Stories from Monday, June 10, 2019

Fonda J. Sievert, age 74, of Storm Lake, died on Friday, May 31, at the Good Samaritan Center in Holstein. Funeral services were being held on Monday, June 10, at 10 a.m. at St. John Lutheran Church in Storm Lake. Burial was in the Ida Grove Cemetery in Ida Grove. Visitation will be held on Sunday, June 9, from 4 - 7 p.m. at the Fratzke & Jensen Funeral Home in Storm Lake. The Fratzke & Jensen Funeral Home in Storm Lake is in charge of the arrangements...

Berniece Spinelli, age 86, of Aurelia, went home to be with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on Tuesday, June 4, at Mercy One in Sioux City. Funeral services are being held on Monday, June 10, at 11 a.m. at the Aurelia Community Center, with Pastor Adam Costilla officiating. ...

Norman Lee Gurney, Jr. age 64, of Fonda, passed away on Monday, June 3, at the Newell Good Samaritan Society nursing home in Newell. Norman was born on December 29, 1954, in Sac City to Norman Lee Gurney, Sr. and Virginia Mae (Quinn) Gurney. He was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran faith and was a member of the Missouri Synod Lutheran Church. ...

On the morning of Friday, June 7, at approximately 12:07 a.m. the Storm Lake Fire Department responded to 314 West 9th Street in reference to sparks coming from a furnace. Upon arrival of fire fighters they were advised by occupants that they observed sparks coming from the furnace near the area of the burners...

The Iowa Natural Resources Commission is discussing two land purchases to add to the Leo Grau Wildlife Management Area in Buena Vista County. Plans are to purchase a 13.3 acre tract from Kermit Grote et al for $13,320. This property is located three miles north of Newell in southeastern Buena Vista County. ...

HyNoon Kiwanis announces the start of another season of the Community Sailing Academy. Information and class registrations are available at the Storm Lake United office at 119 West 6th Street, by calling CE at 732-3780, or contacting skipper Rick Peterson at 299-4374...

For over 15 years, Storm Lake and surrounding communities have been supporting the local blood bank, LifeServe Blood Center, at the community blood drives coordinated by Buena Vista Regional Medical Center. The blood drive was held this past Tuesday, June 4th to help the blood center keep units on hand for hospital patients across the tri-state area. ...

The 14 recipients selected to receive nursing scholarships for the 2019-2020 academic year were recognized at the 17th annual award reception held May 31st in the Kallmer Education Center at Buena Vista Regional Medical Center. A total of 139 scholarships have been awarded since the program began in 2003. ...

Northwest Iowa favorite Brad Morgan and his band return to Storm Lake for a show at Buoys Bar and Grill at Storm Lake Marina, Friday, June 16. Brad Morgan is a country singer-songwriter who was born and raised on a farm near Manning. While currently residing in Nashville, he continues to build on the success he has had in Iowa and the midwest region. ...

The good news is ”Dark Phoenix ” is neither an apocalypse nor is it “X-Men: Apocalypse,” but this latest installment is not exactly a solid step forward or a satisfying ending for anyone. It’s supposed to be the culmination of 20 years of X-Men movies, and yet it feels more like a rushed and inconsequential spinoff than something that we’ve been building toward for two decades. ...

A new musical group will be joining the Storm Lake Independence Day entertainment lineup for 2019. South 71 is an acoustic trio with second to none vocals and expert guitar and flute playing country, rock, folk and original music. Come hear them play at the Sunset Park Bandshell from 3-5 p.m. on Thursday, July 4...

Community Education’s annual Prime Time event for seniors will be held Thursday, June 13 at Storm Lake High School. The theme is “Learning is All Around Us.” Registration and a continental breakfast will be offered from 8-8:30 a.m. Superintendent of Schools Stacey Cole will provide the welcome and an update on Storm Lake Schools at 8:50. ...

Storm Lake FFA Chapter held their 1st annual awards banquet on May 15th at the St. Mary’s Parish Center. A meal was served and opening ceremonies began around 7:15 p.m. Chapter members, families, teachers and guests were in attendance. It was a great night spent celebrating all of the activities & accomplishments of the Storm Lake FFA Chapter. Awards were handed out as listed below...

One day before her graduation from BVU, Molly Johnson found herself at Better Day Café in downtown Storm Lake, enjoying lunch with her children, Isabel and Xander. “They’re going to King’s Pointe Waterpark this afternoon to play,” Johnson said. “That’s where we’re staying tonight.”...

The Iowa Great Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce extended its congratulations to Steve Neyens, of Rushmore, Minnesota, on catching one of the 10 tagged walleyes during the Iowa Great Lakes Walleye Weekend’s extended contest. Neyens was also the winner of the Charlie Shuck Memorial Award for the heaviest stringer of walleye during the 37th Annual Iowa Great Lakes Walleye weekend. ...

The Bridge of Storm Lake is holding its 7th Annual Run For Our Future on Saturday, June 22 to help raise funds for its Summer Youth Program. The 2019 Summer Youth Program includes a team of four AmeriCorps Summer Associates, six RefugeeRISEAmeriCorps Members, and one Tyson summer interns serving at The Bridge with the AmeriCorps-given goal of “preventing summer learning loss.” These programs also provids transportation to the school district’s free lunch program, the second year of middle school lunch program, summer camps, educational oppoliunities in the Cultivate Training Gardens, and regular activities at The Bridge Neighborhood Centers.. ...

The city of Quimby contracted with a manure hauler Thursday to transport wastewater from a pump station to the city’s wastewater lagoon. The city plans to haul wastewater until the broken sewer force main that runs under the Little Sioux River can be repaired or replaced. The city is working with an engineering firm to determine the best option...

