Stories from Tuesday, April 6, 2021

On Tuesday, March 30, at approximately 8:20 a.m., the Clay County Sheriff’s Office received a report of an assault which occurred at M&C; Anderson Pullets near Sioux Rapids. Upon investigation at the scene, it was determined that an assault had occurred between two employees at the site and the victim. Marcial Salmeron-Martinez, 47, of Sioux Rapids, placed the call regarding the incident. Salmeron-Martinez denied medical assistance for his injuries...

A former supervisor at Sioux City’s wastewater treatment plant has been sentenced to three months in jail and fined $6,000 for his role in the manipulation of water sample test results. Jay Niday, 63, was sentenced Thursday after he pleaded guilty in October to conspiracy and falsifying or providing inaccurate information, The Sioux City Journal reported. He will also serve two years of probation after completing his sentence...

National Child Abuse Prevention Month recognizes the importance of families and communities working together to strengthen families to prevent child abuse and neglect. Through this collaboration, prevention services and supports help protect children and produce thriving families...

Supported by more than $900,000 in federal grants, Iowa State University engineers are using their expertise in graphene-based biosensors to develop better, cheaper, quicker, more accessible testing for the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. The studies are part of two federal programs looking for better ways to test for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 infections, and, potentially, any future viral outbreaks...

Throughout the month of April, Hy-Vee’s team of registered dietitians will host free virtual events – including store tours and live classes – to provide education about ways to shop and snack to help manage diabetes symptoms. Free A1C Store Tour Hy-Vee dietitians will conduct 1,000 free A1C screenings throughout the month at more than 40 store locations. ...

Keep your eyes on your skin, advises John Armstrong, a general surgeon at Buena Vista Regional Medical Center. Armstrong spoke on the basics of skin cancer during BVRMC’s Young at Heart presentation for April. Skin cancer is common, and is being treated often in the Storm Lake area, Armstrong said...

The solar energy panels atop two buildings at Parks Marina aren’t easy to see, but they managed to draw the attention of U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra midday Friday. Feenstra visited the marina to learn about the business’ integration of renewables and hear about their effectiveness...

It’s almost time for farmers to be busy in the fields but for now they’re patiently preparing for spring planting. As rains and fair weather have marked the end of March, ISU Extension and Outreach field agronomist Paul Kassel said the outlook locally is pretty positive ahead of planting...

Witter Gallery is holding a two-week online auction showcasing 12 original art pieces created by area artists. The online auction will begin on Friday, April 16, and will end on Friday, April 30. Local artists have submitted pieces ranging from woodwork to paintings, drawings to ceramics. ...

Wayne State College musicians will present “An Evening of Choirs” as they ponder the emotional journey of the COVID pandemic during a 7:30 p.m. concert on Monday, April 19. This Wayne State College performance will be livestreamed only on the WSC Choirs Facebook page: www.facebook.com/wscconcertchoir...

Lori King & Junction 63’s latest song, Walkin’ the Blues, the first release from their new album on Turnberry Records, is available for public download. Released to radio, earlier in March, the song has topped the Airplay Direct charts for most of the month. The full album will be available on June 4, 2021. The current single is available for download on iTunes, Spotify and other platforms and can be found at the following link. https://fugapromo.fm/walkintheblues...

Kris Karr Music will do a free Vineyard Vibrations concert at Soldier Creek Winery in Fort Dodge, Friday, April 30. Showtime is 6 p.m. The show is outside, weather permitting. Bring a lawn chair or blanket. Karr plays solo shows as well as performing with the Kris Karr Band and the duo The Kozmic Brownies, and operates 17x17 recording studio with its own live-streamed shows...

In a newly-announced concert for the Roof Garden Ballroom this season, the classic Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra will be presented by Arnolds Park Amusement Park. The show is Sunday, June 13, 7:30-10:30 p.m. The show was scheduled earlier, but had to be canceled...

Iowa’s Ride will not be coming to northwest Iowa. The inaugural edition of a new cross-state bicycle ride, Iowa’s Ride 2020, was forced to cancel due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The ride was then scheduled to take place in 2021, passing through northwest Iowa with stops in Emmetsburg, Sheldon and Rock Rapids...

