Stories from Monday, January 29, 2018

Whether they come to BVU to learn about computers, or with goals of making a difference in underdeveloped countries, many BVU students begin their journey with an interest in one area of science or another. While some know exactly what their post-college aspirations are, and some simply feel at home in chemistry classes, the exclusive possibilities bridging their present and future are endless thanks to a $2.7 million endowment from Harry Stine and the Stine Family Foundation...

There may be a light at the end of the tunnel regarding the future of the troubled Lewis Hotel building in downtown Cherokee, currently cited by the City as a Dangerous Building, and an unresponsive owner further exacerbating the situation. According to City Administrator Sam Kooiker, the City recently received a letter from an attorney representing two men - Frank Sawatzky and David Peters (addresses unknown) - interested in saving the historic Lewis Hotel building on West Main Street in downtown Cherokee.. ...

Buena Vista University was recently awarded a $3,571 grant by the Buena Vista County Community Foundation to support the University’s “Saving a Life” program. The program, established by BVU’s Shinichiro “Shinbo” Sugiura, was designed to provide early recognition, early cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and early defibrillation to any victim of sudden cardiac arrest on campus and in the Storm Lake community, specifically those living in rural areas...

The World Health Organization’s International Classification of Diseases will conduct its 11th revision in 2018, marking the first major revision since the 10th revision which occurred in 1992. In its nonfinal ICD-11 beta draft, a new proposed entry in section six (mental, behavioral or neurodevelopmental disorders) is “gaming disorder.”...

The Buena Vista Parkinson Support Group plans to meet on Tuesday, February 13, at 1:30 p.m. in the fellowship hall at St Mark Lutheran Church, 1614 W 5th St, Storm Lake. Anyone who is interested in learning more about Parkinson’s disease is welcome to this free meeting...

Nicole Boyle, PT, DPT was the guest speaker at The Meeting Place in Galva on January 21. During her educational program, Nicole talked about a host of nutritional topics including oxidative stress, dairy-induced inflammation, processed foods, sugar and gluten-free, alcohol, phytonutrients, getting more sleep, drinking half our body weight in water daily, reducing caffeine, needing a variety of vitamins and minerals, unregulated supplement industry, increasing exercise, taking care of our bodies and much more.. ...

On the evening of Thursday, January 25, the Storm Lake Police Department was notified that the Sioux City Police Department had apprehended a person wanted by the SLPD. Marco Cortina, age 19 of Storm Lake was arrested in Sioux City, on warrants issued by the SLPD charging him with Possession of a Controlled Substance - Marijuana 3rd Offense (aggravated misdemeanor) and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia (simple misdemeanor)...

• Kids Creation Stations at the Alta Community Library: Feb. 3 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. • Toddle Time: Feb. 5 at 10 a.m. • Movie Night at the Alta Community Library: Feb. 12 at 4 p.m. • Family Story Time at the Alta Community Library: Feb. 22 at 6 p.m...

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey today highlighted the Iowa Water Quality Initiative 2018 Legislative Report during his presentation to the Transportation, Infrastructure, and Capitals Appropriations Subcommittee. “It is exciting to continue to see significant growth in the water quality efforts underway all across our state in both rural and urban areas. This report is an attempt to compile and summarize many of those activities for Legislatures and the public,” Northey said...

In 2016, then Governor Terry Branstad started a debate about water quality, mainly because that was when Iowans were dealing with a lawsuit filed by the Des Moines Water Works. The suit targeted three northwest counties with drainage districts, and claimed farming practices were causing problems for the cities’ drinking water. ...

Assistant Clay County Attorney Barry Sackett updated county supervisors on the class action lawsuit Clay County is engaged in regarding the “opioid crisis” following a pretrial conference on Jan. 9. Sackett said that the lawsuit has moved into “discovery” phase, where parties gather information and both parties to settle are allowed the opportunity to settle...

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The University of Iowa is caught up in a legal fight with a conservative Christian student group that denied a leadership position to a student who is gay. The case pits a university policy barring discrimination based on sexual orientation against the religious beliefs of a 10-member group called Business Leaders in Christ. The group sued after the state’s flagship university in Iowa City revoked its campus registration in November...

Storm Lake Middle School students and staff were recently challenged. Each of Mrs. Robinson’s classes wanted to send in a microloan to KIVA.ORG (http://www.kiva.org) as part of their learning standards on finance and global citizenship. Kiva is an international nonprofit organization founded in 2005 and based in San Francisco, with a mission to connect people through lending to alleviate poverty...

One of the most important goals for this year’s session was achieved on Tuesday with the passage of Senate File 512, better known as the water quality bill. This bill has been two years in the process. In 2016 the House passed a bill very similar to SF512, but at that time Majority Leader Gronstal refused to take the bill up in the Senate. ...

After tensions peaked during a recent Storm Lake-Spencer basketball contest, Spencer school officials say they have taken disciplinary action. Spencer fans reportedly made some racial comments to the visitors from ethically-diverse Storm Lake, chanted “USA” and in some cases jingled car keys and yelled “lock your car doors” at Storm Lake athletes...

Inspired by the magic of Pixar, brothers Morgan and Mason McGrew have spent years working on a creation of their own — and their work has received a great deal of attention. The room looks nearly identical to Andy’s. From a messy desk to his memorable blue bedspread, and even a handmade toy box with Mr. ...

