Stories from Friday, December 14, 2018

Iowa State University economists see substantial challenges ahead in forecasts for farmers in Iowa. With growth in both soybean and livestock production over the last few years, they say that Iowa will need to rely more on exports to make its living on pork and soybeans—particularly to China, the country with perhaps the strongest taste for the products in the middle of trade escalations riddled with tariffs...

AMES – Crop Advantage meetings provide a solid foundation of current, research-based crop production information to help make smart, informed decisions for the farming operation. The 2019 meetings are an opportunity for farmers and crop advisers to hear current research and crop production information from Iowa State University. ...

The lineup has been set for the annual Jazz and Blues Festival in Cherokee, to be held Friday and Saturday, January 18 and 19. Tickets are $15 for Friday or Saturday’s Pub Crawl in advance or $20 at the door, or $25 in advance only for a combination ticket to both crawls. Saturday’s Jam Session is $10, with students admitted free. For advance tickets, contact the Cherokee Chamber of Commerce or see www.cherokeejazzbluesfestival...

Nearly 65 law enforcement leaders sent a letter to Senate leadership Tuesday in support of a bill that would help the families of first responders who die in the line of duty. Mark Prosser, Public Safety Director signed the letter and is available to speak about the effort...

Storm Lake Public Library trustees are concerned about the level of funding being received from the county government. At their meeting Monday, the board reviewed funding by county across the state, finding some much higher, and some much lower than their own county...

DES MOINES — Republican U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa says she will run for a second term in 2020. Ernst recently told reporters that she would seek re-election. She also said she will support President Donald Trump for re-election in 2020. The 48-year-old military veteran from Red Oak was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2014 after serving four years in the Iowa Senate. She succeeded U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin, a veteran Democrat, who retired from politics...

The Storm Lake Middle School Student Council sponsored two service projects this month. Our Season of Giving food drive last week collected over 1800 items to donate to Upper Des Moines Opportunity. This week, student council is selling candygrams. The money collected from this service project allows students to adopt two families for the Adopt-a-Family program. The middle school students have been very generous with their support of these service projects. / Photo Submitted...

Updates from the BV County Sheriff, Storm Lake PD and the Storm Lake Fire Dept.

Christine Becker and Adam Girard were married at St. Boniface Catholic Church in Westphalia, Iowa. on Saturday, September 29. Christine is the daughter of Steven and Therese Becker of Storm Lake, and Adam is the son of Marcus and Mary Girard of Sioux City...

Storm Lake St. Mary’s School held their annual K-8 Christmas program to a packed house last week. The youth vocalists filled the bleachers all along the west wall of the school gymnasium to the delight of family and friends in attendance while the talented 5-8 band students offered various holiday selections throughout the performance. Mrs. Gayle Strom, St. Mary’s preK-8 music educator, led the students through the performance...

FORT DODGE — Concerns raised by the State Historic Preservation Office have delayed plans for removing two dams spanning the Des Moines River in Fort Dodge. The Messenger reports that the Fort Dodge City Council was scheduled to award contracts Monday for removing the Hydroelectric Dam and what’s commonly called the Little Dam. ...

A 2,000-head cattle operation northeast of Lake Park was fined by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources late last month after leaving a portion of its approved expansion plan unfinished out of concern for the animals. Terrafact Inc. was penalized a total of $3,000 for failing to plant trees on the north side of its confinement building. ...

Representatives on the Board of Compensation, the board that recommends salaries and compensation for elected officials, found a compromise Wednesday after several rounds of failed motions, proposing a 3 percent raise to elected officials across the board, except for the County Attorney, who received a 2 percent raise...

A Storm Lake 14-year-old has been charged with felony Threats of Terrorism after threatening to commit a school shooting at St. Mary’s. Police were called to the school Wednesday morning. Staff there told officers that a male student has made the threat and gave other students specific information about his plan...

Storm Lake Library Director Elizabeth Huff continues to cultivate a blooming “Sister Library” program with a school library in Mexico. Taking advantage of grant-funded annual trips to Guadalajara for the Americas’ largest international book fair, Huff took a side trip to visit the sister library, including teaching some robotics coding, a specialty the Storm Lake Library has been developing for children, and a new experience for the Mexican librarians and educators who are just beginning to get a taste of technology.. ...

What started as an annual eye check-up quickly turned into the discovery of brain cancer for 12-year-old Ridge view student Alexandria Kron and a rally of community support. “You’re going to have a long road ahead of you,” the doctor said at the ER at the end of November, telling her mom, Tara, about the mass found on her brain...

Galva-Holstein School District voters easily passed a $12.2 million school bond issue this week, with 79 percent approval (471 yes, 124 no.) The bond approval will fund an addition to the Holstein building with new classrooms, will add space and functionality to the day care program, and will also construct a new gym and 8,500 square feet of space for industrial technology, agriculture and automotive shops to be located north of the current elementary...

Longtime Storm Lake Chief of Police and Public Safety Director Mark Prosser has submitted plans for his resignation to the city, “with much emotion and sadness.” He plans to retire effective at the end of 2019, giving city officials a year to select a replacement and prepare for a smooth transition...

SPIRIT LAKE - The Newell-Fonda Mustangs boys basketball team had a tall order, literally, in front of them on Tuesday night when they went out of conference play to take on Spirit Lake. The Indians’ tall lineup allowed them to shoot a high percentage of the floor, and N-F junior Bryce Coppock’s 38 points wasn’t enough in a 69-61 defeat...

HOLSTEIN - The saying is that defense can win games and championships. The Ridge View boys defense locked down West Monona on Tuesday night, holding them to just 22 points to take a 24-point decision, 46-22. “It took us a while to get things going in the first quarter but the boys zoned in and came out with a win. We missed a lot of easy shots but we kept on attacking and things started to fall,” RV Coach Mike Smith said...

STORM LAKE - The St. Mary’s girls had a never say die attitude on Tuesday night when they entertained the Sioux Central Rebels in the Panther Pit. Down by as many as eight points in the second half, the Panthers were unable to complete the rally and bowed 43-42...

STORM LAKE - The St. Mary’s Panthers and Sioux Central Rebels clashed on Tuesday night in the Panther Pit in a Twin Lakes Conference contest. Sioux Central senior Prestan Samson had an efficient night to help lead the Rebels to a 40 point win, 72-32...

STORM LAKE - The Tornado girls felt like they had been hit by one after Tuesday night against a swarming Cherokee pressure defense that took the ball 29 times from the green and white. Storm Lake battled hard through the 32 minute game but saw how much firepower the #4 team in 2A had, dropping an 82-35 decision in Lakes Conference play...

STORM LAKE - The goal in basketball is to score more points than the opposition. Storm Lake did that in spades on Tuesday night with five players scoring in double digits to break the 100 point mark, taking a 101-87 decision against the Cherokee Braves...