Stories from Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Dickinson County sees first gay marriage license application (04/29/09)
For many Lakes area residents Monday was a typical spring day, but for one West Okoboji couple it marked the beginning of a new chapter. Bob Booth and Mike Getz have been together for 13 years, and beginning this week they were legally able to apply for a marriage license.

SL School's incoming superintendent facing civil suit (04/29/09)
Spirit Lake School's incoming superintendent David Smith is facing a civil lawsuit filed April 14 in Black Hawk County by Linda Sharp, an instructor at Malcolm Price Lab School in Cedar Falls where Smith is the current director.

Fire causes $25,000 in damage to Mige's in Milford (04/29/09)
Fire has struck another Lake area business as flames continue to break out in area structures and grasslands. On Wednesday evening, Milford firefighters battled a blaze at Mige's Restaurant, formerly Dan'z Restaurant, in south Milford. Damage is estimated at over $25,000.

Spirit Lake girls down ELC on the links (04/29/09)
The Spirit Lake girls' golf team posted an impressive 375-454 victory over Estherville Lincoln Central to keep its perfect record intact Monday, April 27 in an 18-hole dual tournament at Okoboji View Golf Course. The Indians had four girls score in the 90s to easily run away with the meet...

Jimmy nets game-winning goal for SLP/O in OT (04/29/09)
Jamin Jimmy scored the game-winning goal with 19 seconds left in the first overtime to propel the Spirit Lake Park/Okoboji boys' soccer team to a 4-3 victory over Storm Lake Monday, April 27 in Lakes Conference play. "That was a huge win," said Spirit Lake Park/Okoboji head coach Bill Cochran-Bray. "Storm Lake has three very quality senior forwards and is senior-dominated a lot like Unity Christian was."...

Okoboji lights up track in 4x800 at Drake Relays (04/29/09)
The Okoboji 4x800 relay team of Tyler Peterson, Madison Delaney, Austin Millard and Milan Johnson certainly turned some heads at the 100th annual Drake Relays after running in the footsteps of Spirit Lake Park's long distance relay team that ended up winning a state title in Class 3A and posted an impressive top-5 performance at the Relays last season...

SL-O girls whip Spencer to stay undefeated (04/29/09)
The Spirit Lake-Okoboji girls' tennis team showed a great deal of heart and determination en route to a 9-0 thrashing of Spencer Monday, April 27 in a Lakes Conference meet at Speier Park. Although SL-O won all nine matchups, they had to grind out three tight singles matches and one hotly contested doubles match to preserve the shutout...

Okoboji, SLP boys place 1-2 at 25th Pioneer Relays (04/29/09)
The Okoboji and Spirit Lake Park boys' track and field teams proved to be the class of the meet after finishing as the only two squads to score 100 or points Monday, April 27 at the 25th annual Okoboji Relays in Milford. The Pioneers won four events compared to the Indians who took home five meet titles. ...

Wolves down Rebels in inaugural Ryder Cup (04/29/09)
The Harris-Lake Park boys' golf team pulled away from Sioux Central on Day 2 of the inaugural Ryder Cup behind singles victories from Kyle Jacobsen, Austin Jacobsen, Nathan Kyle and Kyle Kruger Tuesday, April 21 at Silver Lake Country Club, clinching the cup by a 6-3 margin after entering the day locked in a tie with the Rebels...

Indians beat out Pioneers to win 25th Okoboji Relays (04/29/09)
It turned into a battle for the top spot from the opening event, but the Spirit Lake Park girls' track and field team had a bit more depth and firepower than Okoboji on the way to winning the team title Monday, April 27 at the 25th annual Okoboji Relays in Milford...

High school students start saving, gain real-world experience (04/29/09)
Almost everyone remembers their first job -- and its lessons, subsequent headaches, sense of responsibility and more. For many, the introduction into the formal world of work begins at a young age. Kids as young as 14 can work outside of the home and those as young as 10 can sell items door-to-door.

