Stories from Wednesday, April 15, 2009

SL School Board leaders again asked to step down (04/15/09)
Two members of the Spirit Lake School Board were asked by community members to step down from their positions at the board's regular meeting Monday night. Valentine Waltz and Mark Niccum made formal requests for board president Beth Will and vice president Anne Goerss to vacate their positions.

Local bars may lose liquor license for violating Smokefree Air Act (04/15/09)
The Scoreboard Lounge in Milford and Cocktails in Arnolds Park run the risk of losing their liquor licenses for violations of the Smokefree Air Act. Attorney General Tom Miller says the Scoreboard and Cocktails complaints are among 41 liquor license enforcement actions brought by the Attorney General's Office since the law took effect.

Summer countdown: Arnolds Park Amusement Park opens in one month (04/15/09)
With exactly one month before the Arnolds Park Amusement Park opens its doors to patrons, employees are working frantically to prepare the attraction for the 2009 season. Arnolds Park General Manager Scott Pyle says the to-do list is endless in the final month.

Learn to 'go green' on Earth Day (04/15/09)
With live animal displays, informational exhibits and presentations by conservationists throughout the Lakes area, Mother Earth is getting a celebration in her honor Saturday, April 25 at Gull Point State Park Lodge.

Okoboji drama department presents 'Harvey' (04/15/09)
For the past eight weeks, Okoboji drama students have been rehearsing with a six-foot tall imaginary rabbit named Harvey for their upcoming theatre production. Harvey is the "star" and namesake for the drama department's production of Mary Chase's Pulitzer Prize-winning play "Harvey" coming to the stage this weekend.

Jean Achterhof (04/15/09)
(Oct. 9, 1917 - March 29, 2009) A prayer service and celebration of life was held April 10 at the First Reformed Church Chapel for Jean Achterhof, 91, of Rapid City, S.D., formerly of Sioux Center, who passed away Sunday, March 29, 2009 at Hospice of the Hills in Rapids City.

Sara Clarity Beck (04/15/09)
(April 2, 2009) A memorial gathering and mass was held April 6 at Holy Family Catholic Church in Whitefish Bay, Wisc. for Sara Clarity Beck, who passed away April 2, 2009 following a five-year battle with breast cancer.

Dick N. "Bub" Muilenburg (04/15/09)
(Oct. 3, 1932 - March 11, 2009) A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, April 27 at the United Methodist Church in Spirit Lake for Dick N. "Bub" Muilenburg, 76, of Arnolds Park, who passed away Wednesday, March 11, at Hilltop Care Center in Spirit Lake.

Nicole Denise Reed (04/15/09)
(Sept. 17, 1976 - April 3, 2009) Funeral services were held April 7 at St. Agnes Catholic Church in Walker for Nicole Denise Reed, 32, of Spirit Lake, formerly of Walker, Minn. who passed away Friday, April 3, following a brief, but difficult battle with liver cancer.

Nathan Kingsley Thon Jr. (04/15/09)
(June 11, 1928 - March 14, 2009) A celebration of life service was held March 17 at the Fostoria Methodist Church in Fostoria for Nathan Kingsley Thon, Jr., 80, of Arnolds Park, who passed away March 14 at the VA Medical Center in Sioux Falls, S.D.

Ralph Eugene Walsh (04/15/09)
(April 26, 1920 - April 5, 2009)

Killing Creativity (04/15/09)
The other day while taking a commercial break from my regularly scheduled programming, I started tuning out the television when I heard a tv parent yelling at their child to "go play video games."

Daffodil Days success (04/15/09)
Hope bloomed in Dickinson County this year as we painted our community yellow with daffodils and generated over $5,600 for cancer research and programs. The overwhelming support that Dickinson County residents and businesses showed to support the American Cancer Society Daffodil Days was incredible. My heartfelt thanks goes out to everyone who participated in this campaign to support important Society programs and resources to help people facing cancer and improve their quality of life...

Child abuse prevention (04/15/09)
Every year April is designated as Child Abuse Prevention month. The solution to ending child abuse is up to all of us. Everyone in Emmet County can and should do all they can to prevent child abuse, because protecting children is everyone's business...

Boat Works neighborhood (04/15/09)
Regarding the Okoboji Boat Works issue, many of Mr. Park's supporters seem to place economic development above the rights of home owners. This is particularly hard to figure when these supporters are property owners somewhere, but not next to Okoboji Boats. They are prime examples of "its a great place, but not in my backyard" attitude...

Blood Drive Thanks (04/15/09)
Oh behalf of the American Red Cross and all the patients who need blood, a sincere thank you to all the donors at the March blood drives in Spirit Lake, Lake Park and Milford. Together we bring hope and healing to patients and their families through your generosity. We look forward to seeing you in May on our next drive. Also thank you to all the volunteers and/or support persons who were a part of this draw...

Homelessness stats (04/15/09)
The Bureau of Labor Statistics website (www.bls.gov) provides a wealth of information related to unemployment and homelessness. For example, when looking at state-by-state homelessness counts, Iowa had 2,734 homeless persons in 2007(.4 of the total), compared to 671,859 overall in the US. In Iowa there were 9 homeless persons per 10,000 population that year, compared to 22 per 10,000 population in the U.S...

Remembering Highway (04/15/09)
Several years ago my son got a yellow Labrador from some friends who were having to move and couldn't take him with them. My son took him home to his three small boys who named him "Highway." Highway quickly learned what time the school bus came and seemed to know the boys would be getting off of it. ...

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