Stories from Friday, July 30, 2021

Iowa State University Extension and Outreach’s Annual Farmland Leasing Meetings for agriculture property owners, tenants, ag business representatives and lenders will be held at 11 different locations throughout early August. Each workshop will focus on current farmland value and lease rate trends, methods for determining fair ag rents for 2022 and farmland lease communication and legalities, including how to write and terminate a lease...

Iowa manufacturers continue to hold a positive outlook on the state’s economy and expect increased sales in the third quarter, according to results of the latest Iowa Association of Business and Industry (ABI) Quarterly Business Survey. “The optimism that Iowa manufacturers have is encouraging news for all Iowans,” ABI President Mike Ralston said. “These latest results and the anticipation of continued growth show our economy is moving in the right direction.”...

Vision Care Associates P.C. invites you to register for their first annual Bike4Sight event on Saturday, August 14. The ride will start at 9 a.m. with registration beginning at 8 a.m. Participants may choose the option of an 18 or 24 mile ride beginning at Chautauqua Park in Storm Lake. Helmets are required...

A portion of Storm Lake’s Railroad Street was closed off last week to allow for a thundering Ford Motorcraft NASCAR racer to be displayed at Iowa Auto Supply. After backing cautiously from the trailer, the crew did a modest burnout to entertain the onlookers. / Pilot photos by Dana Larsen...

If you are looking for some free entertainment for the kids, Naturalist Katie has you covered. Come out to Gabrielson Park between 1:00 - 3:00 PM on Tuesday, August 3rd for an afternoon of fun activities. The naturalist will be on sight with all the supplies you need to go fishing as well as different activities and games to play. ...

Whatever musical entertainment you prefer, you will likely find it at the 50th Annual Albert City Threshermen’s Show, Aug. 13-15, 2021. From piano, to strings, to acoustic, big band and polka the entertainment shelter has a fantastic line-up for your enjoyment...

The Usual Suspects, an acoustic blues and rock group from Orange City, will return to InnSpiration Vines & Wines in Linn Grove Sunday, August 22. The concert starts at 5:30 p.m. The concert is planned for the outdoor stage, bring your own lawn chair or blanket...

Tickets are on sale now for an evening with the 3 Heath Brothers on August 23rd at the Browns Century Theatre in LeMars. Since signing with Horizon/Crossroads label as teenagers, this award winning group of brothers is gaining a large following of young and old alike. Nicholas, Clayton, and Christian Heath have been singing together all their lives. Audiences are consistently shocked by their tight harmony, powerful vocals, and a capella arrangements...

The second act in the Storm Lake United Lighthouse Summer Concert Series, Neil Anders and The Brothers Merritt, played for an appreciative crowd in Sunset Park Saturday night. The area performers covered country, rock and folk tunes from the likes of The Band, John Prine and CCR. / Pilot photos by Dana Larsen...

Buena Vista County officials are finding pathways to potentially keep funding alive for local agencies amid new regulation from the state. County Attorney Paul Allen met with county supervisors this week after researching options. Earlier this season, the county learned that the state auditor’s office planned to more strongly enforce the Iowa Constitution language preventing public money being used for private purposes...

Buena Vista University will hold an inauguration for its 19th President Brian A. Lenzmeier, Ph.D. on Friday, October 8 at BVU. “We are excited to invite the entire community to this momentous occasion,” says Joan Canty, Vice President for University Advancement at BVU. “Dr. Lenzmeier has served BVU in a variety of capacities for more than 18 years, and as President for nearly a year. It is our honor to now celebrate his presidency with an official inauguration.”...

An urgent water supply issue for the City of Storm Lake was resolved this week. A company was installing new controls for the water plant, and when opening a panel box, a wire apparently shorted out, blacking out the power to the supply system. “It was unexpected - nobody’s fault, really,” Assistant City Manager Dave Darrigon explained. “Not knowing how long it would take to fix, on the side of caution, we urged people to strictly conserve water.”...

A colorful new community mural has appeared on Fonda’s Main Street, sprucing the scene up for the Sesquicentennial celebration. The project, located on the side of a brick building that once housed a Gambles store, was created by high school student Emily Mercer. ...

