Stories from Tuesday, June 1, 2021

Des Moines Performing Arts announced today the re-dated performances in the popular Willis Broadway Series after the organization was forced to halt all in-person performances due to the pandemic. Touring Broadway will return to the Civic Center later this year with the 2018 Tony Award-winner for Best Musical, The Band’s Visit, in October...

The Okoboji Blue Water Festival will return this summer after a one-year absence last year due to COVID-19. “After having to postpone our event in 2020 because of the virus, we are excited to announce that our popular event will resume this year on Saturday, August 7 in the Preservation Plaza green space in Arnolds Park, said organizer Greg Drees. ...

The 2021 Frontier Days at Fort Dodge will be themed “Celebrating the Roaring 20s.” Events will take place Friday, June 4 through Sunday, June 6 at the Fort Museum grounds. Many of the familiar features will return, such as the Buckskinner Camp, Ghost Garrison, Hole in the Sock Gang shows, many street performers, concerts, comedy acts, kids games, pioneer marketplace, and the parade on Saturday at 10 a.m. in downtown Storm Lake...

Buena Vista Community Theatre is excited to present “Little Shop of Horrors” for their 30th season at the Roxy Theatre in Alta. BVCT postponed this production last summer due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The cast of 20 performers from nine area communities is preparing this end-of-the-world satire for you to enjoy, complete with Doo-Wop songs and a carnivorous plant!...

The Storm Lake Public Library will reopen at 50% limited capacity on June 7. Also, on June 7, registration will begin for the Summer Reading Program: “Reading Colors Your World.” The program is sponsored by the Friends of the Storm Lake Public Library and will run until August 14...

Drake University and Buena Vista University announced partnerships that will enable students to earn a BVU undergraduate degree and a Drake master’s degree in five years, allowing students to save the cost of tuition for one year as they begin earning income as a professional one year earlier than they would without this program...

Iowa’s new COVID-19 cases dropped by 50% over the past two weeks, the New York Times reported. The state has been averaging 135 new cases a day this week. The 102 new cases reported Thursday was one of the lowest numbers since the pandemic began to take off in April 2020...

New variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus most likely will necessitate the development of more vaccine options in the years ahead, and a biomedical scientist at Iowa State University believes the “key” to that development lies in the way the virus binds to human cells...

Storm Lake, Iowa- Lutheran Services in Iowa (LSI) is hosting an upcoming virtual orientation for Buena Vista County and surrounding area community members to learn more about foster care and adoption. Hundreds of Iowa children are currently in need of a foster family, but there are not enough foster homes in western Iowa available for them...

Last week, the Onawa Kiwanis Club welcomed some special visitors to its Museum Complex for the club’s bimonthly meeting. The VIPs were Curt Reis and Connie Reis, Theresa Trout, and Olivia Phipps. Curt Reis, a native of Storm Lake, where he is employed as Buena Vista County Recorder, is Governor of the Nebraska-Iowa Kiwanis District. His area of responsibility has six regions, 24 divisions, 175 clubs and about 5,400 members. Onawa is part of Division 5 in Region 4...

Darlene Evans, age 86, of Storm Lake, Iowa died on Sunday, May 23, at the Methodist Manor Retirement Community in Storm Lake, Iowa. Memorial Services was held at 2:30 p.m. Thursday, May 27, 2021 at the Sliefert Funeral Home in Storm Lake, Iowa. Darlene was born August 6, 1934, the daughter of Nolan and Amy (Erven) Price, in Sioux City, Iowa...

Gilbert R. Alpers, age 84, of Fonda, Iowa died Thursday, May 20, at his home in Fonda. Funeral services were Thursday, May 27, at First Lutheran Church in Fonda, Iowa. Burial followed in the Cedar Cemetery. Visitation took place Wednesday, May 26, at the First Lutheran Church, Fonda. The Mahaney Funeral Home in Fonda was in charge of the arrangements...

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds told a national television audience on Wednesday that Iowa had met the challenge of providing a “safe environment” for meatpacking-plant workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Reynolds made her remarks on FOX News with conservative commentator Sean Hannity presiding over a gathering of Republican governors who were there to discuss how their agendas are helping America...

Iowa city administrators are seeking solutions after the Iowa Legislature voted to end the backfill, part of a 2013 law requiring the state to refund local governments for commercial property tax cuts. The backfill represented $152.1 million annually across the state. Local governments would treat the funds like property tax revenue. Under a major tax bill passed by the Legislature, those payments will phase out over the course of four to seven years, depending on the growth of the tax base...

PRIMGHAR - An Iowa woman accused of helping the parents of a slain infant invent a story to cover up the baby’s injuries has pleaded not guilty to being an accessory. Stacie Hurlburt, 49, of Sheldon, pleaded not guilty Wednesday to two counts of accessory after the fact, the Sioux City Journal reported...

A bipartisan push to launch an independent investigation of the January 6 attack at the U.S. Capitol was narrowly defeated Friday, after Senate Republicans including Iowa’s Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst banded together in opposition. A 54-35 vote fell six short of the 60 needed to circumvent a procedural filibuster - a blunt rejection by Republicans of an emotional last-minute appeal from the family of a Capitol Police officer who died after responding to the insurrection, as well as an 11th-hour bid by Sen. ...

Shortly after the 2021 Buena Vista University graduates received their diplomas on May 8, President Brian Lenzmeier turned his attention to a special alum who sat among the throngs of families and well wishers at J. Leslie Rollins Stadium on campus. Lenzmeier led a chorus in applause, honoring a 1965 BVU graduate who returned to campus to watch his daughter complete the ceremonial walk for her diploma...

A vast crowd settled among the sunny field of red, white and blue for a touching Memorial Day ceremony Monday at the courthouse green in Storm Lake. For the DeRoos family, it was a family affair. Veteran of three deployments and 22 years of service in the Iowa National Guard Louie DeRoos served as master of ceremonies, his wife Sherry was the guest speaker, their young son attended in a flag-colored suit, and seven miles away, another son was hosting the Memorial Day ceremony in Alta...

Many businesses went through transitional periods last year, due to the pandemic’s impact on the global economy. While some companies failed, and had to lock up their doors, others re-imagined themselves, came up with a new game plan, and proceeded into unknown territory...