Stories from Friday, September 4, 2020

Pocahontas County Economic Development Commission (PCEDC) announced on Monday that they have awarded Aspen Leaf Cafe & Coffee House with a grant to open their doors in Pocahontas and TMC Tack & Supplies of rural Havelock with a grant to launch a mobile unit to sell tack and supplies all throughout Iowa and the Midwest...

Ciao Boji! (pronounced “chow”), a new Italian- and Mediterranean-themed restaurant with hand crafted cuisines by Juliana Domoras is now open. This family owned restaurant is easily accessible on Highway 71 in Arnolds Park, where the restaurant “Pho” was once located...

As part of efforts to boost the overall health and wellness of its workforce, Tyson Foods, Inc. is partnering with Marathon Health to pilot seven health clinics near company production facilities. The clinics will give Tyson team members and their families easier access to high-quality healthcare and, in most cases, at no cost.*...

Amber Appleton gives, gives, gives. The 17-year-old spends her free time teaching English to a group of Korean women. She visits a nursing home to hand out free doughnuts and raises money for school projects. She adopts a tiny dog and puts its needs ahead of her own. She makes fried egg sandwiches for friends. Amber Appleton is always helping, helping, helping...

Free fall family fun abounds at The Iowa Great Lakes Fall Festival, to be held Saturday, October 17, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Camp Foster YMCA at Spirit Lake. There will be bounce houses, children’s crafts and activities, face painting, trick or treating, game booths, pony rides and more...

The Stone Pier Summer Concert Series continues Sunday, with Ducharme-Jones joining the Tank Anthony Band on the stage at Black Hawk Lake. Showtime is 5:30 p.m. Recent transplants to Des Moines from Austin, Ducharme-Jones released their debut album, Strangest Thing in 2016, a collection of 13 original songs best described as roots rock, vocal driven, lyrical, with a strong hook and melodic guitar. ...

If you live in Buena Vista County (or anywhere else in the world!) one of the most common sights everywhere are people engrossed in their handheld cell phones. On the streets, in waiting rooms, in restaurants, on boats, in airplanes, shopping, every- where! People using them are often addicted, oblivious, rude, obnoxious--but they are necessary. ...

October 6, 1939 - August 27, 2020

May 31, 1928 - August 29, 2020

After reviewing a lot of feedback about covid-19 safety recommendations, the ART Board has discussed the topic of the Coronavirus pandemic in depth and unanimously decided that needs to postpone this year’s Artisans Road Trip to 2021. Be sure to keep your 2020 art Brochures! The information in the current brochure will continue to be valid for our artists and locations, the dates will just need to be changed...

Gov. Kim Reynolds today announced her appointment of Shayne Mayer as a district court judge in Judicial Election District 3A. Mayer, of Rock Rapids, Iowa, currently serves as the Lyon County Attorney and as the President of the Iowa County Attorneys Association. She previously engaged in the private practice of law in Iowa and South Dakota. She received her undergraduate degree from Briar Cliff University and her law degree from the University of South Dakota School of Law...

Pheasant hunters harvested nearly 284,000 roosters in Iowa during the 2019 season, which was the second highest harvest in the last decade. In 2018, hunters harvested an estimated 320,000 roosters. “The 2019 roadside survey showed our pheasant population was 17 percent lower than in 2018, so a reduced harvest was expected. ...

Buena Vista County Recorder, Shari O’Bannon would like to remind owners of all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), off-road utility vehicles (ORV/UTVs) or off-road motorcycles (ORMs) and snowmobiles registered with the Iowa DNR that they may renew their registrations beginning September 1 thru December 31...

Dave and Rhonda Brock of Linn Grove are celebrating their Golden Anniversary on September 6. They were married at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Rembrandt and have two sons; Justin and the late Jason Brock. Your family congratulates you on such an milestone anniversary and wish you many more years of love and happiness! Cards can be sent to: 214 Linn St. Linn Grove, Iowa 51033...

As the Summer of COVID draws to a close, many experts fear an even bleaker fall and suggest that American families should start planning for Thanksgiving by Zoom. Because of the many uncertainties, public health scientists say it’s easier to forecast the weather on Thanksgiving Day than to predict how the U.S. ...

Three individuals were booked into the Dickinson County Jail last week on felony sexual abuse charges stemming from two separate incidents. Dickinson County Attorney Amy Zenor said both had been the subjects of ongoing investigations, and she confirmed the cases are unrelated:...

A Fort Dodge woman already serving a prison sentence for setting fire to an Iowa mosque three years ago has now pleaded guilty to causing a fatal 2018 crash. Aisha Ismail, 26, pleaded guilty Tuesday to vehicular homicide by reckless driving for the July 2018 head-on crash on a Webster County road that killed 20-year-old David Fliehe, of Humboldt, The Messenger reported...

A chainsaw sculpture in Chautauqua Park required repairs after a wing was broken off recently. City officials and Storm Lake United are talking on ways to preserve and replace the sculptures, as several have been lost to rotting, weather damage or vandalism, and some of the remaining ones need attention. With the Wood, Wine & Blues Festival canceled this year, no new sculptures have been added. / Pilot photo by Dana Larsen...

After Buena Vista County Recorder Shari O’Bannon announced her pending retirement from office this week, county supervisors are left with a choice on how to fill the office midterm. O’Bannon would like to step down in April. The county can appoint a new recorder to fill the position until it comes up for election, or can hold a special election. Citizens also have the option to petition to force a special election...

The August 8 fire that burned the Oasis Night Club in Storm Lake has been determined to have been intentionally set. Samples were removed from the floor of the stage where the fire is believed to have started and taken to the State Crime Lab to be evaluated. Gasoline was found to be present in the samples tested. Those tests results, along with other evidence, led investigators to conclude arson as the cause...

A Newell man will be sentenced October 19 for a series of crimes, after admitting guilt this week to arson and sexual abuse in a “global” plea agreement - an alternative to multiple trials. Brent Mack, a former volunteer firefighter, pled guilty to Arson 2nd Degree in setting a fire in downtown Newell, and guilty in a separate sexual abuse case, for lascivious acts with a child and two counts of indecent contact with a child. He also admitted to violation of terms of probation...

The latest tussle over the upcoming vote, an Iowa Secretary of State ban on use of drop boxes, is an unnecessary controversy, Buena Vista County’s local election official suggests. County Auditor Sue Lloyd said she was surprised during a recent conference call with the Secretary of State’s office to be told of the opinion on drop boxes. ...

Mrs. Iowa Earth pursues a national crown, while planting seeds for a cause

“Those have been some hard conversations. We would rather be safe than sorry, and that means telling some families where there has been exposure to COVID-19 that the student has to quarantine for 14 days ... we are not a district that is going to skirt the rules.” - Supt. Stacey Cole