Stories from Wednesday, July 5, 2017

A young drowning victim was carried from the water at Awaysis Beach in Storm Lake early Monday afternoon nearly an hour after going missing. Multiple agencies were called to the beach near King’s Pointe around 11:45 a.m. Firefighters began to search the water, and were joined by divers as the entire beach and Lakeshore Drive shoreline area was cordoned off with police tape...

Several residents lined up to vent their frustrations over fireworks during the “hear the public” period at the Storm Lake City Council meeting Monday evening. One woman said that the Fourth of July had been her favorite time of year in Storm Lake, and that she had boasted of it to others around the country, but since the city opted not to control fireworks, they have been blasting off at all times of day and night around her home for a month. ...

For many teenagers, a ritual of summer is finding the evasive summer job – where to make some money for a little less than three months, until they have to hit the grind again of heading back to school. Some kids can handle one job, others three, along with playing summer sports, and getting some down time in between...

This Fourth of July Storm Lake was honored to have Iowa’s Army National Guard Brigadier General Steve W. Altman give a speech at the Patriotic ceremony at the Buddy Monument. Lisa Naslund, Director of Operation Engage America, hosted the event and introduced not only Altman but also Fr. David Esquiliano, formerly of St. Lake St. Mary’s Parish who led the prayer and Maddie Engelke, Storm Lake High School alum, who sang the National Anthem...

A self-described “farm boy from Iowa” who befriended China’s president three decades ago is tasked with smoothing relations between the world’s two largest economies amid increased unpredictability in American foreign diplomacy under President Donald Trump...

Paddle with an Archaeologist is being offered July 13 by the Sanford Museum in Cherokee. Paddle down the Little Sioux River with a kayak or canoe, while learning about the fascinating prehistory along the way. Sanford archaeologist Megan Stroh will be pointing out archaeological sites on the route, and the group will stop to look for fossils and artifacts along the way...

Alternative rocker Alanis Morissette will visit northwest Iowa for one show at Hard Rock resort, Sioux City. The concert will be outdoors at Battery Park, Saturday, August 26. Showtime is 8 p.m. Tickets are on sale now. With sales of over 60 million albums worldwide, Alanis Morissette is one of the most influential singer-songwriter-musicians in contemporary music. ...

Work, family get-togethers, more work, and maybe some vacation time – summer is all that, plus a great time to get caught up on reading. New books, old books, paper or hard back, Kindles – you can explore fine reads anywhere, anytime. Here are a few to consider...

(Facts & Fables) The Buena Vista County Historical Society & Museum

Jacob Meyers of Linn Grove was among the 355 graduates of Dordt College who received diplomas at the 2017 commencement ceremony in May. Meyers graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Agriculture with an emphasis in Agriculture-Business. He also has a minor in Economics...

First Cooperative Association, headquartered in Cherokee, Iowa with 23 locations in Northwest Iowa has awarded twenty (20) $500 scholarships to chosen graduates in their trade area. Since 1997 in excess of $154,000 has been given to local graduates to further their education in a variety of fields...

U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-DE), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), and Jack Reed (D-RI) today introduced the Teachers Are Leaders Act, which would create partnerships between colleges and high-need schools to develop and support innovative teacher leader roles...

A total of 337 students were named Roadman Scholars and Dimmitt Scholars at Morningside College in recognition of high academic distinction for the 2016-17 academic year. Roadman Scholars must be full-time students who have completed at least 45 credits of college work with a cumulative grade point average of 3.76 or above. The award is named in honor of the late Earl Roadman, who was president of Morningside College from 1936 to 1956...

Five local graduating seniors have received $1,500 scholarships to the university or trade school of their choice through the Discovery Scholarship program sponsored by the Flint Hills Resources Arthur ethanol plant. The Discovery Scholarship recognizes outstanding achievement both inside and outside the classroom. ...

Fort Dodge, Iowa native Bill Greehey and his Greehey Family Foundation have agreed to donate an additional $3 million to the college to help fund construction of the “Greehey Family Student Success Center” on the Fort Dodge campus.  The $3 million gift follows a $1 million gift from the Greehey Family Foundation to the college last year to provide scholarships for first-generation college students...