Iris Holtz Bennett (04/29/09)
(Sept. 25, 1923 - April 19, 2009) At her request, there were no services for Iris Holtz Bennett, 85, who passed away on April 19, 2009 at her daughter's home in Germanton, N.C.

Mary Vee Blackert (04/29/09)
(May 14, 1944 - April 16, 2008) Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, May 2 at the First Presbyterian Church in Spirit Lake for Mary Vee Blackert, 64, of Everett, Wash. and formerly of Spirit Lake, who passed away April 16 in Everett.

Wilbur "Dick" Gildemeister (04/29/09)
(Sept. 20, 1916 - April 23, 2009) Funeral services were held April 27 at the Immanuel Lutheran Church in Spirit Lake for Wilbur "Dick" Gildemeister, 92, of Spirit Lake, who passed away Thursday, April 23, 2009, at Lakes Regional Healthcare in Spirit Lake.

Donald G. Hill (04/29/09)
(Oct. 26, 1927 - April 17, 2009) Funeral services were held April 22 at the First Presbyterian Church in Spirit Lake for Donald G. Hill, 81, who passed away April 17 at the Veteran's Hospital in Sioux Falls from complications of diabetes.

Alice Pearl Kollasch (04/29/09)
(Aug. 18, 1939 - April 20 , 2009) A funeral mass was held April 24 at St. Michael's Catholic Church in Whittemore for Alice P. Kollasch, 69, of North Liberty, formerly of Arnolds Park and Whittemore, who passed away April 20, 2009 at the University of Iowa, Iowa City.

Kent B. Winter (04/29/09)
Services were held April 14 at the Rettinger Funeral Home in Long Lake, Minn. for Kent B. Winter, 77, who passed away April 8, 2009. Kent was born and grew up in Buffalo Center. He was a long-time resident of Long Lake, Minn., and Chaska, Minn. Kent was a veteran of the United States Air Force. ...

Amanda Patzer and Gregory Neppl announce engagement (04/29/09)
Amanda Joy Patzer and Gregory Eugene Neppl are pleased to announce their engagement and approaching marriage.

Dawn Bernholtz and Jeff Harken to wed (04/29/09)
Dawn Bernholtz of Spirit Lake and Jeff Harken of Grundy Center are announcing their engagement and approaching wedding.

Sirens 4/29 (04/29/09)
On Thursday, April 23 at approximately 2:45 a.m., a search warrant was executed at 607 19th Street in Spirit Lake after a joint investigation

Gone Fishin' (04/29/09)
I can still hear the tune every time I hear someone utter those words -- "Gone Fishin'." Hank Parker's fishing show was a common Sunday afternoon feature at my house while I was growing up -- especially this time of year, when the males in the household caught what they've called "fishing fever."

Lakes Cabin Companion (04/29/09)
Oh, if you didn't attend, what you missed! In March, at the Sami Center, the Dickinson County Ministerial Association presented "Lakes Cabin Companion," a take off of PBS radio's popular and humorous "The Prairie Home Companion."

Over Assessed (04/29/09)
I am concerned with the increased assessed values for real estate property in Dickinson County. I believe that the vast majority of properties in the county are over assessed with the Jan. 1, 2009 assessments. I would encourage all tax payers to file an appeal of their assessed values before May 6. You may obtain the necessary form to do so online at the site of the Dickinson County Assessor.

Sharing the windfall (04/29/09)
Recently I received a letter from the Social Security office, informing me they will send me a check for $250 in May. I am not wealthy, but I am comfortable, and I decided to share this money with the unfortunate workers in our area, who have lost their jobs, through no fault of their own...

Sexual Assault Awareness Month (04/29/09)
April has been designated Sexual Assault awareness month. Although, some of you may know and many do not, I feel it needs to be me made aware to the public. I had heard little if any of recognition of this month and what it stands for.

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