Stories from Monday, March 11, 2019

Randall G. “Randy” Huston, 72, of Huntsville, died Monday, March 4, at his home. He was born May 30, 1946 in Benson, Minnesota to Willard I. and Minnie (Wagner) Huston. Randy served in the United States Army before receiving an honorable discharge. Randy married Elizabeth Sinning on August 27, 1983 in Lawton, IA and she survives on the home. ...

The Ridge View FFA Chapter had members competing at Sub-Districts and District contests. They had several individuals advance on to the state level. They will compete in Ames, on Monday, April 15. The Conduct of Meetings team placed first at both contests and received gold ratings. ...

People are guaranteed to enjoy is African worship experience. Come feel God’s power and love that transcends language and culture. Experience moving worship performed by students from Ambassador International University in Zambia. They will perform original, multi-lingual songs in a worship experience someone will never forget. This group is sponsored by Gospelink...

Five Storm Lake middle and high school students have made it to state for their basketball skills in Special Olympics. Felisity Reed, Rachel Miller, Isaac Haupps, Paco Zillages and David Gonzalez all got blue ribbons for their individual skills February 14, sending them to state in Iowa City on March 15 and 16...

Indie and pop music lovers can get ready for the Chainsmokers to perform at the 2019 Iowa State Fair Grandstand on Friday, August 9. Since 2014, the EDM-pop duo has been creating and performing remixes of their favorite indie bands and original songs, that include “#Selfie,” “Don’t Let Me Down,” “Roses,” and “Closer.” Tickets for The Chain smokers go on sale Thursday, March 7 at 10 a.m...

The Iowa Rock ‘n’ Roll Music Association has announced its lineup for the 2019 summer season in Arnolds Park. The season opens June 13 with a special museum fundraiser headlined by The Brits. Tickets are $10 and a bake sale and silent auction will take place during the event...

The Clay County Fair announced Michael W. Smith, with special guest We Are Messengers, as part of the SRG Concert Series in the Sleep Number Grandstand at the 2019 Clay County Fair at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 10. “One of the most iconic contemporary Christian artists of all time coupled with one of the best of the up-and-coming artists will make for an unforgettable Family Night at the Fair,” fair manager Jeremy Parsons said...

Clay County Heritage will be hosting a Civil War presentation on Tuesday, March 26 at 4 – 5 p.m. at the Heritage Center on 7 Grand Avenue in Spencer. This program is part of Clay County Heritage’s current exhibit, Boys in Blue: The Grand Army of the Republic and will feature Civil War re-enactors from members of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War William H. ...

On Sunday, March 24, from 10:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. the Storm Lake United Methodist Church, 211 East 3rd Street, will be hosting a community-wide benefit maid rite dinner to help Shelby O’Bannon with her medical expenses.  This event will be held in the Family Life Center at the church, so please enter through the canopy doors on the East side of the building. ...

The city of Spencer is still exploring the possibility of bringing commercial air services to Spencer. City Manager Amanda Mack said the city’s current challenge is acquiring as much data and information as possible in order to develop the choices the city can pursue...

State Senator Amanda Ragan ‘93 apologizes at the start of an interview that sound from her phone may reverberate. It’s early Monday morning, a March day in which wind chills dive well below zero as she sits in an otherwise empty chamber. The Iowa Senate Chamber, to be precise...

As I mentioned last week, Friday March 8 is the first funnel of the session. If a bill does not pass out of a standing committee in either the House or Senate, it is most likely dead for this session. We will know more next Monday. We do know that the “big” bills for this session are funnel survivors. ...

One of the more intractable issues in the Legislature over the last several years has been the topic of traffic cameras.  Traffic cameras are primarily used for speed enforcement and red light violations.  The business model that is most prevalent in Iowa is for a private company to contract with a government entity to place and monitor these cameras in exchange for a portion of the fine revenue, in some cases as high as 33 percent.  In practice the details have run the gamut.  On one end of the spectrum, the camera company places the cameras, analyzes the video, assesses fines, collects the fines, and then rebates the city’s portion.  The other end of the spectrum is where the city takes an active role in the analyses, levies and collects the fine and pays the camera company.  The Legislature has made some progress as it has required that the analyses of the video and the assessing of fines must be done by a certified peace officer.  Also, the state has control of the placement of cameras on state owned roadways, but that is as far as we have gotten.  Proponents of the cameras, and those who are adamantly opposed, have been at loggerheads and prevented any further progress.. ...

A 39-year-old Estherville man faces a sexual exploitation of a minor charge after Spirit Lake Police suspect he asked for nude photographs of a minor. The charge against Joseph Walter Applegate was filed Feb. 11 in Dickinson County District Court for an exchange that took place in the 400 block of 18th Street in Spirit Lake, according to the criminal complaint. Officers think Applegate “did knowingly ask a minor for nude photographs to be sent to him” in the second half of 2018...

Young Newell-Fonda fans show school spirit last Saturday night while waiting for the 1A championship game to begin.

An Audubon minster is weighing a run for the District 6 Iowa Senate seat. The district includes the Storm Lake area. He plans to announce a decision on March 15. Heath Hansen says that current Senator Mark Segebart will be retiring, and that he has Segebart’s encouragement to seek the office...

The Spencer City Council fielded questions from the audience about the legality of cannabidiol, a hemp byproduct, in the city. Although the Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018, alternatively known as the Farm Bill, ended the decades-long prohibition of hemp on Jan. ...

Prolific musician and television host Mollie B will be performing as part of a fundraiser event for Santa’s Castle, Saturday, August 3. She was featured in a fundraiser concert here in 2017 that was a sellout, with nearly 200 attending. “People loved it. They were bugging me all last year about when we would have her back,” says organizer and Castle board president Ron Hott...

When you hear the phrase “people person” many Storm Lakers would say Bud Hott would make the top ten list. For over 45 years he has helped people while shopping at Hy-Vee. Helping people is what Bud is all about and if his story can help just one of you he wants to share...

Principal, teachers hope to break school-to-prison pipeline with behind-bars knowledge “Everything I knew about prison, I learned from movies,” says Storm Lake High School Principal Beau Ruleaux. Recently, he got a sobering taste of reality. Every high school works to break the so-called school to prison pipeline, but SLHS decided to take it further by learning about the wrong end of that continuum first hand, behind bars...

With the conclusion of the season for the six area teamscoming to a bitter end on Monday following Sioux Central’s heartbreaking loss at State, it is once again time to name the All-Area Boys Basketball teams along with Player of the Year and Coach of the Year. It was anything but easy this season to determine who goes where along with the ultimate award of Player of the Year...