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ICCC Storm Lake hosts grand opening

Iowa Central Community College unveiled the new Storm Lake Learning Center during a grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony Thursday afternoon. The $10 million center is the latest installment …

Bauer: Buffalo Ridge Estates will proceed

Development owner says he can sell off lots for housing — Jim Bauer intends to sell housing lots north of Storm Lake, no matter what the Buena Vista County Board of Supervisors decide this …

Propelling student success through ACUE partnership: BVU’s commitment to teaching excellence

This year, Buena Vista University is launching a partnership with the Association of College and University Educators (ACUE), the leader in student success through high-quality instruction. The ACUE …

Law threatening arrest of Iowa immigrants reaches federal appeals court

A panel of three federal appeals court judges in St. Louis heard oral arguments Thursday about a halted Iowa law that would permit the arrest and deportation of immigrants who’ve previously …

Police & Courts: Judge orders Storm Lake garden distributor to pay over $20K

After failing to appear in court or respond to a lawsuit, a judge ordered a Storm Lake wholesale garden distributor to repay a Chicago company over $20,000 plus interest.  Senior Judge …

Jury to sit for six days to hear city, county bear wounds

A jury will be empaneled next September to hear the City of Storm Lake’s claims that Buena Vista County misappropriated $5 million in tax-increment financing revenue from the city.  …

New addition celebrated at UBI

Guests visit near the updated loan processor area.

An open house at UBI Tuesday in Storm Lake brought people together to see the building’s new addition. “The goal of our addition and extensive remodel was to provide a larger more …

Report: Iowa produces the most factory farm waste in the country, new report shows

Iowa’s concentration of hogs in factory farms as defined by the “Factory Farm Nation” report.

Factory farms in Iowa produce 109 billion pounds of waste each year, according to a new report from Food and Water Watch about concentrated livestock operations in the U.S. That’s 25 times …

More local news
TIF lawsuit racks up $180K legal tab, so far
Buena Vista County and the City of Storm Lake have incurred nearly $180,000 in legal fees waging a lawsuit alleging over 10 years of misappropriated tax-increment financing revenue by the county …
BVU enrollment expands for sixth year
811 students on campus --- On-campus enrollment at Buena Vista University expanded for a sixth consecutive year largely thanks to additional graduate programs and campus enhancements. …
Judge signs off on lawyer’s request for motorcycle examination
A judge signed off on a Spirit Lake attorney’s request to subpoena Storm Lake Towing for a motorcycle that was involved in an injury accident that resulted in felony charges against a Storm …
Police & Courts: Trial set for Servpro case
A trial date has been set in the lawsuit between Servpro and an Alta couple that failed to pay nearly $7,500 from a residential cleaning contract. Buena Vista District Court Judge Andy Smith …
Sports
More Local Sports
Boys golf, girls tennis moving to fall sports season beginning in 2025-26 school year
The Iowa High School Athletic Association’s Board of Control met during its annual retreat Aug. 9-10 to review 2023-24 reports and approve items ahead of the 2024-25 school year. IHSAA and …
No. 4 Emmetsburg too much for Sioux Central
Emmetsburg scored 21 unanswered points in the first half as the fourth-ranked E-Hawks cruised to a 50-6 win over Sioux Central last Friday at Emmetsburg. The E-Hawks scored a touchdown in the …
No. 7 OABCIG shuts down Ridge View offense
OABCIG scored 20 unanswered points in the first half and the Falcons’ defense kept Ridge View out of the end zone as they retained the Reynolds Trophy after a 26-0 win last Friday in Ida Grove. …
Newell-Fonda falls to No. 4 Remsen St. Mary's
Remsen St. Mary’s scored 16 unanswered points in the first quarter and tacked on 22 more in the second period to take a 38-6 halftime lead and the fourth-ranked Hawks went on to defeat …
Newell-Fonda wins HMS Tournament
Newell-Fonda won four of the five matches it played as the Mustangs captured the championship of the HMS Tournament last Saturday. The Mustangs were defeated in their first match by Trinity …
Car Care

Tattoo truck

Brent Wolterman of Alley Cat Tattoo has an unusual advertising vehicle – a 1950 Ford pickup. The vintage cab sits on a S10 chassis. With its Chevy 350 engine, this truck runs at a reasonable …

Opinion

Editorials: Hogs over humans

It’s easier to house hogs than humans in rural Iowa. You can put up a confinement just about anywhere you want. If the neighbor finds swine a nuisance, good luck making your court claim pay …

How do we talk to each other anymore?

What comes after Nov. 5? Most Americans and the betting markets believe that Kamala Harris will win the election. She’s even close in Iowa. No matter what happens, we need to find center …
This is a nostalgia column. When you’re 83, you’re allowed some nostalgia, provided you can remember what you’re nostalgic about. And that it has some relevance to the current …
I’m a 34-year-old who farms, manages farmland and sells farms in rural Iowa. I am the grandson of people who’ve worked the land and a proud citizen of a town of 5,400 people. I am also a …
No scene is more gorgeous than West Lake Okoboji at sunrise looking east from the Iowa Lakeside Laboratory. A bit of rain fell early Tuesday but the clouds gave way to blue sky, and the day was …
Thirty-three years ago on a snowy Friday in November, the nightmare of mass school shootings shocked Iowa like it has never been shocked before. It was 3:40 p.m. A former University of Iowa …
Family & Friends

BVRMC AWARE 5K raises money to help patients fighting cancer

Over 200 participants attended BVRMC’s AWARE 5K in September to raise cancer awareness.
Buena Vista Regional Medical Center held the 17th annual AWARE 5K Walk/Run and Kid’s Fun Run with almost 400 registrations and over 200 participants. The top three medalists for female …

Go Big GREEN

Tornado fans young and old lined Lake Avenue for the 2024 homecoming parade.

