natives know their way around multiple social media networks. Yet while Facebook and Twitter tend to universally be popular networks, a recent survey from a professor at Iowa Central Community College shows that the millennial generation is moving on to different apps...

After a conflict between Pocahontas County Sheriff Bob Lampe and Fonda Police Chief Alex Leu last week, Lampe is hoping to make amends and move past the controversy. "I did kind of blow up at Alex in a phone call. I've made calls trying to reach him and left a message. I wanted to apologize," Lampe said...

During Monday's Storm Lake City Council meeting, resident Cindy Cone spoke during the "hear the public" segment, suggesting the council stop funding the Iowa Lakes Corridor. The Corridor provides economic development services to a four-county area including Buena Vista. CEO Kiley Miller recently requested a City donation of nearly $33,000 for a "5-by-5" campaign to increase area population by 5% within the next five years...

The United States Air Force Band of Mid-America's Airlifter Brass will present a free concert on Feb. 17 at 7:30 p.m. in Schaller Memorial Chapel on the Buena Vista University campus. The concert is free and open to the public to attend. This is a family-friendly, all-ages event, and no tickets are required...

The newly-completed and much-delayed Highway 7 three-lane project in Storm Lake has failed to meet the Iowa Department of Transportation's smoothness requirement. The city is already subtracting $25,200 from the contractor's pay for having finished the project much later than the contract called for...

An overlooked construction hardhat hangs on a corner of the fence outside the construction site for the new Storm Lake High School performance auditorium. Slow progress continues to be made on the facility, which is running about a year behind its original schedule. It is hoped to have it done next summer. / Photo by Dana Larsen...

Western Iowa Congressman Steve King released the following statement after voting yes on Veto Message H.R. 3762, Restoring Americans' Healthcare Freedom Reconciliation Act of 2015 - the effort to kill the Affordable Care Act. "Obamacare was passed by hook, crook and legislative shenanigan and has been rejected by the American people multiple times," said King. ...

From raising the minimum wage to legalizing medical marijuana, some bills in the Iowa Legislature face an uphill battle that isn't so steep in some other statehouses. Two dozen states have a system that allows residents to bypass lawmakers and place proposed initiatives on an election ballot. The system varies by state, but the idea is that if lawmakers won't take action, citizens should have an option B when it comes to enacting potential laws...

Laying the foundation of the county

Country superstar Alan Jackson brings his KEEPIN' IT COUNTRY TOUR to the Tyson Events Center on Saturday, April 30th at 7:30 p.m. Tickets went on sale Friday, January 22 . Tickets and information for the KEEPIN' IT COUNTRY TOUR will be available at the Tyson Events Center Box Office, www.tysoncenter.com and www.etix.com, and by visiting www.alanjackson.com, where you can find information about Alan, his tour schedule, music and more. VIP tickets and packages are also available...

Sport produces great human drama and there is no greater sports icon than Hall of Fame football coach Vince Lombardi, unquestionably one of the most inspiration and quotable personalities of all time. Though football's Super Bowl trophy is named for him, few know the real story of Lombardi the man-his inspirations, his passions, and his ability to drive people to achieve what they never though possible...

With a sluggish start, the St. Mary's boys basketball team lost to Remsen last Monday on the road. The Panthers (7-10) fell 76-64 to the Hawks for their fifth straight loss. St. Mary's head coach Nick Landgraf said some early mistakes was what cost the Panthers the victory...

A strong second half allowed the St. Mary's girls basketball team to rally past Remsen last Monday on the road. The Panthers (6-12) narrowly edged the Hawks 43-42 to snap their two-game slide. St. Mary's head coach Jessy Bibler said it was her team's mental focus that lifted it to the victory...

In a game where its offense wasn't clicking, the Alta-Aurelia girls basketball team leaned on its defense to beat West Bend-Mallard at home last Monday. The Warriors (11-8) defeated the Wolverines 57-39 to rebound from their loss to Manson last week. Alta-Aurelia head coach Adam Rapp noted that the Warriors' defense lifted the team to the victory by controlling the pace of the game...

Despite missing two of its top scorers, the Alta-Aurelia boys basketball team picked up a win against West Bend-Mallard at home last Monday. The Warriors (9-9) beat the Wolverines 45-40 to push their winning streak to three games. With leading scorer Josh McCormick out and losing Carson Kruger early, Alta-Aurelia head coach Chris Abaray said it was his players ability to step up that led them to victory...

The Storm Lake boys swimming team competed in its final regular season meet Thursday in a double dual against Spencer and Carroll in Spencer. The Tornadoes fell in each dual, losing 52-34 to Spencer and 68-18 to Carroll. Storm Lake head coach Roger Peterson said the slip in the pool was due his young team inexperienced in the water...

