Stories from Monday, May 14, 2018

May 12, 2018

With love, compassion and patience, the Jimenez family has been taking children in from Iowa’s foster care system since 2014. As their family has grown, so has their capacity to love them. In recognition of National Foster Care Month, they shared their story in hopes it might help others interested in being parents...

As most Iowans noticed, this was an unusual start to spring in April, exceptionally cooler and drier than normal. This April was the coldest on record, and the 13th driest on record, according to the latest Water Summary Update. April’s precipitation of 1.5 inches was about half the normal amount for the month. Previous wetter than normal months have offset this dry month, and the state is within an inch of normal rainfall for the year...

This weekly fishing report is compiled from information gathered from local bait shops, angler creel surveys and county and state parks staff. Clark Lake (Mike Zack W.A.) Northern Pike and Largemouth are biting on crankbaits and soft plastic baits. Clear Lake...

DES MOINES, (AP) — Iowa is tweaking its new state-funded family planning program that excludes abortion providers such as Planned Parenthood by restoring some eligibility to a large hospital system. Some of UnityPoint Health’s hospitals and clinics could soon participate again in the state’s family planning program under a budget bill passed in the final days of the legislative session. ...

ACCIDENTS On May 8, at approximately 8:15 p.m., in the 600 block of Lake Ave. in Storm Lake, a vehicle driven by Jaime Rodriguez of Storm Lake, was involved in an accident with a vehicle driven by Zane Wellik of Rolfe. The two vehicles collided causing total damages estimated at $4000. Wellik was cited for Improper use of Lanes...

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig has highlighted key agriculture provisions passed by the Iowa Legislature during the 2018 legislative session. “The state of Iowa is a nationally recognized leader in agriculture production, and the Iowa Legislature has reinforced their commitment to Iowa agriculture through their passage of landmark water quality and agriculture-related legislation,” Naig said...

Storm Lake St. Mary’s Student Council contributed $250 to the Buena Vista Regional Medical Center’s Cares for Kids program Thursday. The funds were raised through the school-wide out of uniform days when students can forgo the school dress code and make a small contribution to charity. BVRMC Foundation Director Brad Strader came to St. Mary’s High School to accept the contribution...

Storm Lake Middle School had 14 sixth grade math students travel to the Math Bee in Spencer on April 24. Schools from the surrounding area brought a total of 21 teams and 88 individuals to compete. The school is pleased to announce that one of our teams earned fifth place and team members were Thi Ha Phyo, Angel Lopez, Ellie McClellan and Madison Stull...

Newell will be celebrating Memorial Day with several events. From 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. Chris Cakes will be at the Allee Building. There is a free will donation going to the Newell-Fonda Honor Society. At 10 a.m. memorial services will be held at the Newell cemetery. In case of inclement weather services will be at the Allee Building.Volunteers are welcome to put up flags at 7 a.m. and take down flags at 7 p.m...

Iowa is home to many different species of raptors. Naturalist Katie will be presenting all about these flying predators on Friday, May 25 at 7 p.m. Come and learn what makes these avian predators so unique. Both education birds: Luna the barred owl and Odin the red-tailed hawk will make an appearance at the program...

Storm Lake Public Safety (Police and Fire) hosted a cookout at the Storm Lake Fire Station for their (PIE) Partners in Excellence. Storm Lake Public Safety partnered this year once again with the kindergarten class at St. Mary’s School as part of the Partners in Excellence Program (PIE). Officers and fire fighters visited the classroom throughout the year reading and sharaing with the students...

The annual celebration of Latino heritage, “Fiesta Latina,” will be held at Frank Starr Park. In case of rain it will be held in the Lamberti Recreation Center on the Buena Vista University campus Saturday, May 19. The event – which is free and open to the public – is being coordinated by RAICES, a student organization at BVU that is designed to increase the visibility and heighten the awareness of students of Latin descent.  Fiesta Latina is an annual community-wide fundraiser that is held each spring to bring awareness to the Latino culture and to help raise funds for a local non-profit organization. ...

