Stories from Tuesday, August 2, 2016

Ryan Marzen of Denison won the Storm Lake Hy Noon Kiwanis Triathlon held Saturday at AWAYSIS Park. The event consists of an 800 meter swim, a 12 mile bike around the lake and a 3.1 mile run through Lakeside and back. Ryan is a graduate of Buena Vista University where he participated in cross country and track. ...

Flor Johnson, a native of the Philippines and longtime Laurens resident, leads a fundraising mission program "Reach for the Stars" to help people of the impoverished islands. She collects books, sandals, medical gear and other items. Here, she reports on the latest of her annual mission trips.

The Allee Mansion will celebrate its 125th anniversary with an open house during Newell Pride Days, Saturday August 7th. Newell Historical Society member and Allee House promoter Marylin Monson says, "We will have an open house from 1 to 4 p.m., with free tours and remember, we have air conditioning in the mansion. ...

Divine providence, plus a healthy dose of Midwestern acceptance, seems to guide priesthood candidates to Storm Lake, in particularly Saint Mary's Parish. "We do have a lineage of young men, especially foreign born ones, who come here to experience a large parish with diversity, and they can also see the possibilities for them to minister, hopefully, to people of their own heritage," says Father Tim Friedrichsen, pastor at Saint Mary's. ...

A Burlington man was killed Friday when his crop-dusting plane crashed in Sac County. Sheriff Ken McClure said that 44-year-old Mark Watson was killed when his plane clipped a set of power lines and came down in a cornfield owned by Steve Hansen, about three and a half miles south of Sac City. The plane's wreckage was discovered at around 9:45 a.m. Friday after crews responded to a power outage in the area...

Two months after Republicans in Congress voted against bills to fund Zika preparation measures, the Florida Department of Health reports that four cases of Zika infection are caused by local transmission, a first in the continental United States. "There's an epidemic of partisanship in Chuck Grassley's Washington preventing us from stopping an epidemic of Zika virus," said Senate candidate Patty Judge, seeking to place blame on her opponent. ...

COUNCIL BLUFFS -- The human remains found last week at a Council Bluffs construction site may offer clues about the Mormon pioneers who crossed the region in the 1800s. Sister Terry Latey is a research librarian with an Omaha chapter of the Church of Latter-Day Saints. She says the area where human remains were found was likely part of the Mormon Trail that hundreds of pioneers followed west to Salt Lake City...

BISMARCK, N.D. - The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe is suing federal regulators for approving part of a $3.8 billion oil pipeline between North Dakota and Illinois that would be the biggest-capacity pipeline yet carrying oil out of the state's oil patch...

"I talk to the trees, but they don't listen to me" (But they sure tell stories!)

"I talk to the trees, but they don't listen to me" (But they sure tell stories!)

Jill Brees Barr will make her first appearance as a vocalist at the upcoming Albert City Threshermen & Collectors Show. Barr was the Mrs. Iowa International pageant winner for 2015. She has been named as the entertainer for the 2016 Mrs. Universal pageant, and recently tried out for The Voice television show...

* On a scale of 5 popcorn buckets, "Star Trek: Beyond" loads up 4 tasty tubs of delicious sci-fi fantasy action. Cast is good. Story offers something beyond laser fights and space battles. Characters have good stories. Action and humor blend well. Nice villain twist. Sit back and enjoy a good summertime show. MPAA rating: PG-13. Running time: 2 hours, 2 minutes.

STORM LAKE - On Saturday morning the annual Storm the Lake triathlon took place. The event was sponsored by the Hy-Noon Kiwanis in Storm Lake. Ryan Marzen finished first overall with a time of 1:01:00. Kevin Mitchell placed second overall with a time of 1:02:24. The first woman to finish was BrieAnn McKenna who did it in 1:17:12. Christopher Shima finished first in the 19 and under group with a time of 1:19:01...

Football season is just around the corner and to kick off the fall sports season, CommUNITY Education will be offering an Adult Men's Flag Football League. Games will be played every Thursday with the first games of the season starting September 1st and running for six weeks with a season ending tournament the last week...

