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On the lookout for ICE

Immigration and Customs Enforcement hasn’t come to Storm Lake, but the town is anxious. Following a confirmed ICE raid at an Omaha, Neb. meat production plant Tuesday mornings, rumors of …

Maria Ramos sues former employer AgState

AgState mum on allegations Storm Lake City Councilwoman Maria Ramos is suing her former employer, AgState, and three individual employees on claims of racial discrimination, harassment and …

SLPD cracks down on vet clinic 

Storm Lake police searched Lake Animal Hospital and arrested the clinic’s manager for allegedly forging a man’s signature in an attempt to make the police department pay to impound four …
Artis Karazins

Attempted jailbreak in Sac County

Sac County jailers had to subdue and transfer an inmate from Lake View who allegedly escaped his cell through a door slat meant for food delivery, then assaulted and charged a jailer downstairs while …

Wigington’s law license suspended

Guilty of shoplifting in her home state of Nebraska, the top public defender in Buena Vista County was suspended for six months.  The Iowa Supreme Court Attorney Disciplinary Board suspended …

Judge rules Jennesses can comb through Holzhauer emails

A judge ruled that Robin and Tony Jenness of Marcus must have access to Dan Winchell’s emails.  Iowa Specialty Business Court Judge Michael Schilling ruled last Monday that the emails …

Storm Lake library cuts operation, employee hours

The Storm Lake Public Library plans to adjust operating hours this summer and dropped two full-time employees down to part-time in response to budget cuts mandated by the city. In April, the …

Police & Courts: Josie Smith appeals 

Josie Smith is appealing a Buena Vista County jury’s finding that she was a sexually violent predator. Trevor Andersen, a Des Moines attorney in the State Public Defender’s Special Defense Unit, filed notice with …

Two Alta Main Street buildings damaged in one-car vehicle accident

Photo by Tom Lane Sr.

Buena Vista County Sheriff’s Office reported to a one-vehicle accident on Main St. in Alta Friday, June 6. According to the report, Danny Peterson, 75, of Alta was traveling south on Main St. …

SSS Commodores announce 2025 Grand Marshal: Joe Kucera, Champion of Community Youth and Opportunity

Joe Kucera, the Big Parade’s Grand Marshal

The Star Spangled Spectacular Committee is proud to announce Joe Kucera, longtime director of Storm Lake Community Education, as the 2025 Grand Marshal for this year’s Fourth of July Parade. In …

David Hintz, left, and Jason Glass, right, from the FAA with Jim Bartholomew, center.

Pilot Jim “Bart” Bartholomew honored by FAA
Jeff Luft caught spiny lobsters on a trip to the US Virgin Islands through his excursion enterprise “Faithful Voyages.”
Will he survive?
Officer Mitchell Fritz with the Storm Lake police department's newest K-9 officer, Duke.
Welcome Duke: SLPD swears in K-9 officer 
From junk store to band shell
E-editions

Storm Lake Times Pilot 6-13-25

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Ad Guide 6-10-25

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Summer Sports

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And on the last day…

Hugs and tears were the order of the day at Storm Lake Elementary School last Thursday, the last day of school for students in the district. Staff members Ashley Green, Alicia Neumann and Junith …

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Sports
Alta-Aurelia defeats St. Mary’s to end seven-game losing streak
SL boys get past Woodbury Central 2-1 in Tornado Invite
Tornado girls edged by Denison-Schleswig, rout Harris-Lake Park in SL Invite
Okoboji scores early, often to beat Sioux Central
Okoboji scored early and often to hand Sioux Central a setback in a nonconference game on Tuesday at Milford. The Pioneers scored three runs in the first inning, three in the second and five in …
Miller hits grand slam home run in SL’s 10-0 win over Pocahontas
Kennadie Miller went 3-for-3 and drove in five runs, and Avery DeHaan fired a three-hit shutout to help Storm Lake beat Pocahontas Area 10-0 in a nonconference game on Tuesday at Pocahontas. …
No. 3 Newell-Fonda blanked by 3A No. 5 Estherville in ‘learning game’
Rylee Yager fired a one-hit shutout and struck out 13 batters to help Class 3A No. 5-ranked Estherville Lincoln Central gt past Class 1A No. 3-ranked Newell-Fonda 4-0 in a nonconference game on …
Ridge View uses hot start to beat South O’Brien
Ridge View scored four runs in the top of the first inning and the Raptors never looked back as they went on to beat South O’Brien 16-1 in a nonconference game on Tuesday at Paullina. …
Newell-Fonda drops game to Unity Christian in N-F Tournament
Newell-Fonda hosted its annual tournament last Saturday and the Mustangs were defeated in their first game before their second game was canceled due to rain. Newell-Fonda was defeated by Unity …
Opinion
The Storm Lake Times Pilot welcomes your opinions. Letters to the Editor must include the writer’s name, address and telephone number. Mail: P.O. Box 487 Storm Lake, IA 50588-0487 E-mail: times@stormlake.com

Letters to the Editor: No Kings Day

Saturday, June 14, is No Kings Day, when tens of thousands of people at thousands of events around the country will protest the autocratic actions of Donald Trump. One such event will be here in …

Susan Parker

Reclaiming Jesus from Politics: How the Lamb of God got tied to an elephant — and why it’s time to set him free

“Jesus is my Savior. Trump is my President.” That banner hung proudly less than a mile from our newly purchased home in Arlington, Texas. I remember stopping my car, staring at it, …

