Stories from Friday, February 12, 2021

Iowa’s lack of workers is “bordering on a crisis” after the state’s population dropped, a leader of the Iowa Business Council said Wednesday. “This is the first time since we’ve been issuing (the annual Iowa Competitive Dashboard beginning in 2011) that IBC is reporting that our population literally declined,” Executive Director Joe Murphy said at a news conference Wednesday. “It’s bordering on a crisis with respect to the population,” he added...

The actors Stanley Tucci and Colin Firth have been friends for 20 years and that is plainly evident watching them play longtime lovers in the wrenchingly beautiful film “Supernova.” The award-winning duo are like a well-worn sweater onscreen, comfortable and lived-in, showing the kind of tart affection people show when ardor’s lust has given way to the slow burn of adoration...

A new West Gallery Exhibit will open February 15 at the Sanford Museum in Cherokee. The show includes fishing hooks, a totem pole, woven baskets, snow goggles, a spear, and a mountain goat horn ladle are among objects crafted by Northwest Coast and Arctic artists and curated at the Sanford Museum...

An Iowa original musician will perform in a live stream concert from the University of Dubuque Heritage Center, Tuesday, Feb. 23. Dubuque’s own Elizabeth Mary shares her relatable lyrics, genuine personality, and story to success. Recently juggling the trials of the pandemic, production of a full-length album, and welcoming a child, Elizabeth Mary has a whole lot to share!...

The 17th annual Artisans Road Trip (A.R.T.) is looking for artists! The deadline for applications is Monday, March 1st. All disciplines and mediums are accepted – painting, drawing, sculpture, mixed media, jewelry, fabric, wood, photography, pottery, and more!...

The Storm Lake Public Library Board continues to debate the future of a 20-year-old mural in the children’s section of the library. The board voted this week to ask City Attorney Phil Havens for a legal opinion on whether the characters in the mural, popular children’s book figures including Walt Disney characters, represent a copyright infringement Havens declined to comment after last month’s meeting because there had not been a quorum of the board to make the request formally, according to the library director.. ...

U.S. Senators Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) are calling on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to publicly release its weekly formula for allocating vaccines to states and other jurisdictions. The push for greater transparency comes as news reports suggest Iowa is lagging behind other states in vaccines delivered and CDC data currently available does not provide transparency into state’s vaccine allocation formula...

When your main pitch to students is that you provide a “home away from home,” what do you do when your physical space is unavailable due to a pandemic? That has been one of the biggest challenges facing University of Iowa staff in Multicultural and International Student Support as COVID-19 safety guidelines have kept its four cultural centers shuttered since March 2020...

Alcoholics Anonymous is available to serve those in need of recovery help in the Storm Lake area. AA meets in two Storm Lake locations: Thursdays at noon at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, and 8 p.m. Saturdays at St. John’s Lutheran Church.

Landus awarded 66 fire and rescue crews around the state $750 each in January representing a total contribution of $49,500 to these essential rural community services. The allocated funds are used to update and improve equipment and services, facilitating emergency response in local communities and surrounding areas...

In honor of Sherie Elbert’s upcoming retirement as the Buena Vista County Treasurer on February 28, her staff would like to “shower” her with congratulations and well-wishes through the mail. Due to social distancing requirements, we will not be able to celebrate...

On Feb. 5, 2021 the governor of the state of Iowa decreed that the state will continue to operate under a public health disaster emergency until March 7, 2021.  In addition, the decree recognized that data collected in Iowa reflected an improvement and / or reduction in the risk of the spread of COVID-19 substantially impacted by the practice of effective public health protocols...

You can’t prevent a drought, but there are steps gardeners can take to prepare for it. Monitor the drought status. The U.S Drought Monitor provides an outlook for drought conditions in each state that can be viewed at https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/CurrentMap.aspx. Both seasonal and weekly maps are available. In Northwest Iowa, the outlook is persistent drought from January 21 through April 30. Given this, it’s time to think about strategies you can use to manage drought...

June 28, 1927 - February 6, 2021

August 10, 1933 - February 9, 2021

November 7, 1934 - February 1, 2021

Iowa public health officials selected Microsoft to create an online COVID-19 vaccination scheduling system as they seek to get past a frustrating start that has the state ranked near the bottom nationally in doses administered. The Iowa Department of Public Health posted notice online Monday that it intends to award an emergency contract to Redmond, Washington-based Microsoft. The agency told bidders that it would select a separate contractor to run a vaccine call center later this week...

Authorities have filed charges against a South Dakota man who was accused of sexually engaging with a woman who was intoxicated and unable to give her consent. Arnolds Park Police charged 26-year-old Ashford Kromah of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, with third-degree sexual abuse early Sunday, Jan. 31. Kromah told police the act was consensual, according to court filings...

Though the statewide mask mandate expired in Iowa at midnight Feb. 6, Clay County’s mask regulation remains in effect. “The Clay County Board of Health just met Thursday and reviewed the COVID-19 numbers in our community,” said Dr. Janessa Mechler, Clay County Board of Health chair. ...

Matt Doebel has been selected to serve as the next principal of Storm Lake High School. The Storm Lake Community School District Board of Education will consider the selection at its meeting on Thursday. Doebel is currently an instructional coach at SLHS, a position he has held since 2016...

With expectations for a more stable supply of vaccine, Buena Vista County Public Health officials are moving forward with a vaccination plan, according to new county Public Health Administrator Julie Sather, who is replacing the retiring Pam Bogue this season...

The Buena Vista Regional Healthcare Foundation is sponsoring a Nursing Honor Guard, a program where volunteer nurses attend the funeral of nurses who have dedicated their life to the profession. The local group is being organized by Amanda Thompson, RN, who works in BVRMC’s First Embrace Obstetrics Department...

The Storm Lake High School Art Department is launching its community project “Celebrate Storm Lake” to place artist-painted fiberglass lighthouses around the city. The art installation will begin with 10 of the seven-foot-tall lighthouses. A call for artists is underway, with a committee to choose those who will have the opportunity to design and paint one of the lighthouses for the art installation...

Storm Lake was presented with the Iowa Community of Character Award Wednesday in a ceremony at King’s Pointe. It was the fourth attempt to present the award, after delays earlier scheduling an event due to COVID concerns. “This community can serve as an example for the rest of the state and country on how to bring together rather than tear down,” Scott Raecker, Director of the Robert and Billie Ray Center at Drake University, said during the presentation...