Stories from Thursday, December 31, 2020

Clay County Public Health Coordinator Colette Rossiter stands in front of the large capacity, ultra-cold freezer on loan from Spencer Ag Center. When national news shared that the vaccines being developed for COVID-19 would need to be kept at ultra-cold temps, especially the Pfizer vaccine which needs to be stored at minus 70 degrees Celsius, Clay County Public Health Coordinator Colette Rossiter got a helpful phone call. ...

Dr. Kyle Glienke, Family Medicine Buena Vista, has officially earned the F.A.C.P. designation (Fellow of the American College of Physicians). Fellows of ACP are a distinguished group of doctors dedicated to continuing education in medical practice, teaching, or research...

Hy-Vee, Inc. announces today that it will start hosting quarterly “Best of Local Brands” summits in 2021 to expand and enhance the product offerings at its more than 275 retail stores in Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota and Wisconsin...

MidAmerican Energy plans to buy a Webster County solar energy development as part of a proposed subscription service that will allow companies such as Facebook to buy power generated entirely with renewable sources.  MidAmerican will purchase a utility-scale solar development under development by owned by San Diego-based EDF Renewables North America. Terms were not disclosed...

A Mario Cart Tournament will be held at Albert City Evangelical Free Church, Sunday, January 10, starting at 3 p.m. Admission is free, and the tournament is open to all, according to organizer Jeff Luft. The site is being planned for eight participants to race at a time on the game platform, more screens will be added if needed...

This year, the New Year parties just aren’t going to happen. Let your resolution be passing New Year’s Eve safe and sane on the sofa with a good movie. Here are our picks for the best New Year’s themed flicks of all time. 12. Bridget Jones’ Diary - Bridget (Renee Zellweger) is struggling against her age, weight, job, perpetual single-ness and countless imperfections. ...

The Kee Live Music Festival (formerly Jazz & Blues Fest) in Cherokee has been postponed. Due to COVID safety issues, the event will not be held in its usual timeframe in January, but organizers say they plan to stage the festival at some point during 2021 when conditions are safer. Any updates will be posted on the event’s webpage and Facebook page...

Since 1958, Dyno’s convenience stores have been essential stops and an important resource for travelers in the region. Dyno Oil Co. Inc. Owner Mark Nelson announced the company which was started by his father will be purchased by Brew Oil LLC effective Jan. 18. Despite the change in ownership, Nelson, as well as the Dyno’s family at large, will remain an integral part of the business...

While being transported from a South Dakota animal shelter to a foster home in Gilbert, a two-year old Great Dane named George slipped from his handler during a pitstop and went on a four-day adventure in Early.  He captured the attention of thousands of people as the story of his search was shared on social media and volunteers searched for George. His “tail” has a happily ever after ending...

On Thursday December 24 at approximately 6:40 p.m., the Storm Lake Police department was dispatched to a report of a disturbance in the 500 Blk. of Oneida St. in Storm Lake. On arrival to the scene officers met with several subjects and were advised a male had entered a residence without permission and assaulted a female inside. Officers located the suspect, Jeffry Villanueva Guifarro, age 23 of Storm Lake, at 319 West 6th St. in Storm Lake and took him into custody without incident...

Four Buena Vista University computer science majors earned first place in a computer hacking contest recently hosted by Taylor University of Upland, Ind. For one of the team members, Kelsey McConnaughy, the title represents a wonderful way to cap her BVU undergraduate career...

March 29, 1956 - December 23, 2020

March 13, 1935 - December 23, 2020

April 25, 1926 - December 24, 2020

June 8, 1932 - December 21, 2020

One of the Tyson Foods managers fired for betting on how many workers would contract COVID-19 at an Iowa pork plant said the office pool was spontaneous fun and intended to boost morale. Don Merschbrock, a former night manager at the plant in Waterloo, Iowa, said he was speaking in an attempt to show that the seven fired supervisors are “not the evil people” that Tyson has portrayed...

An area native lost her home, but not hope, in Hurricane Sally. Remembering the timbre of the howling winds and the creaks and groans of her home as it attempted to withstand Hurricane Sally still haunts Sarah Johannsen nearly a month after the storm leveled her Milton, Florida, home. Johannsen, a 1998 Spencer High School graduate, lost her home, some of her belongings, but never her gratitude for all that remains...

THE BEST OF TIMES, THE WORST OF TIMES

The Community’s Front-Line Health Care Workers