Stories from Thursday, February 9, 2017

The Elements, with locations in Storm Lake and, recently, in The District in Ankeny, has been awarded “Best of Houzz” by Houzz.com, the leading platform for home remodeling and design. The twelve-year-old interior design firm and retail store was chosen by the more than 30 million monthly users that comprise the Houzz community...

Alexander Girres of the financial services firm Edward Jones in Storm Lake has been authorized by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards (CFP Board) to use the certification mark CFP®. Girres successfully completed the CFP Board’s initial certification requirements, which include completion of financial planning coursework and passing a comprehensive examination...

The Galva Economic Development Corporation (GEDC) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that is governed by an 8-member board of directors. Their volunteer members have a vested interest in Galva, and their goals are to maintain and create new jobs, increase foot traffic on our Main Street, beautify the town, and keep Galva growing as a whole. ...

Domestic assaults • On the evening of Monday, February 6th, at approximately 8 p.m. the Storm Lake Police Department was called to Mo’s Bar in reference to a domestic situation. Upon arrival police met with the victim who reported that she had been pushed down and choked by her boyfriend Heath Robert Stille age 28 of Storm Lake at her home located at 709 ½ Lake Avenue. Stille had fled the scene prior to police arrival...

February 12, 1929 - February 5, 2017

December 27, 1932 - February 11, 2017

Faith, Hope & Charity, would like to thank everyone in Storm Lake and the surrounding communities for your generous support of Faith, Hope & Charity’s Lose the Winter Blues, their annual benefit concert event this past Saturday, February 4th at King’s Pointe Waterpark Resort. ...

Two more webinars from a three-part series to be shown by ISU Extension and Outreach Buena Vista County

The Veterans Sweet Heart Supper will be held February 15 at 6 p.m. at the Alta Community Building. They will be serving roast beef. Touch of Broadway will perform at 7 p.m. and there will be door prizes. This event is $10 per person. You may make advanced reservations and prepay by February 11. To make your reservations or for more information, call Don Fisher at 712-200-1761 or Dan Young at 712-200-1971. The public is welcome...

Quad County Corn Processors, a 14.5 million bushel corn processing biorefinery in Galva recently donated $500 to the Sac County 4-H Youth Council. The donation will help defray the annual participation cost of each individual 4-H member in Sac County...

The Cherokee Symphony will be hosting its “Mid-Winter Concert” featuring the arts, theatre and ballet. The Concert will be held on the upper level of the Cherokee Community Center on Sunday, Feb, 12, starting at 4 p.m. Tickets are $12 per person, with season tickets honored...

Chicago is coming to the Orpheum Theatre in Sioux City on May 14. Presale tickets are available. Go to the Orpheum Theatre’s Facebook page to get the presale ticket code. / Photo courtesy of Orpheum Theatre

Witter Gallery is celebrating Black Heritage Month with classes. On February 18 from 11 a.m.-12 p.m. they will be teaching a class on Kara Walker, an African American contemporary artist, that touches on difficult social subjects through silhouettes...

Looking for a fun night out with the girls for Valentine’s Day? Bring your best gal pals to the Gallery for a fun night of painting and relaxation. All supplies will be included and instructions will be step-by-step. This event will take place February 13 from 4-5 p.m. Cost is $25. Please register by February 10...

Artists Cherie Courter and Ron Netten have their artwork work on display at the Witter Gallery through February 25. Cherie Courter With a Bachelors in Art Education and a Masters of Science degree Courter has taught younger artists from kindergarten to even college levels. ...

Educational opportunities have been enhanced in the Spencer Community School District through the installation of a Wi-Fi router on one of the school buses which transports students to and, from extra curricular activities as well as normal routes. The district’s first Smart Bus was outfitted with a router on Jan. 9 and was configured to block access to any noneducational sites, including all social media sites...

An amendment to the Storm Lake Industrial Park Urban Renewal Plan, if completed, would allow for vehicle sales lots to be located in a specific general industrial zone within 1,000 feet of right of way for Highway 71. City officials say there has been some interest in such developments, if a commercial site was available that could capture passing traffic from the highway. The proposal would allow lots for cars, motorcycles, boats, RVs or motorhomes...

Storm Lake Mayor Jon Kruse and City Manager Jim Patrick accepted the Best Development Award for 2016 from the group 1000 Friends of Iowa. Nine honorees were selected statewide for projects that implement the efficient use of resources to develop sustainable communities that provide a high quality of life. ...

Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa voted in favor of President Trump’s nomination of Betsy DeVos to be U.S. Secretary of Education. He made the following comment on the vote. “I believe Betsy DeVos will perform the job of U.S. Secretary of Education faithfully and well. ...

The buck stops here for an angry rural Cherokee man who seeks justice for the “slob” who cut off and stole the head of a buck deer his son had shot during January’s muzzle loader season. Adam Timmerman of rural Cherokee is offering a $5,000 cash reward for the arrest and conviction of the person(s) who used a power tool - possibly a chain saw - to remove the trophy head off the deer his son Mason had shot with a muzzle loader on their own property the previous day...

Slick winter roads are taking a toll on the Storm Lake City budget. City officials said earlier this week that the streets department has already used two normal seasons’ worth of sand to treat the roads, and started on a third.

A Storm Lake Middle School student has been arrested on a Threat of Terrorism felony charge after allegedly telling other students he planned to “shoot up the school.” After speaking with several students and faculty members, police believe that no actual threat of a shooting was imminent. Officers learned of the situation on Tuesday...

“Love Our Neighbors” is an event coming up Sunday, February 12th, that will provide a special forum to help immigrants in our area get some facts and information regarding fears about the changing immigration status and laws in the United States. An Our Place committee held a special meeting Tuesday afternoon to map out details for this event, which will be from 5:30 p.m. ...

“If you have garbage in your yard, we’re gonna come get you,” Storm Lake City Council member Tyson Rice quipped to close a study session Monday on garbage issues. After the City raised the possibility recently of making home trash collection mandatory, some residents have expressed opposition. This week, discussion turned more toward education and enforcement as a means of dealing with trash issues...

Senate Republicans failed Iowa’s public school students, parents, educators and our communities today passing along party lines, Senate File 166, a bill which inadequately funds our schools. Public schools in Iowa have always been a source of pride as they are rated among the best in the country. ...

At coffee today, my friend Heidi was steaming mad. She works with the public and I want to say is one of the nicest, kindest, women I have ever known. She was visiting with one of her clients she said, and was discussing politics. She shared with the coffee group and said she wished she could tell the world how some of us think, and I say some of us because I am included in her beliefs...

The Iowa Legislature’s rabid determination to defund Planned Parenthood belies common sense. Here are some facts to consider: #1: NO state or federal dollars are used for abortions. #2: Medicaid (not the State of Iowa) reimburses Planned Parenthood for providing covered family planning services. ...

Panthers pull away from Raptors in third quarter, win 56-35 SCHALLER - A 20 point advantage in the third quarter helped St. Mary’s pull away from Ridge View on Monday night, 56-35, as the two teams went into halftime at a close 25-22 contest. The Panthers had a four point advantage, thanks to an 8-0 run to begin the game, after the first frame taking an 11-7 lead to the second period. ...

Alta-Aurelia concludes regular season with tough home loss ALTA - The Warrior girls had a lead at halftime and saw it evaporate in the second half against Woodbury Central dropping a 64-51 decision. The Warriors held a slim two point lead at half, 30-28, but managed 21 second half points and allowed 36...

From prostitution to counterfeiting to murder suspects to a prolific burglar, SLPD investigations cracked down on crime