Stories from Wednesday, October 16, 2019

IDA GROVE - It was a crisp fall evening on Monday night for three area schools to take part in the OA-BCIG cross country meet. Alta-Aurelia was sixth in the girls and fourth in the boys races, Sioux Central 11th in the girls and second in the boys, and Ridge View as ninth in the girls and second in the boys...

SPENCER - The Storm Lake girls swim team got back in the pool on Monday night and competed against Spencer and Algona. The Tornadoes fell to the Tigers, 78-16, but bested the Bulldogs, 51-40. Beth Runneberg was second in the 200 yard freestyle after finishing in 2:17.68. Kennedy Tate was fourth in the 50 yard freestyle after finishing in 30.08 as Emma Jensen took sixth. Jensen was then fourth in the 100 yard butterfly after a time of 1:26.93. Runneberg won the 100 yard freestyle in 1:02.88...

STORM LAKE - Monday night was a big night for all the teams in the Lakes Conference as they converged to Sunrise Pointe for the conference’s cross country meet. The six schools ran their hardest around the golf course as the Storm Lake boys finished third, and the girls did not have enough running to score as a team. Spencer swept the races as Western Christian was second in the boys, and Cherokee was second in the girls...

KAILUA-KONA, Hawaii - This past weekend was the ultimate event in the Ironman world as it was the World Championships. Storm Lake’s own Ironman, Matt Hanson, attempted to compete in the race but had to pull out during the biking portion due to an injury he was diagnosed with in early September...

Tornadoes welcome in Bishop Heelan This Friday night will be a special one when Storm Lake has their home finale. It will be Senior Night along with Tackle Cancer for the green and white when they welcome in Bishop Heelan. Storm Lake sits at 5-2 and 2-1 in 3A-District 2 while Bishop Heelan is 1-6, 0-3. However, the last two Heelan losses came in double overtime against Denison-Schleswig, and then a one point loss to LeMars last week. Storm Lake is 16th in the 3A RPI while Bishop Heelan is 46th...

Georgia authorities have found a man suspected in an Iowa slaying. Fort Dodge police say in a news release that 19-year-old Damion Chavez was spotted by a sheriff’s deputy in Lowndes County, Georgia, on Saturday in a vehicle on Interstate 75. The vehicle was pulled over and Chavez was arrested without incident. Two other people in the vehicle were released...

A Democratic presidential race that had been largely static through the summer has tumbled into a chaotic fall, shaped by unpredictable events and the deepening impeachment crisis surrounding President Donald Trump. Less than four months before voting begins, front-running candidates are facing urgent questions about their ability to challenge Trump, prompted by a health scare for Sen. ...

Western Iowa Congressman Steve King says he isn’t the vulnerable Republican in the upcoming election, despite facing four challengers in a Republican primary. He cited a poll conducted for his campaign that shows his leading primary competitors. King suggests that fellow Republican Senator Joni Ernst is more vulnerable, during an appearance at a GOP fundraiser in Webster City Saturday...

A City of Storm Lake “Meet the Mayor” public session is planned for Thursday, October 17, 5:30 - 6:30 at City Hall. Residents are encouraged to attend and share input on the subject, “Financing Our Future.”

Three people were hospitalized and one air lifted after a one-car accident Tuesday. Lilianna Catarino, 37, of Storm Lake was driving a 2002 Cadillac Escalade north on M-43 two miles north of Odebolt, when the vehicle left the road. Catarino went through the east ditch, and vaulted over the intersection of 310th Street, striking a culvert on the north side. ...

The children were ushered into the screening room by two’s, three’s and four’s. Some came in happily while others were skeptical about the change in routine. Optometrist, Dr. Fred DeHann, welcomed the children and called each one up one-by-one to get a picture taken of their pupils...

The lights will be off at the Sanford Museum in Cherokee as visitors use flashlights to light up history. This is a free family and kid-friendly event where you can learn about local history while peeking behind the scenes into museum cubbies and corners to look at strange artifacts. You may even find some candy while we’re at it...

Mannheim Steamroller will present the best the holiday has to offer this season. The group will perform live at the Clay County Regional Events Center on Tuesday, November 19. Tickets are $59 and $74. Chip Davis, founder and creator of Mannheim Steamroller, will celebrate the 35th Anniversary of his annual Christmas concert tour, making it the longest running consecutive concert tour in the entertainment industry...

Elton John, the number one top-performing solo male artist in rock music history, announced he’s coming to Des Moines to the Wells Fargo Arena on June 11 as part of his sold out Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour. The Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour kicked off to sold-out crowds in September, 2018 and has received rave reviews in every market. ...

