Stories from Thursday, April 14, 2016

It's National Public Health Month! By definition, Public Health is the science of protecting and improving the health of families and communities through promotion of healthy lifestyles, research for disease, injury prevention and detection, and control of infectious diseases. ...

It's that most wonderful day of the year! Come on sing it! Hmmm, I don't hear any pages turning in the hymnals to this grand old song. Actually, it's not in any hymnals and if you are like most Americans you do not want to sing on April 18. Normally, it's April 15. However, this year Emancipation Day is celebrated on April 15. This is why the deadline has been pushed up...

Today is the one year anniversary of the first Avian flu case in BV County. Iowa's Ag Secretary reflects on what has changed

Local families will sponsor a Hoop-a-Thon April 30th at the middle school to increase awareness of Huntington's Disease, and raise funds for research that could lead to a cure. Organizer Robyn Eddy-Knutson says, "The Hoop-a-Thon is a family event, with a silent auction an raffles for merchandise and gift certificates. ...

Storm Lake High School was recently awarded a Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) Scale Up Program from the Governor's STEM Advisory Council. This award will impact students during the coming 2016-2017 school year. The program focuses on engaging students in scientific inquiry and STEM practices using a variety of hands on activities and through investigation of personal and societal issues related to global sustainability. ...

The Witter Gallery is making plans to become more accessible to families. After a successful gallery attendance and meet and greet with the Disney Collectors Showcase, the Witter Gallery is partnering with Storm Lake Bakery to host Pastries and Paint. The event is on Saturday, April 23rd from 12-2 p.m. at Witter Gallery. Families are encouraged to explore the arts through various art activities and watching a caricaturist create characters on the spot...

Western Iowa Congressman Steve King suggests that the outcome of the GOP presidential race remains far from clear. "Each time there's another tally that goes out we've got more and more pundits that say Donald Trump won't make the 1,237 delegates necessary. Being a strong Cruz supporter, I've come to that conclusion some time ago," King said in a phone interview. "Cruz's strong performance in Wisconsin and Colorado makes it more likely there's going to be a contested convention."...

Four leading opponents of the Bakken Pipeline sent a letter to President Obama Wednesday imploring him to insist that the Army Corps of Engineers conduct a full Environmental Impact Statement on the Bakken Pipeline, which runs 1134 miles through North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa and Illinois. ...

Don't wait until the first big holiday of the season to get out and enjoy an Iowa State Park. There are some really cool things to see and do happening right now, before the end of April! Here are five to inspire a trip outdoors, sooner rather than later...

The Legislature is moving toward adjournment, and although it may be difficult, we are going to make a real run at finishing up by our self-imposed deadline, or at least pretty close to it. There were several positive signs this week, as there were retirement parties and speeches. ...

Storm Lake Middle School students pose with Mayor Jon Kruse at a recent assembly. Mayor Kruse presented the students with certificates after they completed civics and language arts classes where they learned about local government. / Photo by Chip Hubert...

Iowa Central Community College is proud to present this free seminar by Prudenterra to help private landowners to better realize their stewardship and profit goals. Luke Gran, forester, Owner of Prudenterra is a native Iowan, alumnus of the Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management at Iowa State University with a B.S. ...

Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley said he is the victim of a "pressure campaign" over his stance to block hearings on President Obama's nominee to the Supreme Court. Grassley made a statement on the Senate floor, and provided the Pilot-Tribune with ta copy of the speech...

Average retail gasoline prices in Iowa have fallen 2 cents per gallon in the past week, averaging $2.03/gallon this week. This compares with the national average that has fallen 1.2 cents per gallon in the last week to $2.04/gallon. Storm Lake prices have held well below the average, with many stations at $1.78 earlier this week for super unleaded, down slightly from a week ago...

Country music veteran Joe Diffie has signed on for the opening night of Creek Fest music festival in Cherokee, "The Party in the Pasture," Friday, July 29. Tickets are on sale now. Diffie will take the stage at 6:30 p.m., joining Farewell Angelina, Granger Smith and Chase Rice in the Friday lineup...

Steven Tyler & the Loving Mary Band is the latest act announced for the 2016 Iowa State Fair Grandstand Concert Series presented by U.S. Cellular. Show details are as follows: Showtime at the Iowa State Fair Grandstand is Saturday, August 20th at 8 p.m. Tickets go on sale Saturday, April 16th at 10 a.m. Tickets: $65, $55, and $45...

The Buena Vista softball women played four home games in two days this week, earning their first sweep of Central since 1996 last night, after splitting with Coe Tuesday. In game one Wednesday, the Beavers played longball for a 9-0 win in five innings over the Dutch. Jenna Falline got the win, allowing four hits and striking out four. Marissa Schmidt drove in four runs with a double and a first-inning homer, and Ashley Gibbs went yard with a solo shot...

Buena Vista outlasted visiting Coe College in the opener of Tuesday's doubleheader by scoring twice in the sixth inning to win 10-9. It was all Beavers in the nightcap, as BVU scored four times in the seventh inning to win 11-1 (seven innings). Brandon Wessels and Tanner Truesdell hit back-to-back home runs in the first inning of the opener to give the Beavers an early 2-0 lead. ...

As I write this, Kobe Bryant is taking the floor for his final NBA game, ending a 20-year career that will land him in the Hall of Fame. It marks the end of a season in which Bryant has played the self-styled hero, the benevolent senior ambassador for the game, smiling broadly, accepting all those losses graciously, patiently receiving a shower of gifts and accolades at every stop, even writing his announcement of pending retirement in the form of a tear-jerker poem...

