Stories from Monday, June 17, 2019

Arline Estlund Schill passed away Wednesday, June 12, 2019 at Oakview Nursing Home in Conrad. Funeral services were held at 11 a.m. Saturday, June 15, at the First Presbyterian Church in Ft. Dodge. Visitation was held one-hour prior. She was laid to rest in the Oakland Cemetery at Ft. Dodge. For condolences, please visit www.mitchellfh.com. The Mitchell Family Funeral Home in Marshalltown is in charge of arangments...

On the afternoon of Wednesday, June 12, at approximately 4:50 p.m. the Storm Lake Police Department was dispatched to 722 Russell Street in reference to an assault. Upon arrival of police they spoke with the reporting party who alleged that following a verbal argument with her son identified as Albert Quintana, age 25 of Storm Lake, she was physically assaulted by Quintana when he struck her in the face...

Community Resource Officer Pom Cook introduces kids on Seneca Street to the mobile response unit at Storm Lake Police Department’s first neighborhood outreach event of the summer.

A group of young people and adults who gathered at the Pioneer heritage site recently trimmed trees, pulled weeds, worked in Bessie’s Garden and cleaned up the entire corner around the school house and log house. Twenty young people and adults from the surrounding area (Aurelia, Alta, Rembrandt, and Storm Lake) were gathered by Brian Banwell and did a great service for the BV Co. Historical Society Museum Pioneer Exhibit...

On Monday, June 10th, 16 youth from Sac County participated in the NASA Space Camp at the Sac County Extension and Outreach Office. Youth were able to do a scavenger hunt through the book called A is for Astronaut written by Clayton Anderson, Iowa State University Visiting Professor, put together bottle rockets, made pudding using dry milk, water, and pudding mix, looked at a tray of food that astronauts would eat in space, tested their hands at using a bicycle pump to make a rocket, and ended the day making a spaceship with only 10 balloons, a Dixie cup, popsicle sticks, and an egg. ...

The Ben Johnson Band has been booked for Schaller Popcorn Days this summer. They will perform for the street dance Friday, July 12, 9 p.m.-1 a.m. “Schaller throws a helluva party every year,” said country performer Johnson. He is joined by brother Jake on keyboards, Eric Lindberg and Steve Norwick on guitars, Jake Nicol on bass and drummer Jack Lund...

Comedy actor Jim Breuer will be in northwest Iowa for two shows on July 3, 6 and 9 p.m. at the Hard Rock resort in Sioux City. Tickets start at $30. The freewheeling, New York bred comic storyteller – who made the list of Comedy Central’s “100 Greatest Standups of All Time” – is hotter than ever, a global touring sensation and regular presence on radio and television whose rabid audience, he’s thrilled to note, is filled with “lifetimers.” Once folks see him live, they’re hooked. ...

Accoustic duo Boon & Lambert will be playing at the Innspiration Wines & Vines in Linn Grove, Friday, June 21. Showtime is 6:30 p.m. The Okoboji-based Gary Lambert and David Boon combine for 40-plus years of playing experience. They came together in 2014 when Boon joined Lambert’s band Rock a la Carte. ...

Wonderland will be in concert Friday, June 21 at Byrons in Pomeroy. Showtime is 8 p.m. “We are making our periodic sojourn back to Byron’s Bar, where we will commune with some of the coolest people in the region - cozied up in the loving tie-dyed warmth of this small town pub,” the band said. ...

Youngsters and a few parents took part in the first Summer Art Camp events at Witter Gallery in Storm Lake last week, experiencing art forms from around the world. The program resumes July 16 with Science and Art, and in August with Create Your Own Museum events. Contact the gallery to register...

With scientists warning that we must cut heat-trapping emissions by half in the next 12 years to avert climate catastrophe, a member of the Iowa Great Lakes chapter of Citizens’ Climate Lobby (CCL) has traveled to Washington, D.C., to join more than 1,000 volunteers pressing Congress to enact legislation that would place a fee on carbon and give revenue to households...

Summer months bring longer days, shorter nights, and busier schedules. Fortunately, Storm Lake United has a way to give Mom and Dad a night off from cooking and the chance to support local non-profits. That’s right! A Taste of Storm Lake is back starting this month!...

The Buena Vista Regional Healthcare Foundation is pleased to welcome Krista and Michael Ketcham, residents of Sac City, Iowa, to the Circle of Life. The Circle of Life legacy society honors individuals who have included Buena Vista Regional Medical Center in the estate plan. ...

On Thursday, May 16, all Sac County fourth-graders came to the Sac County Fairgrounds to embark on a day of learning all about safety as they get ready for their summer. The day was organized by Steph Erpelding, Sac County Youth Coordinator at the Sac County Extension and Outreach Office. ...

MAPLETON/HOLSTEIN - The rough season continues for the Ridge View baseball team as they dropped a trio of games over Friday and Saturday. They played in a Western Valley Conference contest on Friday night against MVAOCOU and fell in a 10-0 decision in six innings.”...

