Stories from Friday, August 27, 2021

Dr. Sabrina Martinez recently received her International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) certification. She is one of few Medical Doctors in the state of Iowa to obtain this certification. “Breastfeeding medicine is one of my special areas of interest, so I decided to pursue the gold standards of certifications,” states Dr. Martinez. “This certification will assist in helping families navigate in their new roles and gain confidence in breastfeeding at all stages.”...

A one-hour customer service workshop for managers and front-line employees of businesses will be presented in Sac City on October 5. The workshop will focus on best practices in attracting and retaining customers. The program was developed by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Economic Development staff at the request of Iowa Economic Development Authority and Iowa’s three tourism regions...

Agricultural interests that dominate Gov. Kim Reynolds’ new carbon-sequestration task force made it clear Friday they want to make money for farmers while addressing one of the biggest environmental threats worldwide. At an inaugural meeting held at the State Fairgrounds, task force members spoke of carbon trading, cover crops, and other ways they can help reduce carbon emissions that are at the center of climate change...

Husband and wife duo Fishin’ for Olives returns to the Innspiration Wines & Vines outdoor stage for a show Sunday, September 5. Expect plenty of soft rock and Americana covers. The show starts at 5:30.

Farm Rock, “the four hour no-break band” will be in concert at Barefoot Bar at Okoboji, Friday, Sept. 3. The show starts at 7 p.m. Farm Rock formed in March 2011 as a brand new country rock band out of North Central Iowa. With a perfect combination of talented veteran musicians, highlighted by Nashville recording artist Kendall Obermier, Farm Rock is working towards taking the Midwest by storm. ...

Linda Betsinger McCann will be speaking about several of her books in this area during the week of September 13. Linda writes nonfiction Iowa history and has had 14 books published by Tandem Publishing Group of Des Moines. She will be speaking about her books on the Prisoners of War in Iowa and her Prohibition book. Linda began writing when she was telling her granddaughters about items in Iowa’s history and they knew nothing about it...

On Labor Day weekend, The Des Moines Symphony (DMSO) will present two evenings of free music in the Lauridsen Amphitheater at Water Works Park. These free, outdoor concerts on Saturday, September 4 and Sunday, September 5 are presented thanks to the generous support of Linda and Tom Koehn...

The Clay County Fair announced The Bellamy Brothers will be joining Tracy Lawrence as part of the SRG Concert Series in the Sleep Number Grandstand at the 2021 Clay County Fair, as opposed to previously announced Mark Chestnutt on Monday, Sept. 13, at 7:30 p.m...

Blues and soul band Blues Rock-It! from the Quad Cities performed Saturday during the Wood, Wine & Blues festival in Storm Lake’s Sunset Park. / Pilot photo by Dana Larsen

On Saturday September 25, Seasons Center & the Buena Vista County Suicide Prevention Coalition are hosting a Suicide Prevention Walk and Family Wellness Event at Chautauqua Park in Storm Lake. This is a free, family-friendly event designed to create a healthier community, connect community members to each other & services available within and around the Storm Lake area, and reduce isolation and suicides...

Why Turtles Cross Roads? Unlike the infamous chicken of many riddles, turtles cross roads not just to get to the other side but because turtles actually have someplace to go. Where all turtles are mainly aquatic, overland journeys usually occur: (1) in connection with seasonal movements between different wetland habitats, (2) during the annual early summer nesting migration of egg laden females, or (3) when newly hatched youngsters seek out the backwaters and ponds that will serve as their permanent home. ...

October 1, 1957 - August 21, 2021

September 17, 1938 - November 13, 2020

A man charged with first-degree murder in the killing of a Lake Park woman in her home last year has pleaded not guilty in the case. Justice Bernston, 24, on Monday pleaded not guilty to the murder count, as well as theft and conspiracy counts, the Sioux City Journal reported. His trial has been scheduled to begin Sept. 21...

The Great Iowa Treasure Hunt is preparing to release its fall publication, which includes new names of past and present Iowans who have unclaimed property waiting to be claimed. State Treasurer Michael Fitzgerald is giving us a sneak peek for Buena Vista County. ...

In the past month, state and county food inspectors have cited Iowa restaurants and grocery stores for hundreds of food-safety violations, including flying insects, a garbage can used to wash lettuce, rodent infestations and a restaurant owner who reportedly “did not understand the basics of food safety.”...

September 18, 1930 - August 22, 2021

July 7, 1938 - August 18, 2021

February 14, 1928 - August 20, 2021

March 20, 1932 - August 15, 2021

November 28, 1940 - August 14, 2021

During a recent Clay County Board of Supervisors meeting, Veronica McFadden, Andrea Easter and Rob Hach — representing Trusted Energy — proposed the idea of solar-powered energy resources for the supervisors consideration. “Our purpose is just to let you know what solar can do to leverage tax payer dollars,” McFadden said. “The benefit of solar energy is, once installed, it will produce energy for 35 years. It used to be 20 years.”...

