Stories from Tuesday, May 31, 2016

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. -- NBC's "Red Nose Day Special" mixed comedy and musical performances with heartfelt pleas for children in need, raising more than $30 million. Funds raised during the live variety show Thursday night will benefit children's charities around the world...

LifeServe Blood Center is asking donors to step up and donate blood this summer to prevent a shortage in the community blood supply. Summer brings school break, weddings, vacations and outdoor fun, but as schedules fill up, blood donation appointments are often forgotten or pushed to the back burner. With many regular blood donors deferred due to travel to Zika endemic areas, LifeServe Blood Center is imploring eligible donors to make an appointment and give blood this summer...

Faith, Hope and Charity will once again host Glow on the Green, a glow-ball golf tournament, on Friday, June 10, at Sunrise Pointe Golf Course. The event kicks off LakeFest 2016, with a turkey fillet dinner and silent auction starting at 7:30 p.m. The 2-person, Best Shot Par 3 tournament will begin at 9:30 p.m. ...

Hospice of Siouxland is taking registrations for "Camp Courage," a summer weekend camp to help kids who have experienced the loss of a family member or friend. The camp is for youth ages 6 to 17, and is set for Friday June 17 through Sunday June 19 at the Goodwill Camp near South Sioux City, NE...

Abben Cancer Center of Spencer Hospital is hosting a Survivors' Day Celebration on Thursday, June 9 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. in Grand Avenue Park at Spencer Hospital. This event provides an opportunity for all people living with a history of cancer to connect with each other, celebrate milestones and recognize those who have supported them along the way...

Buena Vista Regional Medical Center 3rd Grade Partners In Excellence Class colored pictures for EMS week May 15-21. Matt Imming, Emergency Services Educator/Supervisor met with the class to thank them for coloring the pictures and also showed & talked to them about the Ambulance. The students were treated with ice cream. / Photo submitted...

Vehicle on fire On the afternoon of Wednesday, May 25, at approximately 4:06 p.m., the Storm Lake Fire Department responded to the 700 block of Geisinger Road in reference to a vehicle on fire. Upon arrival of fire fighters they observed the fire was extinguished. ...

District Associate Judge David Larson has scheduled a June 2 preliminary hearing for a Spirit Lake man who is accused of possessing child pornography. The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation on Monday arrested 41-year-old Chuck Juhl on 10 counts of being in possession of "a visual depiction of a minor engaging in a prohibited sexual act or simulation." Ten different charges could be filed if authorities think 10 different minors were exploited...

May 11, 1943 - May 22, 2016

November 26, 1946 - May 25, 2016

Seven hundred eleven students received their degrees from Buena Vista University during commencement ceremonies on May 21. They included 179 undergraduates from the Storm Lake campus and 396 who attended the locations of BVU's Graduate & Professional Studies program, both on-site and online. Another 136 students received master's degrees. / Photos by Dana Larsen...

On Your Mark, Get Set, Read! Storm Lake Public Library's Summer Reading Program starting June 1st. Stop by the Library and pick up a bingo card. When five spaces in a row are completed come to the Library and get a prize. Also join us on Wednesday mornings for exciting programs. ...

The Alta-Aurelia Trap Team competed in Emmetsburg for the Iowa Games on Saturday, May 14th. In the High School division the squad of five consisting of Alex Speers, Noah Sundene, Jeremiah Anderson, Tristan Jansen and Josiah Anderson placed 3rd over all. ...

It's hard to imagine today's Grammy nominees hopping into a bus with a faulty heater or unfolding maps for travel over northern Iowa's snow-covered back roads. Back in 1959, any musician with a record deal and dreams of a better life followed the lead of regional promoters -- there is a generation of Midwesterners who can say they went to a tiny, remote ballroom and saw legendary artists like Buddy Holly or J.P. Richards, the Big Bopper...

Jane Meyer says any dog can be trained, it's just that some take longer than others, "But if you stick with it," she says, "they'll learn." When asked about dog owners, she takes a little longer to answer but says they can be trained, too. And she should know, she has been helping dog owners train their pets for a long time. ...

The Newell-Fonda boys moved to 1-1 with a 12-3 win over St. Mary's Wednesday. The Panthers scored all of their runs in the fifth after walks to Dawson Miller, Cale Murray, and Michael Demers loaded the bases. Zack Lenhart hit a fly ball to right center that was dropped, allowing all three runners to score...

