Stories from Friday, April 17, 2020

Iowa grocers hope a temporary reprieve from accepting empty beverage cans and bottles from customers will become permanent, the head of their association acknowledged. But in case that doesn’t happen, grocers and convenience stores in the Iowa Grocery Industry Association also have petitioned the Iowa Department of Natural Resources to change how the so-called bottle bill is enforced. ...

We all know that our doctors and nurses are the real heroes of the 2020 COVID-19 crisis. They deserve our care and respect every day, but never more so than now. Forget your comic book superheroes and your sci fi starfighters, let’s honor our local caregivers with a celebration of the best TV medical characters ever...

Iowa gas prices have fallen 10.4 cents per gallon in the past week, averaging $1.54 per gallon this week. Gas prices in Iowa are 53.3 cents per gallon lower than a month ago and stand 121.2 cents per gallon lower than a year ago. Gas prices in Storm Lake have also continued to fall, with most stations at $1.45 or $1.46 earlier this week. In the region, stations in Fort Dodge were at $1.18, and a number of Sioux City stations were at $1.25 or less. Spencer stations were starting at $1.49...

While Storm Lake Public Library has been closed since March 17, it is not idled. Online visits have gone up during the quarantine period, Director Elizabeth Huff told the library board this week. Many may be missing computer access that the library provided to the public, but others are taking advantage of the wifi, she said - people parking in front of the building, or young people sitting in front of the building to connect...

For over 15 years, Storm Lake and surrounding communities have been supporting the local blood bank, LifeServe Blood Center, at the community blood drives coordinated by Buena Vista Regional Medical Center. The blood drive was held this past Tuesday, April 7th to help the blood center keep units on hand while pushing through a season of illness and uncertainty. ...

As the pandemic continues to affect so many lives, the RebelPack program has stepped up to help provide food to 28 children in need from the Sioux Central and AC-T schools.  This program was originally launched in January 2015 to help provide food for food insecure children on the weekends during the school year. Parents sign up at the beginning of the school year and the program provides a pack of food items each Friday that includes two meals and a snack each for Saturday and Sunday...

In the past weeks so many activities have had to be cancelled, and it appeared that the same would be true for the Federated Music Festival sponsored by Morning Musicale, affiliated with the National Federation of Music Clubs. The Festival was to be held March 21 at Holstein, and students from Carroll, Pocahontas, Cleghorn, Ida Grove and points between were ready to share the selections they had prepared...

Two Buena Vista University community leaders and selfless givers have earned prestigious awards in Campus Compact Iowa’s 2020 Engaged Campus Awards. Maria Garcia, a 2012 BVU graduate, earned the Alumni Leadership Award, while Wava Jarr, a junior, earned the President’s Student Leadership Award...

May 11, 1930 - March 23, 2020

September 8, 1934 - April 11, 2020

November 16, 1922 - April 10, 2020

May 24, 1953 - April 13, 2020

Hy-Vee, Inc. announces this week that it will be offering free full-service fueling at its more than 165 convenience stores across its eight-state region, including its Hy-Vee Fast & Fresh stores. The service will be offered at select fuel pumps from at least 7 a.m. ...

Storm Lake Police officers and Community Service Officers are using masks when interacting with the public, and encouraging the public to wear masks as well to help slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus. “The SLPD is committed to providing the best service possible while adapting to the COVID-19 crisis,” the department said in a social media post this week. / SLPD photo...

The Buena Vista County Sheriff’s office issued a warning this week about the “get to know you” challenges and questionnaires being commonly posted on Facebook. Two of the most recent ones are, “Share a picture of every car you have ever owned,” or “Share the last ten cities you have lived in.” These posts seem fun as it takes you and others on a trip down memory lane. However, the sheriff warns, participants are sharing details that could help others gain access to your personal information...

The Cherokee PRCA Rodeo committee has voted to cancel the popular event for this year due to COVID-19 concerns. “We are currently having conversations as to whether or not re-scheduling is a possibility, but have not reached a decision on that yet,” organizers told the Pilot-Tribune...

RAGBRAI officials say they are closely monitoring the COVID-19 situation. “Our plan is to make a decision that is in the best interest of our riders, towns and communities, business partners, vendors, and residents of Iowa by Monday, April 20,” organizers said in a statement online this week...

Two employees have died following a coronavirus outbreak that has sickened scores of Tyson Foods workers at a large pork plant in southeastern Iowa, the company said Wednesday. The deaths of the workers at Tyson plant in Columbus Junction are the first known to be linked to an outbreak at a meatpacking plant in Iowa...

Prom dresses are hanging in closets. Programs printed for senior recitals sit untouched. The rites of passage that teens were expecting have been ripped away, leaving students wondering if they unknowingly already said goodbye to their friends and teachers...

Buena Vista Regional Medical Center has been selected to receive one of 13 new COVID-19 testing machines from the Iowa Department of Public Health. The new Abbott machine provides a rapid result for COVID-19 tests. BVRMC will serve as a hub for testing in several communities. The machines have limited testing capacity until the state gets more testing supplies, and the state will provide direction as to who can actually receive this test...

Kate Swanson has been named as the next St. Mary’s elementary principal, replacing Diane Jones, who announced her retirement in March. Mrs. Swanson is currently the Saint Mary’s high school social studies teacher and lead teacher. She is a graduate of Buena Vista University and holds a master’s degree from Creighton University...

A judge on Tuesday suspended an area sheriff who is charged with assaulting his wife and then an officer as he was being arrested Saturday night. The judge suspended Calhoun County Sheriff Scott Anderson without pay after he was arrested at his home in Manson. ...

After a lengthy conversation on COVID-19 employee policies this week, Buena Vista County Supervisors ultimately left existing criteria in place, to be handled by its department heads. Public Health Director Pam Bogue told supervisors that the number of cases is continuing to increase across the state, and Emergency Management Coordinator Amy Barrett said that supplies of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) continue to roll in from the state, generally distributed to the facilities that need them within 12 hours.. ...

Buena Vista University (BVU), a regional leader in online education for 15 years, is expanding its offerings by allowing students to earn four-year degrees in a completely online format, the result of an initiative by the University’s Extended University Programs division...

Ashley (Hammen) Hoff finds she’s “not good at not helping.” And so the Storm Lake native is putting her heart into her ribbons - again. “Watching others do - whether at work, home, or school - makes me feel uncomfortable. And these past two weeks - I’ve felt uncomfortable. ...

Governor Kim Reynolds’ recent action to suspend some of the usual requirements for graduation comes as a relief to Storm Lake School District leaders. The action is not “a free pass,” they note. “We are grateful that the governor has loosened some requirements at the state level. ...

High school seniors statewide likely won't be attending a spring formal, competing in spring sports or even walking across a stage to "Pomp and Circumstance" this year. Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds said she plans to keep Iowa's schools closed for the remainder of the school year in light of the novel coronavirus...