Stories from Tuesday, August 9, 2016

Human trafficking is a big city problem, or a problem for towns nearer to an interstate, like I -35, or I-80.....human trafficking isn't an issue in Northwest Iowa, let alone Storm Lake. Wrong, wrong, and so wrong -- human trafficking rears its ugly head here in the City Beautiful, you just don't see it...

The plan to transform the vacant South School into a bustling market-rate apartment complex seems to be on a positive track. The Kansas City-based development firm Foutch Brothers has until late September to give the Storm Lake School District a final answer on purchasing the building for the project...

Crews from a dredging operation, the city of Storm Lake and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources were able to contain and clean up an oil spill Sunday afternoon on Storm Lake. The contract operator of the dredging operation, Dredge America, was pumping water out of the bilge of the work boat when the operator left to do something else. ...

Dennis Bush, chairman of the Cherokee Board of Supervisors, reported to the board at the Aug. 2 meeting that the Cherokee Mental Health Institute faces further budget cuts as the length of patient stays is growing. Bush had recently attended a citizens advisory board meeting at the MHI campus and reported on the concerns expressed by the MHI administration...

AP -- It's a paradox in American politics: Many Hispanic families have an immense personal stake in what happens on Election Day, but despite numbers that should mean political power, Hispanics often can't vote, aren't registered to vote, or sit it out...

People began to arrive on Fulton Street in downtown Newell around 9:30 in anticipation of the parade at 10. Some people snuggled into the shady south side of the street, while other opted to bask in the sun's rays on the north side. The street was lined with cars, open tailgates facing the street, while folding chairs lined the sidewalks, spilling into the streets at places. ...

"We would just love for people to bring plants to our show at Witter Gallery Thursday," Koy Woverton said, referring to the Garden Club's Annual flower show to be held at the Witter Gallery, beside the library on Cayuga Street. "It's educational, there will be lots of plants and flowers on display, and the public will have a chance to vote for their favorites. And we will be serving light refreshments!"...

Iowa Learning Farms and Iowa State University Extension and Outreach will host a cover crop field day Wednesday, Aug. 24, 10 a.m.--12:30 p.m. near Newell. The field day is free, open to the public, includes coffee at 9:30 a.m. and a complimentary lunch...

During their 20-year reunion, the Washington High School Class of '96 used coming together as a way to support their classmate Chad Pritts and his family, by opening up the festivities to the people of the Cherokee area as a benefit for the Pritts Family...

Early in 2011 during a Study Session discussion, the Storm Lake City Council asked staff to look at putting together some analysis information regarding the amount of purchases made locally. Since then, city staff has reported a summary of the local purchases for each council meeting. This information is presented for both the City and King's Pointe's bills...

Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa is asking the Department of Veterans Affairs why it has spent $20 million on art in recent years, despite backlogs for patient care. "The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) was created with the aim of caring for those who have served to protect the United States, by honoring their faithful service and providing healthcare for the injuries sustained in that service. ...

Tyson Center will host four hit making bands from the glam rock era in a special "I Rock the Eighties" night, Sept. 23. Tickets are on sale now at $39-$79. (TysonCenter.com, or 1-800-514-ETIX). Whether it's your first time around, or you just like to relive the '80s over and over again, you won't want to miss a party mix of favorite bands performing live on the same stage, including Warrant, Quite Riot, Night Ranger and Loverboy...

After several years, the Extreme Am, northwest Iowa's original amateur skateboard competition, is returning to East Leach Park Skate Park in Spencer Saturday, Aug. 20. Titled "Rage In The Cage," in addition to the skateboard competition, this year a scooter exhibition will be offered for local enthusiasts...

History doesn't only exist in museums and classrooms; history is all around us! On Saturday, September 10th, get outside, hop on a bike, and see the historical sites of Cherokee. The Sanford Museum and Planetarium is hosting the Pedal through the Past bicycling event from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the National Historic Preservation Act...

Kenzie Kuene, a former Sioux Central multisport standout, is beginning to settle in at Northwestern in Orange City. Kuene will be going on an athletic scholarship for volleyball and track. She determined after her visit in October that she wanted to go there. "It was perfect and I loved it," she said...

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) -- Cornerback Desmond King, the only Jim Thorpe Award winner to return for another season, grabs most of the spotlight on Iowa's defense. The Hawkeyes have another potential star in linebacker Josey Jewell, an unheralded recruit who has blossomed into one of the top leaders and playmakers...