County road crews are working as fast as they can to repair damage from a rough winter transition to spring and a rough spring itself that left gravel roads in bad shape. Hauling limestone and gravel, motor grade operators keep going, without contractor help, to get the job done the right way, said County Engineer Bret Wilkinson...

A victim suffered head injuries in a large fight at the Awaysis Park parking lot in the early morning hours Friday. Police were told that a 16-year-old male was visiting with friends at the park shortly before 1 a.m. when several carloads of black males arrived and confronted the teenager and his friends. A fight broke out, and the 16-year-old suffered a serious injury to his jaw...

Storm Lake Community School District Foundation announced the awarding of nine classroom educator incentive grants in the Storm Lake District for the 2019-2020 school year at the district’s retirement breakfast on Monday June 3. The foundation is funding $8800 worth of classroom grants to support needed efforts of classroom teachers. These grants were awarded by Mike Porsch, Executive Director of the Foundation...

Beto O’Rourke wants Storm Lake to know that they had a hand in forming his campaign’s recently announced immigration policy. The City Beautiful gave the former Congressman from Texas a glimpse into how much immigration impacts not only the industrialized coastal metros, but the small towns like Storm Lake all over America, broadening the scope of the conversation to more than just legal entry...

High-spirited youngsters serve up the eats at the recent Little League fundraiser cookout, hosted by Storm Lake Fire Department. / Pilot photo by Dana Larsen

Western Iowa Congressman Steve King not only voted against the landmark American Dream and Promise Act which easily passed the House of Representatives last week, he blasted fellow representatives for “undermining the rule of law” to “Make Amnesty Great Again.”...

The Ridge View baseball team picked up their second win on Friday night after knocking off Westwood, 7-4. Logan Gross picked up the win for the Raptors. Karlo Weldon had four hits and scored three times. RV moves to 2-6 and 2-5 in the Western Valley Conference. They host Kingsley Pierson on Monday...

PETERSON - The Sioux Central baseball team found their offense on Friday night against West Bend-Mallard in a Twin Lakes Conference contest. The Rebels took an 11-1 win over the Wolverines in five frames. Sioux Central scored three times in the bottom of the first and then added six more runs in the bottom of the third to go up 9-0. WB-M and Sioux Central both scored a run in the fourth, and the Rebels put an end to the game in the fifth with another run...

POCAHONTAS - It was a rough night on Friday for the Newell-Fonda baseball team as they took on Pocahontas Area in a Twin Lakes Conference contest. The Indians were just too much for the Mustangs as PAC took a 17-1 decision in four innings. Newell-Fonda scored the game’s first run but it was all PAC after that. The Indians scored five in the bottom of the first, four in the second, three in the third and then five in the fourth to end the game early...

ESTHERVILLE/PETERSON/PAULINA - The Sioux Central softball team hit the road on Thursday night and hung around with Estherville-Lincoln Central. One inning made all the difference in the Rebel’s 5-2 loss to the Midgets. “The girls played a great game tonight and did a lot of positive things. It should be something to build on as the season unfolds,” Rebel Coach Kasey Krager said. “Berkley Johansen and Kendra Casey, both 8th graders, had a good game pitching and catching respectively.”...

BATTLE CREEK - The Newell-Fonda softball team took part in the OA-BCIG tournament over Friday night and Saturday and walked away with a 2-1 mark from the event. They played against Kuemper Catholic on Friday night and took a 9-0 decision. The Mustangs scored twice in the first and then twice more in the second to take a 4-0 lead. Another run in the fourth made it 5-0 before a four run effort in the sixth to conclude the scoring...

ALTA - It was a rarity on Thursday night for the Alta-Aurelia softball team. Due to an injury, usual starting pitcher, senior Abby Kraemer, was unable to step into the circle. The Warriors were able to rally together and come up with a 2-1 win over the St. Edmond Gaels...

LAKE VIEW - The first handful of innings created too big of a hole for the St. Mary’s baseball team to dig out of on Friday night against East Sac County. The Panthers dropped a 9-5 decision for their sixth loss of the season. The Raiders scored three runs in the bottom of the third, one in the second and then three more in the third to take an early 7-0 lead. ...

ALTA - The Alta-Aurelia baseball team used a big time fourth inning on Thursday night to create all the separation they needed against the Cherokee Braves. The Warriors took a 14-4 decision in five innings. The Braves put up three runs in the top of the first but the Warriors plated two to trail, 3-2 after one. Cherokee scored their final run in the top of the second. Alta-Aurelia scored 11 runs in the bottom of the fourth and then ended the game with a run in the fifth...

WALL LAKE - The St. Mary’s Panthers softball team did something they had not done in a year, win two straight games. The Panthers got their second straight win on Thursday night as they were able to take down the East Sac County Raiders, 7-1. “Thursday night was a great team win for the Lady Panthers. ...

EMMETSBURG/ESTHERVILLE/WOODBURY - The Tornado softball team, coming off an emotional win earlier in the week struggled on Thursday night against the Emmetsburg E-Hawks. The error bug bit the green and white as they dropped a 10-2 decision. “Rough night on Thursday. We played flat from the beginning and could not overcome our mental or physical errors,” SL Coach Mel Fisher said. “We let one mistake spiral into many mistakes and dug ourselves too big of a hole.”...

EMMETSBURG/ESTHERVILLE - The Storm Lake baseball team continued their hot streak as the temperatures outside continued to rise on Thursday night. The green and white took on the Emmetsburg E-Hawks and came away with another big victory, 13-1 in five frames...

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