Stories from Monday, July 29, 2019

Iowa Public Radio is losing some state support and will have to find more donors, bigger donations or other sources of revenue in order to maintain current programming. The Iowa City Press-Citizen reports that a proposed budget submitted to the Iowa Board of Regents shows Iowa Public Radio will receive roughly 8% less than it did the last budget year...

The Latest on the reason a former Iowa state executive was asked to resign, according to AP news: Former Iowa Department of Human Services Director Jerry Foxhoven says he was unexpectedly asked to resign by the governor last month after he objected to the governor’s request that he continue paying the salary of a woman moving from his department to the governor’s office...

The University of Northern Iowa and University of Iowa are identifying areas that could be trimmed to handle revenue limitations. The Iowa City Press-Citizen reports that officials say in budget documents sent to the Iowa Board of Regents that Northern Iowa expects to receive $3 million less to spend this coming year than last, in part because of stagnant tuition rates and declining enrollment...

Three fish kills reported to DNR in two days illustrate the importance of taking extra caution with chemicals and other pollutants when the weather is hot and dry. DNR staff are investigating two fish kills near Des Moines, one on Deer Creek about three miles southeast of Elkhart and another on Walnut Creek in West Des Moines. Also reported yesterday in Butler County, a fish kill occurred on a three-mile stretch of an unnamed stream near Clarksville...

Humans aren’t the only ones escaping the heat with a trip to the beach, as this pup and owner shared some time recently on the shore at AWAYSIS Park in Storm Lake.

Senators Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) are seeking information from Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials on the use of solitary confinement following recent allegations of misuse. In a letter today to Acting ICE Director Matthew Albence, the Senators note recent inspector general reports that highlighted deficiencies by some ICE field offices in properly reporting and documenting the use of solitary confinement...

St. Mark Lutheran Church in Storm Lake recently donated over $2,000 worth of food and paper products to Upper DesMoines from the proceeds of their 4th of July pie booth. Each year the pie proceeds are designated for a community need. Pictured above are Maggie Reyes from UDSM with members of St. Mark and four Whitecaps baseball players who helped load and unload the products...

The Sanford Museum in Cherokee will offer meteor shower gazing with telescopes and a movie, Sunday August 11, 9 p.m. The movie will be “Apollo 11” - A Documentary of the Historic Moon Landing. Bring your own lawn chairs or blankets and bug spray. The Sanford will provide the entertainment and the popcorn...

Local gymnasts from Le Mars and Storm Lake got the experience of a lifetime by attending a three-day gymnastics camp hosted by The Turn Around Dance and Gymnastics Studio. The camp was organized and setup by Mike Copeland and Samantha Rasmussen who are owners of The Turn Around. Three guest coaches were hired to work the camp, Jeremy Mosier, Wendy Bruce and Jerry Blakely...

Young performer Kalea Appel from Worthington, Minn. will make her first appearance at InnSpiration Wines & Vines in Linn Grove, Sunday, August 11. Showtime is 3 p.m. Kale performs contemporary pop and soft rock, as well as writing original music, and has several music videos posted on her Facebook channel...

Hotel California “A Salute to the Eagles” tribute band will be playing Tuesday, August 20 at Pearson Lakes Art Center in Okoboji, 7:30 p.m. Hotel California was founded with the intent of filling the void left by the demise of The Eagles in 1982. By blending their extraordinary vocal and musical talents, the group faithfully reproduces the sound of the Eagles studio recordings while recreating a classic sound, which undeniably transcends the boundaries of rock, R&B, and country while delivering a modern, action packed performance that brings this timeless music into the new millennium.. ...

With the end of the 2019 baseball year for the 12 teams in the Twin Lakes Conference, the All-Conference teams were announced last week. A total of seven Pilot-Tribune area players took home first team honors. From Newell-Fonda: Junior Bryce Coppock and senior R.J. ...

With the season coming to a close last week, the Twin Lakes Conference released their postseason honors list. Seven area softball players were named to the first team this season. From Alta-Aurelia: Senior Abby Kraemer and senior Jessica Flaherty. Kraemer went 8-3 in the circle and had an ERA of 1.67 while striking out 118. Batters only had an average of .169 against her. Flaherty had 19 hits in conference play, good for third and added 16 RBIs on a .559 average...

