Stories from Thursday, March 31, 2016

The cavalier insistence that Dakota Access be allowed to start work in advance of meeting the conditions of their permit is par for the course. Over the past week we've seen Dakota Access push for the approval process to move faster. We've also seen them push for money from counties when our county governments are already footing the bill for engineering surveys across the state. ...

"Cancer," Chris Snowardt says, "is the best thing that ever happened to me." You read that right. "There's no doubt about it," he stresses, to address the doubtful looks of the 30 students gathered in a classroom in the Forum Tuesday night, who had just heard of the harrowing two-year medical gauntlet the 1994 BVU graduate had faced after being diagnosed with colon cancer...

A fundraiser fun run, meal and silent auction are being arranged to help a Fonda family that is caring for a child who is courageously battling the odds against a mysterious illness. Trent (Bubby) Hayden Brown was born April 18th, 2010. A premie at under 5 pounds, he had to remain in neonatal intensive care for several weeks...

The annual celebration of Latino heritage, "Fiesta Latina," will be held at Chautauqua Park on Saturday, April 30 from 1 to 7 p.m. The event - which is free and open to the public - will feature music, food, games and activities for all ages. The event is coordinated by RAICES, a student organization at Buena Vista University...

Storm Lake City officials have the final set of plans ready to go for the Erie Street replacement project, and work could begin as early as May or June. The City Council must review and approve the plans before they go out for bids. Currently the City is waiting for necessary approval from the State Historical Society, which needs to ensure that removing the street will not disturb any historic sites. ...

The Lake Improvement Commission met Monday afternoon. Public Works Director Jason Etnyre told the Commission the city would hire engineering firm Bolton and Menk to survey the lake bottom in the area to be dredged prior to Dredge America beginning operations this spring, and again in the fall after the season's work has been completed to verify the work. ...

Sac County Sheriff's officials are investigating a Publishers Clearinghouse scam that was reported Wednesday. An elderly woman from Early reported the scam that promised her over a million dollar payout and a new car. The victim was scammed out of over $80,000 within the last week, Sheriff Ken McClure said...

Two Storm Lake St. Mary's middle school Destination Imagination teams are preparing for the State DI competition April 9 in Ames after competing at the sub-state event March 12. If either team is selected as first place within their category in Ames, they will then be invited to compete at the global competition in May in Nashville, Tenn...

Iowa's premier spring hunting season is quickly approaching and hunters will be going through their equipment, patterning their guns and securing vacation days to pursue the elusive Eastern wild turkey. Elusive maybe an understatement; of the estimated 50,000 turkey licenses that will be purchased, only about 20 percent of hunters will find success...

In April, pinwheels will be planted around the Buena Vista County Courthouse as a part of Child Abuse Prevention Month. County Supervisors signed a proclamation for the event Tuesday. In the most recent year for which statistics are available, 2014, 18 confirmed cases of child abuse and neglect were investigated in Buena Vista County, including physical and sexual abuse, denial of critical care, and presence of illegal drugs in a child's system...

Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley, Chairman of the Judiciary Committee and the Caucus on International Narcotics Control, and Sen. Dianne Feinstein, Co-chairman of the Caucus on International Narcotics Control, will hold a hearing April 5 entitled, "Is the Department of Justice Adequately Protecting the Public from the Impact of State Recreational Marijuana Legalization?"...

Buena Vista University Board of Trustees has agreed to increase student tuition by 2.85 percent from the previous year for the 2016-2017 academic year, according to a report by the campus online newspaper, The Tack. Students would see tuition at $892 higher than in the 2015 academic year, and room and board fees $258 higher...

Popular women's clothing store Maurices will be moving from downtown into a new location near Walmart, with a grand opening and ribbon cutting on Friday, April 8th at 10:30 a.m. Store manager Jenny Brouwer says Maurice's nationwide are tending to relocate to areas near supercenters to increase visibility to customers. She said parking has been a problem for customers at the downtown location...

Lori Leonard Reyman of Holstein has been appointed to serve on the Federation of Republican Women Public Relations Committee at the national level of the during the 2016-2017 term. Founded in 1938, the NFRW has thousands of active members in local clubs across the nation, making it one of the largest women's political organizations in the country. ...