Bigfoot was here

Gene Sievers of Albert City brought in this massive carrot grown by his brother Rick Sievers of Varina. We welcome your “weird vegetables” this time of year. Either bring them in or email …
The BVRMC Oncology & Infusion Center team is eager for patients to benefit from the comfort of the new chairs donated by the Buena Vista Regional Healthcare Foundation. From left: Karen Pantoja, RN; Deb Colshan, director of oncology, MSN, BSN, RN; Debra Carlson, MSN, BSN, RN; Darcy Sibenaller, RN; and Kelsey Martens, RN.

Buena Vista Regional Healthcare Foundation provides comfort to patients battling cancer

The Buena Vista Regional Healthcare Foundation recently purchased eight new chemotherapy chairs for patients at Buena Vista Regional Medical Center’s Oncology & Infusion Center. The …

Conservation classes and glacial field trip at St. Mary’s

Storm Lake St. Mary’s sixth and seventh graders traveled to Spirit Lake to view glacial land formations earlier this month. This trip marks the culmination of a soil and conservation unit led …

KC Drive for Persons with Intellectual Disabilities

Knights of Columbus will host its annual omelet and French toast breakfast for persons with intellectual disabilities on Sunday, Oct. 6. There is a change this year. The event will be held at …

Fire Prevention Week events planned in Storm Lake

The Storm Lake Fire Department joins in the awareness efforts of Fire Prevention Week each year. For 2024, National Fire Prevention Week is Oct. 6-12, as firefighters across the country focus on …

Newsmakers

Retired NBC personality Harry Smith stopped in Storm Lake Saturday morning to have coffee with Times Pilot editor Art Cullen. Smith was driving between Sioux Center, where his friend and former …

Former SL realtor Larson publishes memoir

Judy Larson, a retired Storm Lake realtor, published her first book, “All That We Cannot See,” a memoir following the author’s life starting in the early 1940s.  Larson …

Author and speaker Michelle Cowan, a life-long Iowa resident currently of Remsen, will be speaking at Albert City Public Library on Tuesday, Oct. 15, at 7 p.m. Cowan is co-host of a podcast …
Join Buena Vista County Conservation staff for the annual Fall Fun Day on Saturday, Oct. 12, from 1-3 p.m. All the fun will take place in the Timber Ridge Campground at Buena Vista County …

SLHS Class of 1968 reunion

Storm Lake High School class of 1968 will have it’s 56th class reunion. The fun will begin on Wednesday, Oct. 2 from 5-10 p.m. at The Cobblestone. Class members and their spouses/guests …

Walk to End Alzheimer’s

Walk to End Alzheimer’s is coming up Oct. 5 at Buena Vista University’s Peterson Field. Registration takes place from 8:30-9:30 a.m.   Opening ceremonies are at 9:30 a.m. and the …

Watoto Children’s choir to perform at Methodist Church

All the way from Uganda, East Africa, the Watoto Children’s Choir will perform songs from their new album, “Better Days –– There is Hope” at Storm Lake United Methodist …

Storm Lake class of 1969

The Class of 1969 held its 55th class reunion on Sept. 14. Front row from left: Trish Kearney Moe, Claudia Olsen Pavlinik, Jeanette Smith Renshaw, Darlene Stone Lara, Deanna Persons Sinclair, Cindy …

Clay County Fair winner

Winterhof Guernseys of Aurelia, participated in the Open Dairy Show at the 2024 Clay County Fair. Pictured is Winterhof Landon Jackie, champion of the Guernsey Show, with Renae Groen at the halter. …

Obituaries
RoseMary Sampers
RoseMary Sampers, 73, of Schaller died Monday, Sept. 30, 2024, at Methodist Manor in Storm Lake. Memorial Mass will take place Friday, Oct. 4, at 10:30 a.m. at Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic …
Nancy Kaduce
Nancy E. Kaduce, 74, of Sioux Rapids, formerly of Rockford, passed away Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024, under hospice care at her daughter’s home in rural Storm Lake. Memorial services will be …
Lisa Knudtson
Lisa Ann Knudtson, a beloved daughter, mother, sister and friend, was born at Buena Vista County Hospital in Storm Lake July 23, 1963, to Douglas A. Knudtson and Sherry Koch Knudtson. Lisa passed …
Karin Reis
Karin Michelle Reis, 51, of Storm Lake died Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, at Buena Vista Regional Medical Center in Storm Lake. Funeral Mass will take place Thursday, Oct. 3, at 10:30 a.m. at St. …
Verdeen Luft
Verdeen R. Luft, 94, of Schaller died Sept. 26, 2024, at Methodist Manor in Storm Lake. Funeral services will take place Monday, Sept. 30, at 10:30 a.m. at United Methodist Church in Schaller. …