Let’s help them celebrate their anniversary! The family of Martin and Jeanne Glienke of Alta request a card shower in honor of their 55th wedding anniversary on August 14th. Their children are Rick (Shelley) Glienke of Alta; Dan (Kim) Glienke of St Paul, MN; Susie (Jim) Kolterman of Libertyville, IL; Ann (Art) Gustafson of Clearwater, FL and 11 grandchildren. Their address is 610 Prospect, Alta IA 51002...

Ken and Jolene (Anderson) Davis celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary on August 7. They were married in 1971 at lst Congregational United Church of Christ in Newell. They were blessed with three wonderful children: Eric (Martha) Davis and Grace in Tucson, AZ. ...

On the evening of August 3rd, 2021 Storm Lake residents will be hosting the 37th Annual National Night Out with block parties throughout the City of Storm Lake.  National Night Out started in 1984 in order to bring neighbors together in order to combat and prevent crime in their communities.  Today block parties are hosted in neighborhoods Nationwide and on US Military Bases worldwide.  In Storm Lake, block parties will be visited by First Responders, including police, fire and ambulance crews to interact with members of the community.  Parties will be located at the following locations:. ...

Nebraska and Iowa have seen a rise in hate crimes in recent years, most of which have been committed on the basis of race and ethnicity, according to the FBI. The FBI region that includes Nebraska and Iowa has seen a 21% increase in the reporting of hate crimes in recent years, Eugene Kowel, special agent in charge at the FBI’s Omaha field office, said Thursday in a news conference...

Secretary of State Paul Pate announces more than 500,000 Iowans have registered to vote since he took office on January 1, 2015. Most of those voters, 321,535 out of 504,113, registered by using the state’s online voter registration system that launched in January 2016 through a partnership between Secretary Pate and the Iowa Department of Transportation...

As Anthony Baird prepares for a new chapter in his academic journey this summer, he’s familiarizing himself with a new tablet for his use at the University of Iowa College of Dentistry. The device comes courtesy of the Buena Vista University Stine Family Endowment, which sponsored an academic competition for more than a dozen BVU students as the 2020-21 academic year came to a close...

Parents should decide whether their children wear masks to school even if new federal guidelines recommend them for all students, U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, said Tuesday. CNN reported shortly before Ernst’s phone call with Iowa reporters that the U.S. ...

Gov. Kim Reynolds told reporters this week that immigration at the southern border is “part of the problem” as COVID-19 cases rise again through the U.S. and Iowa. In response to a question about the state’s COVID-19 data reporting, Reynolds said she received daily updates on the pandemic and would “adjust as necessary” to the delta variant. ...

Three Storm Lake residents were arrested after a routine traffic stop last week led to discovery of 27 pounds of marijuana and $67,000 in cash inside a vehicle. Two children in the vehicle at the time of the stop were removed from their parents’ custody...

In June 2020, Buena Vista County topped the New York Times’ “hotspot” list for COVID-19 cases. Schools had closed, as had the Buena Vista University campus, and businesses across Storm Lake. One year later, a sea change occurred amid the lakeside community with BVU at the center of a summer of recovery...

It’s a nice issue to have. Storm Lake has received so many donated items for the parks system that it needs some direction for such additions in the future. The city this fiscal year will work toward a comprehensive community plan that will include direction for the parks and lakeshore as well as the downtown area, Mayor Mike Porsch told the Mayor’s Committee on Parks, Trails and Urban Forestry at its recent meeting...

What started as a disaster could turn into an opportunity. In June of 2019, heavy flooding of the Little Sioux at Linn Grove caused the river to cut a new channel around the landmark dam, wreaking havoc with the surrounding park land and access road...

Site will eventually house entire campus

Four years, four State championships and a ton of other State placements in track, softball and basketball. That is the kind of career Newell-Fonda’s Bailey Sievers has had. The future Dordt basketball player led both the basketball and softball teams in scoring this past year on teams that topped the 1A scene...