Stories from Friday, November 6, 2020

As the sun started to rise across Iowa and Wisconsin, Alliant Energy lineworkers in both states left home to help restore power following Hurricane Zeta. Nearly 200 employees will make their way to Gulfport, Mississippi, where they’ll join mutual aid crews from several other states to help Mississippi Power get the lights back on...

Dennis Reyman, Accredited Farm Manager and Accredited Rural Appraiser, will be installed as the 84th president of the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers in a nationwide virtual conference followed by a reception on Monday, Nov. 9, with a live stream from Storm Lake, Iowa, and Denver, Colo...

Jill & Dan will be in concert Saturday, Nov. 14 at Century Farms Distillery, 2304 Highway Blvd., Spencer. The show will be 6-8 p.m., with the venue open until 10 p.m. that night. The McCreary’s food truck will be serving tasty treats, 5-8 p.m. in the parking lot at the craft distillery...

It started in her bedroom with just a guitar, but Paris Jackson has turned coping with the heartache after a recent breakup into her debut solo album. Jackson, 22, has been a devoted music fan all her life and dabbled in making her own, but has been hesitant to call herself a singer-songwriter until now...

The Vista III theater in Storm Lake will again offer Holiday Merchant Movies. Watch for free tickets available in Storm Lake sponsoring businesses. Children must be supervised, and seating will be limited to meet safety and health requirements. This year’s shows include:...

Honorary Chairman, Dr. Brian Lenzmeier, led this year’s Persons with Intellectual Disabilities Drive for the Knights of Columbus. The campaign departed from its usual omelet breakfast and silent auction. Spurred by a matching donation by the local Knights of Columbus, the campaign generated unexpected success...

Amid everything, Thanksgiving endures. With a pandemic in full swing, the usual community Thanksgiving meal in Storm Lake cannot be held. Instead, organizer Cindy Bosley said the free meal will go on as a delivery-and-curbside event. “This year especially, we have to do it. ...

December 31, 1950 - November 2, 2020

May 25, 1936 - November 1, 2020

September 26, 1988 - October 24, 2020

The Buena Vista County Historical Society will host a Veterans Day meal, November 11. Serving will be curbside at the museum in Storm Lake, 214 West 5th Street. Meals can be picked up by parking at the front entrance, 11 a.m.- 1 p.m. The menu includes barbecue pork on a bun, a bag of potato chips, apple sauce, a dessert bar and bottle of water, all for $7...

For many, the pursuit of a national championship could seem an unlikely prospect. But for Dalayna Brugman and Emma Ahrendsen of the Sioux Central FFA, they had a week to see if they are exactly that. Brugman and Ahrendsen were recognized recently as National FFA Agriscience Fair Top 3 finalists...

As Iowa set another new record Thursday for COVID-19 hospitalizations, Gov. Kim Reynolds warned that “while hospital capacity is stable for now, it is not sustainable if positive cases continue to surge at this level.” The governor said to address a potential shortage of hospital beds — one study suggests Iowa will run out of intensive care unit beds in just four weeks — she intends to “do my part” by rolling out a public-awareness campaign reminding Iowans that winter is coming and they should wear a face mask and social distance when it’s appropriate.. ...

At Tuesday’s monthly Cherokee City Council meeting, City Parks Superintendent Duane Mummert reported he has obtained a proposal from Deer Valley Mechanical of Quimby for proposed dredging operations for Spring Lake. Mummert explained that this is a good time to do some dredging due to the lowering of the lake for the planned DNR fish kill and before the lake is restocked...

St. Mary’s elementary students participated in a book election on Tuesday morning conducted by Mrs. Larsen’s third grade class. “Whenever we have a presidential election, I conduct a book election with the kindergarten through fifth grade classes,” states Mrs. Larsen...

City officials hope to make a splash, with an upcoming sale on outdoor waterpark passes in response to troubled months of pandemic. For a four-day period Thursday-Sunday on and after Thanksgiving, people can buy advance passes for next season at $199, compared to the full price of $275...

After months of consideration on urban chicken policy, the Storm Lake city council in only a few minutes decided Monday to take no action. In March, the council was approached by a local 4H youth asking for relaxed policy to allow chickens in residential yards as 4H projects for those living in the city who would not otherwise be able to take part in livestock programs...

From northwest Iowa to the Broadway stage, Vander Broek chases a dream.

Donor Jack Spooner, designer and builder duo Jennifer and Todd Felton, and Mayor Mike Porsch with the Storm Lake Welcome Area at Lake Avenue and Lakeshore, dedicated in a ribbon-cutting ceremony Wednesday. The Spooner family celebrated a 150-year legacy in the community by contributing funds to build and maintain the new development. ...

While a steady stream of voters flowed into Storm Lake High School Tuesday afternoon to cast ballots in the multiple precincts hosted there, no waiting lines were evident. Many of those arriving were younger people casting their first vote in 2020. “I believe in supporting the vote, especially because of the social justice issues we’ve seen this year,” said Khamedriah Grimes, a Buena Vista University student who had voted for the first time, leaning Democrat. ...

While a steady stream of voters flowed into Storm Lake High School Tuesday afternoon to cast ballots in the multiple precincts hosted there, no waiting lines were evident. Many of those arriving were younger people casting their first vote in 2020. “I believe in supporting the vote, especially because of the social justice issues we’ve seen this year,” said Khamedriah Grimes, a Buena Vista University student who had voted for the first time, leaning Democrat. ...