Stories from Friday, January 8, 2021

Pamela Wilken, Vice President/Human Resources Officer at Citizens 1st National Bank, was awarded a certificate of completion from the 20th annual Human Resource Management School presented by the Graduate School of Banking at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. ...

A state audit has confirmed that the Iowa Lottery saw a dip of just under 5% in operating revenue last budget year and funneled less money to the state general fund.  State Auditor Rob Sand’s report covering the budget year ending June 30 included the first few months of the coronavirus pandemic. ...

The Iowa Farm Bureau Federation (IFBF) and Fareway launched their second “Fill Your Freezer” sweepstakes today to give Iowans a chance to win a $200 gift card for meat at each of Fareway’s 106 Iowa locations. Iowans who want a chance to fill their freezers with $200 in meat can visit www.iowafarmbureau.com/fillyourfreezer and select their local Fareway store. ...

Profile by the Iowa Economic Development Authority’s “This is Iowa” series While COVID-19 is altering nearly every aspect of life, small businesses are being hit especially hard. These changes are forcing business owners to adjust, but their uplifting stories of perseverance and creativity are showing what Iowans are capable of in difficult times...

Sunny Sweeney will be in concert Saturday, January 30 at The Marquee in Sioux City. Tickets are $15 in advance. The country artist from Houston burst onto the scene in 2006 with her debut indie album, Heartbreakers Hall of Fame. Coming out of the Texas club circuit, she toured Europe in 2007. ...

The popular keg toss competition will return to the University of Okoboji Winter Games, Saturday, Jan. 30 at The Gardens, Arnolds Park. Check in is at 3:30, competition at 4. The fee is $5 per person. The objective is simple - each competitor gets two throws with a pony keg, the longest throw wins. The event is limited to the first 40 participants. Must be age 21 or older. The winners in the men’s and women’s divisions each receive a keg party, to be used any time before June 1...

Is it a #MeToo-era revenge thriller? A 21st-century “Fatal Attraction”? A candy-colored feminist polemic, to strains of Paris Hilton and Britney Spears? A black comedy? A comic tragedy? None of the above — and all of the above. Which is to say: a film as bracingly original as Emerald Fennell’s “Promising Young Woman” defies labels...

Storm Lake city officials estimated that snow removal for the first storm of the snow season Dec. 23 took 225 labor hours ($11,250), 205 equipment hours ($15,375), 72 tons of salt/sand mix ($1,872) and 1,845 gallons diesel fuel ($3,825). The total estimated cost for this event is $32,355. Emergency routes were plowed until white-out conditions became too dangerous to navigate the streets...

Surveillance cameras footage helped Storm Lake Police to quickly make an arrest Sunday in a series of crimes including a stolen vehicle. At 12:30 a.m., police were dispatched to a business at 1118 Lake Avenue, where a vehicle that had been left unlocked and running in front of the business was stolen...

Freshman members of Congress were sworn in last weekend in a rare Sunday session, including Republican Randy Feenstra, replacing the incumbent he beat in the 2020 primary, Steve King. After 12 years in the Iowa Senate, Feenstra represents the Iowa 4th District in the House of Representatives...

St. Mary’s Ball Chairs Dr. John and Lindsay Armstrong and Colin and Trisha Schmitt invite school supporters to join them on March 6, 2021 for the St. Mary’s Virtual Ball and Charity Auction. Dr. John Armstrong is a general surgeon at Buena Vista Regional Medical Center and Lindsay is an active member of St. Mary’s PTP group. They are parents of three children – Will in second grade, Blair in kindergarten, and Quinn in three-year-old preschool...

33 Morningside College students graduated with bachelor’s degrees and 78 students earned graduate degrees in December 2020. Morningside College awards general honors based on undergraduate work completed at the college and according to the grade point averages designated...

Morningside College Vice President for Academic Affairs Chris Spicer recently announced the 402 students named to the Dean’s List for the fall semester of the 2020-21 academic year. The Dean’s List recognizes Morningside College students who achieve a 3.67 grade point average or better and complete at least 12 credits of coursework with no grade below a “C-.” Students that achieved a 4.0 grade point average are denoted with an asterisk (*)...

