Stories from Tuesday, March 14, 2017

The GK Storm Gymnastics hit the road again on the weekend of March 4th and 5th and landed in Des Moines for the Field of Dreams Meet. Storm Lake had 12 gymnasts representing the Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum teams. The results are as follows: The Bronze Team: Caitlyn Deyoung – vault 7.20, bars 9.00 receiving fifth place, beam 8.4, floor 8.450 and an All Around score of 33.050. ...

Some timely hitting and dominant pitching helped the Buena Vista softball team begin its 2017 season on Friday afternoon with a doubleheader road sweep at Westminster College (Mo.). The Beavers picked up 3-2 and 4-1 victories, respectively. Kennedy Colvert drove home BVU’s first run of the year in the fouth inning of the opener, plating Keely Bycroft. The Beavers added a pair of key insurance runs in the fifth on an error by the Blue Jays followed by a Marissa Schmidt single up the middle...

One of the primary arguments against greenhouse gas emission regulations that the regulations will stop economic growth. This claim by many can now be proven as false and a lie. Recent verifiable research from the Brookings Institution shows that 33 states including the District of Columbia had both economic growth (from weak to strong) and decreased carbon emissions between 2000 and 2014.  The amount of economic growth varies with each state and certain actions particular to each state...

With a blown-up city map and colorful magic markers, the future of Storm Lake’s bike trail aspirations took shape at a recent meeting of the Mayor’s Committee on Parks, Trails and Urban Forestry. With limited funding available, the group is concentrating on placing trail on the side of existing streets, to be marked with roadside signs and stencils on the street. In areas where traffic volume or speed dictates, a line would also be painted to separate bike traffic from motor vehicles...

AMES - Surrounded by a red rocky surface as far as the eye can see, you look up and gaze at the planet Earth in the distance. Your stomach growls and you realize it is time for dinner. Heading back to your colony, you harvest some corn from your garden and prepare it to eat...

WASHINGTON — Democrats and some Republicans on Monday criticized a veteran GOP congressman for saying America can’t restore “our civilization with somebody else’s babies” and warning of a liberal effort to destroy Western civilization through immigration...

ORANGE CITY – Storm Lake High School will be taking part as Iowa State University Extension and Outreach and Northwestern College will host the first-ever Northwest Iowa GRIT Conference on Friday, March 31. The one-day conference will focus on empowering multicultural students in grades 8 through 12 to “Get Real Together” through leadership activities, college exploration and cultural awareness...

The current Solid Waste Contract between Buena Vista County and Carroll will becoming up for renewal as of June 1. Rather that renegotiate the contract with Carroll the Commission has decided to open the contract up for bids. Barker Lemar, Engineer updated the Commission on the proposal to install low-flow testing equipment. After some discussion they decided to approve replacing the pumps at the landfill...

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey has highlighted the continued biosecurity efforts by Iowa turkey, egg and broiler farmers and the preparations undertaken on the state and federal level following the confirmation of highly pathogenic avian influenza in Tennessee and low pathogenicity avian influenza in Tennessee and Wisconsin in the past week...

GRAETTINGER — Authorities say three tanker cars containing ethanol remain in a rural creek, three days after a fiery train derailment in northwestern Iowa. Environmental specialist Amber Wolf with the Iowa Natural Resources Department said Monday that the fire finally went out midday Sunday...

Since this was the week after the first funnel, most of our time was spent on the House floor debating and passing bills. These bills will now go to the Senate for consideration. House bills must now pass out of a Senate committee before the next funnel in order to stay alive. ...

A resident of College Street took city officials to task during the public comment time for a city council meeting last week. The visitor said the street where he resides has been deteriorating for five years, and that he had been calling the city about it for five years. ...

Western Iowa Congressman Steve King has introduced a proposed repeal of the EB-5 visa program. The program allows foreign nationals who invest large amounts of money in the United States access to green cards to enter the country legally. The program was intended to stimulate the economy and produce new jobs...

Maybe it is predestined but another disaster is predicted to happen on March 30th at 10 a.m. Farm Bureau invites willing spectators to take refuge at the Storm Lake Fareway to watch the devastation inflicted by Ron Demers from KTIV Channel 4, Matt Fisher from KKIA 92.9 FM The Moose and Shane Schreck from the Storm Lake Pilot Tribune. The disaster created by the three local celebrities will help fill the five local food pantries in Buena Vista County...

With the budget skin-tight, Storm Lake mayor Jon Kruse feels that a non-profit foundation may be needed to assist with some community projects. He made the suggestion to the Mayor’s Committee on Parks, Trails and Urban Forestry, raising the possibility of a Friends of the City foundation, similar to non-profit groups supporting the library and the schools...

