Stories from Monday, November 22, 2021

UnityPoint Health is introducing a digital option to offer proof of vaccination status or negative test for established patients. For people who travel, or need to show vaccination status for an event, their COVID-19 vaccination status can be accessed through MyUnityPoint (MyChart)...

Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) has joined Sen. Mike Braun (R-Ind.) and several colleagues in formally challenging President Biden’s vaccine mandate under the Congressional Review Act (CRA). This move to overturn President Biden’s vaccine or test mandate for private employers is guaranteed a vote on the Senate floor. The rule was transmitted to the Senate on November 16th, setting up a floor vote as soon as early December...

Trinity Regional Medical Center has received the American Heart Association’s GoldPlus Get With The Guidelines®- Stroke Quality Achievement Award for their commitment to ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines...

Shirley M. Henderson, age 89, of Rockwell City, Iowa, formerly of Storm Lake, Iowa died November 16, at Buena Vista Regional Medical Center in Storm Lake. Memorial Services were held Saturday, November 20, at the Fratzke & Jensen Funeral Home in Storm Lake. Burial was at Buena Vista Memorial Park Cemetery. Visitation wwas held prior to the service at the funeral home. The Fratzke & Jensen Funeral Home in Storm Lake is in charge of arrangements...

United Bank of Iowa recently donated $2,191 to The Bridge of Storm Lake. These funds will be used to support their programs and mission of caring and advocating for youth in vulnerable places of life. The money for this donation was raised during United Bank of Iowa’s UNITED TOGETHER Makes the Difference Cause Day effort. ...

In an effort to give students more exposure to what FFA has to offer, two Sioux Central FFA Chapter delegations recently attended both the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis, IN, and the Ignite, Amplify, and Transform conferences in Ankeny, IA...

Plans for an appearance by actress Jenn Gotzon in Pocahontas this week have been postponed due to COVID-19 exposure in her family. Gotzon was to appear at the Rialto Theatre, where her latest film, “The Farmer and the Belle : Saving Santaland” is premiering. She was also to speak at a local church on her new book, and visit a new Christian bookstore opening on Main Street...

Okoboji alumnus Zach Koepp took a few different paths in life before becoming a film maker, but he said story telling has always been a part of his life. Koepp has now been working professionally as a film maker for several years and filmed his latest production in the Lakes Area earlier this year. ...

The Friday Night Music series continues at Innspiration Wines & Vines at Linn Grove. On November 6, LD3 returns to the winery. Showtime is 6:30 p.m. The Spencer-based band dates from 1968, with the founder’s son, Duane “Deacon” Davis leading today. The band specializes in county, but plays everything from classic polkas to ‘50s and ’60 rock and some original music...

The Friday Night Music series continues at Innspiration Wines & Vines at Linn Grove. On November 6, LD3 returns to the winery. Showtime is 6:30 p.m. The Spencer-based band dates from 1968, with the founder’s son, Duane “Deacon” Davis leading today. The band specializes in county, but plays everything from classic polkas to ‘50s and ’60 rock and some original music...

A second lawsuit that alleges Iowa pizza-delivery drivers are being shortchanged on their wages has been filed in U.S. District Court. Recently, a lawsuit was filed alleging Iowa delivery drivers working for Domino’s Pizza were effectively earning 35 cents an hour because the company wasn’t fairly compensating the workers for the use of their own vehicles. The new lawsuit is aimed at Casey’s General Store...

It was a busy week in Washington as Democrats advanced both of their major spending bills, breaking months-long stalemates. In the background, Iowa’s delegation was working on bipartisan bills on cattle price transparency and health care provider aid, and Republicans moved for a vote on overturning vaccine mandates...

Storm Lake St. Mary’s School participated in the Operation Christmas Child service project recently. Students in grades PK-12 packed 176 shoebox gifts filled with toys, school supplies, and personal hygiene items. A school assembly was also held for students to gather and pray for all those involved in the transport of the boxes and for those receiving the shoebox gifts. ...

Over three dozen landowners have asking the Iowa Utilities Board to require Summit Carbon Solutions to release names and locations of landowners impacted by the proposed carbon pipeline that would pass through the region. “Summit Carbon Solutions, owned by Bruce Rastetter, has requested that the landowner list remain private. They do not want the landowners to have the ability to communicate and organize against the pipeline,” the Sierra Club of Iowa environmental group said in a statement...

The Iowa Catholic Conference and the four Catholic Dioceses of Iowa recently launched a video campaign across Iowa to help encourage the use of the COVID-19 vaccine. Made possible in part by The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation and the Catholic Cares Coalition and by the Iowa Department of Public Health, the campaign features Iowans from across the state sharing their reasoning for supporting the vaccine...

While COVID-19 numbers are ballooning elsewhere, numbers remain relatively low in the local area. Eighteen new cases were reported last week in Buena Vista County, down 21 percent from the week before. As of the end of the week, the county had recorded 5,001 cases since the pandemic began, and 48 deaths. Ten of those fatalities have come within the last 90 days, according to the New York Times tracker data...

The Storm Lake City Council recently set a series of goals to pursue moving forward - starting with community recreation as the top goal, followed by economic development, public involvement, business retention and housing among top targets. A recent “Meet the Mayor” session followed up, inviting the public to add its input on Storm Lake’s direction...

The Storm Lake Early Elementary School construction is racing the clock, with finishing touches on the building taking place. Plans are to move classrooms in on December 22, with school to begin on January 4. The $15 million building includes includes 14 kindergarten classrooms, with an option to add on wings for preschool and first grade if needed. ...

The annual Adopt-A-Family for Christmas program begins today. The Pilot-Tribune and Upper Des Moines Opportunity co-sponsor the program each year, matching generous individuals, families, businesses, clubs, classrooms and church groups with needy local families to provide the Christmas experience they might otherwise not have...