More opinion

Tami Nielsen
If you’re struggling to comprehend the massive and complex One Big Beautiful Bill Act, you’re not alone. It’s complicated, messy and ominous. As written, it will slash at least …
Sue Dinsdale
Apparently, the new official response to Iowa families worried about losing their health care is: “We’re all going to die.” That’s what Senator Joni Ernst told Iowans …
For Fiscal Year 2026, the budget will be divided up in the above manner.
The Fiscal Year 2026 budget will spend $9.424 billion in the next year, an increase of 5.33% over the current year. With the ending of the enhanced federal matching rate for Medicaid in 2023, it …
Steve Corbin
As a life-long marketer and consumer behavior professor, it’s interesting to observe how people’s opinions change as details of an issue become more apparent. Behavioral change — …
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Family & Friends

SLCSD Foundation grants total $16,200

Mike Porsch poses with award winners. Front row from left:  Megan Backman, Yuselin Vazquez, Nichole Krager, Lily Peschau, Sandy Mouw, Kelsie Baccam, Brandie Bushee. Middle: Esmeralda Smith, Susan Slagle-Boyd, Eloise Schumaker , Karina Magana, Holly Husman, Miranda Henkel, Angela Hall, Emma Fuerstenberg, Joanna Freking Smith, Tanner Petersen. Back: Mike Porsch, Rachel Sitzman and Preston Meineke.
Storm Lake Community School District Foundation has awarded 19 classroom educator incentive grants in the Storm Lake district for the 2025-2026 school year. The foundation is funding $16,200 worth of …
This veterans memorial, donated by the John and Dorothy Deacon family, will be unveiled Sunday at Varina’s quasquicentennial.
Varina is named after the Virginia plantation owned by the storied couple John Rolfe and Pocahontas   With a population of around 50, Varina is a little town, but residents will be …
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Dr. Stacey Cole has a hug for Maryam Rod Szabo of the Iowa Department of Education, with whom she’s worked to coordinate the apprenticeship program. Also from DEI are Dr. Stephanie TeKippe, left, and Amy Mayer, right.
Iowa Department of Education representatives traveled to The City Beautiful last Thursday to recognize the success of the Storm Lake Community School District’s teacher apprenticeship program. …
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From left: Riak Tut, Eden Laguna-Zavala, John Schwint, Frank Arbizu Guerra and Fernando Ramirez have qualified for the national competition for National History Day. A display of clippings from the Times Pilot forms their backdrop. Newspapers, after all, are the first draft of history.
Five Storm Lake High School boys have greatly impressed judges with their National History Day project, but be warned, the rabbit hole they went down is dark, and covers subject matter the rest of us …
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These Storm Lake Community School District staff members were honored at an assembly last Friday. From left: Jaymie Bral, assistant middle school principal, 30 years, with Dory; Cindy James, …
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Aerial Views

Units in all stages of development can be seen in this drone shot, taken last month, of the housing project going up south of Hy-Vee.

Trustees, guides and other volunteers are at work, from left: Sue Lyngaas, Deb Langner; trustee Roger Redig’s daughter, Rachel and her two daughters, Lee Dutfield, Carol Huntzicker and Christine Samuelson. Not pictured but working to gather and return silver items to their display areas were Roger Redig and Justin Yarosevich.

Harker House gets ready for season/150th anniversary

The annual polishing of the silver took place Saturday, May 31 at the Harker House in preparation for the historic home’s opening June 1. The Harker House welcomes guests every weekend …

BVRMC names Sather as new chief clinical officer

Buena Vista Regional Medical Center is pleased to announce the appointment of Julie Sather, BSN, RN, as its new Chief Clinical Officer, succeeding Michele Kelly, who will retire in June. Having …
Card showers
Marge Miller turns 80 years young on June 14! She will celebrate with her two sons, their wives and her grandchildren. Cards can reach her at: 1101 Ontario St. Unit F Storm Lake, IA 50588.
Ronald Hinners of Storm Lake turns 90 on July 1. An open house will be held at the Cobblestone on June 29 from 1-5 p.m. Ronald was the owner/operator of Ron’s Farm Service, retiring in 1998.
Marlin turns 90 on June 13. Let Marlin know you are thinking of him on this special day. Cards can reach him at: Marlin Weier, 204 W High St., Linn Grove, IA 51033

WAVE

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Obituaries
Michael Roberts
Michael Roberts, 72, of Clare passed away Sunday, June 8, 2025, at his home. He was born in Covington, Ky., and grew up in Storm Lake where he developed a lifelong appreciation for community, …
Timothy Cayler
Timothy Allen Cayler, 54, of Lake Lillian, Minn., passed away Wednesday, June 4, 2025. His Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, June 12, at Church of St. Mary in Willmar, …
Robert Kramer
Robert J. Kramer, 90, of Storm Lake, IA, died on Tuesday, June 3, 2025, at the Mayflower Community in Grinnell. A private family graveside service with military honors will be held at St. …
Harvey Buckendahl
Harvey Buckendahl, 79, of Storm Lake passed away peacefully at his home on May 30, 2025. Funeral services will take place Thursday, June 5, at 10:30 a.m. at Grace Lutheran Church in Storm Lake. Visitation will be held …
Rodney Petersen
Rodney Alen Petersen, 67, of Holstein, formerly of Alta, passed away peacefully on June 1, 2025, surrounded by his loving family. Funeral services will take place Thursday, June 5, at 10:30 a.m. at …

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