Stories from Wednesday, September 13, 2017

The Primghar elevator was destroyed in a blaze Friday that took nine area fire departments to battle. Damage estimates are expected to top $1 million. No injuries were reported. Crews remained on the scene until 4:30 a.m. Sunday, when the elevator had been reduced to piles of debris...

Results of a housing study commissioned by the City of Storm Lake show what local leaders have been saying for years - that additional housing is needed badly, and soon. Mayfield Research and Consulting, a Minnesota real estate advisory company that specializes in such research, reported back to the city council recently with a set of projected priorities for Storm Lake, including a need for more single family housing building lots, more market-rate rental housing, more senior housing to answer a need that will escalate over the coming decade and beyond, and more multi-unit facilities despite a lack of land and appropriately zoned areas for such developments.. ...

Current mayor of Cedar Rapids and former Iowa speaker of the House of Representatives Ron Corbett campaigned for governor at the Clay County Fair this weekend. “I have always seen this as the Branstad era coming to a close. ... I believe that primaries are good because it gets the candidates out working,” Corbett said. ...

A nurse has been accused of stealing painkillers from a nursing home in northwest Iowa. Court records say 50-year-old Michelle Green is charged with fraudulent practice, dependent adult abuse, tampering with records and four counts of prohibited acts...

Officials say 19 Iowa Army National Guard soldiers are deploying Monday for Hurricane Irma missions with four helicopters. The Iowa soldiers will come from units based in Boone, Davenport, Iowa City and Waterloo. The Guard says the Iowans will move supplies, equipment and people and support searches and rescues...

A planning committee is seeking public input about how to transform riverfront along the Missouri River between Omaha and Council Bluffs. The Omaha World-Herald reports that about 200 people attended a Riverfront Revitalization Planning Committee meeting Monday to share what they’d like to see on a large strip of the riverfront. Focus areas include Gene Leahy Mall and Heartland of America Park in Council Bluffs...

Buena Vista University has announced that Steve Berg and Dr. Dan Douglas will be the co-chairs for its 2017-2018 Community Campaign. Upon graduating from the University of Iowa in 1977 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration, Berg, originally from Storm Lake, returned to his hometown to join his family’s business, Berg Jewelry, where he is currently the owner...

When the kids get up on time and get ready for school without major hassles, it’s a better day for everyone, says Kim Brantner, a human sciences specialist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach.By creating morning and bedtime routines, parents can harness the enthusiasm and tackle any concerns their children may have about going to school and can prepare them for a positive educational experience, said Brantner, who specializes in family life issues...

The Cherokee County Veterans Freedom Rock at the Cherokee County Courthouse in Cherokee was dedicated during a ceremony on Sept. 10 at the courthouse. Steve Reinert of the Cherokee County Veteran Affairs will open the ceremony, followed by singing of the Star Spangled Banner by Staci (Stoelting) Hudzinski...

Galva-Holstein Education Association is hosting a scholarship fundraiser meal. There will be grilled pork and beef burgers before and during the Homecoming parade from 5 p.m. until 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, September 21 at the Holstein City Park. Chips and drinks will also be provided...

Fashion Design students from Western Iowa Tech will be receiving some one-on-one mentoring from fashion and merchandising experts in Sioux City. Twenty students enrolled in the Fashion Design Pathway they visited Boutique 20 on Tuesday, September 12th and today, September 13th...

The following students have been named to the Dean’s List at Buena Vista University (BVU) for terms five and six: Amanda Kimbro of Storm Lake. Kara Langner of Alta. Jeffrey Mefferd of Pocahontas. Kara Nielsen of Alta. Alyssa Weischedel of Storm Lake...

Morningside College conferred 35 bachelor’s degrees, two Master of Science in Nursing degrees, and 113 Master of Arts in Teaching degrees in August.

 Morningside College is a private, coeducational, four-year liberal arts college with a total enrollment of 2,900 students...

Over 120 children and youth participated in the Storm Lake Public Library’s summer library bingo, part of the Build-A-Better-World collaborative summer library program. For each bingo completed, participants could come to the library and pick out a prize book. Those who got a “black out” were also entered into our grand prize basket drawings...

Archeologists discovered a quilted garment on a carved ivory figure of Pharaoh believed to be from 3400 B.C. They have also found a Mongolian quilted floor covering from the 1st century A.D. Knights in the 11th century and later wore quilted garments under leather and chainmail armor for protection and added comfort. The earliest known surviving bed quilt was made in Sicily at the end of the 14th century which depicts the legend of Tristan (a Medieval myth similar to King Arthur)...

On Monday, September 11 Megan Stroh, Archeologist at Sanford Museum in Cherokee, talked about finding things underground without disturbing the ground. She talked about using a Gradiometer and a Lidar to see where the ground had been disturbed and to get a picture of the layers under the ground in a particular location...

Breanna Wacker and Kenny Bishop announce their engagement. Parents of the couple are Lon and Teresa Wacker of Hartley and Kenny and Denise Hinkeldey of Alta...

Note: All kickoff times are set for 7 p.m. Top 10 showdown looms for Tornadoes at Heelan Last week was a close call for the #8 Storm Lake Tornadoes as a batted down pass stopped an Algona Bulldog two point conversion with under two minutes left in the game to seal a 35-34 triumph for the 14th straight regular season win for Storm Lake...

HOLSTEIN - Alta-Aurelia and Ridge View competed at the Tim Thomas Classic cross country meet on Saturday morning. The Warriors boys took fifth as a team out of the 16 schools in the B class, Sioux Central was third and Ridge View 13th. On the girls side, AA finished third out of 12 teams, Ridge View took sixth and Sioux Central 12th...

It is said a picture is worth a thousand words, but there are no words to truly describe what Larry Moller, former resident of Galva, lived through on September 11, 2001. He recalls from his home in Sugar Land, TX, “It was 8:45 a.m. I was on the 70th floor of the North Tower of the World Trade Center.” He was there doing some consulting work for the New York Port Authority...

September 12, 2017