A Mass of Christian Burial for Dr. Steve Christensen was held Monday, April 5, at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Milford. A memorial fund has been established and will be given to Steve’s favorite charities. The most remarkable husband, dad, papa, son, and brother passed away and went to his heavenly home on March 30. ...

Joan Lichter, 87, of Holstein, Iowa, formerly of Storm Lake, Iowa, died peacefully on Sunday, March 28, at the Good Samaritan Society- Holstein. Funeral Mass will be held on Tuesday, April 6, at 10:30 a.m. at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Storm Lake. ...

Cynthia McChesney, age 68, of Storm Lake, Iowa died on Sunday, March 28, at the Fonda Specialty Care in Fonda. Memorial services will be held at a later date. The Fratzke & Jensen Funeral Home in Storm Lake is in charge of the arrangements. Cynthia Rose McChesney, the daughter of Edward and Evelyn (Eickhoff) Fellows, was born on November 22, 1952 in Storm Lake. Growing up, Cynthia attended school in Storm Lake. She was graduate of Storm Lake High School in 1971...

Graveside memorial services for Charles T. Waddell, 67, of Alta, formerly of Aurelia and Spencer, were held at 2 p.m. Saturday, April 3, at the Pleasant Hill Cemetery, rural Aurelia, with Pastor Bruce Rapp officiating. There will be no visitation. Inurnment will be in the Pleasant Hill Cemetery, with Military Honors by the Grashoff-McManus American Legion Post #390 of Aurelia. The Redig Funeral Home in Aurelia is in charge of arrangements...

John Miller passed away on December 21, at Methodist Hospital in Des Moines, Iowa. John was born June 8, 1932, on a farm in Storm Lake to Frank and Mary (Demers) Miller. He attended Providence Consolidated school for 12 years. He proudly served his country in the United States Army from 1952-1954 in the Korean War. John was married to Mary in 1955 and they enjoyed 65 years together...

Larry Melander, age 88, of Alta, died on Wednesday, March 31, at the Methodist Manor Retirement Community in Storm Lake. Private Family Service will take place on Tuesday, April 6. Burial will be in the Scandinavian Cemetery in Alta. Public visitation was held on Monday, April 5 at the Fratzke & Jensen Funeral Home in Alta. Masks are required for all guests in attendance. The Fratzke & Jensen Funeral Home in Alta is in charge of the arrangements...

Elderbridge Agency on Aging is looking for individuals to be on our Advisory Council. The counties where we have vacancies are Buena Vista, Emmet, Greene, Guthrie, Hancock, Osceola, Sac, Worth, and Wright. What is the Elderbridge Agency on Aging? Elderbridge Agency on Aging is an Area Agency on Aging in North Central, Northwest and Central Iowa, currently serving a 29-county region. ...

A Buena Vista University graduate serves as keynote speaker in a trio of addresses during the 2020 and 2021 Commencement exercises at BVU on May 8 and May 9. Adrienne Haynes, attorney, entrepreneur, and community volunteer, had no hesitation in accepted the BVU invitation to share a special message with hundreds of graduates and their family members, a weekend celebration that may ultimately help the BVU community put the pandemic in the rear-view mirror, at least to a degree...

Buena Vista County’s COVID-19 numbers increased slightly this past week, moving from 2 percent test positivity to 3 percent, and 15 new positive tests over seven days compared to 13 the previous week. Local numbers remain below the statewide positivity rate, which was 4.8 percent for the week...

Pickerel Lake, near Laurens on the Clay and Buena Vista county line, will undergo a water level management project to improve its water quality-and provide quality habitat for fish and wildlife. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources will lower the water level in the 170-acre shallow natural lake this spring. The goal is to lower the lake 3.5 feet during the 2021 growing season and keep water levels down through early summer 2022...

An Estherville man is charged with multiple felonies including kidnapping and sexual abuse, after allegedly trading vaping/smoking items to underage area children in exchange for elicit photos of them, and sexually abusing a 12-year-old. Hunter Gentry, 21, pled not guilty to all charges. A jury trial is scheduled for June 1 at the Clay County Courthouse...

For all of the efforts to feed the hungry in Storm Lake, hunger is no less an issue than it was when those volunteer programs started. The fact isn’t lost on the members of The Hunger Dialogue, a local organization that has been brainstorming hunger solutions and supporting volunteer food programs for several years...