Stories from Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Some hard work gets noticed (01/27/10)
I'm not too fond of the flashing lights of a patrol car in my rearview mirror, so I try to keep those "human" moments to a minimum while traveling. Chances are, you feel the same way. A traffic stop is as unpleasant as it is necessary at times.

Preservation Plaza band shell on hold (01/27/10)
A new $1 million band shell and concert stage was proposed at Preservation Plaza, with support from Andrea Waitt Carlton and her foundation, Messengers of Healing Winds. The foundation's donation fell short of project estimates and the Board of Historic Arnolds Park, Inc. has put the proposal on hold for now.

Go-Go a no-no? Dancing cage at Charlie's Barfly sparks council debate (01/27/10)
Recent special sessions of the Spirit Lake city council recently gave The Marquee the chance to reopen as soon as this weekend, while giving the Go-Go Dancing at Charlie's Barfly Saloon the potential to hit a red light. The council called a special session on Jan. 19 to address two separate issues relating to entertainment establishments within the city.

Girls regional basketball pairings are released (01/27/10)
The 2010 postseason is quickly approaching and with all of the recent postponements and cancellations due to the weather, this year's regional girls basketball tournament is going to be one of the most challenging to figure out. The old coaching saying that whomever is playing their best basketball at the end of the season has been a reliable statement in the past, but with many teams scampering to just get a full schedule of games in, who knows what could happen once the second season begins...

Pioneers rout Wildcats to snap 4-game skid (01/27/10)
The Okoboji girls basketball team broke out of an offensive slump in a large way, erupting for a season-high in points to snap a four-game losing steak with a 72-48 victory over West Lyon Tuesday night in Siouxland Conference action. "In the first quarter we came out strong. ...

Last-second three-pointer spoils Pioneer upset bid (01/27/10)

Local Sports Roundup (01/27/10)
Girls Basketball Okoboji 72, West Lyon 48 Storm Lake 65, Spirit Lake 46 Armstrong-Ringsted 38, Graettinger/Terril 36 Boys Basketball West Lyon 57, Okoboji 56 Storm Lake 62, Spirit Lake 56 Armstrong-Ringsted 53, Graettinger/Terril 48

Okoboji places fifth at 40th Herb Irgens Invite (01/27/10)
Competing with 21 other teams in one of the most highly regarded tournaments in Iowa, Okoboji tied for fifth place with Woodbury Central at the Herb Irgens Invitational in Ida Grove this past weekend. The Pioneers had five place winners, including heavyweight champion Dustin Schwaller and 215-pound runner-up Doug Schwaller...

SLP, G/T tally 13 place winners at Herb Irgens Invite (01/27/10)
Spirit Lake Park and Graettinger/Terril both turned in solid overall showings this past weekend at the prestigious 40th annual Herb Irgens Invitational in Ida Grove. The two teams combined for 13 place winners and two finalists in the 22-team field that included 46 ranked wrestlers and 26 athletes that placed in the top-10 at state last season...

Indians clutch foul shooting ices away win over Lady 'Dogs (01/27/10)
The Spirit Lake girls basketball team matched Le Mars' physicality and intensity defensively. The Indians also turned the tide of the game by making 12-of-16 free throws in the final quarter of a 43-32 victory Friday, Jan. 22 in Lakes Conference play...

Indians show improvement in loss to Bulldogs (01/27/10)
The Spirit Lake boys basketball team wasn't able to get completely over the hurdle against Le Mars, dropping a 70-58 contest in a Lakes Conference matchup Friday, Jan. 22 at Spirit Lake High School. The Bulldogs depth, quickness and overall athleticism were too much to handle despite a valiant effort from the Indians. Le Mars was able to push SL into an up-tempo contest that played into their favor, putting up 61 points in the first three quarters...

Undebatable success (01/27/10)
Okoboji-Spirit Lake debaters place fifth at state Okoboji-Spirit Lake was short on numbers and experience at the 2010 Iowa High School Speech Association State debate tournament. That didn't keep the team and coach Greg Stevens from bringing back hardware after a long trip to Iowa City, however...

Extreme winter weather puts pets in peril (01/27/10)
Humane Society of Northwest Iowa responds to alarming injuries to felines, stray pets The brutal winter that has settled in at the Lakes has given humans some blizzard-induced headaches, but it presents a whole different set of obstacles for area pets...

DOWN IN FRONT: AT THE MOVIES WITH F. JOSEPH WILSON (01/27/10)
'Up in the Air' actually a grounded, subtle 'dramedy' Movie: "Up in the Air" Cast: George Clooney, Vera Farmiga, Anna Kendrick, Jason Bateman, Danny McBride, Melanie Lynskey Produced by Ivan Reitman, Jason Reitman, Daniel Dubiecki, Jeffrey Clifford...

June L. Chaffin (01/27/10)
June 13, 1922 -- January 20, 2010 A memorial service was held at Union Memorial Church on Monday, Jan. 25, for June L. Chaffin of Milford. June died Wednesday, January 20, 2010, at her home in Milford, at the age of 87. The Revs. Karl and Jan Whiteman officiated. Interment was at Milford Cemetery in Milford...

Frances Parker Ross (01/27/10)
April 10, 1922 -- January 18, 2010 Frances Parker Ross of Spirit Lake died January 18, 2010, of congestive heart failure in Prescott, Ariz. She was born April 10, 1922 at her farm home near Newburg, Iowa. She majored in music at Grinnell College where she met her husband, Bob Ross in 1939. ...

Norman C. Boley (01/27/10)
A memorial visitation will be held Friday, Jan. 29, from 5-6:30 p.m. at the Schuchert Funeral Home for Norman C. Boley, age 74, of Spirit Lake, who passed away Thursday, Jan. 21, at Lakes Regional Healthcare in Spirit Lake. Boley was born on March 2, 1935, in Lexington, Mo., to Delbert and Helen (Hutson) Boley.

Eugene R. Schaefer (01/27/10)
July 13, 1922 - Jan. 19, 2010 Memorial services were held at 10:30 a.m., Friday, Jan. 22 at the United Methodist Church in Garner for Eugene R. Schaefer, 87, of Mason City who passed away Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2010 at the Heritage Care Center in Mason City. Pastor Tim Riekhoff-Faris officiated. Inturnment was at Concord Township Cemetery in Garner...

Mabel Maxine Lauritzen (01/27/10)
March 19, 1918 -- Jan. 21, 2010 A memorial service and luncheon will be held at 10:30 a.m. at the First Presbyterian Church on Wednesday, Feb. 3, for Mabel Maxine Lauritzen, known as Maxine, of Spirit Lake. She passed away peacefully January 21, 2010...

Rebecca Salmen Huberg (Wess. Springs, S.D.) and Heath Huberg (Milford) (01/27/10)
Rebecca Linae Salmen and Heath Hjelmer Huberg were united in holy matrimony on Sept. 5, 2009 at East Side Lutheran in Sioux Falls, S.D. with the Rev. Jerry Buwalda officiating.

To all Spirit Lake School District voters (01/27/10)
I want to thank all of you who have voted (for or against) the previous two PPELs that have been put before the voters of our school district over the last few years. I especially want to thank those of you who voted no, because as a result of the previous outcomes, the Spirit Lake School Board and Administrative team have finally come up with a Levy that is 100 percent geared toward our children

More than laptops (01/27/10)
When I first began teaching at Spirit Lake, I was extremely impressed by the district's commitment to excellence in education. It has always been a very student focused district and throughout the years, Spirit Lake has striven to provide the best for our children

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