Stories from Wednesday, July 27, 2011

I'm not going to even try to dodge the truth, I love eating food. But really, who doesn't? I'm far from one of those people that watches my diet and monitors my intake of calories each day. I'm not a picky eater by any means, and in fact, enjoy my fair share of nightly escapades out into the food community. My favorites in particular include, pizza, chicken, burgers, steak, pasta, basically any mexican food, and various seafood...

The Dickinson County Fair continued without a hitch this week after a rabid skunk wandered into an open cattle barn and confronted an isolated cow Sunday afternoon. It incident prompted a great deal of concern, but Dickinson County Extension Coordinator Karen Byers said disruption to the fair was very isolated. The county's annual livestock and agriculture celebration will continue Wednesday with a pancake breakfast and livestock auction...

"It wasn't quite like this in 1967," says Jim Clark, a self-employed owner of a trucking company who did a pair of tours in Vietnam. The Spirit Lake resident took time away from his business to spend about 45 minutes along Iowa Highway 9 on a steamy Monday morning...

The Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union inducted four softball greats into the Softball Hall of Fame this past Friday in between the Class 3A and 4A state championship games in Fort Dodge. Spirit Lake's Katie Brown was inducted along with Dubuque Wahlert's Ashley Rogers, Laurie Bowden of Southeast Polk and Solon's Quinn Morelock into the prestigious group...

After breaking multiple school and individual records, the Spirit Lake baseball team finished with four selections on the 2011 Iowa High School Baseball Coaches Association All-District Team that were released on Saturday, July 23. The Indians finished with a pair of first team and second team honorees, headlined by senior pitcher Mitch Peschon and sophomore third baseman Brandon Stoll. Senior outfielder Tyler Dean and sophomore second baseman Paul Brown were both named to the second team...

Two Spirit Lake and one Okoboji softball players were rewarded for outstanding 2011 campaigns Monday, July 25 with All-District accolades by the Iowa Girls Coaches Association. Spirit Lake senior center fielder Alli Gerking and sophomore shortstop Paige Krause were each named to the Class 3-A Northwest Iowa All-District Team, while Okoboji senior center fielder Maggie Rohlk was selected to the Class 2-A honor squad...

Construction of the new Spirit Lake "CommUNITY" Sports Complex is underway! Thank you to everyone who has volunteered their time and talents and supported the project financially. The funds for the project have been raised; however, a few smaller items of great significance remain. Those items include lettering and logos on the field, restrooms and concessions and additional sidewalks and fencing...

Shane Bouman, the head softball coach at Iowa Lakes Community College, has accepted the same position Indiana State University, who competes in the NCAA Division I ranks in the Missouri Valley Conference. Athletic director Troy Larson says a search for a new coach will begin immediately. Staff members have informed the current student-athletes of the upcoming coaching change and those players will be included in the interview process for Bouman's replacement...

Legislative policy should look to the future, not maintain the status quo. By its very nature, the legislature should take lessons from the past and make plans for a more secure future. The Iowa Senate missed a prime opportunity this legislative session by not taking action to approve a proposal that would have aided in the planning for a secure energy future by allowing increased nuclear power generation as a fundamental building block of Iowa's baseload energy plan...

Getting the U.S. economy back on track can be achieved by unleashing America's "vibrant entrepreneurialism," according to the President. Taking him at his word, I agree the United States' free enterprise system has been "the greatest force for prosperity the world has ever known."...

Residents and business owners of Dickinson County gathered in the community room of the Courthouse on Friday, to voice their concerns with the 600-foot no wake rule currently in effect. Many claimed the no wake rule should be for the entire lake due to diminishing shorelines. Others voiced their fears of an economic downfall if the wake rule was to be expanded...

Ruth Schwarck is a driving force behind a big birthday party. But even though she turns 89 on the last day of the month, the festivities aren't for her. Schwarck celebrates the nation's birthday the best way she knows how. Every pop and flash of fireworks in the sky over the Fourth of July weekend probably started with a phone call from the Milford resident. She's a key volunteer fundraiser for the fireworks display over West Lake Okoboji each year...

I took a class last week at the Pearson Lakes Art Center on making altered books. It was a lot of fun taking old books that no one had read or used in a long time and making them into something new and meaningful through art. We cut and painted, sawed and sewed, glued and folded. As we worked we also joked and learned about each other -- strangers becoming friends as we dreamed and created...