POCAHONTAS - The Sioux Central baseball team had a tall task on Friday night as they tried to figure out how to take down Twin Lakes Conference leader, Pocahontas Area. The Rebels found a winning formula as they dealt the Indians their first conference loss of the season in a 3-2 decision...

FONDA - It was a close one Friday night between the Newell-Fonda and Graettinger-Terril/Ruthven-Ayrshire baseball teams. In the end, the Titans came away with a one run win over the Mustangs, 12-11. The fireworks began after a scoreless first inning. ...

DAYTON - The St. Mary’s baseball team went southeast on Friday night to take on the Southeast Valley Jaguars in a Twin Lakes Conference tilt. The Panther offense was never able to get on track as the defense was a step slow in a 10-0 loss in six innings...

POCAHONTAS - The Sioux Central softball team got back on the field Friday night and came away with a 7-3 lead over Pocahontas Area to end a four game losing skid. “We did a nice job defensively and played a clean game,” Sioux Central Coach Kasey Krager said. “Once we start hitting the ball a little more consistently, it will help all aspects of the game and allow the girls to play a little more relaxed. It was nice to get a win going into the weekend.”...

ALTA - It was a sloppy start for Alta-Aurelia on Friday night with a handful of errors in the first inning against Manson-NW Webster. However, the Warriors overcame those mistakes and took a high scoring 13-10 decision over the Cougars. Manson scored six runs in the top of the thanks to those Warrior miscues. However, Alta-Aurelia found their mojo on offense in the bottom of the second with a 10 run effort highlighted by a two run home run by senior Jessica Flahery...

CHEROKEE - The green and white went west on Friday night to take on the Cherokee Braves for the second time this year. There were no walk off heroics in this game as Storm Lake took care of business by taking an 11-4 decision to get the season sweep over Cherokee...

GALVA/MAPLETON - The Ridge View Raptor softball team stepped out of conference on Thursday night as they welcomed in winless Pocahontas Area. Ridge View ensured that the Indians continued to look for a win as they took a 9-1 decision. “The coaches were happy with the victory and thought we did a nice job of moving the ball around. ...

PETERSON - The Storm Lake and Sioux Central softball teams met up on Thursday night as both schools stepped out of their conference slate. The green and white had a 10 run lead in the early stages of the contest, but slowly watched the lead dwindle down, but managed to hang on to take a 13-10 decision over the Rebels...

Many a sports star’s persona is forever tied to their athletic feats, but Olympic gymnast Shannon Miller hopes the lessons she learned during her battle with cancer will equally inspiring. She shared her story at this year’s annual Lakes Health Conference hosted by Iowa Lakes Community College at Arrowwood Resort and Conference Center in Okoboji. The now women’s health advocate encouraged the Okoboji audience to prioritize personal health...

FONDA/FORT DODGE - The Newell-Fonda softball team continued their streak of scoring 10 plus runs alive on Thursday night, the number now at five, but they encountered a Graettinger-Terril/Ruthven-Ayrshire team that was more than happy to take advantage of some miscues. The Mustangs rallied to take a 10-6 contest to remain unbeaten in the Twin Lakes Conference...

STORM LAKE - Thursday night saw the St. Mary’s Panthers and West Bend-Mallard Wolverines play a doubleheader to make up an early postponed contest before one set for that night. WB-M took the first game, 11-8 but the Panthers rebounded to win the second 14-4...

Since last June, Iowa has seen its wettest 12-month stretch on record, with this May being the sixth wettest on record, according to the latest Water Summary Update. “Not only was precipitation in May greater than normal for Iowa, the past 12 months have been the wettest on record for Iowa and for nearly all of the surrounding states,” said Tim Hall, DNR’s coordinator of hydrology resources. “River flooding continues to be of concern on both the Missouri and the Mississippi rivers.”...

The O’Brien County Conservation Board is hosting a guest speaker presenting information on the “Big Cats of Iowa.” Mountain lions and bobcats are in the news. This will be an opportunity for you to learn about these large cats that can sometimes be spotted in our region...

This is the ninth article in a 10-part series, a collaborative effort of the newspapers of Rust Publishing NWIA, examining the myriad issues surrounding the mental health care crisis in Iowa. Reporters and editors from the Spencer Daily Reporter, Storm Lake Pilot-Tribune and Dickinson County News have contributed to the report...

Plans for the new Ready, Set, GROW! day care center in the former Methodist Manor complex are moving forward despite some unforeseen delays, and about two-thirds of the funding needed has been raised. The original plan was to open this month. With the community facing a sharp shortage of day care providers, the nonprofit local organization still hopes to have the center ready by the time school begins in the fall, but the timeline is admittedly tight...

Police Chief Mark Prosser says Storm Lake Police Department will not encourage or cooperate with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s new Warrant Service Officer program, an extension of an existing program that would authorize local law enforcement to act as an arm of ICE...

Everyone said it was too risky—a surgical journey almost nobody chooses. It had a 50 percent chance of working. There was a substantial risk she might not ever be able to speak again. But to her, the choice was obvious. “I’m going to do it anyway,” said epileptic Shelby O’Bannon. “I would rather go down swinging than not try at all. Life was meant to be lived.”...