Stories from Monday, October 30, 2017

Open enrollment begins November 1 and ends December 15 for Iowans purchasing or changing their individual health coverage to become effective January 1, 2018.   • “There has been a lot of news recently about Iowa’s individual insurance market.  As the open enrollment season begins, Iowans should thoroughly research all coverage options.  I would encourage consumers to meet with a licensed insurance agent to determine the best plan for themselves and their families,” Iowa Insurance Commissioner Doug Ommen said. “For 2018, Iowans purchasing their own insurance through the individual market will have one option, Medica, available through healthcare.gov.”. ...

Iowa officials withdrew a proposal last week that sought to pull out of the Affordable Care Act and redirect federal money toward lowering premiums for younger participants under a separate program. If the Trump administration had approved Iowa’s waiver request, it would have been the first to create a state-run alternative to the health exchanges required under the law championed by President Barack Obama...

The Buena Vista and Pocahontas Natural Resources and Conservation Service (NRCS) would like to welcome Michaela Klump as the new NRCS Soil Conservationist. Michaela’s hometown is Ringle, Wisconsin (Central Wisconsin), she graduated from UW-River Falls with a Bachelor of Science degree with a major in Conservation and a minor in Soil Science...

Iowa farmers had a good week for harvesting with five days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending October 22, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. However, corn and soybean harvest progress remains behind both the previous year and the five-year average. ...

Two downtown buildings are in the process of nuisance abatement by the city, with the 123 E. Main St. property to be demolished, and the 100 E. Main St. property to have its back wall repaired with costs assessed to both respective property owners. The building at 123 E Main St. ...

This weekly fishing report is compiled from information gathered from local bait shops, angler creel surveys and county and state parks staff. Storm Lake (including Little Storm Lake) 
Surface water temperatures are around 50 degrees. Storm Lake has a daily limit of three walleye and all 17 to 22 inch walleye must be released; no more than one walleye longer than 22 inches may be taken per day. ...

Jim Wise, current Mayor for Sioux Rapids, has lived in the area for 30 years. He is originally from Lynn Grove. He has served on the Sioux Rapids Fire and Ambulance and the Historical Society. He has been on the Sioux Rapids city council for eight years and has served as mayor for four years. ...

Candyce Thompson Candyce Thompson, candidate for Sioux Rapids City Council, has lived in the Sioux Rapids area all her life. She was a member of the pool board, chicks, the Betterment Group, two church boards – worship council and ad council. She believes she would make a good council candidate because she can help better the town. She wants to make it more attractive and less like a bedroom town...

AUDUBON - A stellar football season came to a stark and sudden end for the #4-ranked Newell-Fonda Mustangs Friday night, as hosting Aububon reeled off 25 unanswered points in the last 13 minutes, coming from behind to claim an eight-man playoff opener 45-33...

HAWARDEN - Riding a six game win streak, the Sioux Central Rebels rolled in to the Class A playoffs with momentum on their side. However, they ran into a buzzsaw on a cold and breezy Friday night in the opening round of said playoffs, finding out how fast #1 West Sioux was. The Falcons jumped out to an early lead enroute to a taking a 63-6 over the Rebels...

ANKENY - The times were fast for the Tornado swimmers on Saturday but they were only able to advance one swimmer to the State meet next week in Marshalltown. The team travelled to the Trial Point Aquatics and Wellness facility on the DMACC campus where the Ankeny HS team now practices to compete in one of six Regional swim meets across the state...

INDIANOLA - Simpson College scored a pair of touchdowns in the final 35 seconds of the first half to break open a 21-14 contest, as the Storm went on to hand the Buena Vista football team a 49-21 loss on Saturday at Buxton Stadium. BVU junior quarterback Cole Miller hooked up with freshman wide receiver Eric Pacheco for a 26-yard touchdown strike with under 5:00 left in the first half to pull the Beavers within 21-14...

FORT DODGE - The Alta-Aurelia girls cross country team ran as well as they could on a nippy Saturday afternoon at the State meet. The Warriors took ninth place out of the 15 scoring teams, Hudson winning the 1A Championship. “The girls had been ranked 10th or 11th for the majority of the year. ...

AMES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa State will enter November in first place in the Big 12 and in control of its own destiny. No, seriously. The Cyclones (6-2, 4-1) are tied with TCU (7-1, 4-1), Oklahoma (7-1, 4-1) and Oklahoma State (7-1, 4-1) after beating the Horned Frogs 14-7 on Saturday. But Iowa State has wins over both the Sooners and TCU — and the Cowboys have to visit Ames on Nov. 11...

President Trump on Thursday declared what law enforcement and health leaders have known for years - that opioid drug abuse is a national emergency. The local concern “Clearly it’s a full-blown epidemic,” Storm Lake Public Safety Director Mark Prosser tells the Pilot-Tribune. “The amount of overdose deaths is rising around the country, and it’s coming at Iowa from both sides. In our area we’re starting to deal with it now. It’s coming - it’s already here.”...

If a room full of curious students and community members were waiting to hear who was really behind the John F. Kennedy murder, they weren’t going to get it here. Dave Curbow, a veteran teacher at Alta-Aurelia High School and student of the assassination history, spoke as part of the scholarly ACES program at Buena Vista University Wednesday night...

May 11, 1931 - October 22, 2017

October 29, 2017

October 29, 2017