Stories from Friday, March 9, 2018

Nursing wasn’t Dillon Smith’s or Kathleen Bimbo’s first career choice, but it’s proved to be a better one. Smith, who previously worked in public relations, and Bimbo, who held a variety of jobs including pastry chef, are in their last semester as nursing students at North Iowa Area Community College in Mason City, and they are looking forward to pursuing more “fulfilling” careers...

Former Cedar Rapids mayor and current Republican candidate for governor Ron Corbett issued a formal debate challenge to Governor Kim Reynolds. For months, Reynolds’ campaign team has played it cute and ducked debate and forum requests from news outlets and Republican groups across the state by saying such requests are premature as Governor Reynolds is not an announced candidate for governor...

Two area men face a series of felony charges after police received a report of an armed robbery just after midnight Wednesday in Spirit Lake. Spirit Lake Police suspect 19-year-old Brandon Bebon of entering a trailer house at 1502 Memphis Ave Lot #1 with a .22-caliber handgun, according to criminal complaints filed at the Dickinson County Courthouse. Investigators think the Sheldon man “did demand the (28-year-old) male occupant of the house to empty his pockets and give him everything he had.”...

FIRE ALARM On the evening of Wednesday, March 7, 2018 at approximately 7:09 p.m. the Storm Lake Fire Department responded to 401 Cayuga Street in reference to an automated fire alarm. Upon arrival of fire fighters they located a sounding smoke detector in the basement they believed was activated by cooking smoke. There was no fire and no damage. The fire department was on scene for approximately 10 minutes and was assisted by the Storm Lake Police Department.

On the morning of Monday, March 5, at approximately 10 a.m. the Storm Lake Police Department was dispatched to the Storm Lake High School in reference to a fight which had occurred. Upon arrival of police they were advised by school staff that a 15 year old male of Storm Lake and a 17 year old male of Storm Lake had allegedly engaged in a fight at the school...

A grant writing workshop is scheduled to be presented in Buena Vista County April 24 for representatives of nonprofits, local government and schools. Grant Writing 101 will provide hands-on training in seeking and writing successful grant applications. The workshop will be presented from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 24 at the Buena Vista County Extension office meeting room, 824 Flindt Drive, Storm Lake. The program is sponsored by Iowa State University Extension – Buena Vista County...

Storm Lake St. Mary’s new Future Farmers of America chapter had 100 percent of their competitors advance to the state FFA Convention, which will be held April 23 at Iowa State University. They competed Saturday, March 3. Kendall Snyder is advancing in Extemporaneous Speaking and Sydney Hurd, Bennett Smith, Lane Carlson and Logan Merten are advancing in Ag Career and Science Investigation. The chapter was chartered January 30. Mr. Dale Gruis is the chapter sponsor...

The public is welcome to attend our Palm Sunday Ham Dinner to be held at First Lutheran Church, Sioux Rapids on March 25.  The meal will be served from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Ham, scalloped potatoes, corn, dinner roll, drink, homemade pie and a large selection of salads will be provided.  There will be a free will offering with all proceeds from the meal going to the mission fund.  First Lutheran members want to thank the community for the support...

Hy-noon Kiwanis meets every Monday noon at Lake Avenue Lounge in downtown Storm Lake at 615 Lake Ave on the third floor (elevator available). An interesting program will be held March 12. IronMan Triathlon champion Matt Hanson will be the program on March 12, 2018. ...

The BV County Historical Society hours will return to Tuesday-Friday hours ( 12-4 p.m.) and Saturday (10 a.m. -2 p.m.). By the way, our affiliate within the museum, the B.V. Genealogical Society has its doors open on Thursdays (2-4 p.m.) or by appointment...

On March 5, Buena Vista University alumnus and New York City photographer Andre D. Wagner visited the Storm Lake campus to discuss his work and process of using the street as an open studio.  Wagner, who lives and works in Brooklyn, graduated from BVU in 2010 with a bachelor’s degree in social work. ...