Life moves in a circle, “The Lion King” tells us, and, increasingly, so does studio moviemaking. Close on the heels of “live-action” remakes of “Aladdin” and “Dumbo” and on the precipice of a reborn “The Little Mermaid,” “The Lion King” is back, too. Round and round we go. Cue Savannah sunrise. Cue “Naaaants ingonyama bagithi baba!”...

A series of workshops addressing mental health needs of a diverse community are being offered on August 9 at St. Mark Lutheran Church, 1614 W. 5th St in Storm Lake. Dr. Carlos Canales, Psy.D., CGP, FAGPA, SEP™, is a licensed Clinical Psychologist, Certified Group Psychotherapist, and Somatic Experiencing Practitioner will be the presenter...

The generations come together as some of the area’s best gardeners offer up their greens at the Storm Lake Farmers Markets, held Thursday afternoons and Saturday mornings at the courthouse green.

State Auditor Rob Sand wasn’t filming a farce when his campaign commercial last year featured the candidate continually turning off his lights to save money. Sand took office in January and has been working on his Public Innovation and Efficiencies initiative. The so-called PIE chart is a checklist of strategies — including turning off lights at night — to save money within public offices...

Senators Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, are expressing concern about the increased volume of methamphetamine being smuggled from Mexico into the United States. As the nation continues to grapple with an ongoing opioid epidemic, the Senators urged the Department of Homeland Security and Office of National Drug Control Policy not to ignore the surge in meth trafficking...

Organizers of the Prairie Lakes Conference hope their upcoming annual event can continue local discussions about lake levels and conservation practices. Extreme weather events have caused intense flooding issues throughout Iowa. The Big Spirit/Okoboji chain of lakes have faced high water for the past 13 months. ...

LT. Patrick Diekmanprovided training last week to Storm Lake police and fire staff on the SLPD Drone Program inclusive of applicable laws, technology, application in the field, capabilities and more. LT. Diekman oversees the SLPD Drone Program which has two drones and three FAA licensed pilots...

It was learned at Tuesday’s Cherokee City Council meting that the former River’s Edge Disc Golf Course in Spring Lake Park has been relocated to the MHI grounds and will soon feature 27 holes of play. City Recreation Director Dave Ellis told the Council that the disc golf course is now up and running on the MHI grounds and open for public use...

Tickets are still available for the Mollie B concert, set for Saturday, August 3 at the Storm Lake Knights of Columbus Hall. The event is a fundraiser for the Santa’s Castle holiday showplace in Storm Lake. Tickets can be reserved by calling Ron Hott, 712-299-4402. Admission will be capped at 250. The show begins at 7 p.m. and runs to 10:30...

A glider pilot soars his unusual contraption high above Sioux Rapids last week.

The priority of the North Raccoon River Watershed Coalition has turned to the Outlet Creek area of rural Storm Lake. This week, coalition officials are meeting with landowners in that area in preparation for a detailed land survey leading to projects that could preserve water quality and better control flooding...

Western Iowa Congressman Steve King taunted Democrats in the wake of the Robert Mueller testimony last week, calling the testimony “a disaster for the Democrats and Never-Trumpers who want to impeach” the president. “Mueller reminded everyone that ‘Collusion Delusion’ was a giant hoax, and that he employed a team of biased, Hillary-loving lawyers,” King posted on Twitter, tagging his message as he has lately with Trump’s calling card, #MAGA...

City workers and firefighters have rescued a 7-year-old girl whose head became stuck between two rungs of a water tower ladder in northern Iowa. Officials say the girl is autistic and was reported missing a little before 10 a.m. Thursday from her home in Estherville. She soon was spotted on the tower near her home, clinging to the ladder near its top...

Many people think they need to travel miles to see a special attraction and forget what they have “in their own backyard.” One special attraction is located in the southwestern corner of Buena Vista County—the Hanover Village. Often a group restores and maintains a historic building, but the Hanover Historical Society has restored a village...

A workman does a precarious job high atop the bell tower of the Fonda Arts Center, where roof replacement is taking place on the historic structure that formerly housed the Presbyterian Church. The cornerstone for the building was laid in 1886. / Photo by Scott Kilbride...