Stories from Friday, August 9, 2019

Alliant Energy released its Corporate Sustainability Report (alliantenergy.com/sustainability) this week, highlighting the company’s broad sustainability efforts. The report outlines Alliant Energy’s continuing efforts to meet the ever-changing needs of their customers in an affordable, safe, reliable and sustainable way...

Iowa State University (ISU) Extension and Outreach invites family caregivers to participate in the five-session Finances of Caregiving course beginning Sept. 5. The course focuses on helping caregivers to make decisions and plan ahead. Caregivers are often adult children caring for their parents, grandparents or another relative, but they may also be parents caring for their young or adult child with special health or behavior needs...

A new appliance outlet will be opening on Lake Avenue in Storm Lake, associated with Zone Home Entertainment. An opening date will be announced soon. / Pilot photo by Dana Larsen

Cash’d Out will be playing in the Roof Garden Grand Opening Concert Series on Friday, August 23. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., show starts at 7:30 p.m. “Some people are impressionists. These guys leave an impression.” Said Bill Miller, owner of JohnnyCash.com about Cash’d Out (Douglas Benson vocals, George Bernardo drums, John Heussenstamm guitar, Nate Lefranchi bass), a San Diego based band that channels Johnny Cash in about as close a manner to the real thing as it gets...

The Farmers Bank Stage will present six different acts at the nine-day Clay County Fair, Sept. 7-15. “The Farmers Bank Stage is a popular spot for many of our fairgoers because of its high-quality entertainment acts,” said Fair Manager Jeremy Parsons. “The tent in southwest corner of the fairgrounds will be the place to be again this year.”...

Add an “e” and “Hobbs & Shaw” might have been a time-traveling thriller about playwright George Bernard Shaw and 17th century philosopher Thomas Hobbes. Tantalizing as such a pairing may have been to the makers of “Fast & Furious,” they have instead opted to, in the franchise’s first spinoff, combine two of the series’ supporting standouts, Dwayne Johnson’s U.S. ...

Two arrests have been made after a threat was posted on social media to shoot a student at Storm Lake High School. Incidents were reported to police Thursday. An investigation alleged that a 17-year-old girl had threatened on social media to harm the victim. The girl was arrested...

The annual National Night Out block parties in Storm Lake proved popular Tuesday night, with an estimated 900 people taking part. The event helps spread safety information and allows residents to meet the people who provide police, fire and first responder services. The children and the police always enjoy their time together. / Photos courtesy SLPD...

Hope Haven serves children at SL’s Faith, Hope & Charity. 25,000 miles south, the mission is mobility

On Monday, August 5, Duane Queen gave a report of preaparations for the Triathlon to be held on August 17. The Triathlon has been the fundraiser for Hy-noons pledge of $38,000 to the Kiwanis International Eliminate Project. The goal is to eliminate Maternal and Neo-natal Tetanus around the world. ...

Orthopaedic surgeon Steve Meyer is about to embark on his 50th mission trip to serve the people of Tanzania by way of Siouxland Tanzania Educational Medical Ministries. Meyer helped found STEMM in 1997, and the organization’s headquarters is in Sioux City. ...

The 8th annual Hy Noon Kiwanis Storm the Lake Triathlon Saturday, August 17 is a charity event for Storm Lake Kiwanis Projects for Youth. Athletes will swim in the protected bay, bike around the lake and run along the lake finishing at the flower lined path. ...

Senator Chuck Grassley, former chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, issued the following statement after the committee advanced legislation to improve integrity and efficiency in the nation’s overburdened asylum system. The Secure and Protect Act was reported to the full Senate by a vote of 12-10...

The Spencer Daybreakers Kiwanis Club is announcing its second annual Touch a Truck. “Touch a Truck is an event where we park vehicles used in our community in one parking lot for folks to take a closer look.” Explained the club’s Treasurer Terry Peterson, “From a garbage truck to a helicopter-it will be an interesting event.” “This is really an all ages show,” continued Megan Jones, who serves on the Kiwanis Daybreakers Club Foundations Board, “kids and adults love checking these trucks out and seeing how they work. ...

January 21, 1917 - August 5, 2019

October 21, 1931 - August 1, 2019

As the international trade dispute between the United States and China continues, a second round of federal aid for farmers is being prepared and may start to make its way through Clay County as early as the end of August. The $16 billion aid package consists of three programs, the centerpiece being the Market Facilitation Program, which will distribute aid payments to eligible farmers through each county’s USDA Farm Service Agency...

The line to the door of the newly updated Roof Garden ballroom was beginning to wind around the block Friday night as officials with Historic Arnolds Park gathered outside to cut the ceremonial ribbon. The touchstone venue had been torn down in September of last year. Construction had continued through the winter, and the venue’s iconic lettering was hung Memorial Day weekend...

A Vote Yes For Kids committee is back at work, hoping to boost the September vote to build a kindergarten Early Childhood Center on the west edge of Storm Lake. Chairperson Rick Peterson is optimistic that the revised plan will convince voters when they go to the poll September 10...

The City of Storm Lake will be hosting a “Meet the Mayor” open house discussion on the future of Scout Park. Buena Vista University has proposed a community/university recreation center for the area that would be partially located on parkland property...

Three year-old Charlie Spetman enters the Buena Vista Regional Oncology & Infusion Center and greets the staff with a smile and wave like he would with friends. He is a friend, and a patient, that comes every other month for treatments to help his brittle bone disease...

Iowa’s 4th District Representative in the U.S. House will officially face a familiar name on the 2020 ballot. Candidate J.D. Scholten announced that he intends to run for U.S. Rep. Steve King’s congressional seat. Scholten challenged the Kiron businessman during the 2018 election cycle and lost the district by 3 percent — or approximately 10,430 votes. The Democratic challenger lost Buena Vista county by 1 percent - 50 votes — 730 votes — and Clay County by 3 percent — 431 votes...

New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand touted her newly-released rural economy agenda, and blamed President Trump for fostering divisiveness in the country, during a campaign stop at Better Day Cafe in Storm Lake Thursday. Gillibrand, who had to cancel a visit to the city last May, was all business as she launched into her message, noting that she had just learned that she had achieved 2 percent support in the Iowa Pull published that day, as she seeks to meet qualifications to participate in future debates of Democrat candidates.. ...

Amy Klobuchar speaks Iowan, charming a front-lawn crowd of about 50 to applause several times with her plain-spoken style during an campaign speech in Storm Lake Wednesday. The Minnesota Senator and Democrat candidate for president hammered her issues - including gun control, rural opportunity, antitrust policy, climate change and mental health care, while lambasting the Trump Administration repeatedly...