Led by a balanced attack, the Ridge View girls basketball team edged Maple Valley-Anthon Oto on the road last Monday. The Raptors (8-9) beat the Rams 51-48 to end their three-game losing streak. Ridge View head coach Brian Bode said his team's unselfish play was what pushed Ridge View past MVAO...

The Ridge View boys basketball team advanced in the Western Valley Conference tournament with a home win against Woodbury Central last Monday. The Raptors (15-1) beat the Wildcats 52-50 for their seventh win in a row. For Ridge View head coach Dale Tokheim, the victory was due to a strong defensive effort on the court...

The Turn Around's GK Blaze & GK Storm competitive gymnastics team continued their competitive meet season on January 30th and 31st 2016 by blazing a trail to Sioux Falls South Dakota where they took the competition by storm. The GK teams brought 32 gymnastics competing in 4 levels, Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum. ...

Winners of the Storm Lake Knights of Columbus #2326 free throw contest held Sunday January 24: Left to Right: Lupita Soria, Samantha Lemones, Sydney Hurd, Maddie Fiorendino, Tanner Randall, Carter Boetcher, Carson Lullman, Tanner Fiorendino.

Forty-four were in attendance for the annual Christmas party held at The Koffee Kup in Arnolds Park. It is a great time for volunteers, spouses and children and St. Croix Hospice staff to come together. After a full dinner there is time where each volunteer is recognized for their wonderful service to people in our community...

Lincoln Alexander Davis was born January 8, in Waterloo, to parents Jordan and Sara Davis. He weighed seven pounds, one ounce and was 20 inches long. Proud grandparents are Ken and Jolene Davis of Storm Lake and Mark and Nancy Boesen of Waterloo. Great Grandmother is Phyllis Boesen of Waterloo...

Faith, Hope & Charity will be hosting its 5th Annual Lose the Winter Blues event on Saturday, February 6th at King's Pointe Resort in Storm Lake. Doors open at 7 p.m. with the Wicked Fun Band performing rock and country hits from 8 p.m. - midnight. There will be a silent auction with winners announced beginning at 10 p.m...

June 17, 1923 - January 29, 2016

With the completion of the Highland wind farm in O'Brien County and the Adams wind farm in Adams County, MidAmerican Energy Company has wrapped up work on two major projects adding more than 1,200 megawatts of wind generation capacity for customers...

On the morning of Tuesday, February 2, at approximately 1:45 a.m., the Storm Lake Police Department was dispatched to the Tyson Fresh Pork Plant in reference to a threat. Upon arrival police met with the reporting party who advised that she and her husband, identified as Rotha Nhey, age 25 of Alta, had engaged in a verbal argument when Nhey allegedly threatened to shoot the reporting party...

The carbon monoxide poisoning of a family of eight early this morning in Newell demonstrates the need for everyone to check their furnace vent pipes. The recent heavy snowfall and drifting can result in blocked vent pipes. This can lead to a carbon monoxide build up inside the home. ...

Juvenile charged with reckless use of fire On the evening of Tuesday, February 2, at approximately 10 p.m., the Storm Lake Police Department was dispatched to 909 Pinecrest Drive in reference to a report of a burning object falling from the sky and landing in snow behind the residence...

Buena Vista University students Ashley Lemke and Shelby Pittenger are interning at the Clay County Regional Events Center in Spencer. Here they finish their work at a bridal show hosted by the center. "I've been having a great time and learning so much at my internship," says Ashley. "I was able to do this voice over to a short commercial we put out as an advertisement for our first annual idea show this weekend!" / Photo courtesy of BVU...

100 percent of grocery store's fresh and private label frozen seafood now comes from responsible sources

Northwest Bank announces that they have entered into an agreement with United Bank of Iowa, Ida Grove, to sell their consumer branch location in Storm Lake. The sale, subject to regulatory approval, is targeted for completion in April, 2016. Greg Post, President and CEO of Northwest Bank, commented, "We are very pleased to have found a partner with the set of core values that Iowa community banks strive to maintain. ...

The process of completing a land protection project closely resembles putting a puzzle together, and sometimes the pieces are challenging to locate or difficult to put into place. A 227-acre addition to Waterman Prairie Wildlife Management Area in O'Brien County is part of a "puzzle" that connects two protected natural areas and adds a large tract to the 1500-acre Waterman complex, about 3.5 miles southeast of Sutherland. ...

A clash between an area police chief and a sheriff recently resulted in a troubling recorded phone conversation that included allegations of statutory rape of a young girl against the chief. Fonda Police Chief Alex Leu released a recording of the conversation. In it, the caller, who identified himself as Sheriff Bob Lampe, told Leu, "As long as you are running for sheriff you ought to know this. Everyone is going to know that you knocked up a 15 year old and she had a miscarriage, okay?"...

