Stories from Monday, December 16, 2019

CHEROKEE/SIBLEY - The Alta-Aurelia wrestling team got back at it on Thursday night as they took part in a meet against a couple of other schools. The Warriors dropped duals to Cherokee and Emmetsburg. The Warriors fell 44-30 to the Braves. The meet started with a forfeit for A-A at 126. Schade Larson, at 136, got a fall win in 33 seconds. A-A didn’t get another match win until 195 when Brandon Mier needed 39 seconds to win his match...

SIOUX RAPIDS - The Sioux Central boys basketball team welcomed in Manson-NW Webster on Friday night for a Twin Lakes Conference battle, and the Rebels were able to use their defense for a majority of the game to come away with a 51-40 win. “Tonight was not our cleanest performance, but our guys found a way to win which is a step in the right direction,” Rebel Coach Stephen Tjaden said. ...

SIOUX RAPIDS - The Sioux Central girls basketball team got off to another solid start defensively on Thursday night when Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn came to visit. The Rebels used that fast start to take a 57-25 decision over HMS to move to 3-3. “Our team did a good job of turning them over and creating opportunities for our offense,” Sioux Central Coach Kasey Krager said. “It was nice to see many girls get into the action.”...

STORM LAKE - The St. Mary’s boys basketball team found themselves getting into the win column for the first time this season as they welcomed in West Bend-Mallard. The Panthers got out early against the Wolverines and used that to take a 60-38 decision...

NEWELL - It was a competitive contest on Thursday night when Spirit Lake came in to face the Newell-Fonda Mustangs boys basketball team. The Mustangs were neck and neck with the Indians for most of the contest but the third quarter proved to be the difference in a 63-54 setback for Newell-Fonda...

SPENCER/EMMETSBURG - The Storm Lake grapplers got back on the mat on Thursday night for a Lakes Conference dual against the Spencer Tigers. The green and white leaned on their seniors for all their wins on the night as Spencer took the dual, 52-19. “I thought we wrestled really tough despite the score of the dual. ...

Popular area duo Fishin’ For Olives returns to Inspiration Winery in Linn Grove December 27 for the Friday Evening Music series. Showtime is 6:30 p.m. Celebrate the year’s end with Tommy Binford and Aunt Bee and their eclectic selection of tunes.

REMSEN/STORM LAKE - It was the first time the St. Mary’s girls basketball team hit the road on Thursday night ato take on Remsen St. Mary’s. The Panthers were able to take care of business from the git-go with a 51-33 victory. The Panther defense was hard nosed from the start, allowing two points in the opening eight minutes to the Hawks, 12-2 the score going to the second. SL St. Mary’s continued to build on their advantage and found themselves up 27-9 at intermission...

STORM LAKE - For the first quarter, the Storm Lake girls basketball team was able to keep pace with the high octane Cherokee girls’ team, ranked No. 10 in 3A. However, the relentless press that the Braves put on wore down the Storm Lake girls, the green and white dropping an 88-43 decision...

ALTA/MOVILLE - A slow start on Friday night put the Alta-Aurelia boys basketball team behind the eight-ball against Pocahontas Area. The Indians used a big first quarter to down the Warriors, 79-64. The slow first quarter put the Warriors down by 13 after the opening eight minutes, 19-6. The Warrior offense came to life in the second quarter, but PAC continued to put the ball in the hoop, taking a 37-22 score at halftime...

STORM LAKE - It was a big rivalry night on Friday evening for the Storm Lake boys basketball team when the Cherokee Braves came into town. The two Lakes Conference foes battled back and forth all game long, but in the end, Storm Lake was able to connect on their free throws down the stretch to take an eight-point contest over Cherokee, 69-61...

NEWELL - It was might have been a good test on Thursday night for the No. 2 team in 1A as Newell-Fonda welcomed in 3A Spirit Lake. However, the Mustangs jumped out early once again and used it to take a 64-32 decision over the Indians. “I was very pleased with our defensive intensity tonight. ...

Brave the cold and enjoy warm coffee and while creating a festive painting at the Witter Gallery’s final coffee and canvas class of the year on Saturday, Dec. 21 from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. This month, followers of the Witter Gallery Facebook page have the chance to vote on what will be painted during the class. ...

A spectacular stage setting added to the cheer as Iowa Central Community College presented its holiday concert, “Sounds of the Season,” headed into the Christmas break.

Spencer firefighters and other area emergency responders were on the scene of a fire at the Spencer Livestock Sales complex north of Spencer on U.S. Highway 71 for seven hours during the early morning hours Friday. At 2:13 a.m., Spencer Fire and Rescue was dispatched for a structure fire at Spencer Livestock Sales located at 4911 Highway Boulevard. Upon arrival flames were visible on the south side of the building...

Why wait for rodeo season? The Barnes Bull Riding Challenge returns to Sioux City Friday, January 17 and Saturday, January 18. Tyson Events Center will feature the shows at 7:30 p.m. each night. Tickets are $10-$50 depending on seat location, with a VIP package also available. Ticket prices increase $5 on January 12. Reduced ticket prices are available for kids age 3-12...

This week’s DNR fishing forecast: Storm Lake (including Little Storm Lake) Storm Lake has skimmed over with thin ice. Conditions are extremely variable; as of Thursday, Dec. 12, ice fishing is not recommended. Look for conditions to improve with colder temperatures next week...

