Stories from Friday, August 20, 2021

The 1913 Wood Bros. steam engine of the Neulieb family powered the sawmill at the 50th anniversary Albert City Threshermen and Collectors Show last weekend. The family has operated the 18-horsepower tractor for 20 years, with Ron’s granddaughter Ashley now at the controls. Robert Knapton showed his 1958 Ford Fairlane retractable hardtop in the antique car show, one of only 14,700 built, originally selling for $2,907. / Pilot photos by Dana Larsen...

Clay County Fairgoers have a new event to check out at this year’s Clay County Fair. Iowa State University Extension and Outreach and the Northwest Iowa Manufacturing Sector have teamed up to host a Manufacturing Expo for 5th through 12th graders. The free event will be held Friday, Sept. 17 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the 4-H Auditorium on the Clay County Fairgrounds...

The Biden administration announced Friday afternoon that it is extending the pause on federal student loan repayments until January of next year, as the delta variant of the coronavirus surges across the country. “As our nation’s economy continues to recover from a deep hole, this final extension will give students and borrowers the time they need to plan for restart and ensure a smooth pathway back to repayment,” U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona said in a statement...

The Biden administration announced Friday afternoon that it is extending the pause on federal student loan repayments until January of next year, as the delta variant of the coronavirus surges across the country. “As our nation’s economy continues to recover from a deep hole, this final extension will give students and borrowers the time they need to plan for restart and ensure a smooth pathway back to repayment,” U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona said in a statement...

Reduce single-use plastic in the environment and give back to those in need in the local community, all while running routine weekly errands at the local Hy-Vee grocery store. The Friends of the Storm Lake Public Library has been selected by local store leadership as the benefiting non-profit for the month of September...

The Live at the Lake concert series at Arnolds Park is wrapping up for the season. This Saturday, Church of Cash plays the Preservation Plaza outdoor stage in a free concert starting at 7:30 p.m. Jay Ernest formed Church of Cash in sunny Honolulu back in 2010. ...

Storm Lake’s annual Wood, Wine & Blues festival, Friday, August 20 through Sunday, August 22, features an expanded lineup of free music performances in scenic Sunset Park. Friday night, following the quick carve, Cory Waller & The Wicked Things perform from 8-11 p.m...

Voters in November will decide whether the Storm Lake Public Library Board of Trustees will be reduced in size. The city council approved putting the issue on the general election ballot, after being approached by the library director and members of the library board...

Sixty-six children took part in the Storm Lake Public Library summer reading program. Sixteen children or families completed reading logs, and will be receiving prize packages. Winners included two babies, three preschoolers, six elementary students, three tweens, and two teens...

Storm Lake Community Schools’ summer school program saw high attendance levels - much more than in a normal year, the school district reports. “In grades kindergarten-seven, students largely attended at the level we consider to be ‘quality attendance,” while relatively small numbers attended sparingly and to the point at which programming did not provide a good return on investment,” the program report reads...

“Stick it,” the Storm Lake School District encourages. On the refrigerator, that is. The district and high school Principal Matt Doebel and his team created magnets that list all of the requirements for students to progress toward graduation - and to remain eligible to participate in extra-curricular sports and performances...

The 50th anniversary edition of the Albert City Threshermen and Collector’s Show saw ideal weather and a strong turnout. Attendance at this year’s show last Friday, Saturday and Sunday totaled 12,917. More than 830 exhibits were registered, including 290 International Harvester exhibits, 74 antique autos, 26 antique trucks, 25 military exhibits and many more...

The Iowa State University College of Human Sciences dean’s list honors students who have earned a grade point average of 3.5 or higher during the spring semester of 2021. The following local students have been named to the spring 2021 dean’s list in the College of Human Sciences at Iowa State University:...

The 11th Annual Peg Schultz Fun Run is set for Saturday, Sept. 18. Sign up is from 9:30-10:30 a.m. at Storm Lake Honda. Entry fee is $15 per person, with all proceeds to the Storm Lake Tri-T chapter. Motorcycles of all makes (and cars) can take the tour, everyone is welcome...

Let’s help them celebrate their anniversary. The family of Ron and Ellen Dierenfield request a card shower in honor of their 60th wedding anniversary on September 3rd. Their children are Linda (Frank) Corr of Independence, MO, Susan (Brian) Lindsey of Gilbert, AZ, Russ (Tracee) Dierenfield of Storm Lake, IA and 5 grandchildren, 1 step grandchild, 3 great grandchildren and 3 step grandchildren...

