Stories from Wednesday, November 20, 2019

The 8-Man District 1 football teams for the 2019 season have been released after the final team in the playoffs, Remsen St. Mary’s, bowed in the semifinals of the playoffs. Two players from Newell-Fonda were named to the first team, one to the second and there was one honorable mention...

With the final team in 3A-District 1 bowing out of the football season as Sergeant Bluff-Luton fell in the semifinals, the All-District team along with honorable mentions and the most valuable awards have been announced. In all, five Storm Lake players were named to the team and four garnered honorable mention status...

The Iowa Rock ‘n Roll Music Association has announced their Fall Rock the Roof Concert Series, held on Thursday, Nov. 21, will be a Rock 4 Vets concert at the Majestic Pavilion in Arnolds Park. GALAXY with Glenn Henriksen will entertain. All veterans and current military personnel are admitted free. Doors open at 5 p.m. and the show is from 6-8:30 p.m...

The Clay County Fair & Events Center announces the 2020 Winter Event Series, which will be held in the Clay County Regional Events Center: “PJ Masks Live!” on Saturday, Jan. 11; Arch Allies on Saturday, Feb. 8; Family Fest on Saturday, March 7; and Rock’n Bac’n Brew’n featuring The Dweebs on Saturday, March 28...

The Buena Vista University Choir presented a concert, “Celebrating Our Neighbors”, Sunday at Schaller Chapel. The concert was the first for new BVU Director of Vocal Studies Harmony Rose Murphy, who wanted to celebrate the cultures, traditions and musical styles she has experienced in her career and travels, and hoped to share with her students. ...

By Denny Holton Special to The Pilot “Only one way to do it. And that’s the right way” -John P. Lopez When the president of a highly respected, family owned company says his organization is “super excited” about the opportunities for company growth in Cherokee, that’s great news for the City of Cherokee, the surrounding area and the State of Iowa...

Stuck for a gift for that special person this holiday season? The Friends of the Storm Lake Library have you covered. The volunteer group assembles baskets that include a special book or books and other gifts, each with a unique theme. Visit the library to bid on your favorite basket - all income from the silent-auction style fundraiser goes to projects to support and improve the library and its programs. There are baskets for all different ages and interests. Bidding is open until December 12...

On the morning of Monday, November 18, at approximately 9:10 a.m. the Storm Lake Police Department was dispatched to the Storm Lake Middle School in reference to an incident involving obscene photographs. Upon arrival police conducted an investigation and allege that a 13 year old male of Storm Lake was sending obscene photographs of himself to other juveniles via Snapchat...

The Storm Lake City Council has approved an agreement to upgrade technology at the water and wastewater treatment plants. On Monday, the council approved hiring Thompson Innovations for the $71,000 project. The plants’ current operating systems, which provide 24-hour computerized monitoring and emergency alert systems, are based on Windows 7 systems, which as of January would no longer be supported. The upgrades will put the system under Windows 10 software as well as some other improvements...

The Iowa Lakes Corridor Development Corporation has recognized excellence in area business each year since 2010 with the Business Excellence Awards. Recipients are nominated by their peers and selected by a committee of businesspeople from throughout the region. Winners come from varied industries and all four counties. The four categories are Young Professional of the Year, Entrepreneur of the Year, Small Business of the Year and Large Business of the Year...

Shoreline clean-up continues to be a goal of the Mayor’s Committee on Parks, Trails and Urban Forestry. Residents of the Lakeshore Drive area have long complained that overgrowth on the lake banks has been blocking their view of the water. Much of the concern centers around the Chautauqua Park and Sunset Park areas...

Dancers performed recently at a Storm Lake community event recognizing Public Safety Director Mark Prosser and a national award he received for his advocacy on behalf of the immigrant community.

Francis Heid, 84, long-time resident of Cherokee, died on Thursday, November 14, in Ames. Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Thursday, November 21, at 10:30 a.m. at the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Cherokee. Father Mark Stoll will officiate. ...

Jean C. Sternber passed away November 8, at Mary Greeley Medical Center in Ames at the age of 70. Jean C. Sternberg was born on May 19, 1949 in Alta, Iowa to Clarence and Donnabelle (Leber) Sievert. She married Richard Sternberg on August 5, 1973 in Storm Lake, Iowa. She and Dick moved to Roland in the summer of 1979...

Twyla Wanda Rae (Benson) Stille Chase, age 93, of Alta, died on Thursday, November 14, at Accura HealthCare in Aurelia. Funeral services were held on Monday, November 18, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Alta. Burial will be in the Scandinavian Cemetery in Alta. Visitation took place one hour prior to the service at the church. The Fratzke & Jensen Funeral Home in Alta is in charge of the arrangements...

On November 4, Eduardo Murillo-Manriquez, age 25 of Storm Lake, was sentenced in the Iowa District Court by the Honorable David Lester for the crime of Delivery of methamphetamine, a class C felony. The defendant was sentenced to prison term not to exceed 10 years. Murillo-Manriquez’s probation was also revoked on two prior cases...

