Stories from Wednesday, April 4, 2018

For the second year in a row, Buena Vista University (BVU) has announced its participation in the Give Back Iowa Challenge – an eight-week service competition running from April 1 through May 31. The challenge was created by Volunteer Iowa in 2015 to encourage employees to engage in community volunteering, both during and outside of the workday...

Faith, Hope & Charity, a Division of Hope Haven, is proud to welcome a new Associate Development Director, Jordan Kane. Responsible for fundraising and public relations, Kane began her position on March 19th, just in time to hit the ground running to begin planning a 50th Anniversary Celebration...

An anonymous donor has provided a small drone aircraft to the Storm Lake Police Department. The City Council voted 4-1 this week to accept the technology. Public Safety Director Mark Prosser said the department has been pursuing such technology and determining if it would be applicable in the local jurisdiction, with the understanding that it could not be paid for out of the police operational budget...

Hunzelman, Putzier & Co., PLC released an audit report on Buena Vista County. The County had local tax revenue of $35,392,378, for the year ended June 30, 2017, which included $2,099,544 in tax credits from the state. The County forwarded $25,435,709 of the local tax revenue to the townships, school districts, cities, and other taxing bodies in the County. ...

FIRES On the evening of Monday, April 2, at approximately 10:57 p.m. the Storm Lake Fire Department responded to 515 East 2nd Street in reference to a loud noise, possible a furnace issue in the residence. Upon arrival of fire fighters and police first responders were unable to locate the source of any loud noise. ...

The 3rd Annual END IT! for Autumn Color Run/Walk will take place on Saturday, April 21, at Veterans Park in Orange City. Last April over 300 adults and children participated in the second END IT! for Autumn Color Run and $15,000 was raised for Camp Autumn. Services began at Camp Autumn on June 5, 2017, with nearly 150 children participating in the first nine weeks of summer day camp sessions...

Storm Lake Public Library will host an Adult Coloring Night on Thursday, April 5 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Coloring pages, pencils, and refreshments will be provided. Come to relax and enjoy a fun and creative evening. Can’t make it?  The library’s next coloring night is May 17: visit www.stormlake.lib.ia.us for the most up-to-date event information or call the library at 732-8026. Coloring programs are sponsored by the Friends of the Storm Lake Library...

After years of decline, Iowa farmland value has risen over 18 months. The average value of farmland through the state increased 2.9 percent between September 2017 and March 2018. Sam Harper, broker and manager of Advantage Realty and Land Management, said citing statistics from a survey done by the Iowa chapter of the Realtors Land Institute...

Iowa State University (ISU) Extension and Outreach and the O’Brien County Conservation Board invite adults, youth and families to participate in an educational afternoon dedicated to learning more about monarch butterflies and other pollinators. The event, which is Northwest Iowa’s kick-off for the statewide 4-H Ag Innovator’s Experience Monarchs on the Move Challenge, will be Sunday, April 22 from 2 p.m. ...

At 3 years old, Damon Martin Coll, a smart, happy, and fun-loving little boy, was diagnosed with Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG), a very rare aggressive brain tumor. Damon has endured many forms of treatment over this past year, in hopes achieving a normal, healthy life again...

An Iowa Great Lakes favorite is returning for one of the season’s first concerts at Arnolds Park’s Preservation Plaza, Saturday, June 16 at 7 p.m. Admission is free. Hairball is a Rock & Roll experience you won’t forget. A band puts on a concert – Hairball puts on an event. ...

Shellabration is excited to announce Austin Hanks as direct support for ZZ Top on Saturday, June 30 at Rogers Sports Complex in Fort Dodge. A second opening act will be announced at a later date (pending approval). In addition to having six songs featured on the FX television series Sons of Anarchy, Austin had the distinction of having his friend and song writing partner Bill Gibbons (of ZZ Top) serve as Executive Producer of his 2017 album Alabastard...

Tiffany will be performing at the Wild Rose Casino on Saturday, April 28, starting at 8 p.m. Tickets are $25 for regular seating.The Hotel Bundle (one Standard hotel room, two concert seats and two free drinks) is $150. Tiffany’s iconic number one hit single “I Think We’re Alone Now,” captured the heart of a nation and catapulted her to pop superstardom. ...

Ninety seven high school students from throughout northwest Iowa attended the GRIT (Getting Real Together) Multicultural Youth Conference on the campus of Buena Vista University.   The conference, which was coordinated through a partnership between BVU and Iowa State University and Extension and Outreach, was established in 2017 to encourage youth from underrepresented populations to visit and take part in activities on a real college campus...

