Stories from Friday, October 2, 2020

The economy continues to improve in nine Midwest and Plains states, but business remains slower than before the coronavirus pandemic began, according to a monthly survey of business leaders released Thursday. The overall index for the region improved to 65.1 in September from August’s already strong 60. The survey results are compiled into a collection of indexes ranging from zero to 100. Any score above 50 suggests growth, while a score below 50 suggests decline...

Tyson Foods, Inc. (NYSE: TSN) has donated more food over the past year than ever in its 85-year history, the company reported today. More than 30 million pounds, or the equivalent of 120 million meals, were donated by the company during the last 12 months to fight hunger...

Singer/songwriter Mace Hathaway will be in concert at Byron’s in Pomeroy, Sunday, October 11. Mace has stepped in for another act that had to cancel. He has over 200 folk/rock songs to his name, and is well known for his work with the Dirty River Ramblers, and the Jamgrass Band, both out of Omaha...

Local organizations LULAC and SALUD will be joining forces for a yard sale fundraiser, Saturday, October 3. The sale will take place at Our Place multicultural center, 114 E. 3rd Street, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. The groups promise “a little bit of everything” for sale, and visitors are encouraged to wear masks and maintain social distancing...

The Walt Disney Co. has further postponed its next mega-movies from Marvel, including “Black Widow,” while also postponing Steven Spielberg’s “West Side Story” a full year in the company’s latest recalibration due to the pandemic. Ten of Disney’s top films shuffled release dates Wednesday, uprooting several of the company’s major fall releases. ...

The autumn leaves are almost falling by the window, as we continue to move through a year of uncertainty, cautious optimism, and some brief escapes – what better way than through downloads, vinyl, or whatever medium is available for music? Despite the lack of live music, musicians are still hunkering down in their studios to write, and record songs for release. ...

Buena Vista University is offering a convenient online Substitute Authorization course to address a need for certified substitute teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic. The course follows a proclamation signed this summer by Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds, which lists changes in requirements for those who seek a Substitute Authorization Certification. ...

The annual Carson Chase Fun Run and non-profit Chili Cook-Off will be held this Saturday, October 3 in Fonda. Sign up starts at 11 a.m.. The fun run begins at noon. All chili entries must be at the golf course by 2 p.m. Golf carts, lawn mowers, side by sides, and 4 wheelers are welcomed...

On the heels of a contentious presidential debate, veteran Republican senator Chuck Grassley called on Democrats to avoid “court packing,” despite a quick Republican effort to nominate a new justice before the election. Grassley, in a transcript Senate floor remarks his office provided to the Pilot-Tribune, said, “Last night, former Vice President Biden refused to rule out packing the court if the President and the Senate proceed to fulfilling their constitutional duties and filling the high court vacancy.”. ...

An informal memorial to Breonna Taylor, a black medical worker who was shot and killed in her Louisville, KY apartment during a police raid, began to take shape last weekend in Storm Lake’s Chautauqua Park, along with respects for Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who passed away recently. / Pilot photo by Dana Larsen...

Des Moines Area Community College President Rob Denson recently released the names of students eligible for the Summer Semester Dean’s List. To be eligible, a student must have completed a minimum of six credits and earned a 3.5 to 3.99 grade point average for that semester...

Buena Vista County will be using all 10 voting precincts; however, some will be temporarily relocated to another location, due to the COVID pandemic, and the need for more room to social distance. Below is a list of all of the locations that will be used on November 3, 2020...

The 2020 - 2021 Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) has been established to help qualifying low-income Iowa homeowners and renters pay for a portion of their primary heating costs for the winter heating season. Applications will be taken November 1,2020 to April 30,2021...

Fall is a great time to catch fish with family and friends. The air is cool, the views are picturesque and the fish are easy to catch. Make lasting memories together and put your worries behind you. “Fantastic fishing opportunities await both new and expert anglers,” said Joe Larscheid, chief of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources Fisheries Bureau. “Grab your tackle box, take the family, and get your lines in the water.”...

