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In the storm's wake
Servicemaster employee Drake Hollingsworth vacuums wet carpets in the Buena Vista County Historical Museum, which lost its entire roof.
SL comes together after storm
Storm Lake will rise again
It wasn’t a tornado
“It was a bad Friday for me,” said Jas Singh, a Tyson truck driver from Indianapolis, on Friday morning after assessing storm damage to his vehicle.  Sing parked his …
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Governor issues disaster proclamation for BV County

Governor Kim Reynolds issued a disaster proclamation for Buena Vista, Fremont, Page, and Plymouth Counties in response to severe weather that occurred on April 17, 2025.

BV County man sentenced for illegal U.S. entry

A Storm Lake man who’s been deported from the U.S. three times was sentenced to 20 months in federal prison for illegal reentry over a year after he was arrested for cocaine possession in Buena Vista County.

Firing squad of SL women take aim at GOP legislators

Joanna Chavez de Leon feels her state representatives ignore her.

City calls for SL library to cut hours amid budget constraints

Storm Lake Public Library Director Elizabeth Huff believes that the library will survive the recent cuts as mandated by the city. Earlier this month, Staff Accountant Tyler Gibbins presented the …

Spring Sports

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Sen. Lynn Evans speaks at the Legislative Forum Saturday in Storm Lake. TIMES PILOT photos by MADELINE COMBS
Senate approved 2% SSA rate, awaiting governor’s signature
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Kelli Carey, left, and golden egg winner Isabelle Wendt with her children Lily and Nico in front at Carey’s Furniture in Cherokee.

Searchers stumped for a week

Golden Egg found in Circle Park Monday.
Storm Lake firefighters bring a stretcher for Marie Eckerman after her car was struck by the train. TIMES PILOT PHOTO by Dolores Cullen

Car Vs. train

Minor injuries Tuesday at dangerous crossing. Wilkinson: “There will be lights and there will be crossing arms”

Welcome,  Delight Donuts

Delight Donuts opened Thursday morning at Shoppes on Lake Plaza. The location at 1515 Lake Ave. is the northern portion of the former Dollar Tree store. The owners of the strip mall, Khim & …
E-editions

Storm Lake Times Pilot 4-18-25

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Ad Guide 4-15-25

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Left to right: Bottom row – Tyler Pierre Louis, Brayden Bohnenkamp, Kaiden Schroeder, Landon Brown, & Audie Poeckes 2nd row - Caiden Cave, Ivy Hanson, Kinsley Reuter, Jhett Anderson, Jakson Kelly, Roni Etter. 3rd row: Myles Miller, Tysen Cedar, Aidon Brady, Amelia Tuttle, Kailyn Stone Frericks, Micah Matgen, Oliver Schuttpelz, Nolan Matgen, Jayce Klein. Back row – Gavin Schnoor, Sopia Nilles-Howard, Evan Heidesch, & Bennett Klein Not Pictured – McKinley Angerman & Nora Gengler
Bantam League Bowlers end 2024-2025 season Over two
Girls Division 1st Place – Nora Gengler - 354 2nd Place – Kailyn Arens - 301 Boys Division 1st Place – Evan Heidesch - 362 2nd Place – Gavin Schnoor - …
March precipitation calms area drought conditions
For the first time since December 2024, precipitation levels across the state were above average throughout the month of March. According to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources latest water …
Cleveland bank sues Storm Lake Senior Housing
Keybank: Senior Housing’s Illinois owner in default on $14 million in loans.
A female walleye is stripped, adding to the egg harvest.
Walleye netting season is shortest on record
The IDNR’s walleye netting season in Iowa lakes, including Storm Lake, wrapped up in record time this year “We only netted for three nights, which is the shortest we have ever …

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Sports
Ridge View boys capture Russ Kraai Relays title
Ridge View girls wear Russ Kraai Relays crown
BVU pulls away to beat Hamline in baseball
Weno leads Storm Lake boys at Unity Christian Relays
Garbieno Weno finished first in two individual events and Joel Ramirez-Parra won one event to help Storm Lake finish third in the Unity Christian Relays on Tuesday. MOC-Floyd Valley won the meet …
Sioux Central boys take third at Spirit Lake Invitational
Jack Christian won the 400 meters to help Sioux Central to a third-place finish. The Rebels scored 54 points. Christian won the 400 meters with a time of 54.04 seconds. Lucos Wernimont placed …
Sioux Central girls place third at Spirit Lake Invitational
Sage Weber won an individual event and one relay team was victorious to help Sioux Central finish third in the Spirit Lake Invitational on Tuesday. Spirit Lake won the meet with 182 points. The …
BVU women win first golf tournament in 13 years
Buena Vista captured the team title and took home medalist honors as it wrapped up its season at the Simpson Invite on Wednesday. BVU carded a 331 and held off runner-up Loras by nine strokes. …
Storm Lake tennis teams defeated by Cherokee
Cherokee won all six matches in singles play as the Braves went on to defeat Storm Lake 9-0 on Tuesday. Brie Orth had the closest match in singles, falling 10-7 at No. 3. Emma Dierking and Anahi …
Opinion

Editorials: Change at the top

Iowa could return to its moderate good sense with Gov. Kim Reynolds retired. For nearly a decade, Reynolds presided over declining school test scores, banning books in schools, shaming of gays, …

End of an era for Ford in SL?