The Russ Kraai Relays were held Monday, and the 75th running of the signature Holstein meet staged a dramatic battle for the title between two area girls teams that came down to the final steps of the final event. Sioux Central won the team title with 128 points, edging out Alta-Aurelia with 127...

The Storm Lake track teams competed in the Unity Coed Invite Monday night in Orange City. The Tornado boys placed sixth out of 10 teams with 53 team points, and the girls seventh out of nine with 45 points. Western Christian claimed the boys team title, Unity Christian the girls honors...

The Storm Lake girls golf team faced LeMars and Estherville Lincoln Central in a triangular meet Tuesday at Lake Creek. LeMars won handily with a team score of 215, to 228 for ELC and 246 strokes for the Tornadoes. Medalist was Sidney Baumgartner, LeMars, pacing the field by a four-stroke margin with a round of 50...

The Newell-Fonda girls track and field team finished fourth in an eight-team field in the Cat Relays at Kingsley Monday. The Mustangs scored 48 team points. "I'm very proud of our start to the season," said NF Coach Craig Davis. "All the girls went out and made the most of their opportunity to compete for the first time in some classic cold and windy track weather. ...

The IIAC Conference has honored Jeanne Bramhall of Buena Vista University as Softball Position Player of the Week. The sophomore third bagger from Papillion, Neb. was a one-woman wrecking crew. She hit .417 and had a .917 slugging percentage as Buena Vista went 4-0 on the week, and homered in each game of the double header sweep of Wartburg. She's the first BV player to win the honor since 2014...

Twelve area women participated in a four-week Beginner Quilting Class at The Meeting Place in Galva and completed a 21-inch square table top quilt on April 12. The quilting class was taught by Donna Bremer and Shelly Tiefenthaler of Holstein. Pictured with their quilts are: front row, left to right Linda Hinkeldey, Shelly Tiefenthaler, Karen Brunelle and back row, Deb Kelley, Julie Johnson, Donna Bremer, Whitney Simonsen (seated), Jackie Netherton, Trish Niemeier, Kay Cork and Marlo Schoer. ...

Take time out of your spring schedule to consider how you can "Take Care of the Earth!" This family friendly Earth Day celebration will focus on the fact that everything comes from something. You can make the choice on where it goes from here! Join the O'Brien County Naturalist at the Prairie Heritage Center on Tuesday, April 19 at 6:30 p.m. for "Taking Care of the Earth."...

Northwest Iowa has some of the most interesting glacial landscape in the state. The first of two tours hosted by the O'Brien County Conservation Board will focus on fens and kettleholes. "Exploring Fens and Kettles" will be a guided opportunity to visit the Silver Lake Fen, near Lake Park, and the Freda Hafner Kettlehole, near Wahpeton...

The Storm Lake Public Library will be showing the fourth selection in their Election Year Lunch Time Film Series on Monday, April 18. This month's selection is a dark comedy from the 1960s. Directed by the iconic Stanley Kubrick, this satire has a 13 word title. Can you guess what it is? Visit the Storm Lake Public Library's webpage at www.stormlake.lib.ia.us and check out their April calendar to find out if you're right, or stay in suspense until you stop in for the show on April 18th!...

The American Legion Shaeffer Post 115 will be having their Annual Pancake Breakfast Sunday, April 24th from 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Storm Lake. They will be serving pancakes, sausage links, biscuit and sausage gravy, milk, coffee and juice...

Whereas emergencies can occur at anytime that require police, fire or emergency medical services; and, Whereas when an emergency occurs the prompt response of police officers, firefighters and paramedics is critical to the protection of life and preservation of property; and,...

August 18, 1944 - April 3, 2016

The Sac County Hometown Pride Steering Committee is pleased to announce the third leadership session scheduled for April 21, at 6 p.m. at the Sac County Extension Office. This leadership session will focus on Identifying Your Personality Profile and Successful Tips to Work Effectively with Different Personalities. ...

Attempted fight between two groups On the afternoon of Tuesday, April 12, at approximately 2:40 p.m., the Storm Lake Police Department was dispatched to a fight in progress near the intersection of East 4th Street and Hudson Street involving several adult males and females...

A lot of activity and excitement took place on April 1 at the Fareway Store in Storm Lake where competitive shoppers Chris Boeckman of KAYL radio station 101.7, Jeff De Haan of The Storm Lake Times and Ron Demers of KTIV Station 4 were able to rack up a total grocery bill of $2417. ...

CENTURY 21 The Professional Group is pleased to announce Mike Wilson has joined its firm as a sales consultant. He will specialize in Residential and Commercial property sales in the Storm Lake and Buena Vista County area. "We are thrilled to have Mike join our team," said Margie Robinson of CENTURY 21 The Professional Group. "It's an exciting time to be with the CENTURY 21 System as we increase our market presence in Storm Lake and Buena Vista County."...

Northwest Communications and Storm Lake United hosted a lunch and learn seminar on April 7 at Smokin' Hereford in Storm Lake. During this seminar, attendees learned valuable marketing tips for their businesses including using social media in a business setting, attracting millennials and how they "tick," web design that promotes response from customers, and network security...

Iowa Republican Senator Rick Bertrand visited Quad County Corn Processors ethanol plant on April 1. Quad County was pleased to give Senator Bertrand a tour of their plant and showcase their patented Cellerate technology. During the walking tour, Quad County production staff shared details about their innovative technology that is generating the majority of cellulosic ethanol manufactured in the United States. ...