Signs that the delta variant of COVID-19 will disrupt classes and events in coming months continued to mount this week. The Western Iowa Labor Federation canceled all of its Labor Day picnics in Council Bluffs, Fort Dodge and Sioux City due to the rising number of cases in the state...

Sometimes, you open your laptop to type out some thoughts, and find it tough sledding to hone in on one subject. Thankfully, we are given license to give a couple of cents, to some different subjects. I had three that I couldn’t decide upon, so here’s some shots at all three...

Good gosh, it’s getting tiresome. And yet the debate rages loudly on. Governor Kim Reynolds and her supporters remain dead set against any mandatory prevention controls for COVID-19, smugly claiming that Iowans are totally behind her logic. Thousands of parents, some educators, and Democrats hoping for leverage in the next election shout back (and even sue, in one new case) saying that the state is blocking a necessary push for masks and vaccination that could stem the pandemic...

Iowans seem to think the pandemic is over. Very few people wear masks. Only a bare majority have been vaccinated against COVID. But the virus is here and spreading fast. Hospitals in the South are overrun with COVID patients, and we are going to look like that soon...

First and foremost, my heart breaks for the families and loved ones of our brave troops who were killed in action. My prayers are with those who are grieving this loss of life and with our service members who were wounded in these attacks. It is abundantly clear those wishing to do the U.S. ...

= We write this letter with heavy hearts. The Boy Scouts of America (BSA) is overwhelmed with potential liability exposure from sexual assault allegations nationwide. The BSA has filed for bankruptcy protection. Under both of the proposed plans that the BSA has suggested as a way to continue after the bankruptcy, they are leaving their Chartered Organizations out on a limb by themselves. ...

An Aurelia man has been jailed on charges of embezzling approximately $6,500 while working at the GameStop store in Storm Lake. Police were called to the store on Salebarn Road August 5th, for a reported internal theft. GameStop Corporate Loss Prevention officials told police that employee Adrian Dimas, age 32, had manipulated sales systems since December of 2019 misappropriating various benefits for his own use.  ...

Once per year, Buena Vista University graduates Ben and Nikki (Fulk) Arentson return to their alma mater for a walk around the lakeside campus. The couple often find themselves in the state-of-the-art Estelle Siebens Science Center, taking in sights of a place they came to know well as undergraduates more than a decade ago...

Storm Lake School District will receive $184,000 in grant funds for mental health efforts. Gov. Kim Reynolds and the Iowa Department of Education this week that over $8.6 million in competitive grants will be awarded to 64 school districts to assist them in providing mental health support and other wraparound services to students and families...

One of Storm Lake’s smallest churches is doing big things when it comes to feeding hungry children. All Saints Episcopal is powering the Tornado Packs program, that provides packages of food for kindergartners in Storm Lake - and it could use a hand with the cost...

COVID-19 is again taking a toll. BVRMC is weathering the storm, but two local doctors feel a third wave could have been prevented.

SCHALLER - The Ridge View volleyball team started their season off strong by taking down South Central Calhoun 3-0 at home on Tuesday evening. The Raptors dominated the first set taking a 25-12 win before taking the second set 25-22. The third set was a back and forth battle before the Raptors closed it out with a 25-22 win...

ESTHERVILLE - The Sioux Central volleyball team fell 0-3 to Estherville in their season opener on Tuesday evening. The Rebels dropped the first set 16-25 and the second set 13-25 before fighting in the third set but ultimately falling 23-25. Junior Berkley Johannsen had six kills to lead the team on offense while sophomore Morgan Christian and junior Halle Laursen had three kills each. ...

ODEBOLT - The Alta-Aurelia volleyball team suffered a close 2-3 loss at OABCIG in their season opener on Tuesday evening. The Warriors fought hard every set and fell to the Falcons 23-25 in the first set and 28-26 in the second set before winning the third and fourth sets 25-23 and 25-21, respectfully. In the final set the Warriors fell 12-15...

After a year curtailed by COVID-19 the Buena Vista University football team will finally start their season campaign on Saturday, September 4, at home against Gustavus Adolphus College at 6 p.m. The Beavers had no fall season in 2020 and instead had a spring season with practices and three scrimmage games. The team is excited to get back on the gridiron and play ball next week...

The football season finally gets underway tonight. The stage is set for all area teams to have a great season. Storm Lake finished last season 3-6. The Tornadoes open their season at home against Estherville Lincoln Central at 7 p.m. tonight. ELC finished last year 7-2...

ALTA - The Buena Vista Raceway hosted the final races of the season at the Season Championship on Wednesday evening. The raceway held races for the International Motor Contest Association modified, IMCA hobby stocks, IMCA northern sportmod, IMCA sport compact and IMCA stock cars...

It was opening night for high school football tonight and some of our area teams struggled while others succeeded. #7-ranked Newell-Fonda took down West Bend-Mallard, 54-12 Alta-Aurelia took a win over West Monona, 21-6 Storm Lake was shut out by #7-ranked Estherville Lincoln Central, 0-34...