Volunteers At Storm Lake United Methodist Church spent a busy day Saturday handing out back-to-school backpacks for families in need. The backpacks are outfitted with school supplies as suggested by teachers at each grade level. Over 180 families received backpacks in the B.L.E.S.S. program (Bless & Love Everyone Schools Supplies.) In its six years, the program has given away 2,000+ backpacks, with help from some community and business donations. / Pilot photo by Dana Larsen...

July 21, 1932 - August 13, 2021

August 9, 1958 - August 9, 2021

October 13, 1972 - August 12, 2021

The Sioux City Catholic Diocese has a announced updated COVID-19 prevention policies. The use of hand sanitizer during the distribution of Communion after the Eucharist is received on the tongue is rescinded and is no longer mandated.  • Hand sanitizer should be applied by priests, deacons and the laity prior to the general distribution of the Eucharist and following the completion of general distribution to the congregation...

Laurens Hometown Pride Committee Members are pictured standing on the new rock jetty built recently at Sportsman’s Park Pond. The new jetty enables increased angler access for fishing activities and is part of the Sportsman’s Park Pond Improvement Project currently underway by the Hometown Pride Committee and the City of Laurens...

The first U.S. stop for the nearly 2,000 Afghan interpreters and other refugees evacuated so far amid the collapse of the Afghan government has been central Virginia’s Fort Lee military base. Tapped for its East Coast location and its ability to quickly ramp up to serve as a temporary host installation, the Army base just south of Richmond has been receiving Afghans eligible for Special Immigrant Visas since late last month...

Screams from the towering metal Slingshot and Skyscraper rides echoed over the Hy-Vee vaccination booth at the Iowa State Fair as a handful of fairgoers got COVID-19 shots. Over the course of two-and-a-half hours on Tuesday afternoon, seven people received a COVID vaccination. Of those, five got their first dose of a vaccine. Two received booster shots, a newly approved option for immunocompromised people...

The new CEO of the Iowa Lakes Corridor economic development program wanted to connect with the Storm Lake City Council, but the council doesn’t seem sold on membership. Shannon Landauer spent a couple of days in the city this week, meeting with different groups and leaders. She recently replaced Kiley Miller, who resigned earlier this year after six years leading the agency...

The Storm Lake Board of Education approved a “Return to Learn” plan Wednesday calling for a very normal school year despite a continued threat of COVID-19, while Superintendent Stacey Cole noted that state policy “really ties our hands.” The school year will look very different from last year, when younger students were isolated in small pods, some classes were moved to different buildings or local churches, and high school students were in school half a day and online half a day to try to maintain distancing.. ...

On Saturday, August 14, a 7.2 magnitude earthquake rocked southern Haiti. GoServ Global, an Iowa non-profit organization whose mission is to deliver hope, operates a large mission site in Haiti. This site houses and educates abandoned and orphaned children, widows, and babies. It sustains a school, three churches, a medical, dental, and birthing clinic as well as agricultural development projects. GoServ Global has built over 350 Sukup Manufacturing Safe T Homes® for families in need in Haiti. ...

It’s a familiar story: small town kid graduates from college, moves to the big city, gets a ‘light bulb’ moment, and suddenly becomes an entrepreneur. For former Storm Lake resident Emily Ivey, opening her start-up Ivey League Co., was just another move in a series of left turns, that have served her well...

U.S. health officials announced their plan this week to begin offering COVID-19 booster shots to the public in September - without any warning to the public health providers who will play a crucial role in making that happen. The booster shots are to begin September 20, available as people reach the eight-month anniversary of their last dose of vaccine...

ALTA - The Buena Vista Raceway hosted races for Stock Car King of the Hill on Wednesday evening. The raceway held races for the International Motor Contest Association modified, IMCA hobby stocks, IMCA northern sportmod, IMCA sport compact and IMCA stock cars...

The next season are coming up and I can’t express how excited I am to get back to watching sports. Between high school football, volleyball and cross country with college football, volleyball, cross country and men’s and women’s soccer it’s going to be quite a busy fall season but that’s just the way I like it. It makes the days more interesting...