Professionals who work with children and families can gain additional tools to help couples build healthy relationships during a virtual training in February. Iowa State University Extension and Outreach is offering Healthy Relationship Education Training on Feb. 11 via Zoom. During the one-day program, professionals will learn how to use relationship education as a strategy to meet the safety, permanency and well-being needs of children...

The Buena Vista County Soil & Water Conservation District will again be sponsoring the Dr. T.E. Shea Conservation Memorial Scholarship. A $1,500 scholarship will be presented to a Buena Vista County high school senior to be used for their first year of education on the college level; studying in any field of agriculture or natural resources. ...

Lutheran Services in Iowa (LSI) is hosting several upcoming virtual orientations for western Iowa community members to learn more about foster care and adoption. Hundreds of Iowa children are currently in need of a foster family, but there are not enough foster homes in western Iowa available for them...

Iowa State University (ISU) Extension and Outreach has brought a new pilot program, called “Small Talk” to Northwest Iowa. The virtual program will begin Jan. 19. “Small Talk,” which is specifically for parents of children under the age of 30 months, is based in science, according to Lori Korthals, local human sciences specialist in family life, who will lead the program...

Applications are now being accepted for the Buena Vista County Community Foundation spring 2021 grant cycle. The application form can be downloaded from the foundation’s web page at www.bvcountyfoundation.com or may be requested by email at bvcfoundation@gmail.com...

July 5, 1930 - January 4, 2020

December 23, 1928 - December 31, 2020

May 23, 1943 - January 3, 2021

November 5, 1932 - January 3, 2021

July 26, 1977 - December 25, 2020

Iowa Democrats said Wednesday they want to legalize cannabis and regulate it at the same level as alcohol. So far, no Republicans, who hold the majority in the Legislature, have publicly supported the measure. Nearly 40 Democrats, ranging from city council members to Iowa state senators, signed on in support of legalizing the possession of small amounts of marijuana and expunging the criminal records of Iowans who have been previously charged in misdemeanors for marijuana possession...

Buena Vista County Conservation Board (BVCCB) recently stocked Gabrielson Park-Gustafson Lake just south of Sioux Rapids, Iowa with approximately 1,000-1,500 rainbow trout for the public to catch throughout the ice fishing season. This is the second time trout have been stocked in Buena Vista County in recent years. ...

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds said she’s “not happy” with the speed of COVID-19 immunizations in the state’s long-term care facilities. During a meeting with reporters on Thursday, she acknowledged the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s partnership with CVS and Walgreens to immunize Iowans in nursing homes isn’t moving quickly enough. Reynolds said she is participating in a call with the CEOs of Walgreens and CVS to discuss it on Thursday...

SIOUX RAPIDS - The Rebels of Sioux Central got off to a slow start Tuesday, but had a big second half to claim a 52-39 win over Ridge View in non-conference play. Sioux Central led early 7-2, but RV went on a 15-0 binge, and led 21-19 at the break. The teams swapped the lead early in the third, but the Rebels rolled from there, with 17 points in each of the final two periods. ...

MAPLETON - The Alta-Aurelia girls notched their first win of the season in memorable style Tuesday, edging MVAOCOU 41-40 in overtime on the road. The Warriors took a 14-9 lead in the first quarter, before MVAO was able to whittle it down. AA dug deep in the extra period to outscore the Rams 5-4...

ESTHERVILLE - The Tornadoes faced a tall task coming out of holiday break, squaring off on the road against #15-ranked Estherville Lincoln Central Tuesday. ELC came out on top 60-24. The green and white picked up the first field goal of the game, but the home team went on an 8-0 run from there, then finished out the first quarter with a 10-2 streak for a 30-point period. They led 49-19 before going to their bench. Neither team put up a point in the fourth...

STORM LAKE - The St. Mary’s girls had only seven players suited up Monday, but that proved to be a couple too many for visiting Ar-We-Va. The Panthers defense held the Rockets to 5 points in the first quarter and 5 in the third to build up leads on the way to a 63-43 non-conference win...