Storm Lake Elementary School first graders present "Fun"-ky Fonix (Celebrating the LOVE of Reading, an "informance"/ musical performance about when learning to read), Tuesday, February 9 at 7 p.m. in the Elementary Gym, 1810 Hyland Drive. There is no cost. Songs include "Apples and Bananas," "The Alphabet Song" and "A Song of Peace."...

Ed Ader, director of franchise development at Little Caesars, recently announced that the company's strategic franchise growth initiative is specifically targeting expansion in Storm Lake. The company is looking to open near the intersection of West Milwaukee Avenue and Otsego Street or along East Lakeshore Drive near Memorial Drive, depending on availability. No specific opening date was announced, but the restaurant is planned in a matter of months...

Mary Moismann, Iowa state auditor, will join a panel of local legislators at the Saturday, Feb. 6. Eggs & Issues in Spencer. The Spencer Chamber of Commerce will host the second of four scheduled public forums conducted in Spencer City Council chambers from 9-10:30 a.m...

A routine city council item to hire a search firm to fill the vacant position of city finance director turned controversial at last night's council meeting. City administration proposed to hire a Georgia-based search firm for $14,730 plus travel expenses to find a field of candidates. The City is also advertising itself in Iowa, South Dakota and Nebraska...

The Buena Vista County Sheriffs Office wants to warn the public of more telephone scams that are being reported. Monday, the Sheriffs Office received a complaint that a resident of Alta had been scammed out of nearly $2000. The caller reported that he represented a collection agency and that the man's wife owed money to the State of Iowa and if he did not pay a warrant would be issued for his wife's arrest...

BVU's Global Fellows spent their January near the southernmost city in the world, Puerto Williams, Chile, reexamining how the world treats its ecosystem and making global environmental connections. Views of glaciers and snow-capped mountains greeted them as they navigated the Strait of Magellan. ...

This week should mark the last time the 86th General Assembly will meet in joint session. On Wednesday morning the House hosted the Senate to receive the Condition of the Guard address by Major General Timothy Orr, Adjutant General of the Iowa National Guard and Air Guard...

Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush called for significant foreign policy changes as his "Countdown to Caucus" tour passed through Okoboji. The Republican candidate for the White House also said he'd turn to the states as part of an effort to root out entrenched policies -- and politicians -- at the federal level...

Iowa's turkey and chicken farms and industries were caught unaware last spring when a strain of avian flu settled in the state, wiping out an estimated third of the poultry birds in Buena Vista County, the first site where the disease was confirmed. Some 30 million birds in the state died or were put down by mid summer...

Many Iowans grew up and were raised in a rural small town setting. We started out in the neighborhood, were supported by the church setting and later educated by the school system. The eighteen years passed by quickly, frequently interspersed with part time jobs at the local stores, service facilities and maybe the local business or production center. ...

Here's my question: Can you starve to death by not eating for one day? I'm not a doctor, but I'm pretty sure you can't. As a matter of fact, they used to call "not eating for a day" (or longer) fasting, and it was considered a healthy thing to do occasionally, both physically and spiritually. Not the near-death experience it's considered today...

Lisa and Jeff Naslund of Galva have an unusual message on her answering machine. If you are a soldier, it says, talk to us. The talking still isn't easy, says Lisa, her voice choking with emotion as she speaks of her son Dillion, a decorated veteran of action in Iraq and Afghanistan, who died alone on a gravel road near Storm Lake, pulling the trigger on a gunshot crashing through his chest...

* On a scale of 5 popcorn buckets, "Dirty Grandpa" manages a poor half-a-tub. Not even a full bucket of corn here, and the little that is this offering is overdone and stale. At least Johnny Knoxville's "Bad Grandpa" had some funny reaction moments involving unsuspecting marks caught in the middle of absurd situations. MPAA rating: R. Running time: 1 hour, 42 minutes.

By RANDY M. CAUTHRON Special to the Pilot-Tribune A classic firetruck, antiques, historical photos, unique items and photos recalling the history of Clay County ... it can all be yours if the price is right. Well, it can be yours for a day if the price is right. How about a month?...

The Alta-Aurelia girls basketball team fell to Twin Lakes Conference rival Manson-Northwest Webster on the road last Friday. The Warriors (10-9) lost 70-43 to the Cougars, snapping their two-game winning streak. Alta-Aurelia head coach Adam Rapp pointed to a slow start as the cause of the defeat...

Despite a sluggish start, the Sioux Central girls basketball team rallied to beat East Sac County on road last Friday. The Rebels (8-9) edged the Raiders 55-54 to snap their two game slide. For Sioux Central head coach Alan Vasher, the victory boiled down to the Rebels' ability to stay mentally focused on the court...

