Stories from Friday, November 26, 2021

The Board of Directors of Seasons Center is pleased to announce Dan Ries has been named the new President and CEO of Seasons Center, effective immediately. Dan has been serving as Interim CEO since September. Dan has been with Seasons Center since June 2010, serving as the agency’s VP of Finance. ...

At the Annual Business Meeting of the Professional Developers of Iowa, the membership elected Shannon Landauer, president and CEO of the Iowa Lakes Corridor Development Corporation, as its president for 2022. “It is really a special time to have the opportunity to serve as the president of Professional Developers of Iowa,” Landauer said. ...

Zachary Z. Zoul, Owner and Managing Member, has announced that Zoul Properties LLC has acquired the Historic Lewis Hotel at 231 W. Main Street in Cherokee. The Lewis Hotel was constructed (completed) in 1899 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. ...

Republicans work hard to sell the idea their party is the one that stands for fiscal responsibility. They are leaning heavily on that message on the federal level as Democrats approach a vote on the second of two multitrillion-dollar spending bills...

I was an early proponent of online shopping. I lived in a rural community without much access to retail, so it was a natural fit. I even experimented with grocery purchases when it was a new and novel thing. I wrote about the crazy packaging practices of my delivery orders back in 2017. Yes, I was that cutting edge...

Another Thanksgiving is in the books, and to say it could be one of the more challenging holidays in recent memory might be an understatement. Invited friends and family members, with their political beliefs, their take on vaccination, and simply whether you can tolerate them for five or six hours, is all on the table. Holiday gatherings always have the potential to implode for many reasons, but this year could be a tinder box...

Area singer-songwriter Emilee Johnson will perform at Shiny Top Brewing in Fort Dodge, Thursday, December 2. Showtime is 7 p.m. Young Emilee, originally from Eagle Grove, has performed around the region as a solo act and in collaborations including vocals for Salty View Acoustic Review. The concert marks the kickoff of the December Live Music series at Shiny Top...

It’s that time of year to grab some hot coco, don your coziest sweater and put on some festive tunes. Whether you’re dealing with holiday heartbreak or reuniting with loved ones after an uncertain two years, there’s music for everyone this season. We’ve sampled a variety of albums, offering up the early gift of holiday release reviews for Kelly Clarkson, Pentatonix, Pistol Annies, Norah Jones and more...

The numbers speak for themselves. Sweeper: A Sports Romance Novel by Amy (Danielson) Daws is ranked number one in Kindle sports fiction, number one in Amazon sports romance books and number one in Kindle sports romance. It’s also ranked number 32 out of all Kindle books...

Tickets are now on sale for the latest Disney on Ice event, coming to the Tyson Events Center in Sioux City February 17-20. Discover why no dream is too big at Disney On Ice presents Into the Magic! Seek adventure in the great wide somewhere with Belle as she explores the Beast’s enchanted castle, experience Moana’s courage to embark on a voyage with demigod Maui to save her island, and sing-along with Miguel from Coco as he follows the music in his heart into the magnificent Land of the Dead. ...

CauseBOOM!, a social-interest organization created by the Strategic Public Relations course at Buena Vista University, is conducting A Cause for [Thanks]giving viral event during Thanksgiving week. This online event highlights the release of eight informative videos created to informing the public of local nonprofit organizations serving Northwest Iowa communities. ...

With 1 in 8 Iowa children facing food insecurity, Iowa Select Farms, under the leadership of the Deb and Jeff Hansen Foundation, are driving the change to help end childhood hunger. Through the Power Snack™ program, Iowa Select Farms employees will be giving ham and bread coupons, along with pork sticks, to teachers and schools for distribution to their students. ...

A fundraising campaign to build a soccer mini-pitch on the former tennis courts site in Chautauqua Park is underway. So far, $30,000 of the needed $100,000 has been raised. The City of Storm Lake, Kick it Forward program and Musco Lighting are working together to bring the recreation opportunity to the youth of the community. They hope to be able to install the court by next summer. The pitch will include lighting and benches...