On the afternoon of Monday, November 18, at approximately 4 p.m. the Storm Lake Police Department was dispatched to 1009 North Lake Avenue for a reported violation of no contact order. Upon arrival of police they met with an Iowa Department of Human Services staff member who advised police that a Branlis Moreno Gonzalez, age 29 and Michelle Coronel Pastrana, age 22 both of Storm Lake were allegedly together at the residence in violation of a no contact order...

Jack E. and Janina Johnson will celebrate their 65th wedding anniversary on December 5th. Cards may be sent to them at The Gardens, 1610 Hwy 3, Suite 202, Cherokee, Iowa 51012. Their family includes Karen Lloyd of Fort Dodge, Roger and Shelley Johnson of Peterson, Patricia and Ken DeBreau of Gurnee, Illinois, and Richard and Connie Johnson of Urbandale. They have 11 grandchildren and an ever growing number of great grandchildren...

The Storm Lake High School Advanced Ecology class will again be working with community leaders on betterment projects. According to Mayor Mike Porsch, the students will be speaking to the city council in early December about the class’ plans. Among the projects the group is working toward is cleaning up one of the community’s beaches, doing some sort of zebra mussels awareness program in cooperation with Buena Vista University, and improving the courtyard area at the high school, Porsch said...

Young members of a student bell choir performed to open a recent “Standing With Our Neighbors” SALUD-sponsored community event at St. Mark’s church, along with student musicians and singers. / Pilot photo by Dana Larsen

On Tuesday, November 5th, eighteen Storm Lake middle school choir students participated in the Northwest Iowa Choral Directors’ Association 7th & 8th grade Honor Choir hosted at Storm Lake High School. These students prepared choral music and performed in an evening concert with 550 Northwest Iowa middle school singers. ...

Sioux Rapids P.E.O. Chapter GJ announces that applications are being accepted from area post-secondary women students for scholarships up to $500 to be awarded in February 2020. To be eligible for a scholarship the applicant must be from, or living in, the Buena Vista or Clay County area. ...

St. Mary’s middle school team participated at the regional competition on November 7th in Sioux City. The team represented St. Mary’s well and several students were recognized for outstanding performances. Honorable Mentions are awarded to students who are recognized by one judge within a round. ...

Buena Vista University earned the Chairman’s Award from the Iowa Lakes Corridor Corporation in recognition of several achievements the University experienced throughout the past year. BVU President Joshua Merchant, on behalf of the University accepted the award, which came during the organization’s Annual Business Recognition Luncheon at the Clay County Regional Events Center in Spencer on Wednesday...

Bathrooms at Buena Vista University have been taking a beating, resulting in a mandatory meeting for all Pierce-White halls residents recently in Anderson Auditorium, according to a report by the student newspaper, The Tack. Incidents include toilets jammed with rolls of toilet paper, and vomit and urine on the floors. ...

In hopes of taking a first step toward extending a bike trail around the lake, members of the Mayor’s Advisory committee on Parks, Trails and Urban Forestry are looking for a potential route for new trail to the Casino Beach/Storm Lake Marina area...

After a Storm Lake city council member questioned expenditure of public funds for a trip, the council voted in a tense moment Monday to deny the payment and direct the impacted city leaders to pay their own way. Mayor Mike Porsch, City Manager Keri Navratil and City Council member Kevin McKinney traveled to Washington, D.C. to attend the awarding of a national Keepers of the American Dream award to Storm Lake Public Safety Director Mark Prosser November 7...

Iowa Supreme Court Chief Justice Mark Cady - a longtime supporter of Buena Vista University - has passed away at age 66 after suffering an apparent heart attack while jogging with his dog in a Des Moines park. Chief Justice Cady was an adjunct faculty member at Buena Vista University for more than 30 years, earning adjunct faculty member of the year honors multiple times, and served on its President’s Advisory Council. In 2012 he was selected as BVU’s graduation speaker - at that time having taught over 1,500 students through the BVU Fort Dodge Center. ...

Theatre arts were celebrated in a venue normally reserved for the two-dimensional kind, during the Witter Gala: “An Uncommon Evening in 4 Acts” Saturday night in Storm Lake. The night featured local actress-educator Bethany Larson performing in a play written by Storm Laker Barbara Kearney, a reader’s theatre play featuring longtime speech educator Cindy Cone and friends and written by accomplished screenwriter and Storm Lake native Sheri Davenport, and screening of Davenport’s short film “Swept Away” - which she hopes to expand into a feature film script.. ...

A full house crowd of supporters packed the ballroom at Buena Vista University Saturday for the 8th annual fall banquet for The Bridge of Storm Lake. Speakers during the event detailed a busy past year, changes coming in 2020, and the new TreeHouse teen outreach program The Bridge will pioneer in Storm Lake...