Stories from Friday, August 6, 2021

The Iowa Lottery released its annual results on Wednesday, with its sales, proceeds to state causes, prizes to players, and commissions paid to Iowa businesses all setting records in fiscal year 2021. “The Iowa Lottery delivered on its promise of responsibly generating revenue for important Iowa causes, even amidst an enormously challenging period,” said Iowa Lottery CEO Matt Strawn. ...

Sales of units at the three-story, 51-unit condominium project The Breeze are underway. The project is still under construction on Sunrise Park Road, between the golf course and the lakefront near King’s Pointe. Completion is expected this fall. According to sales literature for the project, the site allows low-maintenance living with high-grade finishes, premium appliances, hard surface flooring, granite countertops and lake or course views, with dock access and boat slips available. ...

The Storm Lake United Methodist Church is hosting a community concert at Sunset Park bandshell on Sunday, August 15 at 10 a.m., part of the church’s 151st anniversary celebration. The concert will be free to the public with a free will offering to be taken to cover the performers’ expenses...

Touch of Broadway vocal group will be performing at the Fonda Arts Center on Sunday, August 22nd, at 3 p.m. This group is the traveling part of the Buena Vista Community Theater, and has been on the road for two decades, sharing its impressive talent in an uplifting, family oriented show...

The Northwest Bank Stage will feature six different quality acts at the 2021 Clay County Fair, Sept. 11-19. This is just a portion of the $150,000 in free entertainment offered to fairgoers. A veteran performer and an extremely funny guy, C. Willi Myles will perform Sept. 11-13. A comedian who has the gift of connecting through humor and storytelling, he tells extremely funny, non-offensive stories and jokes and gives a unique spin to life’s everyday challenges...

While Storm Lake water levels are down, the lake is not as low as many would expect, according to Jeff Kestel, who has been taking lake measurements since 2018, taking over from Darel Burns who did the measurements for many years prior. The lake measured 12.12 inches below Lakeside dam level on August 1, down from 9.6 inches below it in June and 10 inches below on July 20. ...

Water conservation measures applied earlier this season in the City of Storm Lake will remain in place, according to a city announcement this week. Over 90 percent of Buena Vista County is considered in severe drought conditions, according to NOAA and USDA, with surface water rated as low...

Storm Lake Mayor Mike Porsch announced this week that he will seek a second term as mayor. “I’ve appreciated the opportunity to serve our great community these past four years and would welcome the opportunity to do so for another four years,” he said in a written statement. ...

Everyone is invited to a Storm Lake United ribbon-cutting ceremony on Wednesday, August 11th at 10:30 a.m. at Storm Lake City Hall to launch the local lighthouse art installation project. This event will give the community the opportunity to meet the artists of the lighthouse project and learn the story behind their work. ...

Storm Lake Public Safety representatives made the rounds Tuesday night during the 15 National Night Out block parties around the community. King Splash from King’s Pointe joined in the fun. The annual event is designed to help people get to know their neighbors and their police and fire personnel, as well as learning how to keep their neighborhoods safe. / Photos: SLPD...

April 27, 1920 - November 27, 2020

June 10, 1925 - July 29, 2021

Buena Vista County Conservation is hosting a series entitled “Building Better Birders and Citizen Science Workshops.” There will be four workshops focusing on all different species of birds and will be held throughout the summer at various conservation properties. These workshops will be conducted by Kelly McKay (BioEco Research and Monitoring Center) with assistance from Mark Roberts (Clinton County Conservation), and Brian Ritter (Nahant Marsh Education Center)...

Governor Reynolds, the Iowa Finance Authority and Iowa Legal Aid are reminding Iowa renters and landlords of resources available to them with the federal eviction moratorium’s expiration on July 31. Iowa renters at-risk of eviction or who receive an eviction notice should immediately apply for assistance through the Iowa Rent and Utility Assistance Program and contact Iowa Legal Aid to inquire about legal assistance that may be available to them at no cost...

The public is invited to a come-and-go open house retirement celebration honoring Mary Tuttle, Cherokee County Program Coordinator with ISU Extension and Outreach, on Aug. 12 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the ISU Extension and Outreach office located at 209 Centennial Dr. in Cherokee...

Northwest Christian Church is celebrating its 51st anniversary with a celebration Sunday. The event includes fellowship at 9:30 a.m., the worship service at 10, a pulled pork meal at noon, social hour and lawn games at 1 p.m. and dessert/time of sharing at 2...

The League of United Latin American Citizens of Iowa (LULAC) is asking the Secretary of State to allow voting materials to be published and completed in languages other than English. “Our democracy works best when every Iowa voter can participate in the process,” LULAC Iowa State Director Nick Salazar said in a news release. “Forcing Spanish-speaking voters to vote in a language they do not understand denies their right to vote and weakens the integrity of our elections.”...

The Storm Lake City Council this week selected an engineering firm to help it seek a major grant for improvements to the public library, despite some concerns about a rushed time period for the choice among four firms that applied. The state has released COVID relief funding for potential grants for community building remodeling, with specific requirements to qualify. ...

COVID cases are on the rise locally and statewide. Buena Vista County continues to be ranked as a high rate of transmission area, with 34 new cases diagnosed in the past two weeks and 22 in the past seven days, up from a rate that had been steady at three or four cases per week this season, according to county Public Health Administrator Julie Sather. One new COVID hospitalization was reported in the county in the past week...

After a year without Wood, Wine & Blues, the Storm Lake event returns with chainsaws blazing - more carvers and more bands on tap than ever. The festival runs Friday, August 20 through Sunday the 22nd in Sunset Park. “This is Storm Lake United’s main event - it’s great for the community, it’s unique, and it brings a lot of visitors into Storm Lake,” SLU leader Lee Dutfield says. ...

Naturalist and her menagerie: connecting children with nature

Guard soldier shares experiences of a year on deployment, and transitioning back to Storm Lake

ALTA - After a week off the Buena Vista Raceway got back to hosting races last night for their Iowa Speed Week event this past Wednesday. On the night the raceway held races for the International Motor Contest Association modified, IMCA hobby stocks, IMCA northern sportmod, IMCA sport compact and IMCA stock cars...