Stories from Friday, May 31, 2019

Hy-Vee, Inc., today expressed dismay that a new Medicare rule did not provide relief from pharmacy direct and indirect remuneration (DIR) fees that inflate senior citizens’ prescription drug costs. A proposal advanced by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and supported by Hy-Vee was not included in the final rule published on May 17...

To many of our readers, 25 years old may seem young—an age represented by almost the youngest of Millennials. But in the bar and restaurant business, the quarter-century mark can be a millennium-like achievement in itself. As Malarky’s Bar and Grille turns 25 this week, it celebrates the success brought to it by Storm Lake while recognizing the changing reality of demographics that has forced what was known as a night club to focus more on the table and less on the bar...

Innspiration Vines & Wines at Linn Grove is in full swing with their spring concert season. Sunday Afternoon Music will feature Tail Light Rebellion, Sunday, June 16, 3-5 p.m. The new roots rock/folk outfit includes: Jonny ‘Swagger’ Natale (vox, guitar, percussion, harmonica), Jessica ‘Mauz’ Pietrzykowski (accordion), and Richard Stafford (bass, vox)...

The Turn Around Dancers Present their 4th Annual dance concert entitled Dancepirations.  Over 90 dancers will be performing jazz, tap, ballet, modern/contemporary, tumbling and hip hop dances this coming weekend at Storm Lake Community High School Auditorium. ...

The Storm Lake Municipal Band is gearing up for its 84th season of performances in the park. Concerts are held at the Sunset Park Band Shell each Sunday through June and continuing through July 7th. The weekly concerts are at 2:00, with the exception of the July 3rd concert, which is scheduled for 5:30 as part of the Star Spangled Spectacular celebration. Bring your lawn chair or blanket, or find a park bench. Concerts will feature different music themes each week and are free of charge...

Hold your hats country fans, triple threat - singer, songwriter and chart topping musician Toby Keith is coming to the Iowa State Fair Grandstand, August 12,. Since the ‘90s, Toby Keith has been defined by blue-collar drinking anthems such as “Red Solo Cup” and “I Love This Bar” while his patriotic support has shined in songs like “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue” and “American Soldier.” At the close of 2018, he celebrated the 25th anniversary of his debut No. ...

The Little Sioux River remains in flood stage amid persisting showers this season. The river entered flood stage at 18 feet on May 24 at Linn Grove, rising slowly to reach “moderate” flood stage Thursday at 19.5 feet. It was expected to crest at 20 feet this weekend before slowly beginning to recede, according to the National Weather Service, but with the water table oversaturated, any additional rain to the north could quickly translate into additional flooding. ...

The DNR Derelict Building Grant Program will award grants to 13 small, rural Iowa communities to help deconstruct or renovate abandoned structures, remove asbestos and limit construction and demolition materials going to the landfill. The City of Aurelia is the lone area grant recipient. It will receive $18,000 to abate asbestos and complete deconstruction activities on the old creamery. The City plans to construct a new fire and emergency management station...

You get what you pay for. That was the reflection of the Storm Lake Library Board of Trustees, who decided this week to pay off the remaining expense for renovation of the meeting room in the facility. The project has been disappointing in some respects, especially in the quality of the wall covering work. After some repairs, the coverings still show rough areas and loose edges, though is much better than before, trustees said...

Buena Vista County Supervisors opted Tuesday to renew their security automation contract with Accurate Controls, even with diminished utility under the system. The three-year maintenance agreement will utilize the cheapest “bronze” package at a cost of $30,443, 60 percent of which will be due the first year. The package is a 2 percent increase from the county’s last contract with the company...

On the evening of Thursday, May 23, at approximately 9:56 p.m. the Storm Lake Police Department was dispatched to 1205 Erie Street in reference to an assault. Upon arrival police met with the reporting party who alleged that a Nyamauch Dak, age 18 and Rebecca Yalle, age 20 both of Storm Lake physically assaulted the reporting party by pulling her hair along with hitting and punching her in the head. They then fled from the scene in a vehicle prior to the arrival of police...

The first ever Star Spangled Spectacular Poster Contest winner is Ruby Phelps, fourt-grade student in Denise Hull’s class at St. Mary’s School. Her poster includes the “Coming Home” theme, multi-cultural children, Buena Vista University, St. Mary’s School where she attends and Storm Lake Schools with the banner “We Love Storm Lake; We are one community SL.”...

A beautiful day and memorable sunset contributed to the kickoff for Storm Lake United’s summer Lighthouse Concert Series, a new event for the community, on Saturday. Minnesota country band Dirt Road Dixie played the headline slot in the evening, on a stage set up just feet from the shoreline...