Former Tornado swimming standout and Galva native Keely Soellner will be continuing her swimming career at Iowa State. Soellner attended high school at Ridge View where they did not have a swim team. During her freshman year, Soellner saw a flyer advertising that Storm Lake offered swimming as a sport. Soellner said she always loved the water and decided to go out for it...

Playing at home, with its biggest star onboard and an unexpected last-minute change at the helm, Brazil is looking to win its first Olympic men's soccer gold medal in Rio de Janeiro. No pressure, right? Coach Dunga opted to include star striker Neymar as one of the three over-23 players allowed in the Olympic squads instead of taking him to the Copa America. ...

Iowans make a diligent effort to support our veterans. The Buena Vista Co. Chapter of Rally-4-Veterans has organized a fun and easy way to participate in a fund-raising effort to help purchase a service dog for an Iowa veteran and possibly help send a Buena Vista county veteran on the Honor Flight...

In June, Jack Dunholm was named the new athletic director for Buena Vista University. Dunholm had previously been at Valley City State University in North Dakota, a NAIA school, for the past six years where he guided the Vikings in the North Star Athletic Association...

Iowa State University (ISU) Extension and Outreach invites women farmers and agribusiness professionals to take part in Annie's Project, an educational program dedicated to strengthening women's role in modern agriculture. The program will be hosted at the Cherokee County Extension and Outreach office in Cherokee, beginning Thursday, August 25, from 6 to 9 p.m., and continuing for the next five Thursdays. A light supper will be provided each week at 5:30 p.m....

Farmers markets across Northwest Iowa are open for the season offering diverse selections of vegetables, fruit, flowers, herbs, eggs, honey, meat, crafts and other products. You can find everything from heirloom varieties to high-antioxidant health foods!...

Briar Cliff University is pleased to announce that 328 students have been named to the Dean's List for the second semester of the 2015-16 academic year, including 88 students who have achieved a perfect grade point average of 4.0. Full-time students who have a semester grade point average of 3.5 or greater and part-time students who complete six or more credits in a semester with a grade point average of at least 3.5 are eligible for the Dean's List. ...

Ten youth and parents took part in a Fitting/Grooming/Showing Livestock Clinic on Sunday July 10th at the Sac County Fairgrounds. Goats, swine, sheep and beef were the species covered at the clinic. Many thanks to the following that helped by teaching at the clinic: Cale and Jeff Niehaus, Eric and Larissa Rupnow and Klint Schulte. ...

Spencer High School careers and business teacher and business adjunct at Buena Vista University Lakes Region, Liz Kluver, was awarded the Prairie and Lake's Adjunct Faculty Member of the Year. "I always had a passion for business. I love keeping up with current events, strategies and theories. I also have a big passion for teaching, I love the students I work with," Kluver said...

The Prairie Heritage Center has been open for 10 years. In celebration of this milestone, there are several events which are occurring throughout the year. One of the upcoming activities is the Bison Stampede Trail Run. This running or walking event will be held on the trails adjacent to the Prairie Heritage Center. ...

Another adult coloring and word search session will be held at the Senior Center on Monday, August 8. All of the supplies will be furnished. If you would rather use an activity page from one of the books, they are available as well. Tables will be set up and ready for coloring to begin anytime after 10:30 a.m. Color something for your grandkids while you chat with other participants. There is no competition and there is no such thing as a bad picture...

Family and friends will be gathering together on Saturday, August 6, to celebrate Marlin and Laura (Meyer) Weier of Linn Grove 60th Wedding Anniversary. An open house in their honor is planned from 4:30-8 p.m. at the Shelter House (behind the swimming pool) in Peterson. Please join their children, Loren Weier, Judy (Jim) Kuecker, Mike (Sheila) Weier, and their grandchildren in celebrating this milestone. No gifts please...

Residents and staff at Methodist Manor beat the heat last week by having a water balloon fight. CEO Nick Landgraf gets a surprise soaking. / Photos submitted

MidAmerican Energy Company is launching its "Slam the Scam" awareness campaign to prevent customers from falling victim to energy scams. On average, MidAmerican Energy receives approximately 100 reported scams each month, and this year, customers have reported losing nearly $9,000 dollars to scammers...

