Stories from Monday, December 30, 2019

It was a rather fun year to witness the six area teams battle in the various sports. Ranging from the end of basketball season, to the spring sports, baseball and softball, and now back to winter, the Pilot-Tribune area had quite a bit of surprises and a few events that seemed more like destiny. This is a look back at some of the key events in our area, and one not really in our area, that made 2019 pretty interesting...

Need a last minute stocking stuffer? Schedule a date night or gift your friends, neighbors or parents with a night out. Dancing with the Storm Lake Stars is set for January 25 at the KC Hall. Social hour fill be followed by dinner with a catered meal from Zimmy’s, leading up to the night’s entertainment...

The unique band Good Morning Bedlam will make its first area appearance during the KeeLive Festival (formerly Jazz & Blues Fest) in Cherokee. The indie folk threesome from Minnesota will take the stage at Pastimes Lounge during the pub crawl, Friday, January 17. Showtime is 8 p.m...

The Pork Tornadoes, self-styled “#yourgirlfriend’sfavoriteband, will wrap up the Roof Garden concert series at Arnolds Park New Year’s Eve. The show starts at 8 p.m., doors open at 7. Tickets can be purchased at arnoldspark.com/roof-garden-concerts at $17...

Not much has caused a disturbance in the “Star Wars” galaxy quite like Rian Johnson’s “The Last Jedi,” an erratic but electric movie that, regardless of how you felt about it, was something worth arguing about. The same can’t be said for J. J. Abrams’ “Rise of Skywalker,” a scattershot, impatiently paced, fan-servicing finale that repurposes so much of what came before that it feels as though someone searching for the hyperspace button accidentally pressed the spin cycle instead...

Grape and wine producers in Iowa and across the Midwest have a few challenges that some more popular grape-growing regions do not. Namely, the threat of cold winters, late frost springs and hot, humid summers – factors that can play into grape production and flavor. But Iowa’s potential in the wine industry is as unique as the state, which is to say, there is much opportunity for quality wines to be made in Iowa...

Santa Claus and incoming Police Chief Chris Cole pause for a selfie with Upper Des Moines Storm Lake Director Maggie Reyes during an Adopt-A-Family delivery of gifts for Children this holiday season.

Storm Lake Rotary hosted a Storm Lake United Coffee at King’s Pointe where they distributed $8,500 to local organizations! Congratulations to everyone that received a charitable donation from this hard working service club.

Will feedlot owners see increased profits in 2020? No one knows exactly where beef industry prices and feedlot profits will settle in coming months. However, feedlot managers may improve their bottom line in the coming year by taking safety to the next level and help reduce workmen’s compensation rates...

The Storm Lake School District is opting to keep its dropout prevention program model the same for the coming year, but to reduce the amount of funding requested, in hopes of reining in the property tax burden somewhat. “With the bond issue for the new building passing, we recognize that we have to try to do everything we can to keep our tax asking down a little,” Superintendent Stacey Cole told the Pilot-Tribune...

Storm Lake High School will have only three seniors graduating at the semester break. The number in the past has been larger, and has previously included charter school students who are not on the normal four-year graduation path. The early graduates will be eligible to participate in graduation ceremonies in the spring...

Duane Magnussen, Newell, has signed a consent order with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources to resolve a matter of illegal sold waste disposal and open burning of combustable material. The legally-enforceable agreement requires Magnussen to pay a $3,156 administrative penalty and cease the activities...

The Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) recently approved $500,000 in direct financial assistance, plus tax benefits, to the Lopez Foods plant in Cherokee for a major renovation project.  Lopez Foods purchased the former Iowa Food Group plant for $9.3 million in July. The Oklahoma-based company paid $5.8 million for the real estate and another $3.5 million for equipment and personal inventory. ...

By THOMAS BEAUMONT Special to The Pilot Few states have changed politically with the head-snapping speed of Iowa. Heading into 2020, the question is whether it’s going to change again. In 2008, its voters propelled Barack Obama to the White House, as an overwhelmingly white state validated the candidacy of the first black president. ...

A pair of Canada geese wheel overhead at the King’s Pointe Great Lawn. Mild weather has allowed thousands of geese to remain in the area rather than migrate south.

Buena Vista County agland values crept up slightly for 2019, at $9,210 per acre, compared to $9,114 a year ago, according to the latest Iowa State University Farmland Value Survey. Local land continues to be far more valuable than the state’s average for farming ground. The 2019 state average for all quality of land was estimated to be $7,432 per acre as of November 1, up 2.3%. Northwest Iowa farmland is averaging $9,352, up .4 percent...

Two area men face multiple charges after a Walmart theft went wrong, leading police to a vehicle containing drugs. Storm Lake Police were called to the store Thursday night for a reported theft. A shopper had allegedly stolen $300 worth of merchandise and when confronted by store staff fled on foot southbound from the store...

On a Saturday afternoon at Spencer’s DejaBrew, people crammed in the main dining area, the majority of which wore a sticker on their chest which read, “Cory 2020.” As part of his Iowa tour, Democratic candidate for president Sen. Cory Booker hosted a roundtable discussion to discuss issues facing rural America and the country as a whole...

It didn’t take long for anglers to hit the Storm Lake ice in droves, and in the early days of the winter season, many of them are finding success. “We had that early cold snap, and it looked like we would be ice fishing on Thanksgiving, but then it warmed up and everything went away. ...

For Storm Lake’s newest city council member, listening will be the key skill required as she assumes her role in January. “I am there to represent everyone in the community. I will listen,” says Maria Ramos, who was successful in her first bid for public office...