Stories from Friday, August 23, 2019

The Iowa Best Bagger contest was held Friday, August 9, at the Iowa State Fairgrounds, with a $500 cash prize and a trip for two to San Diego to compete in the National Best Bagger Competition on the line. Among the competitors was Tyler Mandernach, from Fareway in Storm Lake...

The owners of Okoboji Harley-Davidson announced the local motorcycle retail store will officially close Aug. 31. The announcement said the decision was in response to current market conditions and anticipated investment needs. Jim Wilcox and his father Ed co-own both the Okoboji location and Ernie’s Harley-Davidson in Algona, which is expected to close Sept. 28. The Okoboji location employs six full-time staff members and a few part-time employees...

It’s that time of year again, when King’s Pointe outdoor waterpark begins to wind down for the season. The park will be open Saturday 11 a.m.-7 p.m., Sunday 1-5, then will be closed the 26th-30th. The waterpark’s final three days of the season will be Labor Day weekend, Saturday, Aug. ...

A community music event held in cities and towns across the world will also be conducted in Spencer thanks to an area nonprofit headed by a duo wanting to promote arts and culture in the city. Katie Kardell and Lauren Boyd, founders of Caim Creative Company, said bringing Music on the Porch Day to Spencer was just one of their many ideas for the community, and their first official event since being finalized as a nonprofit...

Des Moines based music veterans The Soul Searchers will be in concert at Byron’s in Pomeroy, Sunday, Sept 1, 5-9 p.m. Since the 1990s, The Soul Searchers have been one of the most in-demand live music groups in Iowa. The group, whose music is best described as boogie-woogie blues, typically performs more than 100 dates a year at music festivals, bars, wineries, breweries and dances. ...

Join the Storm Lake community for a night of stories and songs with contemporary Christian singer-songwriter Jason Gray. The concert will be on Sunday, September 22, at 6:30 p.m. in the Schaller Chapel on the campus of Buena Vista University. Tickets are $15 a person when ordered by September 20...

Iowa gas prices have fallen 1.3 cents per gallon in the past week, averaging $2.48. Gas prices in Iowa are 15.6 cents per gallon lower than a month ago, yet stand 23.5 cents per gallon lower than a year ago. Storm Lake pump prices have held steady since last week at $2.53 for super unleaded at many outlets - for the first time in memory coming in above that of the Omaha metro area, averaging $2.51...

The message from various Democratic candidates at the Sumlner Sizzler event in Dickinson County last week was that the coming 2020 election will be one for the soul of the nation. “We have no choice but to do this work,” Iowa Democratic Party Chair Troy Price said. “We know what’s at stake.”...

The Abundant Harvest program in Storm Lake is encouraging gardeners with more produce than they can use to donate to one of several participating non-profits, and to “plant a row” extra next year to allow for sharing with those in need. Here are some options when looking to share your Abundant Harvest...

Dr. Benjamin Maas grew up in Minnesota, the “Land of 10,000 Lakes.” Seems fitting he’s found a home away from home at Buena Vista University, founded on the shores of Storm Lake. Maas makes the most of his 3,200-acre lakeshore lab, often taking students to the lake for studies on turbidity, nitrate, chloride, and sediment loads...

This year’s Iowa SIDS Foundation “Walk for the Future” will have an extra special meaning as the 2019 event will celebrate 20 years. On Saturday, Aug. 24, the community of Le Mars will hold their own walk in recognition of the cause at the Willow Creek Golf Course and Walking Trail...

Newell-Fonda is running new start and end times for the 2019 - 2020 school year for all grades from pre-kindergarten to 12. The school day starts at 8:20 and ends at 3:20.

Storm Lake Police Department’s K9 Ozzy has received a bullet and stab protective vest thanks to a charitable donation from non-profit organization Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. The vest was sponsored by Sharon M. Peters of Grosse Pointe Shores, MI and embroidered with the sentiment “In memory of Det. Lt. Richard J. Scott”...

These three siblings all took part in the Kiwanis Triathlon in Storm Lake recently. From Hiawatha, Manson and Evansdale, Iowa, all are career Navy veterans. Last year they participated as a team, this year they returned to all participate as individuals. / Photo by Hugh Perry...