This summer, The Bridge of Storm Lake is putting a new slogan to work: “Live, love and spread joy.” Endless Sea Coffee, now available for delivery to your door or for pick-up at their office, delivers your morning java, freshly roasted in five flavors, to prompt the value of morning reflections...

Summer is here, and Clay County Heritage will have Open House Tours at the Parker Museum one Sunday each month: June 9, July 14, and August 18, all from 1 – 4 p.m.. Come and explore this lovely 1916 Arts-and-Crafts style home on 300 East 3rd Street in Spencer. Exhibits include Parker family history, one-room schoolhouse, general store, and much more. Each open house tour is free admission, but a free-will donation is encouraged...

The annual Star Spangled Spectacular Car Cruise is set to kick off the Storm Lake Independence Day celebration on July 3 for the two day event. The 2019 route has been released by organizers Jason and Robert Knapton. Those living along the route can enjoy the classic cars, or you can see the cars after they park at Sunset Park...

On Tuesday, May 28 (Due to Memorial Day) Matt Pearson talked about the Storm Lake Municipal Band and distributed posters listing the concert themes for this year. The first concert will be on Sunday, June 2 at 2 pm. There will also be a classic car shine & show starting at 1 pm. Matt then went on to pictures of Baltimore Harbor and told about its tie to the “Star Spangled Banner”...

Tyson awarded a $20,000 grant to the Trepson Foundation Friday, with representatives from Tyson and other supporters. The grant will help fund the Day of the Child Multicultural Event in September and efforts to expand childcare facilities.. / Photo by Elijah Decious...

December 18, 1932 - May 25, 2019

February 8, 1943 - May 26, 2019

January 18, 1949 - May 28, 2019

Due to the damage sustained to the Elderbridge Agency on Aging offices, located in the Mohawk Square building at 22 N. Georgia Avenue, Mason City, Iowa 50401, Elderbridge Agency on Aging is postponing their Fundraiser “A Hot Night in Havana” to Sunday, September 15. The event will still take place at The Surf Ballroom...

Governor Kim Reynolds has declared May 27-31 “End Distracted Driving Week in Iowa,” joining the efforts of Farm Bureau Financial Services and the Iowa State Patrol to raise awareness about the dangers of distracted driving and to promote safe driving behaviors across the state. An official proclamation signing took place at the State Capitol on May 28...

Several Officers were invited to have lunch with the 5th grade class at the Storm Lake Middle School today for Police Week. The students and staff gave the officers wristbands and key chains. We love the partnership we have with this class.. / Photo submitted...

Today Western Iowa Energy announced it is moving forward with the establishment of a Monarch Fueling Station at its plant near Wall Lake. The monarch habitat will span roughly four acres. The plant will start the process by spraying to eradicate non-native grasses this June and in late fall. They plan to do a dormant seeding of native plants and milkweed in the field in early November...

A statement from the office of U.S. Rep. Steve King indicates an internal agreement has been reached with the Food and Drug Administration bypassing standard “toxicity studies,” in an effort to get 25-year-old Jaci Hermstad potentially life-saving experimental gene-therapy in her battle against Lou Gehrig’s disease ahead of schedule...

The usually busy Lakeside ballfield sits flooded Thursday after another rain, The entire infield and much of the surrounding area was under a few inches of water. / Pilot photo by Dana Larsen

Storm Lake man Dion Caldwell will serve up to five years in prison after being convicted of his third OWI, according to the sentence handed down by Judge Andrew Smith Tuesday. The stakes were high for Caldwell as he took the case to trial earlier this month, confident that a lack of physical evidence of intoxication would convince a jury to return a not guilty verdict...

Part two of a series This 10-part series, a collaborative effort of the newspapers of Rust Publishing, NWIA, examines the myriad issues surrounding the mental health care crisis in Iowa. Reporters and editors from the Spencer Daily Reporter, Storm Lake Pilot-Tribune and Dickinson County News have contributed to the report.

Expert advice for farmers in this reluctant spring? “Pray for sunshine,” sighs Kris Kohl, veteran ag engineer with the Buena Vista County ISU Extension Service. For a number of growers, the wet spring is reaching crisis point, especially for those with empty fields destined for corn...

A National Geographic crew was in Storm Lake last Friday, filming for a unique online project, “Voices of a Flyway.” Through spring, the crew, which National Geographic terms “the dream team”, is following the migration of a billion songbirds north along the vast Mississippi Flyway. ...