Welcome Conferences for grades K-5 will be held Thursday, August 18th from 10 a.m. - 7 p.m. and on Friday, August 19th from 8 a.m. - 2 p.m. Back to School Night for grades 6-8 will be held Thursday, August 18th from 5:30 - 7 p.m. Freshman Orientation will be held Friday, August 19th from 8:15 a.m. - 12:30 p.m...

As August arrives, families start to think about "back to school" routines. Dr. David Brown, an Iowa State University Extension and Outreach human sciences specialist, suggests making family meetings a routine all year long. Weekly family meetings can help busy families keep communication lines open, said Brown who specializes in family life issues and is a Licensed Marital and Family Therapist...

Student Missy Morenz (pictured), daughter of Gary and Patricia Morenz of Newell served last year as an officer for the Morningside College chapter of Alpha Lambda Delta (ALD), which recently received an award for continuing to pursue excellence. Morenz is a 2014 graduate of Newell Fonda High School...

The annual retired staff breakfast will be Tuesday, August 23. Anyone who has retired from Storm Lake Community School is invited to attend. We will meet at Lakeshore Cafe at 8 a.m. to chat for a bit, then order from the menu (Dutch treat!) and eat around 8:30. Hope to see you all there! If you have questions, call Denise at 284-2843 or Marilyn at 299-7760...

Schedule for first-year students

The Buena Vista County Soil & Water Conservation District (BV SWCD) was proud to sponsor a Barn Quilt painting contest at this year's BV County Fair. This contest was open to all 4-H clubs. Four clubs painted barn quilts with the Fairfield Pioneers taking top honors. ...

The Storm Lake Public Library continues it's election year film series on Monday, August 15 with a 1949 noir classic. Nominated for seven Academy Awards, this film ultimately won Best Motion Picture, Best Actor and Best Supporting Actress. The film tells the story of a fictional rural politician, who rises to the rank of governor. ...

Iowa is home to nine different species of bats. Join the naturalist to learn all about these nocturnal creatures and the important things they do! The program will be held at 7 p.m. on Friday, August 19th at the South Shelter House at Buena Vista County Conservation Park. The park is located at 377 440th Street, Peterson. Registration is required for the program. To register please contact the conservation office at 712 -295 -7985 by 4 p.m. on Thursday, August 18th...

August 27, 1948 - August 1, 2016

October 17, 1944 - August 1, 2016

Suspicious person caught with drugs On the evening of Friday, August 5, at approximately 6 p.m., the Storm Lake Police Department was dispatched to the 600 block of Seneca Street in reference to a suspicious person. Upon arrival police were advised by witnesses that an adult male allegedly entered a residence at 606 Seneca Street without permission. ...

Ever experience a day when things are slightly off kilter? When the normal becomes abnormal, often in an almost imperceptible way? The order of the universe is lagging, your controller fails to control and you're thrown a degree (or two) off course. Thought processes and actions seem to be deregulated and your brain refuses to function in a straightforward, logical manner...

The Olympics are big news these days. We are excited to see how many medals Michael Phelps and all the athletes will bring home. From soccer to swimming to basketball and so much more, this is such a great world event. Hopefully for a couple of weeks Americans can rally behind our athletes and experience unity and national pride...

The Pilot-Tribune recently published a statement from Senate candidate Patty Judge accusing Senator Chuck Grassley and Congress of delaying funding to prevent he Zika virus. This week, Senator Grassley requested the opportunity to respond.

Young victims from Alta, Linn Grove among casualties in historic speedboat crash

Buena Vista Regional Medical Center is proud to announce that Dr. Paul Barber has been selected as a 2016 Hospital Hero by the Iowa Hospital Association (IHA). Every year the IHA awards those committed health care professionals who go above and beyond. Hospitals are asked to submit applications and provide examples of how the individual could be considered a hero. Only 10 people were awarded the status this year and they will be honored at the IHA Annual Meeting in October...

The dedication for the new Storm Lake High School auditorium and open house has been rescheduled for Sunday, September 25 at 2 p.m. "I want to commend Larry Bruggeman, Badding Construction and the subcontractors for all their work and efforts this summer and throughout the project. ...

A Storm Lake man is accused of ramming a vehicle his ex-girlfriend was riding in, and then assaulting the male driver of the car. Storm Lake Police were called to the 400 block of Russell Street around 5:45 a.m. Thursday, for a reported auto collision and resulting fight between drivers. The men had been separated by the time officers arrived...