Iowa State University Extension and Outreach and the Iowa Master Gardener Program have announced the schedule for the 2021-22 Winter Webinar Series, beginning in December and continuing into March. The programs will focus on pollinators, landscaping, and propagation, and are free and open to the public. Interested individuals can choose to attend any and/or all webinars that interest them...

Join the Buena Vista County Naturalist and get into the holiday spirit. Spend an afternoon making homemade ornaments and drinking cocoa. Pine boughs, feathers, berries, pine cones, nuts, glue guns, glue, glitter and more will be provided, along with samples of ornaments to make. ...

As this holiday season approaches, the Storm Lake Public Library is fully open again, with many of the programs our community knows and loves returning. The Friends of the Library board is conducting a fund drive to help make needed improvements to the community’s library. Donations help provide for new furnishings and materials, educational and informative programs for adults and children, and more. A new periodicals reading area is among our upcoming projects...

Over 200 second grade students at Storm Lake Elementary presented a special concert, “The Pandemic: What Did We Learn?” recently at Storm Lake High School Auditorium. / Pilot photo by Adam Dublinske

February 15, 1954 - November 21, 2021

January 24, 1937 - November 19, 2021

September 10, 1935 - November 17, 2021

January 24, 1937 - November 19, 2021

March 21, 1931 - October 15, 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic sent the U.S. economy into a short but drastic recession, generating a wave of layoffs and business closures. But a new analysis found that the first seven months of the pandemic actually ended with fewer Iowans delinquent on credit card and student loan debts...

Iowa’s rape shield law cannot be used to protect a 10-year-old victim from cross-examination about her past relationship with a second abuser, the Iowa Supreme Court has ruled. The court said while Iowa’s rape shield law prevents defense lawyers from questioning rape victims about past sexual experience, a Sioux County case provides an exception to that prohibition because it resulted in the defendant losing his right to confront witnesses against him...

The Iowa Supreme Court has ruled that the state is not wrongfully detaining sex offenders by delaying the treatment they must complete to be considered for parole. The opinion issued Tuesday states that the Iowa Department of Corrections has acted reasonably in attempting to address the fact there are too many sex offenders in the system to provide treatment on a timely basis. ...

As Storm Lake police responded to an intentionally set fire last week, they netted an unrelated wanted man on the scene, with methamphetamine packaged for sale. Officers were called to 824 North Ontario on a report of a subject acting out of control. Occupants said that Bounta Phanthavong, 36 of Storm Lake, had intentionally started a fire in the basement of the residence. Other occupants had put out the fire before police arrived. Phanthavong was taken into custody on the scene...

When asked directly if he would consider running against Chuck Grassley for the senate, controversial former western Iowa Congressman Steve King gave neither a definitive yes or no. In an appearance in Storm Lake Sunday, King said he is enjoying life outside of the political arena - saying that he is able to watch the sunrise and the sunset from the same place for the first time in 45 years. “It feels good,” he said...

The annual Adopt-A-Family for Christmas program is off to a good start, with 64 families and individuals “adopted” within the first day, and 96 currently on the list. 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...

Former Alta-Aurelia and Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn schools superintendent Lynn Evans announced this week that he will run for a seat in the Iowa Senate. Evans hopes to represent District 3 which includes the counties of Cherokee, Buena Vista, O’Brien, Osceola, and parts of Clay county...

Nearly 700 spectators turned out on Sunday, Nov. 21, to enjoy the “Roots and Wings” scholarship tour bass-baritone Simon Estes brought to Schaller Memorial Chapel on the campus of Buena Vista University. Estes, one of the world’s best known opera talents, commanded the stage for portions of a two-hour show that also featured soloist Dr. ...

The Miracle on Lake Avenue holiday celebration returns in Storm Lake, Thursday, December 2, offering many activities for families to enjoy. The lighted holiday parade is set to start at 6:15 p.m. on Lake Avenue. This year’s theme is “Cozy Up For Christmas.” The annual tree lighting ceremony will take place immediately following the Miracle on Lake Avenue Parade outside of Santa’s Castle. Santa Claus will be making appearances throughout downtown...