Jessy Smith from Storm Lake recently graduated with a Master of Education degree from Buena Vista University.

Kara Clausen, a Sophomore at Bethel University in St. Paul, has been named to the Dean’s List for academic excellence for the spring 2017 semester. She is the Daughter of Kent and Deb Clausen from Albert City. The Dean’s List honors students who achieve an outstanding scholastic record during a semester with a grade point average of 3.6 or greater...

Augustana University announced that Kyle Besaw of Storm Lake, has been named to the Dean’s List for the spring semester of the 2016-17 academic year.The Dean’s List recognizes full-time students who have a minimum of 12 credit hours with grade-point averages at 3.5 or above...

Ali Turnquist, Luther College senior of Alta, and Katherine Morin, Luther College senior of Storm Lake, have been named to the 2017 spring semester Dean’s List. Luther College’s spring 2017 Dean’s List includes 743 students; 56 first-years, 146 sophomores, 210 juniors and 331 seniors...

The grant will be used to support BV Buddies, a mentoring program that partners BVU students with Storm Lake middle school youth.

Two recently retired professors with a combined 50 years of service to Upper Iowa University (UIU) have been granted emeriti status by the school’s Board of Trustees. Delano Professor of Science Dr. Rick Klann was named faculty emeritus and Professor of Mathematics Dr. Maureen Busta was named faculty emerita...

Rebekah Mayer of Albert City recently received the First-Year Studies Award for Persuasive Writing achievement award during the annual Omicron Delta Kappa (ODK) Honors Convocation at Morningside College.
 ODK is a national leadership honor society that recognizes and encourages superior scholarship, leadership and exemplary character.

Morningside College is a private, coeducational, four-year liberal arts college...

On July 1, BVU welcomed nine new members to the National Alumni Association Board of Directors. They will offer advice, volunteer service and financial support to the University. The Buena Vista University National Alumni Association has elected nine new members to its board. The board members include:...

Updates from the Storm Lake Police Department, Buena Vista County Sheriff's Office and the Storm Lake Fire Department.

On the afternoon of Saturday, July 1 at approximately 5:45 p.m., the Storm Lake Police Department was dispatched to the area near the intersection of Ontario Street and West Milwaukee Avenue in reference to two small children walking near the highway...

On the afternoon of Thursday, June 29, the Storm Lake Police Department was dispatched to the 700 block of Walnut Street in reference to a report of a small child being left unattended outside. Upon arrival of police, they met with the reporting party and witnesses who told police that a 3-year-old child was allegedly walking in the street unsupervised and was nearly struck by a passing vehicle...

Last week, Jesse Randall from ISU’s Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management came to Cherokee’s ISU extension office to give the basics of spotting and combatting the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB), an insect that kills all species of ash trees...

Iowa drivers are quick to move over for flashing red and blue lights on vehicles such as police cars, fire trucks or ambulances. Now they also need to be on the lookout for flashing amber lights on utility vehicles as well as garbage and tow trucks...

June 30, 1925 - June 16, 2017

October 12, 1928 - June 30, 2017

Iowa motorists will start getting new license plates next year. The Des Moines Register reports that the new design will replace the current white, blue and gray plates that were introduced in 1997. A spokeswoman for the Iowa Department of Transportation says officials already have a variety of draft designs with city and country themes and ones that use the Iowa flag...

A four-week-old baby and her mother suffered burns and serious injuries when fireworks exploded on them during an illegal Iowa show. The Johnson County Sheriff’s Office says 36-year-old Margaret Limkemann and her baby were injured when fireworks launched sideways instead of upward at a party Saturday in Swisher...

The Board of Directors of Historic Arnolds Park Inc. (HAPI) announced plans for a major public fundraising campaign to the facilities of the 128-year-old operation. Fundraising is taking place for the renovation of the Maritime Museum, new parking, completion of the restoration of The Majestic Pavilion, a new Roof Garden, a new bathroom inside the amusement park, a lake front pedestrian commons area, updated infrastructure throughout the property, a new stage on preservation plaza, and many more improvements.. ...