During a report on CommUnity Education to the Storm Lake City Council Monday evening, CE Director Joe Kucera reeled off some impressive numbers on the agency’s offerings. It served 4,500 participants in 26 youth recreation programs this past year, from kindergarten-age Smart Start skills clinics to competition for high schoolers...

Leann Jacobsen, Candidate for U.S. Representative in Iowa’s 4th District, will visit Storm Lake Saturday. She will attend a Buena Vista Democrats meeting at Better Day Cafe, 518 Lake Avenue, 9-10 a.m, on Saturday March 10. The public is invited.

The father daughter dance was held to strengthen family bonds was attended by 742 guests from Storm Lake and communities around northwest Iowa. Attendees enjoyed DJ music by Curt and Connie Reis, a professional photo from Buntrock-Salie Photography as well as some sweet treats...

In the James Bond films, sex with a globe-trotting spy seems to be fun, fun, fun. A martini, a tuxedo, a witty line or two and then it’s off to a luxurious bed with two tanned, muscular bodies. Not so in the new thriller “Red Sparrow ,” where the sex is cold, ugly and often violent...

The United States Air Force Band of Mid-America’s Midwest Winds will present a concert at Washington High School, 600 W. Bluff St., Cherokee, on Monday, March 12 at 7 p.m.  Admission to the concert is free and tickets are not required. Presented in partnership with Washington High School and the Sanford Museum Association, this is a family-friendly, all-ages event...

Arts On Grand is proud to announce their upcoming Music in the Gallery featuring Mark and Rowaida Lair at 7 p.m. on March 10. Refreshments will be served by the Arts On Grand board. There will be a free will donation for admission with the donations going to the musicians...

The Buena Vista University (BVU) Concert Band, under the direction of Jerry Bertrand, assistant professor of music, will present its annual Winter Concert on Sunday, March 11 at 3 p.m. in Schaller Memorial Chapel on the BVU campus. Opening the concert will be a march by composer William Latham, entitled, “Brighton Beach.” Highlighting the concert is the piece, “American Sketches,” by Barry Kopetz. This four movement work presents the musical, “Sketches,” based on folk songs of Wisconsin...

Hy-Vee, Inc. announced its commitment to delivering much-needed milk to local food banks in its eight-state region by partnering with The Great American Milk Drive throughout the month of March. During the month-long campaign, every Hy-Vee store will offer customers the opportunity to donate $2 toward the purchase of a half-gallon of milk, or $4 toward the purchase of a gallon of milk when they check out. ...

The Board of Directors of Historic Arnolds Park Inc. (HAPI) announced the hiring of Jeff Vierkant as its new CEO. Vierkant comes to Arnolds Park with 20 years of operational experience with upper level executive management. He most recently served as vice president of manufacturing at Link Manufacturing in Sioux Center. The business specialized in heavy-duty truck suspensions and related accessories...

Callie Wobbema has always been inspired to open her own cafe and bakery since she was little. Her business Enjoy Beach Cafe and Bakery opened on February 22. Her business is located across from Kings Pointe Waterpark. When Wobbema was little she would go to places for coffee and pie with her grandparents. When she got older she baked out of her home for clients. She always thought it would be a great idea to have a physical location and that is what she did...

Alta Mayor Al Clark wants to protect the safety of the city and utility employees by allowing them to carry permitted guns. Current city policy could subject the employees to termination for carrying guns into city buildings, he said, urging the city council to change that policy in the wake of “today’s environment,” so they can “protect themselves without fear of being fired.”...

Alta Community Library’s presented “My Little Pony.” The movie kept the children captivated as they watched Twilight Sparkle, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy and Rarity embark on an epic journey to save Ponyville from a dark force...

Alta-Aurelia High School will present Suitable For Hanging, March 16-17 at 7:30 p.m. at the Roxy Theater. Charlie Hackle is confronted with one of the toughest situations one could face: he is madly in love, and he has lost a day in his life that just happened to be his wedding day...

