Stories from Friday, October 19, 2018

The groundbreaking for the new Foundation Analytical Laboratory facility was held recently. The new building is being constructed on the south side of the Highway 3 Bypass off of Sleezer Road. Diane Young, founder of FAL, thanked everyone for attending before asking her entire staff to grab a golden shovel and join her in breaking ground for their new building. ...

For Caryn Peterson, massages are more than a luxury—they saved her life. The licensed massage therapist and owner of Bliss Studio & Massage has been providing a healing touch to clients since 2009. She started Bliss in suite number 615 1/2 on the second floor of Lake Avenue with Lindsay Westfall’s Beautifit in February, taking over the floor after Beautifit left...

Paxton’s Jewelry raised $1000 for BVRMC P.i.n.k. with their Annual Balloon Bash. Customers purchased the chance to pop a balloon with a gem or pearl. Those with pearls competed in a cake dig for a diamond ring. BVRMC P.i.n.k. helps women with financial barriers receive free mammograms.  ...

The Fonda Arts Center joins the rest of the country to honor our veterans when “Music, Memories, & More” takes center stage at the Arts Center, Sunday, November 4, beginning at 3 p.m. Everyone is welcome for an afternoon of music, commentary, and refreshments. All this happening at the Fonda Arts Center, on the northwest corner of Fourth and Main in Fonda...

The Wilderman’s Series, an exhibit of paintings by Iowa artist and songwriter Chad Elliott, opens this week in the Weaver Lobby and McIlrath Landing Galleries of the Pearson Lakes Art Center and will be on view through Jan. 5. The exhibit will feature 15 3-by-4 foot canvas paintings that also include illustrations for his upcoming release of Wilderman’s River Rhymes...

Simantikos Dance Chicago will be performing for the second year at The Shores on Five Island Lake in Emmetsburg, Sunday, Oct. 21 at 4 p.m. Simantikos Dance Chicago is a contemporary modern dance company based in Chicago that was founded in 2015 by Haley McElwee. The public is encouraged to visit the group's website and Facebook for a sample of their works...

The universe of guitar knows no boundaries for The California Guitar Trio. Since 1991, the group has enthralled listeners with a singular sound that fearlessly crisscrosses genres. The trio’s questing spirit drives it to explore the intersections between rock, jazz, classical, and world music. It even throws in the occasional surf or spaghetti Western tune for good measure...

Buena Vista County Law Enforcement Center will be replacing its lighting as part of an offer through MidAmerican Energy’s Commercial Energy Solutions program that encourages energy-efficient installation, saving the county a substantial amount in utility costs...

A Storm Lake man tried to kick out the back window of a police car taking him to the hospital for a screening, compounding issues with a second offense OWI. Officers spotted Jamie Miramontes, age 33, driving Saturday night, reportedly with his license revoked. ...

This month, a Storm Lake church will be among 5,000 U.S. drop-off locations collecting shoebox gifts for children overseas during Operation Christmas Child’s National Collection Week, Nov. 12-19. Storm Lake families, churches and groups are busy transforming empty shoeboxes into fun gifts filled with toys, school supplies and hygiene items. ...

Storm Lake High School’s large contingent of qualifiers for All-State Choir competition presented a recital this week at the SLHS auditorium, performing many of the pieces they would do in competition, in small groups, solo and as a full choir. / Pilot photo by Dana Larsen...

Storm Lake High School seniors Kayfrin Pelep and Mickey Phompong were scholarship winners at the Storm Lake School Foundation’s First Annual Scholarship Football Throw. Kayfrin, as the contest’s winner will receive a $1000 scholarship to the college of his choice and Mickey, as runner-up will receive a $500 scholarship. ...

For the first time, the annual Artisans Road Trip event in Storm Lake was held at Synergy Gallery last Friday and Saturday, combining the talents of several area artists rather than asking the public to visit many individual studios. Exhibiting were woodwork artist Jerry Kahl, painter Cheri Courter, ink drawing artist Joleen Dentlinger and potter Ron Netter, all from the Storm Lake area; as well as contemporary artist Abby Jones from Newell, pastels artist Denice Peters and abstract artist Haley McAndrews from Denison.. ...

Join Sac County Extension and Outreach Thursday, November 8, 6:30 p.m. for a fun evening of learning how to expand your gift giving dollar with this Make and Take Session. Create two gifts, learn the value of making your own, preparation tips, and leave with recipes to share this holiday season...

The Clay County fairgrounds are often the site of smiles and laughter in September, but if all goes well October will bring screams and frights as the Spencer Jaycees “Nightmare at the Fair: Haunted Holiday Tour” will open Friday at the Tower Gate Pavilion...

Regina Appleby, a sophomore at Buena Vista University, was selected as a 2018 Campus Election Engagement Project Fellow through Iowa Campus Compact. Appleby has received a $1,000 stipend for her efforts this semester, as well as a generous amount of leadership development and experience...

