Stories from Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Fierce storm batters boats, pummels historic park (07/21/10)
Docks were shredded, boats were beached and even a historic amusement park couldn't escape the powerful wallop of a tree-snapping thunderstorm Saturday night. "In my 34 years in northwest Iowa, I've never seen such a fierce storm and have never had this kind of devastation on my farm," said Kate Whitrock who lives on an acreage east of Arnolds Park...

The plan to ban: Public weighs in at public hearing on Gull Point debate (07/21/10)
With the possibility for a ban on beer and wine at Gull Point and other DNR-operated public beaches at the Lakes still on the horizon for next year's Fourth of July, citizens from both sides of the argument gathered to share their views at a July 13 meeting held at the Gull Point Lodge...

Indians go down fighting in district final (07/21/10)
Spirit Lake charged all the way back from a 5-1 deficit only to have its hearts ripped out by a pair of late home runs in the 10th inning of an 8-5 setback to Sheldon Monday, July 19 in a Class 2A District 2 Final. It was the second consecutive year that the Indians have been within arms reach of winning a district championship only to come up short in the end. Spirit Lake lost a 2-1 thriller to Cherokee last season in the district finals...

Mavs down upstart Knights in extra (07/21/10)
Clay Central-Everly walked off with a victory in dramatic fashion, but boy did Graettinger-Terril/Ruthven-Ayrshire give them the scare of a lifetime, surging ahead 7-3 before the Mavericks charged back ahead 9-8 behind the bat of Evan McCarty and speed of Austin Klett in the semifinal round of the Class 1A district baseball tournament Thursday, July 15 in Everly...

U of Okoboji races heat up the asphalt (07/21/10)
Over 1,200 competitors from 33 states and two countries enjoyed the 33rd annual University of Okoboji homecoming festivities this past weekend in the Iowa Great Lakes region. The highlight of the blistering hot weekend was the marathon, triathlon, half marathon, 10K run and 5K run/walk. The five races all culminated at the State Pier in Arnolds Park...

Wolves falter after stellar start in district opener (07/21/10)
Harris-Lake Park shined in the first four innings but completely went in the opposite direction in the second half of a 13-6 loss to Central Lyon in the first round of the Class 1A district baseball tournament Tuesday, July 13 in Rock Rapids. The Wolves rolled to a 6-3 advantage before the wheels fell off in the fifth and sixth innings. Control problems from the pitching staff and errors from the defense allowed the Lions to score 10 unanswered runs...

'Setting the stage': Community participation, mix of old and new in store at this year's Dickinson County Fair (07/21/10)
With a cluck, a moo and plenty of good food, the Dickinson County Fair will kick off this Sunday at the Dickinson County Fairgrounds on the north side of Spirit Lake.

Sam Speier (07/21/10)
Aug. 10, 2010 -- July 15, 2010 Sam Speier, of Sioux Falls, S.D., passed July 15, 2010, at Lakes Regional Healthcare in Spirit Lake. He was 92. Private family services have been held in Sioux Falls. Mr. Speier was born August 10, 1917, in Sioux Falls, S.D. He attended college at the University of Michigan and the University of Nebraska and served four years in the armed forces. Mr. Speier seceded his father as owner of Shipley's Laundry. In 1950, he established Servall Linen Supply...

Mildred Mae Wilson (07/21/10)
Funeral services were Thursday, July 15, at First Lutheran Church in West Okoboji for Mildred Mae Wilson.

Frank Phelps Caughey (07/21/10)
Funeral services for Frank P. Caughey, 80, of Spirit Lake were held Saturday, July 17, 2010 at Turner Jenness Funeral Home in Milford. Interment was at Northlawn Cemetery in Fort Dodge.

Feld, Franken to wed (07/21/10)
Steve and Kris Feld of Wahpeton are pleased to announce the engagement of their daughter, Kayla, to Chris Franken. Chris is the son of Kenny and Lana Herman of LaPorte City, Iowa, and Chuck and Kathy Franken of Nashua, Iowa. Kayla is a 2005 graduate of Okoboji High School and a 2009 graduate of...

Four daughters host 55th Anniversary celebration (07/21/10)
The daughters of Roger and Peggy Jones cordially invite you to join them in celebrating their parents' 55th Wedding Anniversary

Go on, share your chocolate (07/21/10)
One of my biggest regrets is that I didn't share my chocolate with a pregnant woman. I don't know her. We don't even speak the same language (she was Italian). We were sitting next to each other on a train to Milan, and I just didn't notice her until I finished the bar...