Stories from Monday, October 25, 2021

One early morning in February 1979, I stood atop a water truck in the oil patch in North Dakota’s Theodore Roosevelt National Park North Unit, servicing a workover rig. Neon-green Northern Lights danced across the horizon. Later that morning, butte tops floated in a mauve morning fog sea. It was so beautiful I forgot it was 40 below...

A special exhibit, “Termespheres: The Total Picture,” will be on display for a limited time at Arts on Grand until Nov. 14. The artist behind the exhibit, Dick Termes, has brought his one-of-a-kind paintings to the city of Spencer. Termes takes a unique approach to painting. Instead of working on the usual flat square surface, Termes paints on spheres. The spherical paintings, which he calls Termespheres, can be seen hanging from the ceiling of Arts and Grand...

You know the drill: the temps are getting colder, the fall foliage is in full display, and everyone knows what is around the corner. In spite of possible supply chain woes, the holidays will be here anyway. So, why not get some good tunes into your sound system? Here are some picks to cope with the brisk winds of autumn...

UnityPoint Health – Trinity Regional Medical Center has received three awards for its outstanding cardiology services by the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association. Trinity received the American College of Cardiology’s NCDR Chest Pain - MI Registry Platinum Performance Achievement Award for 2021. ...

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has given a green light to Americans who want to receive a booster dose of a COVID-19 vaccine manufactured by a different company than the one that produced the initial shot they received. The announcement Wednesday on allowing “mix-and-match” shots from different manufacturers will give more flexibility to state and local officials overseeing vaccination campaigns and to providers administering shots...

This fall Spencer Hospital Surgery Center added the Mako robotics system to its high-tech surgery center. The orthopedic robotic technology is an addition to the robotic capabilities the hospital has offered for general and gynecological surgeries since 2015, and is part of a multimillion-dollar upgrade to the surgery center...

Ghastly Greetings one and all! Storm Lake United presents Chills and Thrills on Saturday, October 30th from 10 a.m. to Noon. Disembark on our Spooky Shores and make your way downtown for fun, frights, games, and delights! Trick or Treating will take place downtown and in select store locations. ...

Storm Lake United is pleased to announce the launch of a retooled website to the community, business owners and visitors. The new site launched this summer added better functionality and a more engaging user experience. “The previous version of Storm Lake United’s website was outdated, and the user experience was challenging” says Lee Dutfield, executive director of Storm Lake United. ...

More than 150 participants from six area high schools convened on a chilly, but clear morning for Buena Vista University’s third annual Ag Expo on Oct. 14. Sessions featuring representatives from six local businesses played out at BVU’s Agricultural Experiment Station mere minutes north of campus...

When prioritizing expenses, a major household bill is utilities (e.g., electricity, gas, water and sewer, landline and cell phone, and internet/cable). The highest utility cost is typically heating the home. Plan for increasing home heating costs over the next six months as utility providers are warning that they may increase these costs...

The Catholic school systems in the Diocese of Sioux City are preparing the path for a new 5-year strategic planning effort. Superintendent Patty Lansink and the leadership of the diocesan Catholic schools are launching “Illuminating our Path” at a kickoff event Nov. 11...

The Buena Vista Regional Medical Center Auxiliary Masquerade Jewelry Fair, held on Tuesday, October 19, was a huge success. The group thanks all who attended for helping us raise $1,200.00. “Your donation helps us better serve our patients. “I would like to express my sincere gratitude to everyone that came out and supported our jewelry and accessories sale. ...

Buena Vista University and Merrill Manufacturing have entered a Strategic Partnership to continue strengthening the communities they serve. This partnership opens opportunities for employees of Merrill Manufacturing, as well as eligible family members of full-time employees, to receive grant funding to lower the overall cost of education while enrolled in classes at BVU’s Storm Lake campus. ...

Navigator CO2 Ventures has announced that its has obtained the necessary board approvals to proceed with its proposed 1,300-mile carbon dioxide capture pipeline system, known as The Heartland Greenway. According to the company, having successfully reached the initial approval phase, it has begun the process to obtain all the necessary permits to construct the pipeline...

The Storm Lake School Board revised its compulsory attendance policy last week - setting 25 days missed during a school year as the limit triggering families to have a required meeting with a mediator to address the situation. Previously, policies had differed in handbooks for the different buildings, in some cases allowing only 10 days truant. District leaders felt that period was too short, with the possibility of students staying home with COVID-19 cases...

Storm Lake schools continue to grapple with staff shortages. Superintendent Stacey Cole warned the board of education this week that it is likely to begin seeing people hired part-time because full-time positions can’t be filled. “We will start to reach out creatively to fill these positions,” she said...

Local COVID-19 cases continue to decline. As of the end of last week, 20 new cases had been reported for Buena Vista County in the past seven days, down 35 percent from the previous week, and sharply down from the 65 cases seen in the last week of September. At an average of three new cases per day in the county, the rate is the lowest since mid-August...

The fledgling Buena Vista County Suicide Prevention Coalition is looking to take their message to the streets - and the gyms. The coalition has emerged over the past year, meeting largely by Zoom. In a gathering last week, the group discussed a recent suicide that had touched a local school...

The school mascot got into the act playing with the Storm Lake High School drumline in its last home football appearance of the season recently.

It all started with a flood. After 34 years on the bench, Storm Lake Juvenile Court Judge Mary Timko is stepping down, after making a wave of difference in countless families’ lives. Growing up, her grandparents had lived in a flood plain in Prairie du Chien, Wisc., where lives were swept away by rising water. “None of them could afford anyone to help them, they were all kind of poor people. They needed someone who would represent them,” Mary says of her first impulse to pursue the law...