Assault On the evening of Saturday, July 30, at approximately 6 p.m., the Storm Lake Police Department was dispatched to McDonalds, located at East Milwaukee Avenue and Seneca Street, in reference to an assault. Upon arrival police met with the victim who alleged that she had been physically assaulted on July 24, by Geannys Mazorra-Perez, age 31 of Storm Lake, while at a residence located at 718 Seneca Street #2...

An article in The Guardian reads, "As the string of record-breaking global temperatures continues unabated, June 2016 marks the 14th consecutive month of record-breaking heat." If Hurricane Katrina, Superstorm Sandy, the monster typhoon to decimate the Philippines, and the raging wildfires in the Western states didn't do it, then perhaps this new indicator of the world of hurt coming our way as climate change progresses will spur America to action...

The National Association of Town Watch (NATW) has been encouraging communities to hold block parties for 33 years. Storm Lake, along with thousands of places across the country, will have a number of neighborhood gatherings on Tuesday August 2nd. The NATW website references these gatherings in this way: "National Night Out is an annual community-building campaign that promotes police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie to make our neighborhoods safer, better places to live."...

We live in a culture where people fear shopping cart handles. To be fair, it's not the handles themselves. It's the germs residing on said handles. Germs can make us sick. Being sick is a logical thing to fear. So we wipe the handles with disinfectant and go about our merry way...

Last Sunday morning, 22 girls arrived at the BVU campus for a week of fun, inspiration and education at Tech Trek, a science camp for rising eight grade girls. They spent mornings in classrooms and labs, learning how to stop website hackers, code their own apps and build solar powered cars, then they actually did the things they learned. ...

The death of a high-profile area murder suspect has been ruled accidental by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) and the Iowa Office of the State Medical Examiner. The agencies were looking into the March 31 death of Jesse Wendelsdorf in Cherokee...

A 66-year-old first-degree murder convict from Storm Lake lost a last-ditch effort for a chance at freedom this week, as Governor Terry Branstad denied the appeal for a commutation for Paeng Saengaroun. The governor denied applications for three Iowa inmates, all of them serving life sentences without chance of parole, years after their first-degree murder convictions...

The Storm Lake City Council is expected to set a date for a public hearing on an Urban Renewal plan for former South School when it meets on Monday. The City is considering providing economic development grants to assist Foutch Brother, LLC in renovating blighted property, South School, currently owned by Storm Lake School District...

Laura Fineran (second from right), production operator at Flint Hills Resources Arthur ethanol plant, is pictured here with her daughter Marzia Shivers (right) and other Flint Hills Resources team members after digging out a tire buried from the Lower Des Moines. ...

Storm Lake City Manager Jim Patrick was expected to interview late this week in Alamogordo, New Mexico, for a vacant position of city manager. In late June, city leaders there narrowed a field of applicants to five finalists, and set up interviews via Skype...

Few events have rocked the community of Spencer like the sudden passing of wrestling standout Austin Roberts. Even fewer have acted as such a catalyst, bringing the entire town together in mourning and support. As the residents looked inward toward themselves and each other for strength, the impact of the loss rippled across the wrestling community and the entire nation...

On Thursday, August 4th, at 2 p.m., the Storm Lake Public Library will be hosting a Harry Potter and the Cursed Child party. Come dressed as your favorite character and try butter beer and munch on goodies as a live reading of the new book is performed with audience members reading for their favorite character. Also enter to win a copy of the book Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. The winner will be announced at end of the event...

Books and digital media are the lifeblood of our local libraries. To help boost the choices for readers and to get the most up-to-date advice and information to family caregivers, Elderbridge Agency on Aging recently finished a huge donation program to 45 area libraries...

Since selling Fitzpatricks Auto to Edwards Chevrolet, Tom Fitzpatrick has kept a low profile, seeing his grandkids and kids, being a happy 'kept man', in his words, while his wife Sue keeps her successful career going in the insurance business, and holing up, sometimes six to ten hours a day, trying to finish up the business of the Fitzpatrick Corporation, all 56 years of it. ...