The #3-ranked Newell-Fonda softball girls defeated a game St. Mary's squad 6-0 Friday at Memorial Field. Senior Jordan Wilken got the start, hr first of the season for the Mustangs, pitching into the sixth inning and giving up three hits and striking out seven. Through five innings she allowed no walks, but after walking back-to-back hitters in the sixth, Kate Christiansen came on from first base to coax a series of ground balls from last six Panther batters...

St. Mary's infielder Mackenzie Laven goes low to prepare for a sweep tag attenpt as Newell-Fonda's pinch runner Camryn Wilken slides in fast in a photo finish steal play at second Friday night. Wilken would later score, and NF went on to the victory. / Pilot photo by Dana Larsen...

Storm Lake senior Blake Berry had a solid opening day at the 2A State Golf Tournament in at Spring Valley course in Livermore Friday. Despite four double bogeys and a tangle with some trees, Berry emerged with an 81 for the first round, good for a three-way tie for 22nd out of 62 golfers...

Alta-Aurelia might as well have their own parking spot at the 2A State Girls Golf Tournament. After all, they've been a fixture there for six straight springs. On Tuesday and Wednesday, the Warrior girls will be looking to defend their title as Iowa's best, at Granger's lovely Jester Park course...

The Storm Lake boys soccer team is preparing for its 2A Substate Final today at 2 p.m. at Buena Vista University stadium, with a trip to the State Tournament on the line. Admittedly, they won't be seeing the team they expected. The fates had seemed aligned for a #4 vs #7 showdown with powerful Webster City, but Iowa Falls-Alden didn't get the memo, and upset WC 5-nil in the second round, after mopping up with CAL, Latimer 8-0 in the bracket opener...

Storm Lake wins Regional opener 1-0, moves on to semifinal Tuesday in Spencer "No grass stains No glory No bruises No story" - SLHS girls soccer t-shirts, 2016

The Summer Reunion is an annual event on campus for graduates of 45+ years ago (Classes of 1971 and before). Tour campus, attend class sessions and presentations. Attend a reception at President Moore's home. Class of 1966 induction into the Cornerstone Guard...

Sen. Chuck Grassley made the following comment on a news report on a Defense Department inspector general report finding that an Army brigadier general retaliated against a National Guard officer for reporting her sexual assault. Grassley is a main sponsor of the bipartisan Military Justice Improvement Act with Sen. ...

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently announced financial assistance available to farmers in the Upper Raccoon Watershed in Buena Vista County to install edge-of-field monitoring stations that monitor water quality as it leaves their fields...

Storm Lake St. Mary's held their annual elementary track and field day Friday at Buena Vista University's track and football stadium. The students enjoyed a variety of activities including a softball throw, running, football throw, three-legged race, soccer, water break and more. They enjoyed a fun day to wrap up the school year. The event was organized by health and physical education educator Jessy Smith. Pictured, third grade girls readied at the start line for the 50 yard dash...

Here is a look at the DNR Fishing Report. Storm Lake (including Little Storm Lake) The dredge is in operation in the northeast portion of the lake. Boaters should use extreme caution in this area of the lake and must maintain a 100 foot distance from the dredge, booster pump and all dredge pipes at all times. ...

Sisters and life-long Iowans, Stacie Ruth and Carrie Stoelting, will be guests on a morning show based in New York City this Tuesday. The popular morning show, FOX and Friends on the FOX News Channel, will interview the duo. Stacie and Carrie will share about their work called Operation Honor Heroes, an outreach to honor veterans this Memorial Day...

Book clubs will continue to meet through the summer months at the Storm Lake Public Library. Mayhem in the AM, the mystery and thriller book club, extends its culinary theme through the summer meeting on three Thursdays at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, June 9th's selection is "Catering to Nobody" by Diane Mott Davidson. ...

The Pilot-Tribune staff recently had an end-of-the-school-year gathering with the newspaper's Partner in Excellence class at St. Mary's, sharing Bomb Pops and fun on the playground. Thanks for sharing a great year. / Photo by a special class member

The Bakken Pipeline suffered another setback this week, when a work stop order was issued for an area including the Big Sioux River and the Big Sioux Wildlife Management Area in Lyon County in northwest Iowa. "Based on recent information provided by the State Archaeologist, a significant archaeological site was identified" in the region, according to a letter from James Hodgson, Chief of the Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program...

On Friday, May 20, Bill Hanigan of the Davis Brown Law firm filed separate lawsuits against Dakota Access Pipeline Company on behalf of Verdell and Marian Johnson and Marvin and Bonnie Zoch,. Both couples are Cherokee County landowners who are opposed to the use of eminent domain to seize farmland...

