Stories from Tuesday, November 3, 2020

Elk Lake, near Ruthven in eastern Clay County, will undergo a restoration project to improve its water quality, eliminate a rough fish population and provide quality habitat for fish and wildlife. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will lower the water level in the 260-acre shallow natural lake this fall to install an in-lake outlet channel that will be used later to help to dewater the lake. It will remain about two feet low through the winter...

Libertarian candidate for US Senate takes aim at foreign and domestic ‘wars’ The Libertarian Party has been experiencing growth in the state over the last few years, flirting with major party status, gaining it during the 2016 presidential election and falling just short in 2018. Looking to 2020, U.S. Senate Libertarian candidate Rick Stewart hopes to be Iowa’s first Libertarian senator and he stopped in Spencer Wednesday to let voters know more about him, his party and platform...

The Storm Lake Hy-Noon Kiwanis Club has announced its new club officers for the 2020-21 fiscal year which began on October 1. This year’s club president is Lee Dutfield, who also serves as the Activities Director and the Acting CEO of Storm Lake United. ...

Warren Eugene Ploeger, 75 of Schaller, passed away peacefully and went to his heavenly home on Thursday, October 29, at Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital in Lincoln, Nebraska. Funeral services were held on Monday, November 2, at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Schaller. ...

Over the summer, politicians locally and nationwide felt heavy pressure from Black Lives Matter activists, as they demanded policy changes following the death of George Floyd, a black man who was killed by a Minneapolis police officer. In Iowa, Republican and Democratic legislators came together to pass the “More Perfect Union” plan to improve race relations and bias by law enforcement. ...

The candidates for Iowa’s 4th Congressional District offer vastly different prescriptions for managing the COVID-19 pandemic and improving the nation’s health care system. Republican Randy Feenstra has emphasized the importance of keeping the economy open during the COVID-19 pandemic. Several meatpacking plants in northwest Iowa endured outbreaks of the virus earlier this year, including the Tyson pork processing plant that reported more than 500 cases in Storm Lake earlier this year...

The same state agency that failed to disclose hundreds of restaurant inspections triggered by consumer complaints is warning Iowans not to file complaints about businesses that don’t enforce their own face-mask requirements. The Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals recently posted an online “COVID-19 violation” complaint form that consumers can use to alert state regulators to violations of the governor’s order requiring restaurants and bars to impose social-distancing measures in response to the coronavirus pandemic.. ...

Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Sioux City announces a partnership with well-respected psychiatrist, Dr. Nesrin Abu Ata. Dr. Abu Ata is now available for medication consults for Catholic Charities clients by telehealth at all locations across the Diocese...

Hy-Vee, Inc. is introducing an automated cleaning system that fully cleans and sanitizes shopping carts after every use. By mid-November, more than 200 Hy-Vee stores across its eight-state region will have a Sterile Cart system in operation. Hy-Vee is the first grocery chain to implement the fully automated sanitization system across its company...

If it didn’t actually exist, “Holidate” would sound like one of those fake movies within a movie. A couple of attractive singles decide on a low-stakes, no-commitment arrangement to be each other’s dates on holidays? It’s a perfect rom-com concept in that it’s equal parts ridiculous and shamefully appealing. ...

With the presidential race heavily contested in Iowa, and with the state seen as critical to the president’s hopes for victory, a post-election recount of the vote in Iowa could become a reality. While the latest Des Moines Register/Mediacom Iowa Poll shows President Trump pulling ahead, previous polls have shown a tight race. Former Vice President Joe Biden had a narrow lead, 50% to 47%, over the president among likely voters in Iowa in a Monmouth University poll released last week...

A crop of regional and state Republican leaders and candidates made a stop in Alta Friday for an upbeat rally to energize local voter support. Governor Kim Reynolds, arriving in an Iowa state logo mask and Joni Ernst campaign t-shirt, urged those in a full house crowd at The Shed to each challenge 10 other people to get to the polls. She predicted “one big party” on Nov. 4 after election results are tallied...

Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds and the Iowa Economic Development Authority announced a new Iowa County Fairs Relief program to help fairs that were hurt by the COVID-19 pandemic to continue. The state allocated up to $6 million from the state’s share of CARES Act funds...

As of Monday there were 2,359 confirmed cases to date in Buena Vista County - the highest per capita rate in Iowa at 12 percent of the population. According to state reports, the highest number of the local cases are to the 18-40 age group, 49 percent, with 33 percent to middle agers 41-60, and 10 percent to older adults 61-80. Eight percent of the cases in the county have been to children...

When you think of a speech-language pathologist (SLP), you might think of specialists who help kids with speech issues. SLPs also handle a wide range of communication concerns that may affect success in school and in life. The SLPs at Prairie Lakes Area Education Agency (AEA) serve in each of the 39 public school districts, and 11 accredited, nonpublic schools in its 14-county region. ...

Five students from Storm Lake High School have attained the highest individual honor available to Iowa high school musicians by being selected as a member of the 2020 All-State Choir or Band. Additionally, two students were chosen as alternates. Sarah Olson, clarinet, 4-year All-State Band member and senior, is the daughter of and Terry and JoLayne Olson and is a student of Corbet Butler and Barbara Wells. She received the honor of making the All-State Band all four years of high school...

Soon enough, the children will be crafting snowmen on the playgrounds of our area communities. Except for the one who will stay inside at his or her desk, without a warm coat to go outside for recess. Kids will be tossing snowballs - except for the ones who stand at the wall and watch, because they don’t have mittens, boots or snow pants...