With the bankruptcy of Holzhauer auto dealerships in Storm Lake and Cherokee, it seems unlikely that the Ford brand will reappear in The City Beautiful, ending more than a century of Blue Oval sales …

More opinion

A constitutional showdown taking shape in southern Iowa’s Decatur County could put taxpayers on the hook financially to defend the county’s efforts to silence a critic of public officials …
“There is none so blind as he who will not see.” — Singer Ray Stevens, “Everything is Beautiful” You hear stories about how a young female had no idea she was …
Rick Morain
It’s called “collective punishment” when an entire group or community is sanctioned for an act of one member, or a few of them. It’s a form of bullying. The punished group …
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
I know many voted for Trump because of the high cost of most items, especially groceries and the huge influx of immigrants. Trump promised he would bring down the price of food immediately. This has …
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Family & Friends

Last Supper drama at Methodist Church

Members of the cast include, front row from left: Jace Eggers, Tyonia Eggers, Blake Eggers, Brenda Newell. Back: Isabella Fort, Jesus played by Aaron Johnson, Carl Wilcox, Ed Witt.
The Last Supper Drama titled “God Has Chosen You” will be presented at the Storm Lake United Methodist Church on Thursday, April 17 at 7:30 p.m. The drama takes a closer look at the …
Stephanie Ruhle greets the members of the panel before going on air.
Times Pilot Editor Art Cullen was invited to appear on The 11th Hour With Stephanie Ruhle last Friday. He flew to New York and found himself on the set of NBC studios.
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My Favorite Recipe
From left: Nathan, Ben, Trinity, Bri and Brycen.
Ben Pullen is no stranger to Storm Lake. Even though he and his family live on his family’s Century Farm outside of Spencer, he is a big advocate for The City Beautiful. “I’ve …
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Abner Bell’s cabin is snug and safe from the elements inside the structure. New air conditioning and lights will make visitors comfortable.

Lights on in Sioux Rapids Memorial Building

The lights and air conditioning project is complete at the Sioux Rapids Historical Society’s Memorial Building that houses Abner Bell’s Cabin. The historical society received a grant …
From left: Randy Carrillo, Haley McAndrews and Lee Shiney at Carrillo’s current exhibition at The Old Fashioned in Denison.

Introducing the West Iowa Art Tour

Here’s your opportunity to get a behind-the-scenes look at studios of local artists on Saturday, April 26, from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Featuring 11 artists in six different locations, the very first …
Two Lovers Point.

Display by Micronesian artist at BVRMC

Artwork by Lissette Yamase, a self-taught artist from Chuuk and Pohnpei in the Federated States of Micronesia, is on display at Buena Vista Regional Medical Center. Although she lives in the FSM, she …

Rep. Jones welcomes constituent

Rep. Megan Jones (R-Sioux Rapids),left, welcomed Molly Conlon of Spencer to the Iowa House. Conlon is with the Iowa Pharmacy Association and visited to advocate for PBM reform.

Ridge View prom royalty

Congratulations to this year's prom royalty at Ridge View Raptors. Queen Gabi Mason and King Jack Todd are backed up by Mya Henningson, Lauren Schmitt, Addi Voge, Lillian Whitmer, Carson Harriman, …

A customized lamp by Fuller Radiance.

Corridor announces Big Idea Challenge winners

The Iowa Lakes Corridor Development Corporation has announced the winners of the inaugural Big IDEA entrepreneurial challenge after the in-person pitch competition. The Corridor hosted the first …
Val Mejia Terry earned intense applause after her solo. She told the Times Pilot: “The song I sang is ‘Amor Eterno,’ which translates to Eternal Love. It was written by a Mexican artist named Juan Gavriel after his mother passed away. I chose to sing “Amor Eterno’ because everyone has a special someone in heaven. What I always want out of a performance is to make people feel the emotion and power of the music. It is songs like ‘Amor Eterno that allow performers to connect with their audience. Music is a universal language. It unites us regardless of our differences in language or culture because everyone can feel it in their heart.” Val said she thinks of her grandparents Elena and Gabriel when she sings the song. “I feel the lyrics more deeply when I think about my grandmother Elena. We had the closest relationship. I also think about my uncle John and my cousin Alonso.”

Noche de Mariachi

A taste of Mexico was enjoyed Saturday night in the form of music and food at Noche de Mariachi in Storm Lake High School gym. The second annual event featured SLHS’s Mariachi Los Tornadoes and …

Storm Lake Class of 1975 reunion

SLHS 50th Class Reunion is set for the weekend of Sept. 5-6. On Friday, Sept. 5 will be an informal gathering at Puff’s. Saturday’s events will include golf, a tour of the high …

Ridge View High School third quarter honor roll

Seniors 4.0:   Blair Berends, Brookelynn Cudaback, Lea Johnson, Dani Lawrence, Nora Pickhinke, Lauren Schmitt, Jack Todd, Lillian Whitmer. 3.99-3.5:   Brody Bisenius, Sydney …

The greens are greening
Obituaries
Richard Petersen
Richard Petersen of Sioux Falls, S.D., formerly of Irwin and Aurelia, died March 11, 2025, at Sanford / USD Medical Center, after a lengthy battle with cancer. He was 74. Richard Lee Petersen was born on …
Janice Mills
Janice Ruth Mills, 85, of Owensboro, Ky., transitioned from her earthly dwelling to her heavenly home on Friday, March 7, 2025, at her home. She was preceded in death by her husband, Jay Perry …
David Aronson
David Aronson, 77, of Albert City passed away on April 12, 2025, at his home. Memorial services will take place Wednesday, April 16, at 11 a.m. at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Albert …
Duane Birdsell
Duane M. Birdsell, 75, passed away peacefully on February 17, 2025, in Amarillo, TX. He was born on April 12, 1949, in Storm Lake, Iowa, to the late Earl and Lydia Birdsell. A natural-born …
Gary Nepple
Gary Lee Nepple, 78, of Storm Lake died April 9, 2025, at Methodist Manor Retirement Community in Storm Lake. Funeral services will take place Saturday, April 12, at 10:30 a.m. at St. …

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