On the afternoon of Thursday, May 26, the Storm Lake Police Department arrested a fugitive wanted out of California and being sought for over four months. On Monday, May 23, the SLPD received information that a person who was wanted out of California by the name of Fue Fang, age 37 of Sacramento, CA, may be hiding at a residence located at 715 Michigan Street, in Storm Lake. ...

"A hand up, not a hand out" is the credo of the international organization, Habitat For Humanity. 'Not a hand out' is the focal point, as people might have a different focus of what Habitat does in function and community purpose. Habitat either builds homes from the ground up, or purchases existing homes to sell to qualifying families in need through a zero percent interest loan. Here in Storm Lake, the global connection of Habitat retains a community effort with an international flavor...

After disappointing numbers last summer, SL school district renews, tweaks free summer lunches plan

The National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC) & Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape (PCAR) released the following statement in response to Judge Elizabeth McHugh's ruling that charges against Bill Cosby for sexually assaulting a woman in 2004 will proceed to trial:...

My husband and I have always tried to make our family a priority. It is the one aspect of parenting we can agree on. Still, after years of planning kid-friendly vacations, chaperoning field trips to the zoo or museum, warming the bleachers at youth sporting events and attending school holiday concerts, I have the nagging feeling I could have (should have) done more. ...

Dear Guy Who Made That Rape Joke, I don't know who you are, or what your name is. I don't know where you're from or what you do. All I know is that to me, you're "Guy who made that rape joke," specifically "Guy who came up to me in class, tried to flirt and made a rape joke." "Damn, that exam just raped me hard, " you said. I didn't crack a single smile, couldn't even pretend to be amused for you. Are you proud of that?...

After hanging up from a two hour-phone call with my cable TV provider, much of it spent waiting for a human, I immediately got an email asking me to fill out a customer service survey. The first question: Did my customer service representative solve my problem? No, but that's not the right question. ...

Iowa State University (ISU) Extension and Outreach is offering three Master Gardener summer webinars at the Cherokee County Extension and Outreach Office in Cherokee. "All three of these webinars count towards Master Gardener educational credit hours," Mary Tuttle, Cherokee County Program Coordinator, said. ...

Wanted person On the morning of Friday, May 27, at approximately 1:50 a.m. the Storm Lake Police Department responded to 517 Superior Street Apt #1, in reference to locating a wanted person. Officers made contact with Elizabeth Buakhai, age 22, of Storm Lake, at the house but she claimed the wanted male was not there. ...

July 10, 1919 - May 24, 2016

August 1, 1930 - May 26, 2016

Ruth Hoferman returns to the Senior Center at 11:15 on Monday, June 6, with her signature toe tapping music and songs you will remember. Ruth is one of our regular entertainers who volunteer their time and talent to bring music and fun to the seniors in Storm Lake. The seniors meet at the Sunrise Pointe Club House for the dinner date program. All seniors are welcome - if you plan to stay for lunch, please call a day or two ahead at 732-2828 or 732 -5158...

Classes start in June for seventh annual 'Growing Season' webinar series

On May 23rd, Jennie Evans, owner of Jennie's Creations, taught another craft night and 20 participants completed a 'Summer Time' block craft project. Each participant painted seven blocks, applied stencils and finished their colorful projects. Pictured here are LaDonna and Makayla Rasmussen of Galva with their finished project which made for a memorable and fun Mom and Me night...

Applying for financial aid can be an overwhelming undertaking for students and parents, especially if it's your first time applying. The FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) asks questions about your taxes, assets, retirement accounts, and uses jargon that sounds like a foreign language. ...

Buena Vista University RAICES donated funds to local nonprofits. The funds were raised from Fiesta Latina. Top, $675 was donated to The Bridge. Pictured, left to right: BVU student Danielle Eden, BVU student Jasmin Ramirez, Tou Xiong (BVU alum and AmeriCorps VISTA at The Bridge), Hannah Zimmerman (BVU alum employed at The Bridge) and employee Jessica Skelton. Bottom, $675 was donated to Upper Des Moines. In the photo left to right are Joan Spooner and Jasmin Ramirez...

IOWA CENTRAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE Area students have made it on the President's List and the Dean's List. To make it on the President's List you must have a 4.0 GPA, minimum 12 credit hours. To make it on the Dean's List you must have 3.5-3.99 GPA, minimum 12 credit hours. Area students include:...