A skull recently found in Sac County is not the result of a crime - at least not a recent one. A forensic anthropologist asked to determine the age of the remains has determined that the skull belonged to a Native American male, 40-50 years old at the time of death, which likely took place more than a few hundred years ago...

PRIMGHAR -- An October trial has been scheduled for an Iowa home health care worker accused of stealing from an elderly client. Spencer radio station KICD reports that 36-year-old Rebecca Rutledge, of Paullina, has pleaded not guilty to three counts of forgery, one count of theft and one of unauthorized use of a credit card. Her trial is set to begin Oct. 25...

Central Bank will host a blood drive Thursday, August 11th from 8 a.m. until 1:30 p.m., together with Lifeserve and United Community Healthcare. The "Bankers Blood Bank Drive" is a friendly contest to see which bank in Storm Lake will have the most donors participate. ...

During the Clay County Board of Supervisors meeting, Kathy Fueston, chairperson of the Clay County Trails Association, provided an update on the association's activities. Fueston emphasized safety and told the council that as of January, there have been eight bicycle related casualties in Iowa, one of which occurred on RAGBRAI...

Brandon Aronson started practicing magic when he was a teenager, because he wanted to make his dad laugh. His father was in the United States Navy and the family often moved around the country. The list of stops included Seattle and, at age 17, Aronson found himself in a magic shop with his father...

Start a new family tradition this summer -- go fishing for catfish. Bring along two coolers with ice, one to keep your bait firm and fresh and another to keep your catch cold and preserve that great taste. "Catfish tend to be more active in warmer weather," explained Joe Larscheid, chief of the Iowa DNR's Fisheries Bureau. They are in every stream of any size and in all lakes and many farm ponds...

The Jobs, Opportunity, and New Ideas PAC today announced the date and location of the Second Annual Roast and Ride, hosted by U.S. Senator Joni Ernst. The event will be held on Saturday, August 27th, and will take place at the Iowa State Fairgrounds. The Ride portion will begin at Big Barn Harley Davidson in Des Moines...

Buena Vista University has announced that Kent Smith and Josh Osborn will be the co-chairs for its 2016-2017 Community Campaign. Smith, originally from Eustis, Neb., began his career in agriculture after graduating with an associate's degree in applied science and production agriculture from the University of Nebraska School of Technical Agriculture. ...

The students of Storm Lake got a chance win a backpack full of school supplies this Summer all while taking an opportunity to sit and eat a free lunch. Lunchtime Solutions, the Food Service Management Company that is contracted with Storm Lake Community Schools administered the Summer Feeding Program this year in Storm Lake. Children ages 1-18 could eat a free lunch everyday Monday - Friday from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. The program ran out of United Methodist Church: 1206 W 4th St...

A former Sioux Rapids convenience store clerk has pled not guilty to allegations that she stole a winning lottery scratch game ticket at the Casey's convenience store. Ashley Bosler, of Sioux Rapids, entered the pleas to theft and abetting theft charges early this week. A trial is scheduled begin Nov. 15...

The 20th Anniversary Hanover Festival will be held on Sunday, August 28, at the Hanover Village southwest of Alta at the Junction of M-27 and C-65. The event is scheduled from noon to 7 p.m. Keeping with tradition two of the finest polka bands will play for your listening and dancing pleasure. Malek's Fishermen from Garner, Iowa, and the Mark Vyhlidal Band from Fremont, Nebraska are back to headline the event...

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Sioux City announced today that three new country artists will take the stage in Anthem this fall. The list includes chart-topping artists Granger Smith and Casey Donahew. Tickets went on sale Friday, August 5. They can be purchased at the Rock Shop or online at https://tickets.hardrockcasinosiouxcity..... Events in Anthem are for guests 21 and older...

ALTA - Wednesday night at the Buena Vista Raceway was Kids Night. During intermission, children 10 and younger took part in a nickel toss. They also got to ride in some of the cars during the parade laps during the night. A thank you to the sponsors for this past week; Rod Olson, Jim's Sewer Service of Cherokee, Terry Gransow and Team Advocate for helping make Kids Night a success...

Justin Nehring has been a life long resident in Storm Lake. If you were to ask him what he loves to do, it would be a simple response. Race. Nehring has been flying around race tracks for the past 10 years throughout the state of Iowa. Being a race fan since he was a kid, getting behind the wheel of a car was an easy decision to make for Nehring when a friend of his dropped off a car...

