Stories from Wednesday, March 25, 2020

Storm Lake educator Joanne Tucker is encouraging a project to help health care workers. Health care workers in her family work in Seattle on the front lines of the epidemic. “They are desperately in need of face masks and face shields at their hospital. ...

Iowa gas prices have fallen 10.3 cents per gallon in the past week, averaging $1.90 on Monday. Gas prices in Iowa are 42.6 cents per gallon lower than a month ago and stand 69.7 cents per gallon lower than a year ago. Storm Lake pump prices slipped below the $2 mark last week, and by the start of this week ranged from $1.87 to $1.97...

The Storm Lake Community School District has named Jay Anderson as its next activities director, starting in the 2020-21 school year. Anderson is currently the director of student services at Storm Lake Elementary School, where he previously served as a fourth-grade teacher. He is also the former head football coach at Buena Vista University...

Lakeside City Hall was closed Monday, until further notice.  For city business, call 732-6601. Payments can be put in the box by the driveway.

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) is blasting Senate Democrats for what he is calling a “filibuster” to delay a relief package to help families and businesses coping with the economic fallout from the coronavirus. Tempers flared in Washington Monday as Senate Democrats said the nearly $2 trillion relief package is geared too much toward large corporations, and tried to steer more of the assistance to public health and hospitals. Negotiation was still going on Tuesday...

- Storm Lake churches are utilizing technology to share services while COVID-19 concerns have church buildings shuttered. Sheryl Lang shares this photo if the family’s toddler watching Mass with Father Patrick Behm on Sunday morning from home.

Barth A. Pearson - age 64, of Pocahontas, passed away on Saturday, February 29, at the Paula J. Baber Hospice Home in Fort Dodge. Barth Alric Pearson was born August 10, 1955 in Minneapolis, Minnesota to Rev. Everett and Marvel (Edinger) Pearson. His elementary and high school education was pursued in Mitchell, South Dakota; Batavia, Illinois; and Newell, Iowa. ...

It can be tough for a kid to be stuck at home. Maybe even tougher for their teacher. “The teachers of Storm Lake desperately miss our kids and can’t wait to see their smiling faces,” said Melanie Langer, a member of the elementary staff. On the Sunday night of the announcement that schools would close as a COVID-19 precaution, she remembers being overwhelmed with emotion...

Now more than ever the country needs truck drivers to ensure that store shelves remain stocked with food and essential items. Truckers are working day and night to get these needed goods to stores so the general public can continue to have some peace of mind during the COVID-19 virus pandemic...

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on Tuesday announced $935,141 in awards to 14 health centers in Iowa stemming from the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2020.  United Community Health Center will receive $54,850...

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will be conducting prescribed burns this spring on wildlife management areas managed by the Iowa DNR’s Prairie Lakes Wildlife Unit in Buena Vista, Clay, Palo Alto, Emmet and Kossuth counties. Pickerel Lake Wetland Complex in Buena Vista County is planned for a scheduled burn. ...

Storm Lake Police Department received a report March 22 of an alleged physical assault of 12 year old child at a residence in Storm Lake.  Police responded to the residence and took into custody a male subject identified as Ka Toe, age 38 of Storm Lake. Following an investigation police allege that Toe had inappropriately touched a child in a sexual manner. Toe was charged with Indecent Contact with a Child and Assault with Intent to Commit Sexual Abuse. Toe was jailed on a $4,000 bond...

The number of positive cases of COVID-19 has grown by another 19 in Iowa, bringing the state total to 124 confirmed cases, Gov. Kim Reynolds said Tuesday. Nine of those new cases were people who were already in the hospital for other reasons. The latest report includes cases in Jasper County and Warren County in central Iowa. ...

Granted, the last thing you might want to see just now is a horror story about infectious sickness, since you are living one. In these times, Hollywood’s take on pandemics is a lot less frightening and surreal than the nightly news, however. There are a surprising number of films that have explored the topic. We suppose people are drawn to them by the vulnerability they recognize: even war is more containable than a virus, it seems...

Effective immediately and until further notice, the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals (DIA), will temporarily suspend all routine inspections of hotels, home bakeries, and food establishments, including restaurants, bars, and food trucks. DIA Food and Consumer Safety Bureau staff will limit inspections to those for complaints, follow-up inspections, and pre-opening inspections for new businesses...

Gov. Kim Reynolds on Sunday defended her decision not to close child-care centers, even as schools have closed. She called on schools, community organizations and churches to make their spaces available for emergency child care centers for essential workers...