Stories from Thursday, April 6, 2017

Father takes children after holding a neighbor against her will and striking her with a head-butt

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. This year’s theme, “Engaging New Voices,” builds on the idea that we are stronger together, and that new partners and community members are needed to expand sexual assault prevention efforts. We can all help the next generation foster attitudes that promote healthy relationships, equality, and respect...

The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) is calling on all grocery stores to stop selling Wells Blue Bunny products because of the Wells family’s ongoing support of Iowa Congressman Steve King. Wells Enterprises, Inc. President and CEO Michael Wells and family members have contributed nearly $11,000.00 in 2016 to Congressman King and over $34,500.00 to his campaign coffers over the past six years...

Western Iowa Congressman Steve King, who has long called for the young adult undocumented immigrants known as “Dreamers” to be deported as lawbreakers, has now penned a proposal to send then to Mexico as volunteers instead. After their “tours of duty,” they would be in the back of the line to someday return to the U.S. legally, he says...

The City of Storm Lake is considering a request to establish a private campground and long-term RV site. Thane Benz is planning the development on property he owns at 121 Memorial Road, northwest of the Lighthouse Inn. Spaces would be leased a year at a time, used for camping from April though October and RV storage in the off season. ...

Plans are in place for the annual Fiesta Latina celebration in Storm Lake, to be held Saturday, April 22, returning this year to its outdoor venue in Chautauqua Park, weather permitting, 1-7 p.m. The popular event attracts around 1,000 visitors for south-of-the-border style music, dancing, food and children’s games and crafts. It is sponsored by the Buena Vista University student group RAICES, that seeks to inform the community about the Hispanic/Latino culture...

A former substitute teacher and coach has pleaded guilty to having repeated sexual relationships with students at two northwest Iowa high schools. Online court records say 33-year-old John Tietsort, of Battle Creek, entered the pleas Monday in Ida County District Court to two counts of sexual exploitation by a school employee. His sentencing is scheduled for May 15. He originally had pled not guilty to the two charges and three counts of lascivious conduct with a minor...

A new report says Iowa’s unemployment rate dropped to 3.2 percent in February, its lowest level since 2001. Buena Vista County’s jobless rate is even lower, at 2.8 percent, down sharply from 3.9 percent at this time last year. In February, BV County added an estimated 40 workers to the total employment rolls, and saw the number of unemployed people searching for jobs decline by 20...

Storm Lake High School students (pictured left to right) Juan Garcia, Renato Guanajuato, and Juan Espino competed in the regional physics competition at Iowa Lakes Community College in Estherville on Friday, March 31. They competed in the mousetrap car and the catapult categories. ...

An online fund drive is underway to assist an Early family with a medical hurdle. Three-year-old Damon Coll has been diagnosed with Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma, a rare, aggressive, cancerous brain tumor of the brain stem. Only about 300 cases are diagnosed each year, almost all in young children...

The Republican-controlled Iowa Legislature on Tuesday moved closer toward finalizing sweeping changes to the state’s gun laws, approving a bill that would allow firearms on the Capitol grounds and add a stand-your-ground provision. The Senate voted 33-17 in favor of the bill, an indication of some Democratic support. The House, which passed the measure last month, will be required to vote on it again because of some minor changes in the Senate...

Freedom Quilts is hosting its annual Honoring Heroes event April 8. The following heroes and their families are being honored: Captain Robert Yllescas, Sgt Leevon Ritter, MSgt Jerrald Meek, SSgt Joseph Hamski, Police Officer Susan Farrell and Police Officer Carlos Morales. ...

Nine area residents attended a bee keeping workshop presented by Kris Kohl, Ag Engineer at Iowa State University on March 8 to learn more about bee keeping. Participants ranged from seasoned bee keepers with experience to beginners considering raising bees themselves...

Iowa’s new law that eliminated most collective bargaining rights for public workers creates an unconstitutional system for educators, the state’s largest teachers union said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday. The announcement by the Iowa State Education Association marks the second suit filed by a union against the law, which took effect in February. It was filed in Polk County District Court...

Last week was the final funnel week, so many pieces of legislation will die for this session. We will know what survived and what fell by the wayside. Most of the week was devoted to committee work, but we did debate a few bills on the floor, and eagerly awaited the Governor’s new budget proposals...

An Eagle Scout Court of Honor ceremony was held Sunday, March 19 for Samuel Olson (right) and Ben Peters (left). Samuel Olson is the son of Terry and JoLayne Olson. He is a senior at Storm Lake High School. His Eagle Scout project included planting over 110 trees at the Storm Lake cemetery with a grant from Trees Forever. ...

Jim Patrick, Storm Lake City Manager, was recognized at the Iowa Water Conference on March 23 at Iowa State University, for his outstanding leadership role in implementing local Low Impact Development policy and partnering with local, state and federal groups to leverage funds for and garner interest in local water quality improvement projects. ...

Starting next school year, the Department of Public Health is requiring more mandatory vaccinations for Iowa students at public and private schools. For more information online see: https://idph.gov/immtb/immunization/law. After getting approval from the Legislature in 2016, the health department is ramping up its fight against meningitis, a deadly disease that targets teens and young adults...