Rouse’s ‘Mary Poppins’ performance earns Chenoweth concert opportunity

The Fonda Arts Center is pleased to once again welcome Celtic fingerstyle guitarist Jerry Barlow in concert. The performance will be on Saturday, April 8th, at 7 p.m. at the Arts Center on the NW corner of Fourth and Main in Fonda. A wine tasting with InnSpiration Winery will precede the concert at 6 p.m. Tickets for the event are $12 in advance or at the door. Limited seating is available...

Kolton Blum serves as his Ridge View FFA chapter treasurer. His favorite memory is going to National Convention and meeting people from all across the country. Kolton has participated in: District, State and National conventions, soup suppers, banquets, food pantries, FFA cookouts, petting zoos during the summer and the Ida County Safety Day. ...

Storm Lake High School students had the opportunity to attend a play at Iowa State University. Students reflect on their experiences. Lupita Morales: When the ninth grade Accelerated English students were told they were going to see the play, The Importance of Being Earnest, we were all ecstatic. ...

Storm Lake St. Mary’s High School held their annual Speech Night recently as individual and group speech students performed for a packed house of peers, families and faculty members in the parish center. They were coached by Mrs. Deb Peters. Individual speech students advanced to the state competition Saturday, March 11. ...

Career and College Planning at 6 p.m. will be in Room 243 (Business Room). The goal of the evening Career and College Planning Program is to equip sophomores, juniors and their parents/guardians with the knowledge to select an appropriate college and understand the admission and scholarship application process. ...

Sioux Central has released their 3rd quarter honor roll list for middle and high school. Middle schoolers receiving a 3.00 GPA and above include: 7th Grade Lauren Beberich Lilah Burhans Brooklyn Cavanaugh Dakota Deuschle Clayton Ehlers Grant Gunderson...

On March 4th, 756 fathers and daughters attended the 16th Annual Father Daughter Dance at the Storm Lake Elementary School. The event to strengthen family bonds hit record attendance again this year with guests traveling from communities around northwest Iowa. ...

Swine producers in Northwest Iowa are invited to attend a one-day swine production seminar on March 23 in Okoboji. The program is sponsored by Hubbard Feeds, Iowa State University (ISU) Extension and Outreach, University of Minnesota Extension and Elanco...

Motorcycle Rider Education classes are being offered at Iowa Central Community College, Transportation Technology Center, Fort Dodge. The classes will consist of two components – 5 hours of classroom and 10 hours of range time. A mandatory on-line 3 hour prep course is required prior to taking the class...

Brianna Ledesma, daughter of Kylea and Jose Ledesma of Storm Lake donated 20 packages of Girl Scout cookies to the Storm Lake Police Department as a “Thank-you” for all the hard work and dedication to the community.

Nicole Huegerich and Dylan Halder are engaged to be married! Nicole is the daughter of Larry and Lonnie Huegerich of Fonda and the granddaughter of Dick and Nancy Kolbaum of Varina. Dylan is the son of DeaDra Jeter of Roland, and Shawn Halder of Spencer. He is the grandson of Bob and Judy Halder of Alta and Tom and Renee Phillips of Laurens...

August 8, 1934 - March 9, 2017

Former Spencer pastor Kevin Grimes appears to be taking steps toward a plea agreement stemming from a 2016 sexual misconduct investigation. District Court Judge Nancy Whittenburg on Tuesday set a 10 a.m. plea hearing Monday, May 15, at the Clay County Courthouse for Grimes. The judge also ordered the Department of Corrections to prepare a pre-plea investigation report for the possible sentencing process...

WORTHAN WELCOMES BUEAN VISTA AND IDA COUNTY FARM BUREAUS - Last week Rep. Gary Worthan (R-Storm Lake) met with members of the Buena Vista and Ida County Farm Bureaus. The group was visiting the Capitol to talk with legislators about agriculture issues. Pictured here are Richard Marshall (Alta), Mitch Sievers (Albert City), Klint Blum (Schaller), Rep. Gary Worthan (Storm Lake), Trentin Moeller (Glava),Kyle Vennett (Schaller), and Kolton Blum (Schaller)...

Alliant Energy will be replacing their gas mains along Seneca Street between 10th and 12th Streets in preparation for the North Central Storm Water, Phase 2 project. The contractor is expected to start this week, March 13-17, by boring new gas mains along both sides of Seneca and then transfer services...

The application for the 2017 Spring round of Grants is available on the Foundation’s web page at www.bvcountyfoundation.com or by email at bvcfoundation@gmail.com. The deadline for turning in applications in the Spring 2017 round of grants is 12 p.m. on Thursday, April 13th...

Wanted persons • On the morning of Wednesday, March 8, at approximately 11 a.m. a Storm Lake police officer while on patrol observed a wanted person in the parking lot at the Buena Vista Regional Medical Center. Police made contact with and arrested Dawn Finch, age 46 of Aurelia, who was wanted out of Buena Vista County on a warrant charging her with Contempt of Court reference Failure to Pay Fines...