A new website launched this week encourages Iowa employers and job seekers to explore Registered Apprenticeship opportunities. Earnandlearniowa.gov focuses on helping employers understand how a Registered Apprenticeship Program works, the value it brings to their business and the resources available to help them set up a Registered Apprenticeship Program. Job seekers can learn why a Registered Apprenticeship leads to a successful career...

Two Buena Vista University students were awarded the Iron Reporter title at the annual College Media Association national conference in New York City.  The students are Madeleine McCormick, a senior digital media major from Huxley; and Emily Kenny, a senior digital media and psychology double major from Schaller. ...

The Ridge View prom is scheduled for April 7. The theme is Winter Wonderland. The following events are held at the high school gym and commons: • 4:45 p.m. Christina Kjar will be taking prom photos. • 5:45 p.m.- Grand March doors open. • 6:30 p.m. Grand March: Open to the public, free will donation to help defray the cost of decorating the gym. ...

Buena Vista University students gathered for ice cream as part of the “AWOL Sundae Send Off.” The event was in celebration of students who are participating in BVU’s AWOL (Alternative Week of Offsite Learning) program during spring break. This year, three AWOL trips are underway, enabling students to volunteer their time and service to a variety of people and programs. ...

The Storm Lake City Council engaged in a spirited discussion on council procedures Monday, airing out some frustrations from members who say they have been discouraged from raising issues. Earlier, concerns arose about spending issues within the consent agenda at council meetings. ...

Sentencing for James Matthew Bradley has been pushed back again. The truck driver is accused of illegally hauling immigrants in an incident in which 10 people died last July, while he was delivering a truck trailer from Schaller, Iowa to Texas. He faces potential life in prison...

Western Iowa Congressman Steve King is pleased that the 2020 census is to reinstate a question on citizenship status of respondents, but Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller is fighting the change. Miller has joined a coalition of 18 states, several cities and the U.S. Conference of Mayors in trying to block the question...

One year after taking over Kings Pointe Resort, management firm leaders reviewed their achievements with the Storm Lake City Council Monday - but council members felt some promises had gone unmet. “The Ritz-Carlton experience is what you were blowing at us,” council member Tyson Rice told them after the presentation. “I had a lot more faith in you a year ago than I do now.”...

DACA, TPS, asylum help some, but are barriers for others Local immigrants under Temporary Protective Status or the DACA program are “terrified,” according to Marie-Ann Sennett, who recently began practice as an immigration attorney in Storm Lake. She presented “An Immigration Update” Saturday evening, sponsored by the American Association of University Women...

STORM LAKE - Buena Vista scored nine times in the fourth inning of Monday afternoon’s home opener against Nebraska Wesleyan en route to a 13-3 (7 inn.) win in the first game before scoring on a wild pitch in the bottom of the ninth in game two for a thrilling 2-1 walk-off victory...

INDIANOLA - After a 10-day layoff, the Buena Vista softball team finally got to step foot back out on a diamond Saturday afternoon to begin Iowa Conference play with a doubleheader at Simpson College, but the Beaver bats were held in check as the Storm swept the twinbill by scores of 6-2 and 3-1...

Freshman Coleman Roberts is off to a torrid start to Iowa Conference play, and his performance last week has earned him Iowa Conference Male Athlete of the Week accolades for the period ending April 1. In three games at Central over the weekend, Roberts went 9-for-15 (.600) with three doubles and a team-leading eight RBI, as the Beavers took 2-of-3 from the Dutch. ...

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Drake Stadium in Des Moines, Iowa, will host the USA Track and Field outdoor championships in 2019. Catch Des Moines, the city’s chamber of commerce, announced on Tuesday that the city has added the event to next year’s calendar. Drake is hosting the national outdoor championships in June for the third time since 2010...

LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — Seven countries are interested in hosting the 2026 Winter Olympics. Cities in Austria, Canada, Italy, Japan, Sweden, Switzerland and Turkey have submitted formal expressions of interest to the International Olympic Committee. The vote is scheduled for September 2019...

PELLA - The Buena Vsta men’s tennis team returned to Iowa Conference action on Saturday with a pair of matches. BVU fell to Coe College, 9-0, before the host Dutch handed the Beavers an 8-1 setback. Buena Vista is now 4-7 overall (0-3 IIAC) and looks to end a three-match losing skid by hosting Iowa Central CC on Tuesday, April 10 at 4 p.m...

Al and Lori Aronson and Colleen and the late Kim Miller are very pleased to announce the engagement of their children Andrea and Nicholas. An August 4, wedding is planned.

May 6, 1976 - April 1, 2018