Stories from Monday, March 25, 2019

Ordell Weiland, age 71, of Alta, Iowa died on Sunday, March 17, at St. Mary’s Hospital in Rochester, Minnesota.  Funeral services took place Friday, March 22, at 10:30 a.m. at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Alta. Burial will be in the Elk Township Cemetery in rural Alta. ...

On the afternoon of Thursday, March 21, at approximately 3 p.m. the Storm Lake Police Department responded to 210 Highway Street in reference to locating a wanted person. Police were searching for Alexis Cervantes Alvarez, age 18 of Schaller, IA who was wanted on a warrant charging him with Violation of Probation reference Burglary 3rd Degree...

Staff and volunteers at the Buena Vista County Historical Society prepare the museum for the 2019 theme, focusing on downtown business history. Jon Hutchins works on a display on the history of bank corners. An open house to launch the season is being planned for Sunday, April 28, with details to be announced soon. Also in the works is a presentation on Orphan Trains, tentatively set for April 3, and the annual book sale in mid-April...

Storm Lake High School presented its vocal music concert Thursday night to an enthusiastic crowd at the high school auditorium. The Varsity Choir, Junior Varsity Choir, Bass Clef Choir, Treble Clef Choir, and the award-winning Tornado Vocal Jazz groups performed, and seniors presented flowers and an embrace to their director, Joanne Tucker...

Northwest Iowa Autism Network is hosting its first event, the In It Together Autism Walk on Saturday, April 27, 2019 from 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Clay County Fairgrounds. Serving northwest Iowa since 2017, the Northwest Iowa Autism Network was formed by compassionate individuals working in the human services field who saw a need for additional resources for families receiving autism services. ...

Recently the Iowa Emergency Medical Services Association recognized Spencer Hospital’s Jeffrey Messerole as IEMSA Instructor of the Year. “I really enjoy teaching complex hands-on skills, such as resuscitation of adults and children,” Messerole said. ...

Pro wrestling fans can get a look at their TV heroes as WWE Live comes to northwest Iowa April 22, at the Tyson Events Center in Sioux City. Showtime is 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available now, starting at $17.50. WWE superstars scheduled to perform include A.J. Styles, Kofi Kingston, Daniel Brayn, Asuka, Charlotte Flair and more...

The Clay Central-Everly School Board met with district administtators and teachers to discuss the school’s transition to elementary only and the tuitioning out process for district families. In the coming weeks, district officials will tackle issues regarding the procedures governing student transportation into new districts, how existing staff be reduced, which building will house the elementary going forward and what operational sharing is available with neighboring districts...

It’s not uncommon for people to just look at Jodi Benson and burst into tears. Sometimes they hyperventilate or scream. But mostly they break down and start sobbing. Benson will hold them, heaving in her arms, and pat their back gently. Benson isn’t a household name but for many she’s an intimate part of their childhood. She supplied the singing and speaking voice of Ariel, the heroine of the 1989 animated Disney hit “The Little Mermaid,” which is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year...

The Clay County Fair announces Rain - A Tribute to the Beatles as part of the SRG Concert Series in the Sleep Number Grandstand at the 2019 Clay County Fair on Sunday, Sept. 8, at 7:30 p.m. “Thousands have seen this spectacular show at the Civic Center in Des Moines or the State Theatre in Minneapolis,” Fair Manager Jeremy Parsons said. “I’m excited to bring this production to Spencer and the fair.”...

Explore Science: Earth & Space is the new exhibit at the Prairie Heritage Center.  This event is part of a nationwide celebration of educational programs designed to engage audiences in the awe-inspiring fields of Earth and space science.  It is an opportunity to connect with current NASA science research and explore Earth and science phenomena...

Buena Vista University junior Kathryn Tyykila has been named a Newman Fellow in recognition of her exemplary volunteer service.  The Newman Civic Fellowship is a yearlong program that recognizes and supports community-committed students who have demonstrated an investment in finding solutions for challenges facing communities throughout the country. ...

March Madness is upon us, and this weekend, Des Moines is host to some opening round games. On Wednesday, Wells Fargo Arena was open so fans could come watch all eight teams who are competing this weekend practice. It was FREE, and I couldn’t believe how many people showed up. ...

A majority of the cities in Dickinson County have now heard proposals from the Healthy Hometown initiative on the subject of making public parks and similar spaces nicotine-free. Initiative members say current state law uses language limiting smoking in shared public areas, but does not address chewing tobacco or the more modern trend of vaping...

A small town in northwestern Iowa has ended its decades-long practice of treating the city’s drinking water with fluoride. The Ida Grove City Council narrowly voted this week to halt fluoride treatment in the city’s water supply. The move comes after city leaders and residents questioned whether the fluoride was effective at preventing tooth decay or presented health risks...

Republican Steve King says he was told that victims of Hurricane Katrina only asked for help, unlike people in his home state of Iowa, who “take care of each other.” House Republican Whip Steve Scalise, who was born in New Orleans, responded to King in a statement saying, “His comments about Katrina victims are absurd and offensive, and are a complete contradiction to the strength and resilience the people of New Orleans demonstrated to the entire nation in the wake of the total devastation they experienced.”. ...

Nineteen BVU students, four faculty and staff members departed on Thursday for the University’s 21st annual AWOL (Alternative Week of Offsite Learning), a week of service during spring break. The 2019 events see 12 BVU representatives doing a week of service on Catalina Island, focusing on Environmentalism, while 11 serve in various capacities for Outlook 360 in the Dominican Republic, focusing on English Education...

Genesis Development is learning to give back more with less as it faces new cuts and requirements. CEO Terry Johnson told Buena Vista County Supervisors funds for the non-profit were cut this month, making their mission “a little more difficult all the time.”...

Local Democrats anticipate new caucus rules ahead of the deluge of presidential candidates scheduled to appear in Iowa. They will be the “most significant” changes since the caucus’s inception in 1972, according to Troy Price, chair of the Iowa Democratic Party...

By ELIJAH DECIOUS A Series on Education Innovation “You do the crime, you do the time” has been the status quo for decades in public schools like Storm Lake’s. Superintendent Stacey Cole says it’s time for that way of thinking to change. The punishment should still fit the crime, she says, but there should also be a chance to repair the relationship broken in the process—something that does not exist for most cases now...