The Iowa State Fair will offer a wide variety of new things to taste, watch and experience this year. New Fair foods, attractions and entertainment are available in addition to the many traditional Fair favorites. "Nothing Compares" to the array of new excitement that awaits fairgoers, August 11-21...

STORM LAKE - On Friday, the alumni of Buena Vista along with current staff members including those on the football program, got together to play golf at Lake Creek Golf Course. Dinner was served in the late afternoon following the golf.

CHICAGO (AP) -- Jon Lester recovered from a rut of bad starts, pitching six shutout innings that led the Chicago Cubs over the Seattle Mariners 12-1 Friday for their third straight win. Jason Heyward and David Ross homered as the NL Central leaders improved to 10-5 since a 1-9 slump...

Over 600 adult and youth have spent the week in Storm Lake attending Presbyterian Synod School on the Buena Vista University campus, themed "Connecting With Jesus in an Over-Connected World." After attending challenging classes all day, some of the participants have chosen to take part in "Extreme Sport Afternoon" events. ...

Young interrupts himself, "I'm going to have nightmares after I talk about this, I have PTSD. It always happens." Young continues, "I went to Vietnam in May of 1970. They flew us over there as individuals, not as a group. That's because the Battalion stayed in Vietnam, but the people in it were only there for a year. ...

Last week residents at Lakeview Senior Apartments, in Storm Lake, found this black kitty living in a large nest in a pine tree on the back of the property. Residents have decided to foster the kitty until this fall and then she will be taken to a farm. ...

Katie Blum and Nolan Cone would like to announce their engagement and upcoming wedding. Katie is the daughter of Mike and Sara Blum of Storm Lake. Nolan is the son of Kevin and Cindy Cone of Storm Lake. A wedding is planned for August 13 at storm lake United Methodist church...

Garden phlox is a beautiful way to add color to the garden in perennial fashion. The flowers, when healthy, are lovely to look at and can provide visual appeal for years to come. Iowa State University Extension and Outreach horticulturists can help answer questions regarding garden phlox and keep it a valuable part of the garden landscape. To have additional questions answered, contact the ISU Hortline at 515-294-3108 or hortline@iastate.edu...

August 3, 1926 - July 23, 2016

May 27, 1931 - July 25, 2016

April 26, 1945 - July 14, 2016

Wanted person On the evening of Wednesday, July 27, at approximately 9:30 p.m., the Storm Lake Police Department responded to 803 Ontario Street #3 in reference to locating a wanted person. Upon arrival of police they located Angel Nieves Rodriguez, age 23 of Storm Lake, sitting in a vehicle at the apartment complex. Rodriguez was wanted out of Buena Vista County on a warrant reference Eluding...

$2,100 RAISED FOR P.I.N.K. AT BVRMC - Lake Creek Country Club Ladies League board members, Nancy Hall, and Jana Pitstick are shown presenting a check to Beth Dawson, BVRMC Diagnostic Imaging Mammography Supervisor and Joan Kurtz, BVRMC Director of Diagnostic Imaging, in the amount of $2,100 to be used for BVRMC P.I.N.K. ...

Susan G. KomenŽ recognized Susan G. KomenŽ Iowa with the "Affiliate of the Year Award" at its annual Komen Leadership Conference. This honor recognizes the Affiliate that exhibited the best overall effort in advancing the Komen vision and promise to end breast cancer forever, and demonstrated a commitment to collaboration across the organization...

Katherine Jovel, Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) at Methodist Manor Retirement Community, has been named as an Iowa Health Care Association (IHCA) Foundation scholarship recipient. Cindy Baddeloo, IHCA Senior Vice President/COO, presented Jovel with the Foundation's $1,000 John R. Grubb Scholarship for her outstanding commitment to providing long term services and supports to the residents she serves at Methodist Manor Retirement Community...

The United Community Health Center in Storm Lake would like to announce that August 7-13 is National Health Care Week. Please take this time to recognize all the great services and resources that health care centers provide. Here is a schedule of events happening at the United Community Health Center...