On December 18th the Iowa Dept. of Natural Resources and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will host a Public Meeting to present preliminary floodplain maps to Buena Vista County citizens. The meeting will be held at the Buena Vista County Courthouse, second floor courtroom, located 215 E 5th St in Storm Lake from 6:00pm – 8:00pm...

U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) delivered recorded interviews and documents comprising the stories of service from 11 Iowa veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces to the Library of Congress’ Veterans History Project. Last month, Grassley’s office interviewed veterans at the Iowa Veterans Home in Marshalltown to document their service to the nation. ...

Kenneth Blair Anderson, a life-long resident of Newell, passed away on December 6, in Sun City, AZ at the age of 95. Ken was born at the family farm located west of Newell to Alexander and Eulalia Anderson. He graduated from Sulphur Springs High School. ...

BozWellz recently donated $400.00 to Buena Vista Regional Medical Center’s P.i.n.k. This fund helps provide free mammograms to women with financial barriers. They sold homemade treats every Tuesday in October and 100% of the proceeds were donated. BozWellz team members presented the check to Diane Porter, BVRMC Marketing Specialist and Joan Kurtz, BVRMC Director of Diagnostic Imaging Services...

Family Health Center – Storm Lake is proud to welcome Kristin Cedar, ARNP to our team of experienced and dedicated family health providers. Kristin received her undergraduate degree from St. Luke’s College of Nursing and the University of Iowa. She then continued her education to pursue her Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) degree at Clarkson College, Omaha, NE...

By Joseph Hopper Special to The Pilot Spencer Hospital has been designated a Breast Imaging Center of Excellence by the American College of Radiology (ACR), the only hospital in the region to have earned that distinction. By awarding imaging centers the status of a Breast Imaging Center of Excellence, the ACR recognizes facilities that have earned accreditation in mammography, stereotactic breast biopsy, and breast ultrasound, including ultrasound-guided breast biopsy...

Want to do something special for Law Enforcement Appreciation day? Help save lives by taking part in the National Blue Blood Drive in support of our nation’s Law Enforcement Officers. Iowa C.O.P.S., the Storm Lake Police Department and Buena Vista County Sheriff’s Department are partnering up with LifeServe to host a blood drive in Storm Lake on January 9th from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. To schedule your appointment online, see www.lifeservebloodcenter.org or call 800-287-4903...

2 - Young at Heart- NO MEETING 2 - BLS for Healthcare Providers Skills Evaluation, 1-2 p.m. KEC 2 - Heartsaver CPR/First Aid, 3-7 p.m. KEC 4 - Childbirth Class, 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. KEC 6 - Watch Me Grow, 10 a.m.- 7 p.m. OB Department 7 - Storm Lake Community Blood Drive-LifeServe Blood Center, 12:30-6 p.m. Main Entrance...

To date, 173 families and individuals have been “adopted,” and 25 are waiting to be chosen as time runs short in the annual Adopt-A-Family for Christmas program. The Pilot-Tribune and Upper Des Moines Opportunity co-sponsor the program each year, matching generous individuals, families, businesses, clubs, classrooms and church groups with needy local families to provide the Christmas experience they might otherwise not have. ...

The Buena Vista County Sheriff’s Office received an award at the Iowa State Sheriff’s and Deputies Association Winter School last week. The Iowa Department of Corrections Chief Jail Inspector is shown presented Captain Marty De Muth and Sheriff Kory Elston with the 2019 Best Jail in the State of Iowa, Medium Size facility...

Autumn this year in Iowa has been cooler and wetter than normal, according to the latest Water Summary Update. Temperatures for the fall months (September, October and November) averaged 49.3 degrees, or 0.9 degrees below normal, while precipitation totaled 12.33 inches, or 4.30 inches above normal...

State budget experts say revenue growth likely will slow in the coming year. The three-member state Revenue Estimating Conference said Monday revenue in the current fiscal year is expected to grow 1.4 percent to total $7.97 billion. Next year the panel foresees a 2.7 percent increase, taking the state tax collections to just over $8.18 billion...

An atheist organization will fight for a display of its own on a southern Iowa county courthouse lawn if the city council decides to return a Nativity display to the site, the group’s leader said. A Nativity scene was erected Nov. 18 on the grounds of the Appanoose County Courthouse in Centerville, but some residents complained that a religious display should not be placed on government property. The display was moved Monday to a spot about two blocks south, the Daily Iowegian reported...

The Alta - Aurelia pep band get the fans ready to go Monday night during a home basketball game.

Frogs, carp and bugs thrived all summer in murky floodwaters where Gene Walter should have planted corn and soybeans. Last year’s ruined crop spilled from metal storage bins that burst nine months ago when the Missouri River surged through two levees near his western Iowa farm...

Storm Lake school officials opened bids last week for the new middle school gym construction, with bids coming in below the architect’s $3.477 million estimate, paving way for the project to begin on schedule. “The bidding went well, we were very pleased,” said district financial officer Jeff Tollefson. Six companies bid on the project, which also included construction of an interior wall for new classrooms that will be installed in a former multi-purpose area...

A string of Canada geese sail into the sunset over Storm Lake, as the last of the open water near Awaysis Beach freezes over and sends them south. The Canadas were rendered nearly extinct in Iowa in the early 20th century. An Iowa Conservation Commission effort to reestablish the birds saw populations climb from near zero in the mid-1960s to in excess of 100,000 geese by 2014. ...

The flu season is beginning to hit - hard and sooner than usual - in local communities and across the state. Flumageddon 2019? Buena Vista County Public Health Director Pam Bogue just laughs. ‘’I’m sure that the schools that are being affected think it is.”...