Fonda Arts Center was the place to be Sunday Oct 13, as R and R Line put on a lively performance. The Storm Lake duo is Rex Wittrock and Roger Christiansen, with guest singer Kaylea Christiansen (granddaughter of Roger Christiansen). Kaylea is a 2017 graduate of Newell-Fonda, and this was her first time singing with the R and R Line. As part of the show, Kaylea sang “Grandpa,” the touching hit by The Judds, to her grandfather...

The Witter Gallery will be holding Coffee and Canvas this month on Saturday, October 19th from 10 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Coffee and Canvas is a step by step painting class done with acrylic paint on canvas. The cost of the class is $10 and includes all material and refreshments. Just make sure to wear your painting clothes! To register please call, Facebook message, or email the Witter Gallery with the following information: Phone: 712.732.3400, Email: Wittergallery@yahoo.com...

On the afternoon of Monday, October 14, at approximately 1:30 p.m. a Storm Lake Police Officer observed a person allegedly driving a vehicle whose driving privileges had been revoked by the State of Iowa. Police made contact with Stephen Ali, age 27 of Storm Lake in the 700 block of West 9th Street where he was taken into custody...

Memorial services for Rose Mary (Toody) Westphal will be held on Wednesday, October 16, at 10:30 a.m. at the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Cherokee, with Father Mark Stoll officiating. Inurnment will be in the Pleasant Hill Cemetery, rural Aurelia. Visitation will be Tuesday, from 5 to 7 p.m., with the family present, at the Aurelia Community Center. The Redig Funeral Home in Aurelia is in charge of arrangements...

Jodi (Holstein) Chirinos, age 61, of Alta, died on Thursday, October 10, at Select Specialty Hospital in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Memorial services will be held on Saturday, October 19, at 1:30 p.m. at the Fratzke & Jensen Funeral Home in Alta. Burial will be in the Woodlawn Cemetery in Alta. ...

The City of Storm Lake is now accepting grant applications for Fiscal Year 2020/2021. Applications can be picked up at City Hall or requested (and returned) via oakleaf@stormlake.org. Please complete the entire application and return by 4 p.m. November 22. Late and/or incomplete applications will not be considered...

The Iowa Federation of Republican Women held its biennial convention “A Salute to the Veteran”– featuring a prodigious line-up of speakers, award presentations to members, recognition of outgoing officers, and installation of new leadership – at the Sheraton in West Des Moines on Saturday, Oct. 12. Lori Leonard Reyman, of Holstein (center) was among those elected as officers for 2020-21. She will serve as 2nd vice president...

Buena Vita University will host its first Agriculture Student Expo, Wednesday, October 23, on the Storm Lake campus. High school students are being invited to attend the event dedicated to agricultural programs at Buena Vista University, including the new Institute for Agriculture, Food and Resource Management. ...

Storm Lake High School drama students are rehearsing for the fun, lighthearted and touching drama “Cheaper By the Dozen.” Don’t miss this audience favorite showing November 8th and 9th.

Iowa Central Community College’s fall drama production over the past weekend, “Falling Awake,” was written by an Iowa Central graduate and former performer on the same stage - Aaron Westrum. Westrum and ICCC theatre director Teresa Jackson enjoyed a collaboration over the summer, adapting the story for a student production...

Buena Vista County Attorney, Paul Allen, met with the Buena Vista County Board of Supervisors Tuesday morning to discuss providing a new vehicle for the new investigator his office intends to hire this week. Allen explained to the board he was in the process of hiring an investigator and has narrowed the pool down to two. ...

Snowflakes were whipped around by strong winds Saturday, but the weather did not prevent more than a dozen voters from gathering in the Hap Ketelsen Center to meet with Democratic candidate for Iowa’s 4th Congressional District, J.D. Scholten. Scholten’s Everly stop was part of his “Don’t Forget About Us” town hall tour, where the congressional candidate hosts a town hall in communities with a population less than 1,000 for each of the district’s 39 counties...

From halfway across the country, collaborating via email, a mother and daughter author team has created a unique set of stories by women about women, in the new book “Soliloquy: Beyond Town Limits.” Ann O’Dell, a nationally-known psychic advisor and radio host from Early with a hippie vibe, and her mother Dene Hellman, a 90-year-old seasoned writer and editor living in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, each contribute stories to “Soliloquy,” newly available through Barnes & Noble...

On Sunday, October 13, 17 Latino students from Storm Lake High School and Storm Lake St. Mary’s High School, together with their parents, celebrated completion of a community-based program that brings Latino students in grades 11 and 12 and their families together with community partners to aim for educational success...

Witter Gallery is organizing a new event featuring theater, film and art on November 16. Witter Gala: An Uncommon Evening in 4 Acts spotlights women directors, actors, musicians and writers with Storm Lake connections playing a central and creative role. Witter Gala consists of four different acts ranging from two original short plays to an award-winning short film...