Stories from Tuesday, May 5, 2020

After a seven-year hiatus, the Lake Creek Amateur returns to the Iowa Golf Association tournament circuit on May 30-31, a time that promises excitement on some of Northwest Iowa’s truest greens and lushest fairways. The Amateur was a staple on the Iowa Golf Association calendar from 1973 to 2013, and since 1975 one of the eight point-events that determined the prestigious Iowa Amateur of the Year. ...

Buena Vista Regional Medical Center and King’s Pointe Resort are sponsoring a book drive for the children of essential workers. People are encouraged to start their spring cleaning and donate new or gently loved books for kids age elementary through high school. Donations can be dropped off at King’s Pointe Resort in a special collection box...

The Sioux Rapids Chapter of P.E.O. has recently awarded scholarships to several local women. These women are continuing their education in various fields. The P.E.O. Chapter GJ of Sioux Rapids gave a Chapter scholarship of $500.00 to Haylee Gunnerson of Peterson, Iowa. She is majoring in Architecture at Iowa State University...

High School students at Storm Lake St. Mary’s are engaged in required online continuous learning throughout the remainder of the year. Dr. Larson, the High School chemistry teacher, has been engaging with her students in a variety of ways; through video clips of mini-lectures, kitchen chemistry experiments, demos on refracting laser light beams, and a STEM career project that is a joint endeavor between Mrs. Christianson and Dr. Larson delivered through Google Classroom...

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. ...

UnityPoint Health wants to send a clear message to patients experiencing symptoms of cardiac arrest or stroke: do not hesitate to call 911 or come to the emergency department. UnityPoint Health Chief Medical Officer Dan Allen, MD wants to ensure the safety of our community members. “Medical professionals have sent a clear message to stay home,” said Dr. Allen. “One exception is if you think you’re having a heart attack or stroke. You need to seek care immediately.”...

Recently, Iowa’s Governor Kim Reynolds announced that under certain parameters, Iowa hospitals could begin re-offering elective surgeries as of Monday, April 27. Spencer Hospital will be taking deliberate steps in re-initiating elective procedures...

Maurices, a women’s apparel brand with 900+ stores across the U.S. and Canada, announced today that it is donating $250,000 to multiple rural community hospitals to support healthcare workers on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic. As part of this donation, BVRMC will receive a donation...

It would appear that the legislature will be reconvening around May 15. This will depend on the pandemic conditions in the state. The budget for next year will be the biggest priority. We have been waiting to see what Iowa’s share of the CARE Act will be. ...

On the day Iowa began easing restrictions designed to slow the spread of the coronavirus, Gov. Kim Reynolds said increased testing was largely the reason for a record number of new COVID-19 cases. Health officials reported 739 new positive cases Friday, by far the most in a single day and bringing the state total to 7,884. Of the new cases, 516 were from four counties, including two that are dealing with outbreaks at meat processing plants...

Residents of Storm Lake have found their own creative ways to express support for one another during the Coronavirus quarantine shutdown, such as the sign in a home window on West 5th Street. Lawn displays, sidewalk chalk art and many other ways are sharing messages of support...

In my research for these historical articles, I keep discovering interesting, notable, and inspiring people of Buena Vista County—but who may not be well known. I am sharing a few of the many with you here. I hope that you find them as interesting and as inspiring as I do...

The coronavirus has wiped out plans to bring tens of thousand of people to the U.S. Capitol for the annual Memorial Day weekend concert shown on PBS, but organizers are pressing ahead went a revamped event. Performers like Trace Adkins, Cynthia Erivo, Renee Fleming and Christopher Jackson will appear on television in songs recorded remotely, in some cases from the Capitol grounds, obeying social distancing requirements...

Just in time for #GivingTuesdayNow on May 5, an Indigenous-led group from Nebraska is providing a free graphic novel about an Aboriginal nurse who saved hundreds of lives during a 19th Century epidemic at Standing Rock Agency. The 40 page, pandemic edition of Josephine Erlin Barnaby von Felden 1865-1915 is be-ing offered by the Omaha Tribal Historical Research Project, OTHRP, as an incentive for patrons of “GivingTuesdayNow,” a global charitable campaign to be held digitally on May 5, to raise funds for non-profit organizations affected by the covid-19 pandemic, including the Omaha.. ...

“Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” will begin streaming on Disney Plus on May 4, about two months earlier than scheduled. The Walt Disney Co. said Monday that “The Rise of Skywalker” will land on the streaming service timed to what’s referred to as “Star Wars Day” after the slogan of “May the Fourth be with you.” The release will give fans the option of streaming the full nine-part saga on the annual “Star Wars” holiday...

No stranger to the Iowa State Fair Grandstand, rockers, Styx with special guest Tesla will be at the Iowa State Fair Grandstand on Wednesday, August 19, at 8 p.m., if social distancing needs allow. Tickets range from $25 to $50 and are now on sale at www.iowastatefair.org or 800-514-3849...

Rising star Ledger will reunite with her former band Skillet, at the Clay County Fair. She will open as special guest for the Grammy-nominated multiplatinum quartet from Wisconsin, Saturday, Sept. 12. Tickets are on sale now at $30-40. (Tickets by phone at 515-244-2771 or online at midwesttix.com)...

An area man has been arrested after allegedly luring a juvenile over social media, sexually abusing her, and locking her in his apartment. Deputies were called to an apartment Thursday afternoon, above Trailside Bar and Grill in Carnarvon. Officers were told that a juvenile female was locked in the apartment...

Plans for the Storm Lake Farmers Market are still in the discussion phase, although such markets were approved to operate as of April 24, with some restrictions, by the governor. “We’re still talking about and mulling over our plans for the market,” said Linda Patterson, who has coordinated the events in Storm Lake. “We don’t open until the first or second Saturday in June anyway, and guidelines could change before then. I’m pretty sure we will be open in some form.”...

Buena Vista County saw six news cases of COVID-19 confirmed over the weekend, three Saturday and three Sunday - marking the first time there has been more than a single confirmation in a day. Two more cases were reported Monday. Tyson confirmed last week that Storm Lake is among its plants where employees have been confirmed with the illness...

Todd Nicholson has raised making the best of a difficult situation to an art form during the season of Coronavirus quarantine. He’s used social media to produce a steady stream of content to help people get by. “Part of what I do as a physical therapist is to strive for education. If there is something I can do to help people while they are stuck at home, I’m happy to share,” he says...

Buena Vista University’s 107-year-old Buenafication Day tradition adopted a new look last week as Beavers took this annual day of service on the road and across the country. BVU’s campus in Storm Lake closed in March due to COVID-19, as students headed home to complete the spring semester in online classes. ...

Summer recreation programs for Storm Lake will be on, with some adjustments for COVID-19 concerns - and some new ideas, according to Community Education Director Joe Kucera. The agency has been forced to cancel its concert series for the remainder of the year...

Todd Nicholson has raised making the best of a difficult situation to an art form during the season of Coronavirus quarantine. He’s used social media to produce a steady stream of content to help people get by. “Part of what I do as a physical therapist is to strive for education. If there is something I can do to help people while they are stuck at home, I’m happy to share,” he says...