Stories from Friday, February 28, 2020

Sparked by the CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion™, Alliant Energy employees are coming together today to discuss diversity, equity, inclusion and unconscious bias. CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion™ aims to rally the business community to advance diversity and inclusion conversations. ...

The Iowa Lakes Corridor Development Corporation has been awarded a $150,000 grant from the Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) as a part of the Entrepreneurial Investment Awards program. The grant will support the Corridor in launching additional entrepreneurial development programming through videos, outreach and networking events. Corridor Senior Vice President Brian Dalziel envisioned the initiative, wrote the grant application and led the presentation to the review panel...

Storm Lake St. Mary’s School will be giving away a $1,179 beautiful pendant in the Paxtons Chest of Chance fundraiser at the St. Mary’s Ball and Charity Auction “Secret Garden” on March 21. Paxtons version of the Secret Garden theme has a vine of 14 Karat yellow gold accented with .23 carat of sparkling diamonds in a beautiful pendant. The 2020 donation includes a 14 Karat yellow gold diamond cut wheat chain that adjusts up to 22 inches long—a gorgeous piece for any special occasion...

The BV County Conservation Board and Witter Gallery are excited to partner up and offer Coffee and Canvas at the newly remodeled Gabrielson Shelter House in Sioux Rapids. The class will take place on Saturday, March 21st from 5 - 7 p.m. Light refreshments will be provided...

WarnerMedia’s new streaming service will debut with some extra “Friends.” The company announced Friday that the entire original “Friends” cast will reunite for an unscripted special that will be available on HBO Max when the service debuts in May. A reunion has been long-sought by fans of the NBC series, which ended its 236-episode run in 2004. ...

Three shows for Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Sioux City’s highly-anticipated Battery Park Concert Series were announced earlier this week. The lineup includes Grammy Award-winning rapper Nelly performing on Saturday, May 30; Grammy Award-nominated rock band Papa Roach with Hollywood Undead on Tuesday, July 14; and multi-platinum rock band Shinedown on Friday, August 7...

The University of Iowa’s student-led Dance Marathon raised more than $2.8 million for the UI Stead Family Children’s Hospital in its 26th year. Dance Marathon is the UI’s largest student organization. It has raised more than $30 million since its first event in 1995...

On February 24, Jill Kelly, age 53 of Fort Dodge, had her probation revoked in the Iowa District Court by the Honorable David Lester. Kelly was on probation to the Third Judicial District Department of Correctional Services for the crime of forgery, a class D felony. Her probation was revoked and a five year prison sentence was imposed...

Lutheran Services in Iowa (LSI) was recently awarded $1,500 from the Storm Lake Community Chest. The funding will support LSI’s Behavioral Health Intervention Services, which wrap care around families of children with severe emotional or behavioral disorders...

Storm Lake United would like to sincerely thank everyone that helped make Share the Love a success. This event featured a Chocolate Walk among our downtown retailers on Saturday, February 8 and the opportunity to register for amazing prizes at over 30 local businesses. In the time the promotion ran, February 1 through February 16, there were over 1,200 entries in the drawing in total. Below is a list of the winners, where they come from, and their prizes...

It may feel like this winter is never ending, but the spring season is right around the corner, and that means it’s time for Storm Lake’s Annual Walking Warehouse Sale. Mark your calendars for March 5 through March 7 when Storm Lake businesses make room for new spring merchandise with a mass sale...

The Storm Lake Police Department held a brief ceremony this week to swear two officers into new positions. Lt. Patrick Diekman has been promoted to assistant chief, and Officer Matt Younie was sworn in as a lieutenant. Both with begin their new duties next month. Their families took part in pinning on the badges. / Pilot photos by Dana Larsen...

Fingerprints are telling us more and more about the people that left them behind. Sure, we all know the unique whorls, loops and arches in a print can identify a person. Now researchers are studying how the natural and environmental compounds within them can also offer clues about a person’s lifestyle, gender and ethnicity...

Three days before giving birth to her son, Maria B. Alcívar-Zúñiga found out she won a prestigious award recognizing her leadership, academic accomplishments and community work empowering Latinx youth and families in Iowa. Six weeks later, Alcívar-Zúñiga, a doctoral candidate in human development and family studies at Iowa State University, headed to Washington, D.C., to accept the K. Patricia Cross Future Leaders Award...

USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and the Buena Vista Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) are co-hosting a soil health and cover crops workshop called “Making Money with Soil Health”, to be held March 6 at 10 a.m. at Prairie Lakes AEA in Storm Lake...

A fun time was had by all at The Storm Lake Public Library Winter 2020 Puzzle Contest, which took place Saturday evening. Thanks to the enthusiastic participants, all of the available slots were filled for the event this year. The Friends of the Library provided the puzzles, prizes and refreshments. In an exciting finish, the first place team completed their puzzle with less than two minutes remaining on the clock. /SL Public Library photos...

Authorities in northwestern Iowa have identified a man whose body was found nearly two weeks ago inside a burning home. Larry Classon, 70, died on Feb. 13 in a fire at his Spencer home, Spencer Fire Department Deputy Chief Mark Stover said Tuesday. Stover said Classon’s died of smoke inhalation. The cause of the fire remains under investigation, the Sioux City Journal reported...

The amount of water being released into the Missouri River from Gavins Point Dam will be increased again to free up more space in the reservoirs upstream before spring. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said Tuesday that the amount of water flowing out of Gavins Point on the Nebraska-South Dakota border will be increased later this week to 41,000 cubic feet (1160.99 cubic meters) per second. That is up from the current 35,000 cubic feet (991.09 cubic meters) per second...

Tears and pleas with lawmakers filled the Iowa Legislature on Tuesday as women shared deeply personal stories as to why they support or oppose a resolution stating abortions are not protected under the Iowa Constitution. Over and over again, supporters and opponents of the resolution shared their testimony with the House Judiciary Committee, asking lawmakers to take their experience into consideration...

One Iowa teacher resigned from her job because of the anxiety from chronic classroom assaults. Another questioned how his family would financially survive after he was injured by a student, resulting in him leaving work. Stories such as those prompted state lawmakers to take a major step toward approving a bill intended to curb violence in Iowa’s classrooms — although some Democrats who supported it say they still have reservations with it...

Two girls were rescued Saturday night after falling through the thin ice in the bay near Storm Lake Marina. “Luckily we witnessed them go through the less than 2” of ice and were able to get both girls out quickly and nobody was hurt - just a little scared,” Josh Schwartz of Gone Fish’n posted on the business Facebook page shortly afterward...

A pair of rusted slave shackles rest on a table in the lunch area, silently speaking volumes. Buena Vista University hosted the True Black History Museum, a traveling exhibit, this week as part of its Black History Month events. The exhibit spans the African-American journey, with exhibits dating from 1600s African trade beads through original documents from historic figures such as Frederick Douglass, Martin Luther King, Booker T. ...

The Storm Lake High School Tornado Evergreen Vocal Jazz choir took first place honors at the Lewis and Clark Jazz Festival in Sioux City this week. Davion McDaniels took home the outstanding soloist award for the event. / Photo courtesy Joanne Tucker...

In couple’s first effort at BVU, 48 potential donors step forward

A t-shirt emblazoned with “Truesdale” on the front hangs in Steve Eddie’s closet, a reminder of his place at the center of “American’s Past-time.” “I was five years old when I wore it,” Eddie says. As he put on the blue and gold of the Buena Vista Beavers for the season-opener, Steve Eddie expresses gratitude at the ability and fortune of being able to sport a baseball uniform at his place of work, the baseball diamond...

Mustangs’ D comes up big again in Regional Final win.