Stories from Wednesday, December 16, 2020

Iowa PBS will present an exclusive live broadcast of “It’s a Wonderful Life: The Radio Play,” produced through a partnership with the Iowa Stage Theater Company. The program will premiere live at 7 p.m. Dec. 19 on statewide Iowa PBS, with repeat broadcasts at 2 p.m. Dec. 20 and 8 p.m. Dec. 24...

The Holiday Hootenanny got off to a great start at the Buena Vista County Fairgrounds earlier this month, with a group of vodcal music performers from Storm Lake High School leading caroling. The event continues Friday and Saturday, the 18th and 19th, 6-8 p.m. ...

Emma Elsbecker - A young acoustic guitar singer / songwriter from Algona will be in concert at Shiny Top Brewing in Fort Dodge Thursday, January 14. Showtime is 7 p.m. Emma plays “coffee house style” modern rock and folk music. Admission is free. Shiny Top serves fresh pizza and small batch beer in a relaxing atmosphere...

George Clooney directs and stars in this feature film adaptation of Lily Brooks-Dalton’s novel “Good Morning, Midnight” and what he has done on both sides of the camera is astounding. He has managed to craft two intimate, connected stories set against the vastness of the cosmos and the white sprawl of the Arctic. He has turned in a tragic but yet hopeful tale grounded in, of all things, Earth’s destruction...

Chronic wounds affect 6.7 million people in the United States, often attributed to complications from diabetes, arterial disease, late effects of radiation therapy, and other chronic conditions. To help address such concerns, Spencer Hospital has introduced hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) services locally, offering additional treatment options for patients in the region suffering from chronic wounds...

Tyson Foods, Inc. (NYSE: TSN) has announced the appointment of Dr. Claudia Coplein to the newly-created role of Chief Medical Officer. Coplein is a physician executive who brings more than 20 years of healthcare experience to the company after holding leadership roles in the insurance, global manufacturing, healthcare and technology fields. ...

System cites strong tie between persons’ financial health and overall health

“My vision at Endgrain is to inspire people to display their patriotism, or passion, through custom wall art,” says Levi Boyd, owner and operator of the local Storm Lake art design business that’s been on rise this past year. Endgrain Workshop is low-key, in presence around town. In fact, you would have to look hard to find it, because it’s located behind A and A Auto, on Milwaukee Avenue...

COVID-19-related issues could have an impact on Storm Lake city snow removal this winter, according to city officials.

Thursday night during Storm Lake United’s Holiday Food Drive organizers received over 250 non-perishable food items which were delivered this morning to Upper Des Moines Opportunity. To all who made donations, thank you for your kind and generous support of this event, you are making a difference in our community...

Storm Lake Middle School students created Christmas cards and thank you notes for Officer Gerardo and others in his Army National Guard unit in Afghanistan. The students have social emotional learning lessons every morning and dedicated two lessons to reflect on gratitude and positive motivation for our overseas troops. ...

The Buena Vista County Conservation Board recently completed a remodel of what was known as the “North Shelter” located at Buena Vista Park, just south of Peterson, into what is now called the “North Lodge”. The original cinder block structure was built in the early 1970’s and served as an open day-use shelter for many years, with storm windows added later to enclose the facility...

Minnesota State University, Mankato awarded 1,796 degrees to 1,753 students at the end of the fall 2020 semester, with this fall’s graduates celebrated through a special website with commencement videos that are now available. The University’s three traditional graduation ceremonies were scheduled but were cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic...

August 22, 1928 - December 14, 2020

Nelda R. Nelson, age 76, of Storm Lake, Iowa died Friday, December 11, 2020 at MercyOne in Sioux City,. Private family services will take place Wednesday, December 16, 2020 at 1:00 p.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church in Linn Grove. Burial will be in the Barnes Township Cemetery in Linn Grove...

Garnet Rose Vierow, age 85, of Albert City, Iowa died December 12, 2020 at the Pocahontas Community Hospital in Pocahontas.  Private family services will take place Tuesday, December 15, 2020 at 10:30 a.m. at the Sliefert Funeral Home in Albert City. Burial will be in the Fairfield Township Cemetery in Albert City...

Echoing President Trump’s assertion that “every legal vote” must be counted in the 2020 election, Gov. Kim Reynolds said Thursday that Iowa didn’t have the opportunity to join a lawsuit that seeks to delay certification of the election results. The lawsuit, filed by Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on Tuesday, alleges Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Georgia made unconstitutional changes to their laws prior to the 2020 election, according to the Wall Street Journal. Paxton alleges the states violated their own election laws by changing voting procedures to process mail-in ballots.Election experts have said the lawsuit has little chance of success. ...

By CLARK KAUFFMAN Iowa Capital Dispatch In perhaps another indication of how 2020 has been a year most people want to forget, Iowans spent a record amount of money on liquor this past year. The increase came during the 2020 state fiscal year, which ran from July 1, 2019, through the end of June this year — a period that includes the first four months of the COVID-19 pandemic that resulted in stores, bars and taverns operating under tight restrictions...

The City of Storm Lake has reached an innovative agreement with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources that allows an investment in conservation practices on farms to improve water quality and help the city’s water treatment plant meet state water quality goals...

In the spirit of giving, the St. Mary’s Elementary students completed a Christmas Card Service Project. Many senior citizens are lonely and are missing family members this year. In an effort to bring them Christ’s love this Christmas, students in grades K-5 wrote messages in cards with detachable Nativity ornaments for those living in local care facilities...

Google “history of high school girl’s wrestling,” and a bevy of articles flash up, with some going back to 1990. Slowly, and in spurts around the United States, the popularity has grown so much over the years, that many states have gotten on board with officially sanctioning girls programs. The old saw, “well, that’s a boys’ sport,” is finally on the wane...

With slightly lower than normal precipitation in November, northwest and west central Iowa continue to show signs of significant dryness and drought, according to the latest Water Summary Update. Precipitation totaled 1.88 inches or 0.17 inch below normal statewide in November. ...

Ask Storm Lake Superintendent of Schools Stacey Cole for a wish list on school needs, and there will be no hesitation on where to begin. “A really big rock for us right now is mental health. I struggle with saying that - on one hand mental health is one of the biggest things we are dealing with right now. In the short run, though, none of us are really sure what to do...