Stories from Tuesday, April 14, 2020

Martina McBride’s concert that was scheduled for April 18 at the Orpheum Theatre in Sioux City has been rescheduled to Thursday, September 24th. Previously purchased tickets will be honored for the new date. Available seats are on sale now.

There are 44 people in the Social Distance Movie Club’s Slack channel, where co-workers at Crooked Media have had discussions about everything from a Dwayne Johnson earthquake film to Faye Dunaway’s turn as Joan Crawford in “Mommie Dearest.” It doesn’t have anything to do with the work that’s done at the Los Angeles company, which produces podcasts like Pod Save America (it’s also helped raise over $1 million for coronavirus relief ). ...

On their first album in seven years, The Strokes seem to have known they’d be returning at a crazy time. “We are trying hard to get your attention,” singer Julian Casablancas sings on the first song, “The Adults Are Talking.” Nine songs later, the band has definitely gotten our attention. Mission accomplished, gentlemen...

Two first-place organizational awards and eight first-place honors among individuals highlight Buena Vista University efforts in the Society for Collegiate Journalists National Contest. Rather than disclosing the awards in a formal ceremony, as she has historically done, Dr. Andrea Frantz, BVU Professor of Digital Media and SCJ Executive Director, conducted the announcement, both for all participating chapters nationally, and for BVU students, electronically...

Social distancing, self-isolation, quarantine: the changes from COVID-19 can be hard to handle. However, Iowans can turn to Iowa Concern for help, says Tammy Jacobs, coordinator for the long-time service from Iowa State University Extension and Outreach...

Q: How might scammers exploit the pandemic to steal Iowans’ recovery payments? A: As chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, I led negotiations on the $2 trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act that will deliver direct help to individuals. ...

Gov. Kim Reynolds suspended state graduation requirements for the class of 2020 late Friday, among 42 other emergency actions related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Reynolds’ action suspends laws “requiring curriculum standards and completion of specific units of credit for completion of a high school program of study, to the extent such provisions would hinder Iowa school districts in assisting the Iowa high school graduating class of 2020 in completing a course of study during this disaster emergency.”. ...

The Pacific Crest Trail stretches 2,653 miles from the United States’ border with Mexico to its border with Canada, through California, Oregon and Washington. To successfully thru-hike the trail, traveling its entirety in a single trip, is an incredible accomplishment in the world of hiking as successfully completing the PCT, Continental Divide Trail and Appalachian Trail is known as the “triple crown of hiking.” Planning the effort takes months, as does completing the feat...

Children of some of the Methodist Manor employees recently covered the lake walk behind the facility with chalk art and encouraging messages for the senior residents to enjoy from their windows while visits are sharply visited by COVID-19 concerns. / Pilot photos by Dana Larsen...

A Schaller man has been arrested for allegedly breaking into a local bar to steal beer. Dean Box, 68, was arrested Thursday night April 9, after a break-in was reported shortly before 9:30 p.m.at Harley’s Bar in Schaller. Witnesses detained Box until Sac County Sheriff’s officials arrived...

By DANA LARSEN Pilot-Tribune Editor A contact with a new lime hauling company died for lack of a motion at a recent Storm Lake City Council meeting, after the apparent low bidder and current contractor protested the city staff’s decision to reject his bid...

A Buena Vista University sophomore has been named a 2020 Newman Civic Fellow by the organization recognizing 290 students across the U.S. and internationally for their service to community. Jacob Hull, a computer science major from Alta, was introduced to service, in part, via BVU’s Alternative Week of Offsite Learning (AWOL) last March on Catalina Island off the coast of California...

UnityPoint Health launched a new texting platform that allows patients to easily communicate directly with their health care provider’s office while reducing person-to-person exposure during COVID-19. The WELL Rapid Release Program will allow UnityPoint Health to create a virtual waiting room for its clinics. ...

Health care providers facing a shortage of personal protective equipment must extend the use of their face masks, use washable gowns and shorten hospital stays for some coronavirus patients, the Iowa Department of Public Health said Friday. The agency directed hospitals to take extraordinary steps to conserve limited supplies of critical masks, gowns, shields, goggles and respirators...

A blood bank operating in Iowa and three other Midwestern states is seeking plasma donations from people who have recovered from the coronavirus in hopes of helping those still battling the disease. The Mississippi Valley Regional Blood Center is seeking people who tested positive for COVID-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus, and have not had symptoms for at least 28 days. ...

The Storm Lake City Council has rejected requests for funding a circus tent for the Day of the Child celebration, and to pay matching fund requirements for a AmeriCorps worker for the Trepson day care/preschool program. Trevina Jefferson, owner of Trepson and founder of the Day of the Child event that debuted last year, had approached the council recently with the requests...

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds said Thursday there are no current plans to change the state’s June 2 primary election due to COVID-19. Preparation for voting in Buena Vista County is already moving forward. “We are strongly urging people to vote absentee,” said Sue Lloyd, county auditor and commissioner of elections. “We’re doing our best to protect our voters and our election officials.”...

One additional case of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has been confirmed in a resident of Buena Vista County. The case was announced late Friday. According to the Iowa Department of Public Health, the patient is a 41 to 60 year old adult, and was reported to be recovering. No further information on the victim or condition was released...

Bars, gift shops and hair salons were included among 13 Buena Vista County businesses to receive a combined $302,000 in the first four rounds of the Iowa Small Business Relief Program. The award program is set up to provide financial assistance to small businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic...

While the weather was decent, the month of March left like a lion in many respects as the coronavirus closed schools and businesses across the country, bringing activity to a halt. Buena Vista University students, staff, and faculty felt the blow, as the campus in Storm Lake effectively closed and students headed home. After an extended spring break, classes resumed online on March 30...

For the Social Distance Cycling Club, there never was a more appropriate time for their group moniker, than now. The club, which counts around 4.6K members on its Facebook page, has about seven members around the Storm Lake area. Training for RAGBRAI, hitting trails outside of town, or just biking on a good weather day around the City Beautiful, the Storm Lake members usually meet at a central spot, such as Puff’s, saddle up, then head out around town. ...

“It’s a shock at first, for the circumstances we suddenly live in, then you weave in and out of a lot of different emotions,” Director of The Bridge of Storm Lake Shelly Rock says of COVID-19 concerns and quarantine. “We sure miss connecting with our kids.”...