Folks from all over the nation, even missionaries from Cambodia, will be making a visit to Arnolds Park next week for the 77th annual Okoboji Lakes Bible and Missionary Conference. The conference begins at 7:15 p.m. Saturday, July 30 with a Ernie Hasse and Signature Sound concert at the Arrowwood Resort and Convention Center...

Amanda Will and Dylan Titterington were united in marriage on June 4th, 2011 at First Lutheran Church in West Okoboji. A ceremony was followed by a reception at Arrowwood Resort and Conference Center in Okoboji. Amanda is the daughter of Trent and Beth Will of Spirit Lake. ...

Doug and Mary Herke of Emmetsburg are pleased to announce the engagement of their daughter, Laura Andrea, to Patrick Thomas Fairchild, son of Tim and Julie Fairchild of Terril. Laura is the granddaughter of Lloyd and Joleen Petersen of Graettinger and Edmund and the late Fern Herke of Emmetsburg. Patrick is the grandson of Ralph and Sally (Fairchild) Nordstrom and the late Dan Fairchild of Terril, and Tom and Peggy Muhlbauer of Arnolds Park...

Jodi Lynn Peschon and Adam Gerard Collins, along with their parents, are proud to announce their engagement and upcoming marriage. Jodi is the daughter of Mike and Linda Peschon of Spirit Lake. Adam is the son of Jeff and Ellen Collins of West Branch...

June 14, 1925 - July 13, 2011 Funeral services for Marcella Reese, 86, of Mesa, Ariz., formerly of Spirit Lake, were held Thursday, July 21, 2011 at Union Memorial Church in Estherville. Burial was at East Side Cemetery in Estherville. Marcella Ilean Reese was born June 14, 1925 in Pocahontas, Iowa, the daughter of Harry and Mary Ernst. She attended country school in Pocahontas...

Dec. 8, 1938 -- July 16, 2011 John Joseph Duffy passed away on July 16, 2011, after a long battle with liver cancer. John was born in Sioux City on Dec. 8, 1938. He was the youngest son of James and Marguerite Duffy. John grew up on a farm near Ida Grove. In high school he excelled in basketball and participated in several other sports. John graduated from the College of Engineering at the University of Iowa and became a Hawkeye fan for life...

May 12, 1934 - July 16, 2011 A memorial visitation was held for Jerry Black, age 77, of Spirit Lake, on Tuesday, July 19, 2011 at Turner Jenness Funeral Home in Spirit Lake. Jerry Ann Black was born May 12, 1934 to Winfield and Velma (McCracken) Davis in Enid, Okla. She was a system analyst for Ag Products. She enjoyed participating in many community activities including Senior Dining, AA, Bridge, and Garden Club...

Feb. 14, 1920 -- July 19, 2011 Services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, July 27, 2011, at Bethany Lutheran Church in Laurens for Helen Dorothea Mefferd of Spencer and formerly of Spirit Lake. The Rev. Bonnie Mefferd is officiating. Interment is at Laurens Cemetery in Laurens...

Oct. 6, 1960 -- July 24, 2011 A memorial service is planned at a later date in August for Deborah Elaine Hamachek-Tietz of Omaha, Neb. Deborah passed away on July 24, 2011. She was born on Oct. 6, 1960, and graduated from Spirit Lake High School in 1979...

Dec. 13, 1926 - July 18, 2011 Funeral services for Glen Cecil Wallace, 84, of Ocheyedan, was Thursday, July 21, 2011 at First Presbyterian Church in Lake Park with Rev. Duane Queen officiating. Interment was at Silver Lake Cemetery in Lake Park. Turner Jenness Funeral Home of Lake Park in charge of arrangements. Online condolences may be sent at www.turnerfuneralhomes.com...

March 11, 1927 - July 11, 2011 Funeral services for Fern M. Siebersma, 84 of Milford who died Monday, July 11, 2011 at the Hilltop Care Center in Spirit Lake were held 1:30 p.m. Thursday at the Turner Jenness Funeral Home in Milford. Burial will be at the Harrison Township Cemetery in May City...

Sept. 15, 1917 -- July 22, 2011 Clara A. Nelson, 93, of Fort Dodge, formerly of Arnolds Park died on Friday, July 22, 2011 at Tompkins Memorial Health Center. A memorial service will be held 11 a.m. on Friday July 29, 2011 at the Calvary United Methodist Church in Arnolds Park. A private family interment will be held at the Okoboji Cemetery located in Arnolds Park. Arrangements have been entrusted with Gunderson Funeral Home & Cremation Services...