Stories from Friday, January 15, 2021

The Storm Lake Community School District recently named two new principals to guide schools within the community. Both professionals are Buena Vista University graduates. Megan (O’Malley) Richardson ’02 formally began her tenure as Storm Lake Middle School Principal on Jan. 4. Michael Sullivan ’05 will serve as principal of the new Storm Lake Early Elementary School, set to open in January 2022...

Kirkwood Community College has released its Dean’s List for the fall 2020 semester. These students have achieved a 3.3 grade point average or higher after completing 12 or more credit hours at the college. Included is Edgar Nunez of Storm Lake.

Marshall Peterson, age 87, of Laurens died Sunday, January 3, at Laurens Care Center, Laurens Iowa. Private family services will take place Saturday, January 16, at 10:30 a.m. at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Albert City, Iowa. To watch the live stream of the service, use the following link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81719534283?pwd=RUdlbWxvS0RBbU0yMXh4MWhHYmFLUT09 and enter the password: funeral. ...

Marilou Rude, 91, of Sioux City, passed away, January 10, surrounded by her family. A graveside service will be held Thursday, January 14 at 11 a.m. at Buena Vista Memorial Park Cemetery in Storm Lake, IA. Meyer Brothers Morningside Chapel is handling the arrangements. Online condolences may be made to www.meyerbroschapels.com...

Private family services for Bonnie J. Ebel, 79, of Cherokee, formerly of Aurelia, will take place at a later date at the Good Hope Cemetery. The Redig Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Bonnie Jean Vander Pol was born December 8, 1941, the daughter of John and Artie (Brink) Vander Pol at Sheldon, Iowa. ...

Meta Karen (Miller) Johnson, 83 of Adel, passed away Sunday, January 10, at her home. Services will take place at a later date. Meta was born on May 12, 1937 in Iowa City to Alden and Edna (Olsen) Miller and grew up with her four siblings, Shirley, Joan, Jim and Jack. She graduated from Storm Lake High school on May 26, 1955...

Roy Beukelman July 16, 1953 - January 10, 2021 Roy A. Beukelman, age 67, of The Villages, FL, died on Sunday, January 10, at The Villages Regional Hospital, due to complications of Covid-19. Celebration of Life Service will be held in Storm Lake at a later date. The Fratzke & Jensen Funeral Home in Storm Lake is in charge of the arrangements...

The Iowa Lakes Corridor Development Corporation (Corridor) announced today the appointment of Brian Dalziel to the position of Interim CEO effective February 2021. The Corridor provides professional economic development services for Buena Vista, Clay, Dickinson and Emmet counties. ...

Today, the Kim Reynolds for Iowa Committee announced that it raised nearly $1.6 million in 2020 and has nearly $2.1 million cash-on-hand. This fundraising total breaks the record for contributions an Iowa Governor has received two years following a gubernatorial election. The campaign also announced Governor Reynolds goes into the year before a gubernatorial election with the largest cash-on-hand in state history...

In her first Condition of the Judiciary message, Iowa Supreme Court Chief Justice Susan Christensen introduced herself as “Suzy,” disclosed that she used to be called the “Cookie Judge,” and described her two main post-COVID priorities for Iowa’s court system, both of which involve keeping children with their families...

By DAVID PITT Special to The Pilot Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds said Tuesday night that she will ask lawmakers to immediately send her a bill to sign into law that would require schools to offer parents the option of having their children in classrooms full time despite continuing high levels of coronavirus throughout Iowa...

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources has set up a memorial at the Dickinson County Courthouse Plaza for a Spirit Lake man who patrolled the area’s state parks and waters for almost two decades. Memorial services will take place at 10 a.m. Friday at Good News Community Church in Okoboji for Iowa DNR Conservation Officer Steven Reighard Sr. Visitation will take place from 3-9 p.m. Thursday at Henry-Olson Funeral Chapel in Estherville...

Western Iowa Congressman Randy Feenstra continues to argue against any effort to remove President Trump in the closing days of his administration. Anticipating a 25th Amendment resolution Tuesday, Feenstra was critical. “Last week, I stated that I will strongly oppose any attempt to remove the president from office before the end of his term. ...

On January 6, Storm Lake Police located a wanted subject in Storm Lake identified as Nikki Segebart, age 36 of Denison. Segebart was wanted on two felony Pottawattamie County warrants charging her with violation of probation for Controlled Substance violation and Theft 1st Degree.  Police further allege that Segebart was in possession of approximately half an ounce of crystal methamphetamine, as well as drug paraphernalia...

The Storm Lake Public Library Trustees are discussing the future of a mural of children’s book characters on the wall of the children’s section. The Friends of the Storm Lake Library organization recently raised the possibility of using the wall as a projector screen or to mount a video monitor that could allow the library to host movie-type events tying in with books...

Storm Lake Middle School band students have been selected to participate in the 53rd annual Northwest Iowa Junior High/Middle School Honor Bands Festival. Normally, students audition in person for a position into the two honor bands. Due to the pandemic, this year students recorded and sent in their audition tape. ...

The Des Moines Symphony performs the fourth livestreamed concert in its “Live from the Temple” series, Dance, Rhythm, & Blues, on Thursday, January 21 at 7 p.m. From Stravinsky’s L’Histoire du Soldat to the ragtime riffs of Joplin’s The Entertainer, this wide-ranging program features dance music from French and American Impressionism to jazz, blues and swing. ...