The Jazz Choir will be performing at the Staplin Performing Arts Center in West Des Moines on March 27 in the afternoon.

Representatives of two mobile home parks in Alta have indicated to the city council that they intend to contest the city’s recent action to require that they provide garbage dumpster service for the residents. City officials wanted to end the practice of city employees collecting trash in a trailer park, and felt code requires the owners to provide for trash containers. ...

On Friday, March 2, the 3rd graders from Alta-Aurelia were given a special presentation from the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6172 of Alta. Jerri Kolpin read a letter from her nephew 1SG Adam Martinez who is deployed to Bagram, Afghanistan. 1SG Adam Martinez wrote a letter to the 3rd grade class thanking them for the cards and care packages...

The Buena Vista Community Theater is in the process of putting a variety show together, under the direction of Jacob Pedersen. They are looking for additional singers and actors for this exciting event. Buena Vista Community Theater need approximately 15-20 adults, ages 21 and up, to make the show possible...

The Alta Warrior PTO is hosting a fundraising event on March 10 at the local high school from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event will feature the following businesses: Tastefully Simple, Usborne Books, Thirty One Gifts, Handprint, Goodness from The Goats, Lularoe- Renae Binder, Suilt Boutique, Norwex, Scentsy, The Loft, Color Street, Lipsense/Senegence, Crazy Crochet Guy and Pampered Chef...

Storm Lake St. Mary’s Parish will host a benefit dinner on Sunday, March 18 from 3-7 p.m. for Andrea Rodriguez, a parishioner and St. Mary’s School 8th grade student, who was recently injured in an automobile accident. Proceeds will go to defray Andrea’s ongoing medical and rehabilitation costs. The public will be offered an authentic Mexican taco meal with rice and beans...

Iowa’s Congressional delegate on Wednesday sent a letter to President Trump urging him to reconsider a plan to imposing tariffs on imported steel and aluminum that they said could harm Iowa’s farmers and manufacturers.Senators Joni Ernst and Chuck Grassley, along with Congressmen David Young, Rod Blum, Dave Loebsack and Steve King signed the letter...

Jeff Dicks has been hired to serve as the Newell-Fonda and Albert City-Truesdale shared superintendent, following interviews in which he was the sole finalist from a pool of applicants. Dicks will begin duties on July 1. He previously served as the Newell-Fonda High School principal from 2005-2007, shared principal and superintendent duties for two years, and was superintendent for eight years. He currently serves as the shared superintendent for the Washington and WACO school districts...

Local college students told a candidate for governor Thursday that they have felt the pain of seeing classmates forced to leave Buena Vista University because they can no longer afford the cost of college education. Democrat Fred Hubbell, who has served for over 30 years on the board of trustees for BVU rival Simpson, as well as an advisory board for the University of Iowa School of Business, made an impromptu appearance at the local university while passing through Storm Lake, where a group of students was assembled to speak with him.. ...

Five Buena Vista University students representing five different native countries formed a no-holds-barred panel this week to address the state of gender roles in their home cultures and in the U.S. All felt that some improvement is taking place in women’s rights, though it is often frustratingly slow...

The Iowa Print Sports Writers Association announced their first ever girls basketball All-State team on Tuesday. The teams are selected by print sports writers in Iowa, and honored the top-24 high school girls basketball players in each class. Two young ladies in the Pilot Tribune area found themselves making this first year team. ...

GRIMES - The Turn Around’s GK Storm gymnastics teams competed at the Field of Dreams meet in Grimes, on March 2-4. The GK gymnasts competed against gymnasts from teams from across the Midwest Ohana Sports Complex Center on the vault, bars, beam and floor...

This past basketball season for Alta-Aurelia senior Carson Kruger was a tough one. In a scrimmage before the season began, he landed awkwardly and broke his wrist. However, it did not deter the senior from carrying on and helping his team late in the season getting to a 2A substate final...

October 22, 1926