Stories from Monday, October 28, 2019

HUMBOLDT - It was the final run of the season for the Storm Lake cross country team as they took part in a 3A State qualifying meet against a host of other schools. The Storm Lake boys took 12th place out of 13 teams and the girls were unable to field a team score in their final race...

HOLSTEIN - There were a few close calls on Thursday afternoon at a 1A State qualifying cross country meet as Alta-Aurelia, Ridge View and Sioux Central all took part. After the dust settled, two girls from Ridge View, Katlyn Wiese and Paige Padavich, and a boy from Sioux Central, Wyatt Erickson, qualified for the State meet. ...

MANNING - The season came to a rough end for the Ridge View football team on Friday night as they took on A-District 2 champion IKM-Manning. The Wolves showed why they won the district as they sent the Raptors home with a 41-8 setback to end their season...

WEST BEND - With the playoff chances gone, the Newell-Fonda football team played for pride and one final win for the 2019 season on Friday night. The Mustangs were able to do enough to take a 36-16 win over the West Bend-Mallard Wolverines to bring their season to an end on a high note...

SGT. BLUFF - Storm Lake’s football playoff hopes slipped away Friday night on the road against speedy playoffs-bound juggernaut Sergeant Bluff-Luton. SB-L took advantage of Tornado miscues early for a 17-0 first quarter lead and cruised on to a 41-8 win. They complete their 7-1 season, running away with the 3A District 1 crown...

SIOUX RAPIDS - Alta-Aurelia came into Friday night’s football game against Sioux Central needing a win to keep their playoff hopes alive, and the Rebels were playing for pride on their Senior Night. In the end, the Rebels made a handful of big plays in the second half to propel themselves to a 16-7 win over the Warriors...

Celebrate an icon of the tallgrass prairie and a favorite prairie animal at a National Bison Day event at the Prairie Heritage Center. Come out to the center to enjoy crafts games and activities focusing on this magnificent mammal. The event will be held on Saturday, November 2 from 1 until 3 p.m. with a short informational presentation at 2...

Sen. Joni Ernst says she’s pushing EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler to fulfill the promises the president has made to blend a mandated 15 billion gallons of ethanol into the nation’s fuel supply. Ernst says she’ll call for President Donald Trump to fire Wheeler if the EPA doesn’t meet those blending promises...

The O’Brien County Conservation Board is pleased to host Humanities Iowa Speaker, OJ Fargo in “Just Before the Battle Mother – A Visit from a Civil War Soldier. Remember Veteran’s Day from a different viewpoint in history as Mr. Fargo dresses in full Union Army regalia and focuses the first person presentation on an individual Iowa soldier’s Civil war experience...

The passing of Heath Huberg is being mourned not only within northwest Iowa, but across the country. The Okoboji High School alumnus turned professional stage performer passed away on Sunday, Oct. 13 at home from a rare form of brain cancer called glioblastoma. ...

Buena Vista University has been named one of the Best Online Colleges in Iowa, by the Guide to Online Schools/SR Education Group. The rankings are based on affordable tuition rates and median alumni salaries. BVU was ranked #9 with annual tuition at $14,432 and median salary for graduates at $66,800, according to the organization...

Prairie Lakes AEA is hosting a “Train the Trainer” event for Youth Mental Health First Aid in its Storm Lake office on October 28-30. The Youth Mental Health First Aid team is continuing to train schools or districts as well as offering six additional training sessions for its staff or representatives from each schools district. The AEA will continue to connect with local legislators to seek support for student mental health needs...

This weekly fishing report is compiled from information gathered from local bait shops, angler creel surveys and county and state parks staff. For current information, contact the district fisheries office at the phone number listed at the end of each district report...

On the afternoon of Wednesday, October 23, at approximately 3:11 p.m. the Storm Lake Police Department took a report in connection with underage possession of alcohol. Police allege that a 17 year old male of Storm Lake possessed two bottles of alcohol at the Storm Lake High School which were located and seized by school officials...

A “meet and greet” for  Storm Lake City Council  and  Storm Lake school board candidates will be held Monday, October 28, 6 p.m. at Our Place multicultural center (114 E. 3rd Street). The public is invited. Those on the ballot for the Nov. 5th election for city council are: Tyson Rice, Maria Ramos and Kevin McKinney. ...