NEWELL - The Newell-Fonda girls, ranked #2 in 1A, stepped up in class to host a strong 3A Spencer squad Tuesday night, but has no problems cruising to a 76-43 win. The Mustangs showed no ring rust from the holiday break, pushing the ball on offense and playing tight defense to build a 17-9 edge after a quarter and a 38-17 lead by half. They kept on scoring in the second half, despite sitting most of the starters...

The American Rivers Conference has announced the five female and four male nominees for its 2020 Johanna Olson and Duane Schroeder Scholar-Athletes of the Year Awards. The nominees for the Johanna Olson A-R-C Female Scholar of the Year award are former Central College women’s golf athlete Emily Opsal (Wilson), former Coe College track & field athlete Kat Stai, former Loras College track & field athlete Audrey Miller, Nebraska Wesleyan University women’s basketball athlete Caitlin Navratil, and Wartburg College women’s basketball athlete Emma Gerdes.. ...

SIOUX RAPIDS - Western Valley Conference co-leader Ridge View snared its fifth straight win and is 8-1 to start the season following a 59-51 win over Sioux Central Tuesday.  The Raptors had twin towers at work as 6-3 Beau Blackmore  and 6-3 Bo Clausen had solid games. Blackmore led with 20 points and seven rebounds. Clausen tallied 15 points and six boards. Cade Harriman added 11 points. ...

NEWELL - If solid 3A team Spencer thought is would be an easy night against a 1A opponent, Newell-Fonda had other ideas. The Mustangs were red hot out of the gate Tuesday, hitting long jumpers over the defense to race out to a 28-15 lead after a quarter. They led 45-31 at the half, but the Tigers began to find their range in the third, cutting into the lead while holding NF to 8. The Mustangs regained their footing in the fourth with a 16-15 quarter to cement the win...

MAPLETON - In a tight contest throughout, the Alta-Aurelia boys couldn’t quite catch MVAOCOU on the road Tuesday night, bowing 63-60 in overtime in non-conference play. The teams battled to a 10-10 first period, with the Rams taking a 25-21 lead after two. The Warriors cut the lead to 2 after the third and it was 52-52 at the horn. The Rams outscored AA 11-8 in the extra period...

STORM LAKE - The St. Mary’s boys suffered a 53-32 setback Monday at the Panther pit. St. Mary’s grabbed a quick 4-0 lead out of the gate and looked to slow play to keep scoring down, but the Rockets went on a run to led 10-8 after a period. The Panthers could only find 3 points in the second and 6 in the third. They rebounded for a 15-point final period, but it was too little, too late...

ESTHERVILLE - The Storm Lake boys struggled early against Lakes Conference foe Estherville Lincoln Central, but finished strong for a 53-45 win. The Midgets led 12-8 after a quarter and 21-16 at the half, but Storm Lake outscored them 16-10 in the third to take a 1-point lead, and finished off with a 21-point fourth, including a 12-0 run, to pull away late...

The Bridge of Storm Lake has reached its goal for the neighborhood youth ministry’s annual fundraising campaign. The goal for the end-of-the-year effort was $25,000, earmarked to provide for a new van to replace a vehicle that has seen better days. “It went really well - we were able to meet our goal, and we’re super excited about that,” Bridge CEO Shelly Rock said this week...

Newly-elected 4th District Congressman Randy Feenstra was sworn in just in time to experience the most frightening incident inside the Capitol in generations. “Today is a very sad day in our nation’s history. While every American has a First Amendment right to free speech, which includes the right to peacefully protest, violence is never the answer,” Feenstra said of a pro-Trump mob’s assault on the building during the counting of presidential electoral votes Wednesday. ...

Each year Storm Lake United awards business members who have enhanced business growth and tourism in the Storm Lake Area. The nine businesses and business professionals that were recognized for their leadership and accomplishments in 2020 are as follows:...

The Storm Lake City Council continues to lament spending projected at half a million dollars for the coming five years for the municipal golf course. While the council agreed this week to let the capital expenses plan for the course stand, members want to see the course turned around so that it can at least pay its own way...

Storm Lake native Lawrence Dorr, a surgeon who innovated early developments in joint replacement surgery and founded the international non-profit Operation Walk, has passed away in California at age 79. Dorr created Operation Walk to provide free joint replacement surgery for people in underserved countries such as Cuba, Nepal, and Guatemala, the Los Angeles Times reported...