Stories from Tuesday, April 21, 2020

Changes have been made in the Kiwanis food distribution event for April, which will be held Wednesday. Due to traffic issues with last month’s distribution as the event turns to curbside delivery, this month vehicles for the mobile food pantry will begin in front of the former Sears building on Seneca St, just south of the Fareway Store. Traffic will line up around onto E. ...

This is the end of the fifth week of self-quarantine and the fifth week since the legislature paused session. This session was originally scheduled to adjourn on April 21. The big question now is what will state revenues be for our next fiscal year. ...

The public isn’t driving as often or as far these days, in light of COVID-19 health recommendations. The decrease in gasoline consumption is starting to take its toll on Iowa ethanol producers. “Plants are either shut down or in the process of shutting down,” Al Giese, Iowa Renewable Fuels Association board member, said. “Within a couple weeks, there will be very few left running.”...

On Monday, April 13, Mareda Ewalt, loving wife, mother, and teacher, passed away at the age of 89. No services will be held at this time. The Fratzke & Jensen Funeral Home in Storm Lake is in charge. Mareda was born in City on December 11, 1930 to Louie and Mae Hansen of West Branch, Iowa. ...

Fred Hall, age 70, of Storm Lake, died on Tuesday, April 14, at his home in Storm Lake. Private family services will be held. Burial will be in the St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery in Storm Lake. The Fratzke & Jensen Funeral Home in Storm Lake is in charge of the arrangements...

Due to the regulations set forth by the Governor’s Public Health Disaster Declaration, no public visitation or service will be held at this time. A Memorial Service will be held at a later date. Julia Frances (Judy) Crowley was born in Palo Alto Memorial Hospital at 10th and Grand in Emmetsburg, on January 27, 1940, joining her parents, Joe and Della (Schwartz) Crowley, and her big sister, Maryanne (Charles) Slagle...

Due to the regulations set by the Governor’s Public Health Disaster Declaration, no public visitation or service will be held at this time. A memorial mass will be held on July 25. Stanley Russell Smith was born on November 23, 1946 to Melvin and Almeda (Jones) Smith in Webb, Iowa. ...

Paula Radke of Alta Implement and Pizza Ranch of Storm Lake donated several boxes of individually boxed pizza slices for BVRMC ER, Ambulance and Medical Surgical staff. The BVRMC staff say thanks for thinking of them during the COVID-19 pandemic. Pictured left to right are Laura Degner, Lorinda Peterson and Robert Shontz...

On behalf of all the veterans we serve, VA Central Iowa Health Care System is inviting health care workers to consider joining VA during this crucial time. These hiring actions will help bolster the facility’s medical staff during the COVID-19 pandemic. For a complete listing of opportunities, please visit www.vacareers.va.gov...

Kaitlyn Werner’s semester-long internship came to an abrupt halt as COVID-19 spread across the country. The Buena Vista University senior social work major from Manchester was serving both the United Community Health Center, in Storm Lake, and Buena Vista Regional Medical Center...

The Storm Lake School District’s five-year graduation rate has been calculated at 93.08 percent, similar to the statewide 93.5 percent rate. District officials discussed the rate at a recent board of education meeting, noting that the district is sometimes criticized for a low four-year graduation rate, which is misleading because it doesn’t account for the students who are in the district’s unique charter school program where students can pursue both a high school diploma and a college associates degree over five years.. ...

The Storm Lake School District has appointed four staff members to serve as instructional coaches for the coming school year; Wendy Johnson (East Early Childhood), Carly Denton (elementary), Joanna Freking (middle school) and Ken Shadlow (high school). The selections were made from nine applicants. In some cases, the staff members may continue some of their current duties as well...

Farmers and landowners in the North Raccoon River Watershed will soon receive a major boost in establishing more conservation practices on more acres. The Iowa Soybean Association (ISA) and eleven partnering organizations are recipients of a Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) award courtesy of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA-NRCS) announced today...

“Life turned around 180 degrees, for me, on March 17th”, says Carrie Peters, long-time BozWellz employee, and waitress. Like so many places in Storm Lake, when Governor Kim Reynolds ordered that all non-essential businesses, schools, churches, and other institutions to shut down in the state of Iowa due to the coronavirus pandemic, life as so many knew it, changed on a dime. ...

Miss the classic sound of big band music? Visit the Pearson Lakes Art Center at Okoboji every Monday evening throughout the summer. Concerts will be held from Memorial Day through Labor Day in Pomerantz Hall. (May 25-September 7, 7:30 p.m. each Monday.)...

Impact Pro Wrestling will perform for the first time at the Buena Vista County Fair, July 9th, 7 p.m. The IPW heavyweight title and women’s title will be on the line for the local event. IPW offers a family-friendly show, with free pictures in the ring after the show...

Stephens College had big plans for the 2020 Okoboji Summer Theatre season. Danny and Sandy of “Grease” were going to meet at Rydell High. Emma and her mom, Aurora, were going to work through their differences in “Terms of Endearment” and “The Music Man” was going to make a visit to River City...

Weeks of quarantine with kids have a way of burning through a movie collection. Even with the libraries of streaming services like Netflix, Amazon, Disney Plus and others, there are plenty of households that have already had their fill of “Frozen” and overdosed on “Onward.” In the best of times, the canon for kids movies can feel limiting. Disney overwhelms...

“Breaking Barriers in History” is the theme for National History Day 2020. Five Albert City – Truesdale 6th graders chose to enter a documentary in the district History Day virtual event, focusing on Ruth Jackson, MD, the first female Board Certified Orthopaedic Surgeon in the United States...

With recent warm temperatures, restless paddlers are ready to put canoes and kayaks in the water. Early spring paddling can provide solitude, exercise and an opportunity to see amazing wildlife, but extra precautions are needed to stay safe. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) recommends that paddlers wait for warmer weather to allow the water temperatures to rise slowly. ...

Almost all stations across Iowa reported above average precipitation in March, with some locations reporting 2 to 2.5 inches above normal rainfall, according to the latest Water Summary Update from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources Iowa received 2.73 inches of precipitation, or 0.58 inches above normal...

Officials of the RAGBRAI bike ride announced Monday that the ride has been postponed for 2020 due to COVID-19 concerns, after discussions with the communities and business partners involved. “The safety of our riders has always been the most important focus for our RAGBRAI team and we feel the decision to postpone to 2021 is the right one. We strongly feel that this is in everyone’s best interest,” they said in a statement...

Although the Witter Gallery has been closed to the public for the past month, the gallery’s staff has continued working and has been putting out online content to share art and crafts with the community. In place of their regular monthly art classes, the gallery is using Facebook to live stream videos explaining how children and adults can make craft projects using supplies they might already have at home. ...

Buena Vista University has hired a new Director for its Institute for Agriculture, Food, and Resource Management, plus an Assistant Professor of Agronomy, in helping to round out its team serving a growing base of students involved in agricultural majors...

High school seniors statewide likely won’t be attending a spring formal, competing in spring sports or even walking across a stage to “Pomp and Circumstance” this year. Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds said she plans to keep Iowa’s schools closed for the remainder of the school year in light of the novel coronavirus...

In fields and factories, warehouses and grocery stores, thousands of Iowans keep the chain of food and other essential services alive, while facing risk of exposure to COVID-19 in the workplace. “We have been hearing for weeks the concerns of immigrants and refugees in the workplaces. People are afraid of going to work, employers are failing to follow basic protections,” says Erica Johnson, an advocate and director of American Friends Service Committee in Iowa...