Hallmark Christmas movies continue to be a social phenomenon, and Sugar Bowl Gift Shop took the opportunity to host a Hallmark Movie Channel Night Thursday for an overflow crowd at Lake Avenue Lounge. The group played Hallmark trivia, enjoyed snacks, and watched a Hallmark movie to kick of the holiday season, hosted by gift shop entrepreneurs Holly Schipper and Liz Smith...

On Wednesday, November 6, Seasons Center for Behavioral Health, Iowa Lakes Corridor, and Clay County Veterans Affairs will host a free, eight hours Mental Health First Aid Training for Military Members, Veterans, and their Families. During this training, participants will learn how to help someone who is developing a mental health problem or experiencing a mental health crisis and how to notice and respond to signs of mental health and addiction challenges with a specific focus on the cultural factors related to military life. ...

Robert C. Naughton, age, 94, of West Des Moines, formerly of Pocahontas and Storm Lake, passed away on Monday, October 21, at the Brio Community of Johnston in Johnston, Iowa. Robert Cletus Naughton was born November 28, 1924, in Pocahontas,. He was the son of Michael and Mary (Murphy) Naughton. ...

Keith Wilson Pierce died on October 20, at the age of 98. Memorial services will be held at a later date. The family asks that memorials be given to the: Keith & Virginia Pierce Music Endowment Fund at Buena Vista University: 610 W. 4th St. Storm Lake, Iowa 50588. The Fratzke & Jensen Funeral Home in Storm Lake is in charge of the arrangements...

The Sanford Museum is looking forward to its popular “Festival of Trees” display in the West Gallery of the museum. The museum invites all businesses and organizations to decorate a tree for this special exhibit.  “This is a beautiful display that attracts many visitors during the month of December and we are, of course, inviting Santa to be here on Thursdays nights, Saturday afternoons and Sunday afternoons as well,” organizers said...

You can only see so much blood-and-guts, menacing-music, hockey mask/evil clown horror movies. So if you want to skip the nightmares this year, here are some fun options for this Halloween including a few that may be new to you. Not a Freddie or Jason in the bunch...

The Building Community Child Care Solutions Committee is conducing a survey on child care in Storm Lake.  The survey should take afive-10 minutes to complete, and your responses are completely anonymous.  The goal of the survey is to gather information to find out the needs for child care in Storm Lake.  Following the survey the Building Community Child Care Solutions Committee will create and present a 10 to 15 minute presentation of the results to various entities, and seek to find solutions if a child care shortage/need is identified in Storm Lake.  The survey time has been extended to November 15.. ...

Staff Brent Alan Mack, 25, of Newell, has been charged with several crimes he is alleged to have committed in Sac County. On October 28, Sac County Attorney, Ben Smith, is scheduled to engage in a pre-trial conference with Mack’s attorney, Charles Schulte...

As a college admission scandal penetrates the headlines, one interested observer is Buena Vista University President Josh Merchant. “It’s sad that this actually exists,” he told the Pilot-Tribune, as charges pile up against parents who have unethically sought to get their children into prestigious universities, including some high-profile celebrities. “I would like to believe this this doesn’t continue to happen, but I am not so naive to think that it won’t.”...

Recently, information provided by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) and publicly reported by media outlets noted that the City of Storm Lake’s treated water supply may not be safe.  “The information reported is based on the viewpoint of the EWG,” city officials said in a statement Friday. “As reported, the story indicated that arsenic in the city’s water supply is 800 times the legal limit. Factually, arsenic may exceed what EWG considers safe. However, the city’s water supply is legally compliant with all federal and state standards related to the provision of drinking water.. ...

Lighting up the neighborhood and unity seem to be the theme for this year’s holidays celebrations in Storm Lake. Storm Lake United will be kicking off the holidays shopping season with the Holiday Glow Community Downtown Lights Kickoff and Food Drive November 8 at 6 p.m. downtown...

Soon enough, the children will be crafting snowmen on the playgrounds of our area communities. Except for the one who will stay inside at his or her desk, without a warm coat to go outside for recess. Kids will be tossing snowballs - except for the ones who stand at the wall and watch, because they don’t have mittens, boots or snow pants...

EMBARC, or Ethnic Minorities of Burma Advocacy and Resource Center, have announced a $100,000 grant from Tyson Foods to fund EMBARC’s Legal Navigator Project. The investment from Tyson Foods will allow EMBARC to increase awareness and support for civil and immigrant legal services, as well as improve the self-sufficiency and economic stability for refugees in Iowa communities where Tyson Foods operates plants. ...