May 19, 1954 - October 15, 2018

July 3, 1967 - October 15, 2018

Robert “Bob” Jorgensen, age 79, of Newell, passed away on Wednesday, October 17, in Oakley, Kansas.  Funeral services will be held on Saturday, October 20, at 11 a.m. at Nain Lutheran Church in Newell. Burial will be in the Newell Cemetery. Visitation will take place on Friday, October 19, from 4:30 - 8 p.m. at the Fratzke & Jensen Funeral Home in Storm Lake. The Fratzke & Jensen Funeral Home in Storm Lake is in charge of the arrangements. ...

The Northwest Iowa Landowners Association is pleased by a state decision requiring owners of a controversial oil pipeline that runs through the area to provide full insurance coverage against a spill. The 16-month-old Dakota Access Pipeline passes near Storm Lake, Alta and Newell as it crosses Iowa diagonally...

The Storm Lake city council this week approved a third and final reading for a zoning change to make way for a large apartment building development. Storm Lake Apartments plans for construction of a 132-unit, 11-building development on 10th Street, south of Hy-Vee and near the existing 10th Street Townhomes site. The apartments will be rented at market rate, and a first phase is proposed to include 32 units in three buildings. Construction of a private access drive is also planned...

A Storm Lake resident asked the city council this week to address parking concerns in the new Methodist Manor construction area. Candy Clough, who lives across the street from the new complex, said the situation has been “horrible” on Barton Street. While the facility will have its own parking area, she said that people will naturally park as close to the entry as possible, clogging up the residential area...

Enrollment is holding about even at Alta Aurelia, Newell-Fonda and Albert City-Truesdale districts, while Storm Lake is up about 40 students over last year. Newell-Fonda superintendent Jeff Dicks reported enrollment of 500 in all grades, holding steady from last year’s count. Albert City-Truesdale’s district is down two students, leaving the district with 98 total, a 2 percent loss...

Local agriculture experts called President Donald Trump’s announcement to move forward with plans to make gasoline blended with 15 percent ethanol, or E15, available to consumers year-round long overdue and a positive step with the potential for a modest impact on the overall farm economy...

Upon hearing her breast cancer diagnosis, Deb Zanfes had one focus, she says, “My kids are my life.” In November 2017, Deb was bumped while at her job as a Special Education Teacher at Storm Lake Middle School and during the incident felt a lump in her breast. To ease her mind she came to Buena Vista Regional Medical Center...

Storm Lake Police were called to Saint Mary’s School Wednesday afternoon on a report of a student with marijuana in the school. Police responded and seized marijuana at the scene. A 13-year-old boy was arrested and charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance. He was referred to juvenile court and released to a parent...

A 13-year-old Storm Lake boy faces multiple charges after bailing out of a vehicle he was driving illegally and fleeing from police. Wednesday night, an officer attempted to pull over a vehicle on Oneida Street for a traffic violation. The driver refused to stop, eventually pulling into a driveway and abandoning the vehicle. ...

A Storm Lake man was arrested with over half a pound of marijuana in a vehicle Tuesday night. A police officer pulled a vehicle over for a routine traffic violation on West Milwaukee. After being given a warning, the driver, Derrick Roberts, age 50, was asked for consent to search the vehicle...

The Storm Lake City Council has reversed an earlier decision and approved change orders and substantial completion of a sanitary sewer project at 7th and Geneseo. Two weeks earlier, the proposal unexpectedly failed to achieve the necessary three votes for approval, with three members present and council member Tyson Rice voting against approval...

On Nov. 5, Ridge View High School and Boulders Event Center in Holstein will be hosting a series of presentations on Human Trafficking. Human trafficking has been growing across the country in recent years, including in the midwest and in rural northwest Iowa communities. The completion of Highway 20 will bring increased cross country traffic through our area and more risk of human trafficking, organizers say...

The Buena Vista Beavers had another rough fourth quarter last week, this time giving up 22 points in the final frame in a 15 point loss against Luther, 41-26. The loss dropped the Beavers to 1-6 and 0-4 in the American Rivers Conference. This week they will host the Dubuque Spartans. The Spartans enter the game with a 4-2, 3-1 record. Their two losses came at home against UW-Whitewater and Central...

SPENCER - The Storm Lake Girls’ Swim Team ended their regular season against two tough teams in a double dual format meet. Versus Spencer the score was Spencer 66, Storm Lake 27 and versus Sioux City Metro the score was Metro 71, Storm Lake 22. “This was the final meet for about a third of the team and there were some really good swims for these girls during the meet,” SL Coach Jodi Mongan said...

Tornadoes battle until final point of the year DENISON - The green and white hit the road on Wednesday night looking to keep their season alive in 4A-Region 1 contest against Denison-Schleswig. Storm Lake had a rough first set and that snowballed into a three set loss to bring their year to a close...

Six dogs were removed from a home outside of Terril last month, but the situation has continued to escalate locally after pictures of the animals and a narrative of their conditions circulated on Facebook. A petition effort posted on a rescue group’s Facebook account cataloged various ailments, including tapeworm and flea infestation, ear infections and mange. ...