The Prairie Heritage Center, Peterson, is presenting the Moon Adventure Game, Saturday, January 23. There is no charge to participate in the collaborative experience. The Moon Adventure Game, created by the NISE Network, is a fictional story grounded in actual NASA science. ...

The annual Burning of the Greens and Fireworks Extravaganza will be held Saturday, January 30 at Preservation Plaza, next to the Arnolds Park Amusement Park, starting at 6:30 p.m. There is no admission fee. The 90 minute show serves as the closing ceremonies for the University of Okoboji Winter Games. ...

In 2020, the music stopped at the Iowa State Fair, but what better way to launch the 2021 Iowa State Fair Grandstand Concert Series presented by Homemakers Furniture than with big name country icon Blake Shelton? Last performing on the Grandstand in 2008 with Tracy Lawrence, Shelton will perform at the Iowa State Fair with special guest Matt Stell on Friday, August 13, at 8 p.m. ...

Phyllida Lloyd’s “Herself,” an Irish drama of spousal abuse set against Dublin’s housing crisis, has some narrative weak spots but its foundation of resilience and heart is strong. Previous forays into film by Lloyd, a veteran theater director, have been more elaborate, starrier affairs (“Mamma Mia!” “The Iron Lady”). ...

Buena Vista University staff began receiving their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine this week. BVU nurses and athletic trainers are among group 1B, and the first at BVU, to receive the vaccine in preparation for future distribution to employees and students according to Centers for Disease Control guidance...

You hear that familiar voice on Iowa Public Radio, either introducing both obscure and well-known blues tracks, or touting the virtues of why this particular take of “Come Together,” by the Beatles is different than the well-known studio version. Iowa musician/band leader/radio personality Bob Dorr has given Iowans the gift of his love of music, through his radio shows, or gigs fronting the Blue Band, and its various musical off shoots, for decades now. ...

A Storm Lake man who trafficked and intended to distribute large quantities of methamphetamine pled guilty Tuesday in federal court in Sioux City. Christian Javier Ramirez, age 31, was convicted of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. At the plea hearing, Ramirez admitted that earlier this year, he had conspired with others to deliver methamphetamine for him from Colorado to Iowa. According to the complaint filed in this matter, approximately seven pounds of methamphetamine was intercepted in Colorado by the Colorado State Patrol and was destined for Storm Lake, at the direction of Ramirez.      . ...

New District 6 State Senator Craig Williams admits to a bit of impatience. “There was a little more pomp and circumstance than I was expecting. I’m a guy who likes to get my shirtsleeves rolled up and go to work. I was complaining the first couple of days down here - where are the bills to work on? Then I came in today and there was a two-inch thick stack of bills to read. I learned to be careful what you ask for,” he chuckles...

A Storm Lake man faces multiple charges after police allege he met a 15-year-old girl on Snapchat, and later engaged in sexual contact with her at residences in Storm Lake during December. Police were notified of possible sexual assault on January 10. Investigation indicated that Nixon Mendoza Munoz, age 22, met the girl on the messaging application about two months before the alleged sexual abuse took place...

Several Storm Lake recreation projects that have languished during a pandemic could begin to move forward this spring. A dog park proposal suffered a setback when a potential site was lost. A Storm Lake landowner had offered property to be donated for the project, but amid delays, the owner passed away and survivors decided not to proceed with the donation...

Alta city council members discussed at a Jan. 11th special meeting a proposal from ISG in their plan to provide engineering services for replacement/repair of drainage and sewer lines. The project involves the design of a sewer replacement project on Cherokee and 9th Street and a sewer lining project in the area of Lake Street. ...

Alta City Clerk Megan Peterson discussed the next fiscal year budget with council members at a Jan. 11th special city council meeting. She indicated that revenue has not changed significantly so she is estimating the upcoming fiscal year budget to be similar to the current one. The new fiscal year begins July 1st. ...

On March 2, voters in Alta and Aurelia will go to the polls to decide a request for a Public Educational and Recreation tax levy (PERL). It is the first time that levy, which is not often used in Iowa, has been proposed for the district. If approved, Alta-Aurelia would be the first school in the county to create the levy. It would be permanent, unless voters rescind it...

Tyson Foods is partnering with Matrix Medical Network, a leading clinical services company, to ensure the company’s U.S. team members are educated about and have access to the COVID-19 vaccines. Matrix will collaborate with Tyson Foods’ health services team to deploy mobile health clinics and expert clinical staff to support vaccine communications, administration and counseling at Tyson Foods facilities beginning in early 2021 and continuing throughout the year. ...

Hy-Vee, Inc. announced today that it has given more than $167.2 million in bonuses and other benefits to its employees in 2020. Over the last year, Hy-Vee introduced a variety of new and enhanced employee benefits as part of its mission to be the “Best Place to Work in America.”...

Bomgaars held a Ladies’ Shopping Night on October 25 where 5 percent of sales went back to programs to help women fighting cancer. Ron Thompson and Cindy Mortiz from the Storm Lake Bomgaars present Katie Schwint with Buena Vista Regional Medical Center a check for $1,643. / Photo submitted...