Stories from Tuesday, May 12, 2020

The six-year fan campaign for a standalone Black Widow movie was paying off: at long last, a film would put Scarlett Johansson’s popular Avenger front and center. And, like many of Marvel’s biggest spectacles, it was set to open the weekend of May 1...

Sixteen-year-old Johanna Morrigan (Beanie Feldstein) lives a romantic and exciting life, at least in her imagination. The heroine of “ How to Build a Girl ” has (what she perceives to be) the misfortune of being from Wolverhampton, where everything seems to be dirty and old, where Mr. Darcys are scarce, and opportunities are even scarcer...

Sawyer Brown will appear at the 150th Sac County Fair, Saturday, August 1. Area performers Jay Clyde Band will open at 8 p.m., with a big fireworks display to follow the concerts. Fair gate admission is included with a concert ticket. Tickets are $25, on sale now at Midwestix.com...

U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos finalized rules Wednesday that the administration says will improve due process in campus sexual assault cases, but that critics warn could discourage victims from coming forward. The new regulations expand rights for people accused of sexual misconduct on college campuses and make other changes to federal regulations governing schools’ obligations to respond to misconduct complaints...

As coronavirus hotspots erupted at major U.S. meatpacking plants, experts criticized extremely tight working conditions that made the factories natural high risk contagion locations. But some Midwestern politicians have pointed the finger at the workers’ living conditions, suggesting crowded homes bear some blame...

To help prevent further spread of COVID-19 in our communities, UnityPoint Health is requesting everyone who enters our hospitals, clinics and facilities to wear masks or face coverings. Starting Wednesday, May 6, staff, patients and visitors will be encouraged to wear their own personal cloth mask or face covering upon entering a UnityPoint Health facility...

After nearly six months in conversation, Blank Children’s Hospital and UnityPoint Health – Trinity Regional Medical Center announce a monumental partnership. “Together we will be hiring five, full-time pediatric nurse practitioners to join the Blank Children’s Hospitalist team to provide inpatient pediatric and newborn nursery care in both Des Moines and Fort Dodge,” shares Leah Glasgo, President and CEO, UnityPoint Health – Fort Dodge...

Spencer Hospital nurses Carol Hartig, Dee Hoger, Beth Hopkins, John Lyon and Margaret Molitor have been selected as five of Iowa’s 100 Great Nurses for 2020. They were to be honored at a special celebration in Des Moines on May 3; however, the event was canceled due to the current COVID-19 outbreak...

The Carrie Chapman Catt Award is named after the Iowan who was a national leader in the women’s suffrage movement. Storm Lake St. Mary High School received this award because 90 percent of their eligible students registered to vote. This award honors Catt’s commitment to gaining women’s suffrage for an entirely new generation of Americans to lawfully participate in the electoral process...

Congressman Steve King announced that he is drafting legislation to provide federal relief to hog producers who are being  forced to euthanize several million market ready fat hogs due to packing plant shutdowns and slowdowns as a result of high COVID-19 infection rates among American packing plant workers. ...

Bishop Walker Nickless suspended public Masses and a variety of other church related events on March 16 following consultation with his advisors in concert with the Centers of Disease Control and various public health agencies. The suspension was made as a reaction to the rapid and aggressive spread of COVID-19 across the United States and across Iowa, and as a response to a resolution issued by Iowa Gov. Kim Reynold’s Office prohibiting gatherings of more than 10 individuals...

The Day of the Child debuted in fall of 2019 in Storm Lake. Plans call for an even bigger and better version this year, scheduled for September 26 in Chautauqua Park. Spokesperson Trevina Jefferson says, “We pretty much have everyone from last year on board, plus some new things like the Sanford Museum in Cherokee and the library, and more talent coming on.”...

A crew works Friday to rebuild the lakeshore on Lighthouse Drive in Storm Lake, repairing heavy damage from an ice upheaval in the late winter a year ago. The project is a joint undertaking of the Iowa DNR and the City of Storm Lake.

Georgia Lauridsen Gray, 89, of Independence, died on Thursday, May 7, at the Buchanan County Health Center in Independence. A private graveside service will be held at Mt. Hope Cemetery in Independence. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Georgia’s name may be made to the Lutheran Services of Iowa and EWALU...

Jaci Hermstad, age 26, a true warrior and angel, passed away holding her loving parents’ hands on Friday, May 1, in their home in Spencer. Private family services will take place Friday, May 8, with a Celebration of Life service to follow at a later date. ...

For many, the COVID-19 pandemic has increased food preparation and mealtime at home, as well as sparked renewed interest in gardening and food preservation. In response to this movement, Iowa State University (ISU) Extension and Outreach has launched weekly Sow, Grow, Eat and Keep quickinars to provide information to gardeners of all ages and skill levels...

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) reminds producers that FSA offers farm ownership and farm operating loans to agricultural producers who may not find success obtaining loans from their traditional financial institutions because of COVID-19. Farmers who cannot obtain commercial credit from a bank can apply for FSA direct or guaranteed loans...

Due to the Covid-19 virus and the State of Iowa Public Health Disaster Emergency, the Iowa Department of Human Rights, Division of Community Action Agencies has extended the application period for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (L1HEAP) through May 31...

Buena Vista County reports 39 positive cases of COVID-19 to date, including three new cases Monday. The county has the 25th highest rate per capita in the state. Nine patients had recovered, no fatalities had been reported. In the county, 347 people had been tested, according to the state’s COVID-19 website...

The Buena Vista University Board of Trustees accepted the resignation of President Joshua Merchant Friday. Merchant stepped down effective immediately. The resignation of Merchant was shared internally with BVU faculty, staff, and students, according to a public announcement Friday night...

The 4th District Congressional race is beginning to get personal. Incumbent Steve King recently criticized his Democrat opponent J.D. Scholten’s response to reopening Iowa after the COVID-19 quarantine. King called Scholten’s statements “shocking.”...

The Buena Vista County Fair plans for a busy run at the fairgrounds in Alta, July 9-13. “We’re going full steam ahead with planning to hold the fair, with the hope that the COVID-19 concerns will be behind us,” says Dana Christen, of the fair board...

Sara Huddleston wants to make history. “I would be the first Latina woman in Iowa to serve at the state level, and that alone would bring focus on Iowa. I think that it’s about time,” says the Storm Laker, making her second bid for the District 11 Iowa House of Representatives seat...

Storm Lake High School will replace traditional graduation with a celebration of seniors this year, under COVID-19 guidelines against gatherings. A face-to-face event will be held later if possible. “We’re going to celebrate the kids by a virtual celebration. We’re not calling it graduation because it won’t be a ceremony,” Superintendent of Schools Stacy Cole says...