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has ruled against a petition by the grocers’ lobby to remove the Iowa bottle bill “convenience zone” requirement. In August, the Iowa Grocery Industry Association (IGIA) filed a “Petition for Declaratory Order” challenging DNR’s authority to administer a 10-minute “convenience zone.” Currently, to ensure easy access for consumers, retailers can only decline to accept containers if there is a DNR-certified redemption center within the convenience zone. ...

The 4-H club, Newell Boosting Achievers elected new officers on Sunday September 13, 2020. The new officers are Analise Tiffany as President, Garrett Meyer is Vice President, Jack Olsen is Treasurer, Secretary is April Meyer, Isabelle Landgraf is the club’s Reporter, Photographers are Katie and Brayden Reisner and Eliana Olsen, and the club’s Senior Advisors are Shelby Lynch and Caden Meyer...

Buena Vista University graduate Lindsay Peoples Wagner has been named one of the Most influential African Americans of 2020 by The Root news organization. Peoples is the youngest editor-in-chief in the history of Conde Nast publications. According to The Root, Peoples Wagner has used her platform as editor of Teen Vogue since 2008 to draw attention to issues of inclusivity, as well as openly sharing her own experiences of marginalization as a black woman in the fashion industry. ...

October 21, 1927 - September 27, 2020

November 30, 1951 - September 26, 2020

September 4, 1963 - September 21, 2020

February 27, 1964 - September 24, 2020

A Storm Lake man has been given a suspended sentence after a conviction for Assault with Intent to Commit Sexual Abuse, despite the county attorney’s plea for prison time. On September 28th, Keith Oldenkamp, age 43,was sentenced in the Iowa District Court by the Judge Andrew Smith for the crime. ...

After 40 years of educating students and serving clients in Storm Lake and its surrounding communities, Faust Institute will be closing its Storm Lake campus doors as of December 31, 2020. “The decision was a difficult one, however, we have been very mindful to make the smallest impact on our students and our staff. ...

The word on the minds of the members of Spencer’s Historic Preservation Committee on Saturday was “speechless” as their Restoration at Riverside event to help restore the markers and graves of Civil War soldiers buried in Riverside Cemetery brought more than 40 people out to help in the effort. ...

A year and a half after a disastrous flood event coaxed the Little Sioux River out of its channel, bypassing the Linn Grove Dam and ripping through the nearby park, county conservation board members are getting closer to a plan. At their most recent meeting, the board reviewed engineering options, narrowing the list from six or eight to three...

Western Iowa Congressman Steve King was one of only five members of the House of Representatives to vote against adopting a resolution supporting a peaceful transition of power in the White House if Joe Biden wins the election in November. The measure was adopted in a 397-5 vote, with all of those opposing being Republicans...

Buena Vista University Hall of Fame Coach Merritt Ewalt died on Tuesday at his home in Storm Lake. Ewalt, 90, had a hand in about every men’s sport on campus during his 26-year association with the Beavers. The Coralville native directed the men’s basketball program for 16 seasons and guided the Beavers to a trio of NAIA national tournaments. His 1962 team earned the Beavers their first league championship in 36 years, finishing the campaign with a 25-3 mark...

The Bridge of Storm Lake is replanting its TreeHouse program, after delays caused by the Coronavirus pandemic. The motto of the program: “We are on a mission to end hopelessness among teens.” “We’re just getting started. We finished a pilot group in March and had really good feedback from the kids,” says Shelly Rock, Director of the Storm Lake neighborhood ministry program. “We feel really good about moving forward and launching this group this fall.”...

The Storm Lake Public Library took delivery of new furnishings this week to replace worn wooden tables and chairs. The furniture was provided by the Friends of the Storm Lake Library, a volunteer fundraising organization which has assisted the library in funding many projects and programs. ...

Even a virus can’t spook Halloween. Traditions will change for the celebration in Storm Lake, but trick-or-treating will be allowed - in a slightly more cautious format. The Chills & Thrills event downtown that usually attracts hundreds of kids will be a no-go in this year of COVID, but a new mask-decorating contest is taking shape to fill the void...