Stories from Wednesday, July 1, 2009

A pair of fireworks displays will highlight the holiday weekend as explosive fun decorates the sky over two of the area's lakes. The first of this year's shows will be held on Friday, July 3 over Big Spirit Lake. Independence Day features fireworks over West Lake Okoboji. Both displays are set to launch at 10:07 p.m. Lake Park will not host a fireworks display in 2009.

(Jan. 23, 1925-March 15, 2009) A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. July 11, at the Liftte Rock cemetery for Claretta Rehms, who passed away on March 15, 2009 due to complications following a car accident. Her children would like everyone who knew Claretta to come to her cottage on West Lake Okoboji for a celebration of her life from 2 to 5 p.m.

The family of LaVonne and Bill O'Connor invite you to join them as they celebrate 50 years of marriage on Sunday, July 5 from 2 to 7 p.m. at Bill & LaVonne's home at 711 3rd Avenue North, Lakefield, Minn. RSVP is not required. Your presence is a present. No gifts please...

Kim and Deanna Wermersen of Okoboji and Kevin and Lori Huisman of Sioux Center are proud to announce the engagement of their daughter, Kristin Wermersen to Andrew Stimpson, son of Bob and Jean Stimpson of Fayetteville, Ga. Kristin is currently working for Canfield Business Interiors as an interior designer at their Rapid City, S.D. location. Andrew is a Captain and B-1 Bomber pilot for the United States Air Force. He is stationed at Ellsworth Airforce Base in Rapid City...

A one-vehicle crash sent a Kingsley man to the hospital shortly before midnight on Saturday. The driver, Scott Toliver, lost control of his truck at the the intersection of Rohr Street and Oak Street, Toliver hit two trees and took down a light pole. He was transported to Lakes Regional Healthcare with non-life threatening injuries. The Arnolds Park /Okoboji Rescue Department was assisted by the Iowa Highway Patrol, AP/Oko police, Milford Police, Milford Fire and Rescue, DNR, and the LRH Ambulance.

Tolerance is a word that gets thrown around a lot, but I feel as though people don't know the true meaning of the word. A simple search on Dictionary.com gives a definition of "A fair, objective, and permissive attitude toward those whose opinions, practices, race, religion, nationality, etc., differ from one's own." Seems simple, right? Not exactly. ...

As a young Iowan and firm believer in the importance of global citizenship, I am writing to encourage Dickinson County to consider hosting an exchange student from Africa for the upcoming school year. I work for the Iowa Resource for International Service (IRIS), a nonprofit based in Ames, whose mission is to forge global connections by sponsoring the most gifted high school students from Nigeria and Tanzania to come to Iowa for one year. ...

The Iowa Great Lakes continues to be at great risk from infestation of zebra mussels, which will have a devastating impact on the ecosystem and the economy. Other states have taken this problem so seriously that in Nevada boat inspections are MANDATORY for boats entering Lake Tahoe beginning June 1, 2009 by trained inspectors. A trained dog even searches for zebra mussels at the boat ramps...

I need your help to clarify to/ for the public who I am not. I am being "associated or mistakenly identified with the committed felon Margaret Ruth "Meg" Waltz solely because my last name happens to be Waltz. I am NO relative of hers either by name, blood, marriage, relationship, acquaintance or personality - whatsoever. I have never even set eyes on her or met her or talked with her ever! I don't know her - what I know of her is by reports in the newspapers, radio and television...

It has been a year since the Smokefree Air Act was initiated last July 1. Western Iowa Community Partners in Tobacco Control have had a very busy, exciting and rewarding year. We have worked hard informing the public about the law and assisting businesses with their questions. ...

Hi! I hope you are all enjoying the start of the summer. I am writing to let you know that my mom and dad (Kathy and Laurel Johnson) will be celebrating their 65th wedding anniversary on July 4, 2009. I am hosting a card shower in their honor to help them celebrate. I am asking that greeting cards and well wishes be sent to me at the address below. I will present the cards in a nice box to mom and dad when I visit them on the 4th of July weekend...

We would like to thank everyone for all that was done for our family during Bob's illness and then his very sudden death. The calls, visits, cards, food, gifts and especially your prayers meant so much!! A special thank you to Pastor Lon, Pastor Deborah and Pastor Clint whose visits meant more than they would ever believe. ...

I am a summer resident of Okoboji, (my father was born in Archer, O'Brien County, Iowa in 1908) and I eagerly anticipate the arrival of every issue of the Dickinson County News. Upon reading the article by Anitra Wolf regarding the Gardner Cabin season, DCN Wednesday June 3, 2009, I have to say that political correctness has finally gone too far. ...

The Pearson Lakes Art Center opens a plein air exhibit by Kimble Bromley this weekend. The exhibit, titled "Summer Reflections: Clouds in the Water" features oil on canvas plein air paintings of the Fargo, N.D. artist. The exhibit runs July 3 through Oct. 3 with an opening reception from 5-7 p.m. Friday, July 3...

"Think colossal. Then think beyond that," says entertainment reporter Julie Kilmer. "Only then do you have an idea of the titanic amount of talent within the Lowe Family. They're a miraculous combination of every kind of musical, theatrical and dance talent you can dare to imagine, and then some!"...

Repeated probation violations have landed Margaret "Meg" Waltz in jail again. Waltz, 44, of Spirit Lake was arrested for the violations on June 13, just over a month after being arrested for second degree theft. She remains in jail with a cash only bond of $10,000...

While many of the Lakes area's soldiers returned from deployment last July, many still remain overseas fighting for freedom, keeping the peace and protecting the rights and lives of citizens of the world. Ernie Cupp, Director of Dickinson County Commission of Veteran Affairs, reminds citizens to remember those serving in the military this Independence Day and support the families left waiting for their return...