Blake Berry wrapped up his high school golf career by placing in a two-way tie for 18th out of the 62 qualifying athetes in the 3A State Golf Tournament at Spring Valley course in Livermore. Playing on the eve of his graduation day, Storm Lake's Berry carded a 77 for Saturday's second round of 18 holes, bettering his round one total by four strokes, for a tournament total of 158, just one stroke from joining in a three-way tie for 15th, and only 18 swings behind the state champion, West Delaware's Clayton Larsen, with a two-day 140, to prevail over two competitors by a singe stoke.. ...

Warrior girls drop 3 in tourney It was a hard-luck weekend for the Warrior girls, who came in 2-0, only to lose three straight in the Kingsley-Pierson Tournament Saturday, giving up a total of 31 runs on the day. River Valley downed Alta-Aurelia 11-0. ...

Alta-Aurelia improves to 3-0 The Warrior boys rolled up 24 runs in their first three outings of the year - a 10-5 win at Woodbury Central, a 7-6 win at West Bend-Mallard, and a 7-5 win over Okoboji Friday night. The Pioneers broke the ice first with a run in the bottom of the first, but Alta-Aurelia soon got the offense cranked up with three in the second, and two runs each in the third and fourth to take a commanding lead. ...

Home crowd cheers Storm Lake on to 5-0 Substate win, #10 ADM-Adel awaits

For 58 summers, Broadway-quality musicals and plays have been performed on the Okoboji Summer Theatre stage. It appears the 59th season will be no exception. According to OST Executive Director Ruth Ann Burke, several improvements are underway to insure a memorable experience for each of the hundreds and hundreds of people who will attend the nine productions of the 2016 summer season...

The city's first bioreactor is in place at the corner of 100th and 10th avenues, near The Field of Dreams, and will soon be removing nitrate from the water that drains from the nearby agriculture fields, into Storm Lake and eventually, the Raccoon River...

Last weekend, the Cherokee County Conservation Board hosted Wild Women of Martin's Access- an event intended to help women get familiar with the outdoors in a friendly, for-women, by-women atmosphere. Cherokee County Conservationist Laura Kohn said, "I thought this would be a fun way to get some women together to meet new people and enjoy the outdoors in an atmosphere where they wouldn't be judged or intimidated if something was new to them. ...

The Vietnam Veterans Moving Wall will be at Wild Rose Casino and Resort from Thursday, July 21 through Monday, July 25. John Devitt, Norris Shears, Gerry Haver and other Vietnam veteran volunteers built The Moving Wall. It went on display for the first time in Tyler, Texas in October of 1984. Two structures of The Moving Wall now travel the USA from April through November, spending about a week at each site...

SIOUX CITY - A federal judge is planning a trial to determine whether Iowa's sex offender treatment program is unconstitutional. U.S. District Judge Mark Bennett said in an order Wednesday that he hopes to set the two-week trial for Nov. 28. The case concerns sex offenders who completed prison sentences but are locked up at a state institution in Cherokee for treatment, based on findings that they'll likely reoffend...

When the bird flu outbreak resulted in layoffs and reduced hours for Tyson and Rembrandt workers last year, Joan Spooner of Upper Des Moines decided to team up with The Food Bank of Iowa to provide groceries for people who's paychecks were suddenly smaller...

Leaks have continued to plague the outdoor waterpark at the municipal-owned Kings Pointe resort. After finding and fixing a major leak after the main pool was found to be losing water, city officials believed the problem to be fixed. But after the system did not hold pressure, a city crew opened a second location and found a smaller leak in a two-inch pipe. ...

The popular CommUnity Education Prime Time event for people age 55 and over is planned for Thursday, June 16. The theme for this year is "Sizzling Summer," with informative sessions ranging from slow cooker cooking to gardening, health to lifestyles...

The senior class of Storm Lake High School has a few unique experiences to remember - the diversity that has made "minority" the majority, and the experience of coming of age in a building that has been under construction for most of their high school years...

The annual Memorial Day ceremony at the Buena Vista County Courthouse green drew a patriotic crowd, with music from the Storm Lake High School band and A Touch of Broadway, speakers, placement of wreaths, and the Pledge of Allegiance led by local scouting children...

Employees from Monsanto Storm Lake recommended Upper Des Moines Opportunity, Inc. to receive a $8,000 grant from the Monsanto Fund's 2016 site grant initiative. Funds from the grant will be used to remove and replace the damaged shelving within the Buena Vista food pantry with new steel shelving, new paint, and new electrical for freezers and refrigerators that store meat and poultry...