The Sioux Central boys basketball team's woes continued on the court as it lost to Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn on the road last Saturday. The Rebels fell 67-59 to the Hawks for their seventh defeat in a row. Sioux Central head coach Stephen Tjaden noted some late mistakes cost the Rebels the win...

The Newell-Fonda girls basketball team struggled to pull away in the loss to South Central Calhoun on the road last Friday. The Mustangs (13-5) fell 58-55 to the Titans, ending their six-game winning streak. For Newell-Fonda head coach Dick Jungers, it was SCC's size that created problems on the court for his team in the defeat...

The Storm Lake wrestling team competed in the Lakes Conference meet in Spencer last Friday. The Tornadoes finished third as a team with 171 points. Spirit Lake took home first place with 215 points, while Spencer was second with 186 points. "There were a lot of matches that we just didn't put our best foot forward and didn't wrestle well," Storm Lake head coach Ben Seaman said. "We had some bright spots, though. It's something to build on."...

Kennedy Drey was the only player to score in double figures for Buena Vista finishing with 10 points, but it was Wartburg College taking advantage of a poor shooting night by the Beavers en route to an 88-60 Iowa Conference victory on Saturday afternoon...

Senior Lexi Fisher scored 17 points and grabbed seven rebounds while fellow seniors Becca Pennington and Jasmyn Flynn-Graves followed with 12 points each, and the trio helped lead the Buena Vista women's basketball team to a key 59-55 Iowa Conference road victory at Wartburg College on Saturday...

Led by a balanced attack on offense, the Newell-Fonda boys basketball team beat South Central Calhoun on the road last Friday. The Mustangs (5-11) defeated the Titans 63-58 to end their three game slide. Newell-Fonda head coach Shad Coppock said winning the battle at the glass was the real cog in the Mustangs' attack on the floor...

Iowa Central Community College In order to be named to the President's List, a student must have a 4.0 grade point average (4.0 is an A) in all academic subjects with a total of at least 12 semester hours of credit. To be named to the Dean's List students must complete at least 12 semester credit hours with a 3.5 (4.0 scale)...

On the right is Vanessa Ocequeda, a senior at St. Mary's High School. Vanessa is the daughter of Juan and Amero Ocequeda. In the middle is Linda Torres, a senior at Storm Lake High School. Linda is the daughter of Maria Gracia and Juan Torres. Also pictured is Chuck Valenti-Hein, Past President of the Rotary Club of Storm Lake, coordinator of the Student of the Month program...

The Storm Lake Dollars for Scholars organization is winding down its 2015-2016 Community Campaign Fund Drive. In recent months, area residents have been contacted about contributing to the campaign. All funds collected will be given back, in the form of scholarships, to the graduating seniors of Storm Lake and St. ...

The Undergraduate Rural Medicine Education and Development (URMED) program selected a Buena Vista University student for its January 2016 scholars program, which included a white coat ceremony and a three-week internship. The student selected for the January 2016 URMED internship was Alexia Fisher, a senior biochemistry major from Glenwood...

Sally Anderson and Kim Carver, two veteran Salvation Army Bell Ringers, help collect a new record of $8057.63 in 2015. / Photo submitted

Joseph Kim, Storm Lake, was named the Level C winner at the Iowa Music Teachers' Association District Auditions held in Sioux City on January 30. He will now represent the Siouxland district at the State Auditions held in March. Named as the Alternate Winner in Level B was Sophie Stewart, Newell...

Peg Hinkeldey, professional baker and owner of the White House 220 Cupcakery in Alta, will teach a cupcake decorating class at The Meeting Place in Galva on Saturday, March 19th at 1 p.m. During the one hour class, participants will learn easy decorating techniques and frost six gourmet Easter-themed cupcakes to take home. ...

Miss Audrey And The Club House Band return to the Senior Center on Monday, February 15, with another great program of music and fun. Roger Christiansen will be on the keyboard, Gene Kestel on the saxophone and Bob Hantsbarger on the guitar. The entertainment begins at 11:15 and is followed by the Dinner Date lunch. If you are planning to stay for lunch please call a day or two ahead at 732-2828 or 732-5158. All seniors are welcome. Please plan on coming early...

November 14, 1931 - January 28, 2016

September 7, 1949 - January 27, 2016

On the morning of Sunday, January 31, at approximately 2:18 a.m., a Storm Lake police officer encountered a large fight in progress in the 600 block of Lake Avenue. Police allege that as many as 20 people were involved in the fight and as officers approached the suspects fled from the scene in vehicles and on foot...

Wanted persons On the morning of Monday, January 25, at approximately 10:25 a.m., the Storm Lake Police Department arrested a wanted person at the police station. Police arrested Jazmine Raymundo-Reyes, age 20 of Storm Lake, who was wanted by the SLPD on warrants charging her with Possession of a Controlled Substance (serious misdemeanor) and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia (simple misdemeanor)...