February 11, 1962 - August 16, 2019

January 18, 1934 - August 16, 2019

April 14, 1972 - August 18, 2019

April 18, 1995 - August 18, 2019

October 11, 1929 - August 19, 2019

The 2019 Sulphur Springs All-School Reunion will be Saturday, August 31 in the United Methodist Church Family Life Center at the corner of 3rd and Cayuga, Storm Lake. Social time begins at 3 p.m.; brief program at 5 p.m.; the meal will be served at 5:30 p.m.  Cost is $15 payable at the door...

Happy 50th anniversary to Butch and Bonnie Engel. Your families love you.

A man Iowa authorities say was intoxicated when his vehicle crashed into another, killing three men, has pleaded not guilty to charges in the case. The Sioux City Journal reports that 21-year-old Ryan Childers, of Odebolt, entered the written plea LAST WEEK in Ida County District Court to three counts of vehicular homicide and one count of serious injury by motor vehicle...

An unexpected windfall from a local woman’s estate will greatly benefit the City of Cherokee and Oak Hill Cemetery. The late Velma Townsend of Cherokee and formerly Sutherland, has bequeathed the money to pave all the roads and parking areas in Oak Hill Cemetery, carrying an estimated project cost of $1.4 million...

Some western Iowa fields are getting sprayed to get rid of painted lady butterflies that have become problematic for soybean crops. Iowa State University Extension field agronomist Joel DeJong said the agricultural community believes this year’s influx of the painted lady butterfly, or thistle caterpillar, is the largest ever in Siouxland...

A youngster has cause for pause at the tip-toe end of the high dive board at King’s Pointe Waterpark. Warm weather has kept the facility busy in the late part of summer, with Labor Day set as the last day for the outdoor park. / Pilot photo by Dana Larsen...

After responding to a spree of vehicle burglaries and a vehicle theft Tuesday morning, the SLPD tracked suspects to a home where they seized evidence that led to the arrest of four teenage suspects. At 5:45 a.m. burglaries were reported to two unoccupied vehicles at 1124 Lincoln Road...

Storm Lake Police were called to an address on Superior Street shortly after 7:30 a.m. Wednesday, on a report of a person being held locked in an apartment against their will. The victim told officers that a neighbor who lived in a nearby apartment had tied a rope around the victim’s doorknob to prevent her from being able to leave her apartment. Witnesses said the suspect, Juan Figueroa-Alvarez, age 49 of Storm Lake, had also threatened to kill the victim and set her apartment on fire...

Trade was on Congressman Steve King’s mind for a town hall meeting in Storm Lake Saturday. King said the new United States-Mexico-Canada (UMCA) agreement is crucial to the agricultural economy of the U.S. and especially for Iowa, as, “All new wealth comes from the land.”...

The Northwest Iowa Landowners Association will appeal their case over eminent domain to the U.S. Supreme Court. According to a copy of the filing provided to the Pilot-Tribune, “Applicants seek review of a divided decision of the Supreme Court of Iowa concerning whether the state could delegate its power of eminent domain to a private pipeline, allowing it to obtain rights-of-way to transport crude oil from North Dakota, through Iowa, to Illinois.”...

By DANA LARSEN Pilot-Tribune Editor The Storm Lake Board of Education is faced with decisions as plans move forward to construct a new middle school gym. First, they must decide if they want a full-fledged gym, or an auxiliary gym, according to Chief Operating Official Jeff Tollefson. “What does the board want this gym to be?” he asked. Decisions will need to be made by their meeting next month in order to get bidding documents out for the project...

The theme “America’s School” was launched Monday during a gathering of Storm Lake teachers and staff preparing for the school year. “We embody everything that America is all about, and we want to wear that proudly every day,” Superintendent Stacey Cole explained...

STORM LAKE - Buena Vista University head cross country/track and field coach Colt Slack has rounded out his coaching staff with the hiring of Cale Korbelik as an assistant coach. Korbelik is coming to campus after serving as a graduate assistant coach for both the cross country and track & field programs at Whitworth University since 2017. ...

The name T.J. Miller might sound familiar to some in Storm Lake as the former St. Mary’s baseball player has continued his career extensively in South Dakota. This past Sunday, Miller was on the Sioux Falls Brewers team that captured a South Dakota Class A State Amateur Championship...