Stories from Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Law enforcement officials name charges against 18 individuals in Broken Arrow investigation (05/12/10)
Charges filed against 18 individuals in Dickinson County in connection with an ongoing undercover drug operation were released during a Tuesday afternoon press conference held at the Dickinson County Courthouse.

Broken Arrow suspects (05/12/10)
Charges filed against 18 individuals in Dickinson County in connection with an ongoing undercover drug operation were released during a Tuesday afternoon press conference held at the Dickinson County Courthouse.

Farewell, Schmitz: After six years at Okoboji High School, principal remembered for firm yet friendly approach (05/12/10)
When the Okoboji school year wraps up in just a few weeks, the district will say "farewell" to a disciplinarian given kudos for having "the uncanny ability to visit sternly with a student or staff and then, five minutes later, put his arm around them and tell them they are doing a great job."

Pioneers girls get off to hot start on chilly night (05/12/10)
The Okoboji girls track and field team surged to a red hot start with race titles in four of the first 10 running events and another first place finish in the discus at the Siouxland Conference meet Tuesday, May 11 in Orange City. The Pioneers actually won four of the first five races they competed in, but didn't field runners in the 3,000-meter run, 4x800 relay and 1,600 medley relay...

'Boji comes up golden in three races at Siouxland meet (05/12/10)
The Okoboji boys track and field team came away with three first place finishes at the Siouxland Conference track and field meet Tuesday, May 11 in Orange City. Senior Milan Johnson turned in a golden effort in the 800-meter run, while Zach Jones crossed the finish line first in the 400 low hurdles. The 1,600 medley team of Alex Koepp, Billy Burgduff, Brian Dubois and Austin Millard also won a conference title with a clocking of 3:44.88...

Spirit Lake Park's Lakes streak gets snapped (05/12/10)
The Spirit Lake Park girls track and field team had its Lakes Conference title streak snapped after finishing fifth overall in the race for the league crown Tuesday, May 11 in Le Mars. The Indians placed fifth with 82 points, while Le Mars beat out Storm Lake by five points for the team title with 103 points...

Pringnitz battling tough against rare disease (05/12/10)
A little over a year ago Spirit Lake High School senior Anna Pringnitz was a healthy 17-year-old teenager that enjoyed tennis, hanging out with friends and doing ordinary everyday activities. Then after losing a bunch of weight and struggling through the end of her junior year, she went through a series of tests over the course of three months and finally found out: In August at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., a virus somehow had done damage to the nerves of her body that regulate blood pressure, heart rate, and other bodily functions. ...

SLP-O secures first ever road win over No. 7 Spencer (05/12/10)
The Spirit Lake Park-Okoboji boys soccer team continued a record setting season by accomplishing another feat this past Thursday, battling tough for its first ever road victory over Class 2A No. 7 Spencer, riding a pair of goals to a 2-0 win. SLP-O's only other win over Spencer came four years ago in Lake Park, but they've never beaten the Tigers on their home field...

Pioneers streak to fourth win in a row (05/12/10)
The Okoboji boys golf team streaked to its fourth consecutive win by a rather comfortable 11-shot margin at a Siouxland Conference meet Thursday, April 6 at The Ridge Golf Club in Sioux Center. The Pioneers fired a 157 while MOC-Floyd Valley came in second with a 168. Sioux Center placed third with a 170 on their home course...

SL, Okoboji girls finish 1-2 at S-O Invite (05/12/10)
The Spirit Lake and Okoboji girls golf teams proved to be in a class of their own, finishing as the only two squads to shoot in the 180s on the way to securing the top two spots at the Sibley-Ocheyedan Invitational Tuesday, May 4 at the Sibley Golf & Country Club...

Brown named Academic All-District (05/12/10)
University of Iowa senior softball student-athlete Katie Brown has been named to the ESPN the Magazine Academic All-District second team. Brown was one of 14 Division I players selected to the District 7 second team. Brown, a native of Spirit Lake, has started all 44 games for Iowa. ...

3 million miles ... and still trucking (05/12/10)
There was the time he ran into a ditch during a blinding snowstorm, but nothing was damaged.

LaVerna Switzer Lee (05/12/10)
Services were held Tuesday, May 11, at the Turner Jenness Family Funeral Home for LaVerna Switzer Lee, 94, of Spirit Lake.

Wilbert "Bud" Thee (05/12/10)
Services for Wilbert H. "Bud" Thee, who passed away May 1, 2010, were held at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Spirit Lake on Thursday, May 6. Wilbert was born October 22, 1922 in May City, Iowa, the son of John, Sr. and Mathilda (Bieldfelt) The

Virgil Deardorff, Margaret "Peggy" Deardorff (05/12/10)
Virgil Deardorff passed away February 20, 2010 and his lifelong partner of 63 years, Peggy Deardorff, passed away April 22, 2010. Since it was close in time to each other, a double Celebration of Life Mass will be held Friday, May 14, at 10:30 a.m. at St. Louis Catholic Church in Royal.

Bambi Dean Sheley (05/12/10)
Services were held Thursday, May 6, at Turner Jenness Family Funeral Home in Milford for Bambi Dean Sheley, who passed away May 3, 2010

BONK! Peanuts-themed fax reminder to not miss the point (05/12/10)
I realize that attempting to explain a Peanuts cartoon without actually printing it is about as easy as explaining Herman Richter to someone who may have never met him.