Stories from Tuesday, November 24, 2020

Iowa State University Extension and Outreach is offering a three-session online Babysitting Basics program for youth in 5th through 8th grade. Just as the name implies, the program will cover the basics of babysitting from simple First Aid to healthy snack ideas and more. Sessions will be hosted via Zoom from 9 to 11:30 a.m. on the following no school days: Nov. 25, Dec. 29 and Dec. 30...

It’s another challenging fundraising year for the Msgr. Lafferty Tuition Foundation – a critical fund for northwest Iowa Catholic schools. In calendar year 2019 at this same time, 61 percent of the total fund’s goal was met. The new tax laws implemented in 2018 had made the fundraising more challenging. Eventually, 89 percent of the goal was fulfilled by December 2019...

The annual Adopt-A-Family for Christmas program has begun. The Pilot-Tribune and Upper Des Moines Opportunity co-sponsor the program each year, matching generous individuals, families, businesses, clubs, classrooms and church groups with needy local families to provide the Christmas experience they might otherwise not have...

After more than an hour of deliberation in closed session Thursday, the local Civil Service Commission voted unanimously to uphold the firing of former Le Mars police officer Jeremy Singer. Singer was relieved from his duties on Sept. 15, 2020, after the Le Mars Police Department received information that Singer had engaged in misconduct involving social media activity depicting comments and behavior unbecoming of a police officer...

Starting this past Friday, all Hy-Vee stores will donate Thanksgiving meals to local families in need this holiday season. More than 260 Hy-Vee and Dollar Fresh stores are donating up to 100 meal kits each to a local non-profit partner in their community who will distribute the meals to local families in need. Each kit will make a Thanksgiving meal for a small family of four...

Raymond E. Balo, age 77, of Alta, died Saturday, November 14, at his home in Alta. Raymond’s family will hold private services at a later date. The Fratzke & Jensen Funeral Home in Alta is in charge of the arrangements. Raymond Elder Balo was born August 13, 1943 in Lakehurst, New Jersey the son of Elder and Carolina (Harris) Balo...

Judith M. Strauss, age 78, of Fonda, passed away on Thursday, October 29, at the Methodist Manor Retirement Community in Storm Lake. Public Memorial Mass was held on Saturday, November 21, at 10:30 a.m. at Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic Church in Fonda where masks will be required. ...

The number of coronavirus infections across the country is swelling at a perilous time for state governments, just weeks before federal support rushed through Congress in the pandemic’s early stages is set to end.   The expiring provisions from the $2 trillion CARES Act and subsequent executive orders will mean reductions in unemployment benefits for those struggling to find work, the loss of eviction protections, and a restart to monthly student loan bills that had been suspended...

A pair of Spirit Lake residents were booked into the Dickinson County Jail Nov. 18 on multiple drug charges after police responded to a report of gun shots. Spirit Lake Police officers were called to 1502 Memphis Avenue Lot 23 around 10:26 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 18. The address was listed as the residence of 28-year-old Shyanne Ranee Delgado in the subsequent criminal complaints...

Storm Lake will donate its police radar trailer to the city of Newell. The city council recently approved the proposal from Storm Lake Police. Chief Chris Cole called the gesture “paying it forward.” The Storm Lake department recently purchased a new radar trailer unit, which alerts motorists to their speed as they pass it in sensitive traffic areas. The old unit that they are donating is about 20 years old...

The Storm Lake school district has a committee meeting virtually to plan for a playground at the new Early Elementary School. Four companies are presenting options for different equipment. At the most recent school board meeting, member Erika Dierking asked if the architect could also be asked to plan for something for 4th grade at the elementary building - if only a half basketball court. ...

Iowa Central Community College will not have a spring break in 2021. The last day for fall semester will be Dec. 7. Spring semester will begin Jan. 6 and end April 22. Students leaving for the five-week holiday break are being asked to practice social distancing and wear masks, and to review the new COVID-19 Operational Plan during break for any necessary changes to policy. ...

The Storm Lake Board of Education approved the hiring of six new certified personnel, to prepare for the opening of the new Early Elementary building, projected for January 2022. The hires are necessary to operate the school, and are what the district can afford, Superintendent Stacey Cole told the school board last week...

Storm Lake city officials are preparing for a full study of its water system. The city council recently opted to retain ISG local engineering firm for the study, which will include wells, storage, processing, treatment and supply. The last such study was about 20 years ago, and water demand has increased substantially with growth. ...

Storm Lake School Board President Peter Steinfeld and Vice President Dave Skibsted took their oaths after being unanimously selected for another year in their leadership positions at the most recent board meeting. Steinfeld quipped that he was contesting the election...

After weathering COVID-related staffing shortages, things are looking up for Newell-Fonda and Albert City-Truesdale, according to Superintendent of Schools Jeff Dicks. “The biggest concern has been staffing. It has been challenging, but we made it through - a lot of people have stepped up and helped. Now we are to the point where we are getting a lot of our people back,” he said this week...

State Sen. Jake Chapman, R-Adel, said he is drafting a “patient bill of rights,” for this upcoming legislative session that will give family members legal rights to visit relatives in hospitals, nursing homes and hospices, especially if they’re dying...

It was reported at last week’s City Council meeting that the City has been notified by Iowa Homeland Security that there is FEMA funding available for a buyout of several homes damaged during the extensive spring 2019 flooding in Cherokee from the Little Sioux River and Railroad Creek...

Storm Lake St. Mary’s School delivered 116 boxes for the Samaritan’s Purse Operation Christmas Child Program. The boxes were filled with gifts, toys, school supplies and hygiene items for children in Third World Countries for Christmas. Students from all grade levels helped collect gifts for the project. St. Mary’s students have brought joy to many children around the world during the holiday season. Since 2008, St. Mary’s has filled 2,073 gift boxes...

The Buena Vista County Suicide Prevention Coalition held its first strategic planning workshop online Thursday, selecting a set of initial goals for the community from an array of suggestions. Selected goals: • Shift organizational policies and culture to integrate suicide prevention strategies that mitigate risk factors and increase protective factors...

A hopeful light at the end of the long, dark COVID-19 tunnel - vaccine - is drawing nearer. Where that vaccine will go first, and who gets first dibs on the protection, is a playbook that public health and medical leaders are working to write now. Buena Vista County Public Health has been told that the first batch of doses should arrive before the end of fall - that is, before December 21...