Stories from Friday, January 17, 2020

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is opened general signup for the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) through February 28, 2020. Farmers and ranchers who enroll in CRP receive a yearly rental payment for voluntarily establishing long-term, resource-conserving plant species, such as approved grasses or trees (known as “covers”) to control soil erosion, improve water quality and develop wildlife habitat on marginally productive agricultural lands...

The Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Dairy Team will host a five-session webinar entitled “Eye on Employees,” beginning Wednesday, Feb. 5 from noon to 1 p.m. The webinars will address the main concerns that farm and, more specifically, dairy employers face...

In November, Scooter’s Coffee locations collected donations to benefit Wounded Warriors Family Support,  a nonprofit that provides support to the families of those who have been wounded, injured or killed during combat operations. Over $22,000 was donated. / Photo submitted...

The Clay County Regional Events Center filled with families Saturday as children and their parents watched the “PJ Masks” on stage instead of the TV. The children’s show superheroes Catboy, Owlette, Gekko and PJ Robot faced off with archnemeses Romeo, Luna Girl and Night Ninja as the crowd of youngsters, some donning their own “PJ Masks” costumes, watched the drama unfold. ...

Richard Marx: An Acoustic Evening of Love Songs, comes to the Hard Rock resort in Sioux City, February 1. Showtime is 8 p.m., and tickets are on sale now. As a performer, songwriter and producer, Richard Marx’s nearly three-decade-long career has had innumerable of highlights. ...

The Witter Gallery will be hosting a reception for artist Erin Nguyen, whose work is currently on display at the gallery, on Jan. 31 from 5-6 p.m. Nguyen, who was raised in Storm Lake and formerly taught at Storm Lake Middle School, will discuss her artwork and be available to answer questions about her process and her craft...

The Clay County Fair announced Skillet as part of the SRG Concert Series in the Sleep Number Grandstand at the 2020 Clay County Fair at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 12. One of the best-selling rock bands of the 21st century, the two-time Grammy Award-nominated multiplatinum Wisconsin quartet, Skillet, ignites seismic anthems highlighted by chantable choruses, thunderous rhythms, symphonic electronics and intricate musicality. ...

Buena Vista County has for the first time declared Iowa Honey Bee Day. County Supervisors followed the example of the governor this week in making the declaration, requested by the Iowa Honey Been Association. According to the organization, honey bees are important pollinators for a third of the food humans consume. ...

New Buena Vista County Veteran’s Services Officer Dave Andrews is hoping to ramp up the outreach from his office. Andrews is currently pursuing the necessary training and certification for the office, working part-time, he told county supervisors this week...

Parents & Teachers of Panthers (PTP) is an organization which supports, enhances and encourages the educational and social environment of St. Mary’s Catholic School. PTP has raised and purchased many educational items and sponsored events. On Friday night, PTP presented a check for $5,000 for technology purchases. ...

Buena Vista University joins Storm Lake United in offering a rebirth of Winterfest on Storm Lake, Feb. 9. “We participated with Storm Lake United on Winterfest activities a few years ago,” says Trevor Berneking, BVU Director of Recreation Services. “We wanted to bring it back and get people outside enjoying recreation in the winter.”...

Every winter when the temperature drops and West Lake Okoboji freezes over, the fictional University of Okoboji comes to life to offer an abundance of winter fun. It all started with a couple of local guys hosting a broomball tournament in 1981 and has since grown into a weekend winter festival that attracts ten of thousands of Midwesterners each year for a variety of outdoor and indoor activities...

The second session of the 88th General Assembly of the State of Iowa gaveled in at 10 a.m. on Monday, January 13, 2020. The remainder of Monday was consumed with procedures required by the Iowa Constitution to organize the House, establish communication with the Senate and the Governor and approve the policies and rules under which the House will conduct business...

Before meeting Pope Francis, the bishops of Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas and Missouri prayed before the tomb of St. Peter and reflected on how the fisherman grew in faith and love for Jesus. Bishop R. Walker Nickless of Sioux City, Iowa, presided and preached at the early morning Mass Jan. 16 in front of the apostle’s tomb in St. Peter’s Basilica...

The children of Allan and Rita Dirkx happily announce their parents’ 50th Anniversary. Allan and Rita were married on January 24, 1970 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Storm Lake. They have been blessed with 3 children: Chad (Joanne) Dirkx, Kelli (Curt) Binder, and Tami (Patrick) Perkins and 6 grandchildren: MaKayla, Aurora, Ben, Ethan, Ava and Bryce. Cards may be sent to them at 10416 West Floriade Dr, Sun City, AZ 85351...

July 31, 1935 - January 13, 2020

April 21, 1925 - January 12, 2020

May 24, 1923 - January 15, 2020

Tonight, at 8 p.m., “Dateline” will air a two-hour program on NBC regarding the 1992 cold case murder of Corey Wieneke, in West Liberty. Wieneke was found bludgeoned to death in his rural home in October 1992. For 27 years, no one was charged in relation to his death. ...

Nebraska suffered more than $3.4 billion in losses from disastrous weather last year while the toll was $1.9 billion in neighboring Iowa, according to a federal report. The bomb cyclone in March caused most of the damage, said the National Centers for Environmental Information, a division of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. ...

Authorities say a brother and sister who attended schools in the same northwestern Iowa school district have been killed in a crash on an ice-covered road. Ella Holtzen, 18, and her brother, 14-year-old Harrison Holtzen, died from injuries they suffered in the Tuesday morning crash north of Sioux City, the Plymouth County Sheriff’s Office said...

A Kansas man has asked an Iowa judge to let him engage in a sword fight with his ex-wife and her attorney so that he can “rend their souls” from their bodies. David Ostrom, 40, of Paola, Kansas, said in a Jan. 3 court filing that his former wife, Bridgette Ostrom, 38, of Harlan, Iowa, and her attorney, Matthew Hudson, had “destroyed (him) legally.” The Ostroms have been embroiled in disputes over custody and visitation issues and property tax payments...

The Iowa Finance Authority recently announced more than $6.4 million in grants to 27 area Housing Trust Funds to support local affordable housing initiatives. The grant awards are expected to assist more than 2,500 families. Northwest Iowa Regional Housing Trust Fund received over $273,000. The fund serves Buena Vista, Clay, Dickinson, Emmet, Lyon, O’Brien, Osceola and Sioux counties...

About 30 Storm Lake residents met with National Immigration Forum director, author and podcaster Ali Noorani Wednesday for a conversation on the city’s experience with cultural assimilation. St. Mark Lutheran pastor Dave Kebschull introduced the gathering as “simply friends talking together,” as the community seeks “to build something completely new here.”...

The Buena Vista County Public Health Department is having trouble finding and keeping language interpreters. Director Pam Bogue spoke with county supervisors this week during budget planning sessions. Public Health has attempted to have interpreters on staff, but is being forced to switch to contracted service. Bogue said that applicants tended to be younger women, who would leave after a short time due to pregnancy...

The Storm Lake Police Department brought its #beabetterhuman campaign to the next generation Wednesday, as Chief Chris Cole gathered with the entire 5th grade at the middle school. When a police officer needs help, he or she calls for backup, the chief told the attentive group of a few hundred. It can be the same for a school, or a community. “Back each other up,” Cole encouraged...

The Storm Lake Community School District Board of Education has given its consensus for a new Dual Language program that is expected to launch in fall 2020. The program, which the board discussed at its Wednesday meeting, will welcome up to 50 kindergarten students in two classes starting in the 2020-21 school year...