News

BVU has announced the volunteer team members for this year’s community campaign.

Members of Kent Smith’s team are Bryan Baumhover of Fareway, Nick Brown of Nick Brown Law Firm, Dr. Dan Douglas, D.D.S., Dave Drey of Citizens 1st National Bank, Nancy Jensen of Fratzke & Jensen Funeral Home and Steve Peters of Rosene, Pickhinke, Peters & Co., P.C.

There’s a Storm Lake connection to the Olympic games.  Jenny Simpson, who won a bronze medal Tuesday night in the 1,500 meters, is the granddaughter of Mae and Don Berry. The couple lived in Storm Lake from 1979-2011.

Their daughter Janet, who was in nursing school in Sioux Falls at the time of the move to Storm Lake, would come home to visit her parents, at which time she met Bruce Barringer through a singles group at First United Methodist Church. Barringer worked for Federal Land Bank (now Farm Credit Services).

Mark your calendars and save the date for Wood, Wine & Blues, Aug. 19-21 in Sunset Park.

Wood, Wine & Blues consists of a three-day chainsaw carving competition with five chainsaw artists from across the country. During the competition, guests are invited to vote on their favorite carving during the People’s Choice Contest sponsored by Vetter Equipment. 

Meth bust in Sac City nets two arrests

The Sac County Sheriff’s Office and Sac City Police Department arrested two men following a delivery of methamphetamine and an attempted escape Monday night in Sac City. 

Wife, daughter bound for Montana as he seeks job

Council not aware of his intentions

by Tom Cullen

As Storm Lake City Manager Jim Patrick hunts for another job, his family is moving on.

The USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service has posted a job opening for a position held by Anita Patrick, the city manager’s wife.

2 houses move to city-owned plat

by Dolores Cullen

Buena Vista County Habitat for Humanity has given itself a shot in the arm in the form of its first full-time employee.

Storm Laker Misty Sanderson has just been hired as Organizational Director to guide construction on the three projects now in progress and to mobilize volunteers.

“Your office should sign up to come some Saturday,” is something she might say if she meets you. Not before she tells you how excited she is about the two “new” houses.

Office hauls in up to $350,000 per year

by Tom Cullen

The Buena Vista County Attorney’s office collects over $250,000 per year in court fines from county defendants each year on behalf of the State of Iowa.

County Attorney Dave Patton said he has an attorney on staff, Assistant County Attorney Paul Allen, who enforces the debts owed to the state, county and City of Storm Lake. Patton said the volume of violations is so high the county collects up to $350,000 in a year from violators.

June classes boost reading, math scores by nearly 80%

by Tom Cullen

The Storm Lake School District spends $50,000 per year educating students during the summer who are English Language Learners or struggle with core subjects.

Turner said the district’s summer school was “the most expansive” he has ever worked with during his tenure as a school administrator after Wednesday’s school board meeting. Each building runs a summer program for almost 300 students combined.

SL catches $20,000 as ‘No Child Left Behind’ expires

Awaiting rules from state on new program for needy districts

by Tom Cullen

Curriculum Director Tina Gress reported to the school board Wednesday that Storm Lake School District would receive $20,000 for the upcoming school year, as the district is designated as a district in need of assistance under the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 and the Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015.