Memorial services will be held today for Dennis Hovinga of Laurens, who was killed last week after being struck by a pickup truck in an accident near his home. Hovinga, 76, was in a golf car, retrieving mail from a mailbox, and was attempting a u-turn on a gravel road west of Laurens when the cart was struck broadside by a pickup driven by Larry Lawman of Laurens...

The College of Human Sciences at Iowa State University has named 15 outstanding achievers to serve as advocates for their college as Student Sensations. The honorees represent the college at events such as Family Weekend, Human Sciences Week, and alumni gatherings...

It was out of character for 11-year-old Brian Bell to not enjoy his grandmother’s famous gumbo on Mother’s Day 1991. “That wasn’t normal. Mother’s Day is a big deal in Southeast Texas,” Brian says. “She had the whole spread there, and I couldn’t eat or drink anything. I just threw up all night.”...

Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Nutrition and Wellness Specialist, Ann Heuer, will be teaching Safe Food, a food safety training at Loring Hospital on June 18, 1:45-4:45 p.m. This class will train those working in food service about food safety principles. Participants will receive a safe food handlers manual and certificate of completion. Cost is $35 per participant...

Celebrating National Hospital Week at Buena Vista Regional Medical Center. Heroes walk the halls of BVRMC every day. Whether it’s a doctor, nurse, hospital staff member or volunteer they provide great care and go beyond the call of duty as heroes of BVRMC. Everyone is a super hero to patients and to each other...

Garry Marshall’s 1987 comedy “Overboard” might not have gotten the best reviews when it came out, but it was a viewing staple in my childhood home. Whether it was because of cable repeats, my parents’ taste, the irresistible charms of Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell, the (endearingly) absurd premise, or some combination of all of it, it’s one that we held in high regard and would often quote. ...

The Original Wild West Frontier Days will be held on the grounds of the Fort Museum at Fort Dodge, June 1 and 2. The weekend’s activities will be bringing back the original vision of an educational weekend for the entire family, according to a new group of organizers who are taking over the event. ...

Ten students attending high schools in Buena Vista County have been selected as recipients of Buena Vista University’s inaugural Education for Service Scholars scholarship program. The students, who were selected in March, had until May 1 to officially accept their scholarships...

Designed to ensure those with income restrictions receive nutritious food options, Clay County Food for Life was organized in 1983 as a non-profit designed to provide meat to families in Clay County. Today, through it’s partnership with Upper Des Moines Opportunity in Spencer, each year the program distributes approximately 8,000 pounds of meat products to recipients who qualify within guidelines established by UDMO...

Plans are shaping up for this year’s Prime Time event, to be held Thursday, June 7 in Storm Lake. The annual enrichment opportunity for people age 55 and up, presented by Community Education, will be held at Storm Lake High School, 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Cost is $10. Pre-registration and payment is needed by June 4. The event includes continental breakfast, lunch, breakout sessions throughout the day, and updates on local education efforts by Superintendent of Schools Carl Turner...

Buena Vista University is hosting a domestic violence and family well-being symposium in partnership with the Buena Vista County Family Treatment Court on Friday, May 18. The event is open to the public at no cost and will take place in the Estelle Siebens Science Center on the BVU campus from 1 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.  ...

May 13, 2018

CEDAR RAPIDS - Eric LaRue pitched five strong innings, Bryce Rheault finished 3-for-5 with an RBI, but it was third-seed Coe College pushing across a two-out run in the bottom of the eighth inning to edge Buena Vista, 4-3, to begin play Thursday in the Iowa Conference Tournament inside of Veterans Memorial Stadium...

SPIRIT LAKE/STORM LAKE - The number one team in 2A, Storm Lake, was able to handle Spirit Lake on Thursday and Friday nights in a back to back contests thanks to an earlier rain postponement. The Thursday night contest saw the Tornadoes take a 4-0 win on the road...

September 29, 1960 - May 8, 2018