Public schools always look to implement technology to give students an advantage in the classroom, and in life – but what about using tech to help principals and administrative staff fill substitute teachers when the need arises? More schools are outsourcing to sub-contractors to help take some stress off their staff, and find the constant need for substitute teachers, in the form of automated job sign-ups for teachers, and aides. ...

The entire school population exploded into cheers as Storm Lake Elementary School teacher Jacquie Drey was announced as the Iowa STEM Teacher of the Year for the region, in an assembly Friday afternoon - an assembly Drey almost wasn’t at. She had planned to use the assembly time to consult with another teacher about one of her students who was transferring, having no idea she was going to be honored, and had to be steered to the gym. ...

STORM LAKE - The Buena Vista men’s track and field team continues to improve each time out, and on Saturday it registered 10 personal best marks while hosting the annual Dennis Young Classic. Drew Beall and Chase Bonner each took the podium in the men’s shot put with Beall second with a heave of 14.40 meters and Bonner taking third at 14.25 meters. ...

STORM LAKE - The Buena Vista women’s track and field team hosted the annual Dennis Young Classic on Saturday and walked away with 13 personal best marks including five top-three finishes. Freshman Brittini Thomas helped lead the way with a second-place finish in the 60 meter hurdles with a third straight personal best time of 9.62 seconds. ...

PELLA - Jasmine Demers scored a game-high 20 points and grabbed 10 rebounds while Claudia Larsen added 14 points and 13 boards as the Buena Vista women’s basketball team held off Central College in a defensive battle, 63-52, on Saturday night. It was a game where both teams shot under 36 percent from the field, including 13-of-53 from downtown, but the difference probably came at the free-throw line where BVU made more shots (17) than the Dutch attempted (11)...

PELLA - Buena Vista got 16 points from both Timothy Jeffries and Billy Sparks as well as 14 from Connor Winkelman, and the Beavers completed the season sweep of Central College with a 93-81 victory. The Beavers had nine different players score in the contest with eight of those turning in at least five points. ...

SPENCER - It was the final tune up on Thursday night for the Storm Lake boys swimmers with districts looming overhead next week. They took on the Spencer Tigers and the Carroll Tigers, falling against both. They bowed to Spencer, 75-13 and 76-12 to Carroll...

POCAHONTAS - Life was looking good for the Panther boys on Friday night. They held a 17 point lead midway through the first half until Pocahontas Area turned the game completely around. St. Mary’s bowed in defeat, 65-51. St. Mary’s held a 12 point lead after the first quarter, 22-10 and used a run to build their lead to 29-12 in the second quarter. ...

LAKE CITY - The Newell-Fonda boys were down a player on Friday night due to the flu, but still managed to pick up a 61-50 win over South Central Calhoun. The Mustangs took a tight first quarter by two points, 14-12. They continued to build on their lead in the second, outscoring SCC by three, holding a five point lead at intermission, 23-18. ...

SAC CITY - The Sioux Central boys got off to a quick start on Friday night but then hit a period of slumber against East Sac County. The Raiders jumped on the chance to build an insurmountable lead, taking a 70-58 decision from the Rebels. Sioux Central started quickly with 24 first quarter points, holding ESC to 14, taking a 10 point lead to the second quarter. ...

LAKE CITY - It was another tight first half contest for the Newell-Fonda girls on Friday night, but in what has been par for the course, the Mustangs used a strong second half to keep their undefeated season alive, knocking off South Central Calhoun, 68-49...

MANSON - Every game in the Twin Lakes Conference has the potential to go down to the wire and it did again on Friday night for the Warrior girls. However, it went in the opposite direction of what they would’ve liked in a 54-50 defeat against Manson-NW Webster...

MANSON - The Alta-Aurelia boys got back senior Carson Kruger on Friday night as his return aided them in a 57-48 win over the Manson-NW Webster Cougars. Manson took the early lead, five points, after the first quarter, 17-12. The Warriors battled back with another 12 point quarter, holding Manson to 11 to trail by four at halftime, 28-24...

STORM LAKE - Friday night was about as close as Storm Lake has came in the past couple of years against LeMars, the Tornadoes riding a long cold streak against the Bulldogs that dates back to 2006. The green and white came close to knocking off their tormentors but fell just shy in a 54-50 defeat...

POCAHONTAS - The St. Mary’s girls continue to battle with their small rotation this year and bowed on Friday night to Pocahontas Area, 72-29. The Indians jumped out to a nine point lead after the first quarter, 15-9 and the lead was built upon in the second as the Panthers were again outscored by nine to fall behind by 18 at intermission, 31-13...

STORM LAKE - The Tornado girls had a chance to pick up their fifth win of the season on Thursday night but ultimately fell short against Pocahontas Area, 62-54. Storm Lake edged PAC in the first quarter by a point, 8-7, but fell behind in the second quarter. They were able to spark a run at the end of the half as SL senior Briana Soto pulled up from deep like Steph Curry for three and senior Pasha Nyewe had a couple of steals and layups to get Storm Lake within one at halftime, 25-24...

LEMARS - It was neck and neck through most of Friday night at the Lakes Conference wrestling meet. However, the green and white settled for second place with 199 team points as Spirit Lake took the team title. The Tornadoes crowned five individual champions on the night and had two second place finishers...