Junk Rescued will be at Lake Avenue Lounge (above Celia's Antiques) Thursday, April 21 from 5-8 p.m., Friday, April 22 from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. and Saturday, April 23 from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. There is an elevator available. Junk Rescued repurposes vintage goods...

"It was like we never stopped playing together. It was so weird how the music picked up right where we had left off, the first time we played together again. It actually brought a tear to my eye." That's Josh Neilsen, of Tantrum 2 Blind, describing the reunion for the popular local band, which had been broken up for a decade...

At 6'2" and 275 solid pounds, Nathan Carlson finds that true strength often comes in much smaller packages. The Iowa Shine Bowl-bound Storm Lake lineman is honored to have been chosen to play on the North elite team, but realizes the Shrine event is about much more than football...

LAKE CITY - The Sioux Central girls turned in a strong showing in the 11-team Chelsey Henkenius Earlybird Co-Ed meet Tuesday, led by senior Kenzie Keune with a first place and new meet record 100 hurdles in 15.08. Keune also placed first in the 400 hurdles in 1:08.15. Teammate Erin Strohmeyer was right behind to take third in both events. Keune was a meet champion also in long jump with a 15'07.25" leap, with fellow Rebel Darma Tripp on her heels with a 15'01" jump...

The Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) announced its end-of-the-year major award winners on Wednesday morning, and Buena Vista's Brad Kerkhoff has been tabbed the IIAC Freshman of the Year. This marks the second straight season that a Beaver wrestlers has captured the award. Nashid Barrow took home the honors in 2014-15...

A surprise run to the top of the Big Ten standings was evidence that Iowa's once-dead program is on solid footing. Yet another late-season collapse was proof that the Hawkeyes still have plenty of work to do. Iowa reached its third straight NCAA Tournament for the first time in 23 years. But for the second time in three years, the Hawkeyes (22-11) closed out with a thud...

Terry and JoLayne Olson of Storm Lake are pleased to announce the marriage of their daughter Hannah Joy Olson to Jacob Benjamin Johnson, son of Dirk and Laura Johnson of San Jose, California. They extend an invitation, to the many friends, teachers and members of the community that have blessed Hannah's life, to join with them in celebrating this joyous occasion. ...

Mrs. Cindy Pudenz and the late Melvin Pudenz are pleased to announce the engagement of their daughter, Christine Pudenz to Adam Cox, son of Mr. and Mrs. Bill Cox and Mr. and Mrs. Charlie Gilmore. The wedding is planned at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Storm Lake on April 30...

Allyson Munger of Schaller, and Leonard and Kelly Munger, of Sibley, announce the engagement of their daughter, Mallory Munger, to Dylan Gustafson, both of Aurelia. The groom is the son of Michelle Gustafson, of Storm Lake. The groom is a forklift operator at Tyson Fresh Meats of Storm Lake. ...

William John Morrow and Rosanna Thompson were married on April 11, 1957. On April 10th, they are celebrating 60 years of marriage with an open house from 2-4 p.m. at the Bethel Baptist Church on Highway 7 on the south side of Newell. No gifts please...

All adults are invited to come to the Storm Lake Public Library for our third Adult Coloring Night on Thursday, April 7th from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Coloring pages and colored pencils will be provided. Attendees are also welcome to bring any of their own supplies from home. Refreshments will be served...

Storm Lake St. Mary's High School Speech Program ended the season strong with two all-state nominations. Junior Judd Sennert (left) will be returning to perform at the All-State Individual Speech Festival. He will be performing a storytelling piece called Show and Tell. ...

August 14, 1923 - March 27, 2016

July 17, 1932 - March 24, 2016

May 11, 1922 - March 25, 2016

October 18, 1927 - March 25, 2016

On March 28, Roger Bumann representing the Ida County Pork Producers presented a $500 check to members of the Galva Economic Development Corporation (GEDC) for future community betterment projects in Galva. Pictured at the check presentation include (L-R) Randy Hustedt, Roger Bumann, Alan Bennett and LuAnn Bennett...

Please attend on Saturday, April 2, between 5 and 8 p.m. at the Fonda Fire and EMS Station on the corner of Queen St. and Highway 7 and help support your local ambulance service. There will be a fundraiser dinner. They will be serving pork loin, cheesy potatoes, green beans, ice cream and a drink. For carry outs you may call 288-5799. It is only through your charitable donations that allows Fonda EMS to provide quality emergency health care with up-to-date equipment...