Sheena VanRoekel will begin her third season on the sideline this year for the Buena Vista women's soccer team. Her message in her first two years has been a simple one that will translate into year three, change the culture. Last year, the Beavers went 3-13 and dropped their last seven contests. Despite the signs of progress not showing up on the scoreboard, there is some optimistic air surrounding the program. "We have nine players coming back from last season," VanRoekel said...

Ben McArthur led Buena Vista to a 5-12 record last season which improved their record the season before by a win. In year three of his tenure, Coach McArthur looks to have his team reach higher than the previous two years. A total of seven starters are back from the previous year, five of which were hurt at some point. ...

CommUNITY Education will be offering its annual COED Adult Volleyball League once again this fall. Games will be played every Wednesday night with the first games of the season starting September 14th and running 12 weeks with a season ending tournament. ...

Saturday, Alta was a picture perfect small midwestern town. The firestation was surrounded by fire trucks, pick-ups and minivans. All the doors were open, and each bay was full of people and folding chairs set up to view the parking lot. One huge family- firefighters, husbands, wives and children wearing tee shirts bearing the names of fire stations- filled the bays with talk and laughter. ...

Everett and Sandra Nordine, formerly of Albert City, now of Rapid City, S.D., celebrated their 60th Wedding Anniversary in June with 30 of their family at the Canyon Lake Resort Lodge in Rapid City for the weekend. They have been blessed with three children; Terry (Hope) Nordine of Rapid City, S.D., Heather (Mike) Lenz of Newell and Amber (Brian) Perkins of Mason City. Also added to the family has been nine grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren with nine spouses...

Make plans to cheer on your favorite grocery bagger during the Iowa Best Bagger Competition at the Iowa State Fair. Always a crowd pleaser, the fun, free event delivers laughter and excitement as baggers do their best to build balanced bags, avoid crushing loaves of bread and breaking eggs, and do it faster than the competition...

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. ...

The annual Bison Burger Picnic and Lawn Concert sponsored by the Little Sioux Valley Conservation Association and the O'Brien County Conservation Board is a great opportunity for the public to see the changes that have occurred over the past year. This year the event will be held on Tuesday, August 16 at the Prairie Heritage Center. Food will be served from 5 -- 7:30 p.m. Bison burgers will be hot off the grill and served with side dishes and watermelon...

July 8, 1947 - July 26, 2016

Adan Guillen, age 20, Alta, was sentenced to serve two years in prison following a District Court hearing on Monday, August 1, for violating the terms of his probation. Guillen was originally placed on probation with the Iowa Department of Corrections in November, 2015, after pleading guilty to Attempted Burglary in the Third Degree, an aggravated misdemeanor and Assault Causing Bodily Injury, a serious misdemeanor...

Attention anyone with a closet: Those shoes that don't fit or you no longer want are desperately needed to fight the human tragedy of global poverty. That's the message being delivered by Sole 2 Soul's fitness center in Galva which has launched its third annual shoe drive to help the poor. New and gently used clean shoes can be dropped off at 125 South Main Street in Galva during the month of September, and the goal is to collect 250 pairs of shoes...

Wanted persons On the morning of Thursday, August 4, at approximately 1 a.m., the Storm Lake Police Department responded to 208 Seneca Street in reference to locating a wanted person. Upon arrival police located and arrested Ketzell Zeledon, age 24 of Storm Lake, who was wanted out of Buena Vista County on a warrant charging him with Failure to Pay Fines reference OWI...

On August 1, Dr. Garrett Feddersen joined the Buena Vista Regional Medical Center Emergency Room Department as the Medical Director and full time BVRMC employee. His role is to enhance communications between patients, employees and physicians. He has worked as an emergency medical technician and paramedic throughout his high school, college, and medical school education. That experience eventually lead Dr. Feddersen to the decision to pursue emergency medicine...

The North Iowa Care Connections Region is contracting with the Seasons Center to provide a crisis phone line for the public. The region services Clay, Dickinson, Lyon, O'Brien, Osceola and Palo Alto counties. "It's one of the core services under crisis management, so as a region, we have to provide it," Bill Leupold, chairman of the NWICCR board said...

Last year, Spencer High School senior Paige Curry led a blood drive effort at Spencer High School that collected 56 units of blood for LifeServe Blood Center, positively impacting up to 168 lives. The effort earned Curry (pictured above with her mom who donated blood during last year's drive) a $750 scholarship. ...