The Buena Vista Regional Healthcare Foundation is pleased to announce that Emily Sievers has joined the Foundation’s Board of Directors. Emily and her husband, Steven, moved back to Albert City in 2014, where Steven grew up. She and her husband have two children, Emmett and Eliana. ...

The Buena Vista County Sheriff’s Office has completed its investigation into a recent structure fire at 1156 510th Street rural Rembrandt. Upon arriving on scene to conduct an investigation into the origin and cause of this structure fire the investigators on scene determined that the fire most likely started in the basement of the home and travelled up into the rest of the home. ...

Arnold Company, Vander Haags and more contribute to new exhibit

Arts on Grand is presenting a class on soap making using goats’ milk, making it with the cold process. Kris Hackbart-Morlock will be teaching this class, which will be held on Thursday evening, April 27, from 6:30 - 9:30 p.m. The cost for this class is $20 for non-members and $16 for members...

Who’s Bad - The Ultimate Michael Jackson Experience will be on May 5 at 8 p.m. at the Hard Rock in Sioux City. Who’s Bad’s live performance is an unrivaled celebration of pop music’s one true King. Their power-packed performance of Michael Jackson’s expansive catalog has ignited crowds on every continent and can only be described as a jaw-dropping, musical must-see. ...

A tongue in cheek mixture of oh-so proper behavior, restraint, and occasional flings into music hall hijinks characterized the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain’s fecund production at Holstein’s Clausen Center last week. If this is the result of some manic musical cross pollination, can you imagine what the gestation period was like? Thirty two years! What a bunch of fun they must have had pulling all these odd bits and pieces together. ...

Libros y Café April 10th The Storm Lake Public Library will kick off National Library Week on Monday, April 10th at 10:30 a.m. with, Libros y Café. At this public reception the library will introduce the many new Spanish language books purchased at the 2016 Guadalajara Book Fair. These additions to the library’s collection will be available for browsing and check-out...

Sacred Heart Parish in Spencer will be hosting Glenn Henriksen on April 9, at 2 p.m. Glenn is a renowned pianist and organist from Armstrong. He will perform on the 2001 Darrow Pipe Organ. The event will also include the Sacred Heart Choir and Bell Choir. The program will feature both classical and sacred music...

Learn proper selection and planting techniques to promote health and longevity in your landscape

October 5, 1934 - March 30, 2017

A bill that would have prohibited so-called sanctuary cities in Iowa and legislation that would have banned most abortions once a fetal heartbeat is detected are among measures not advancing beyond a procedural deadline in the Republican-controlled Iowa Legislature...

Winther, Stave & Co., LLP has released an audit report on City of Storm Lake, Iowa as of June 30, 2016. The City’s receipts totaled $31,934,945 for the year ended June 30, 2016, a 1.2 percent increase from the prior year. Receipts consisted of $3,992,038 in property and other tax for general purpose and debt service, $820,950 for tax an sales tax increment financing revenues, $1,667,777 for other taxes, $13,234,263 from charges for service, $6,626,613 from operating and capital grants, contributions, and restricted interest, $5,341,127 from bond proceed, and $252,537 from other net general revenues.. ...

An audit on Lake Improvement Commission has been released. For the year ended June 30, 2016, receipts totaled $513,423, compared to $330,097 for fiscal 2015. The increase was primarily the result of increased state grants. For the year ended June 30, 2016, disbursements totaled $773,401, compared to $507,660 for fiscal 2015...

Intent to deliver marijuana On the evening of Tuesday, April 4, at approximately 8:08 p.m. a Storm Lake police officer stopped a vehicle in the 300 block of Lake Avenue for a traffic offense. Upon contacting the driver identified as Roberto Alejandro Tarin, age 18 of Storm Lake and other occupants in the vehicle police allege they detected the odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle...

On Wednesday, April 5th, Cherokee Regional Clinic in Aurelia will hosted a come and go Open House to introduce Rebecca Mogensen-Kruger, ARNP-C, as the new clinic provider. Mogensen-Kruger will start seeing patients at the Aurelia Clinic on Monday, April 10th as current provider, Judy Johnston, ARNP-C, will be retiring after the first week of April...

Producers are invited to attend one or both upcoming ‘Successful Cover Crop Use in Beef Production’ field days scheduled for Tuesday, Apr. 11 in Northwest Iowa. “There will be two field days in two locations in one day,” said Erika Lundy, Beef Program Specialist with the Iowa Beef Center, Iowa State University (ISU) Extension and Outreach. ...

Buena Vista University will be hosting an “Entrepreneurial Keys to Success” networking panel for local entrepreneurs and professionals to gather and learn more about what it takes to be a successful business owner. The free event will take place on Saturday, April 22 in the Harold Walter Siebens Forum at 10am...

MetaBank® is happy to announce Larry Schultz has been hired as the branch manager for Storm Lake. Mr. Schultz will oversee both branches. His office is located in the main office at 121 E. Fifth Street. Mr. Schultz specializes in relationship development and retail and commercial banking. In his new role, he will be responsible for overall branch operations...