Stories from Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Plowing the first snowfall off a busy roadway can seem like a circus act to local snowplow drivers. That's why they get ready with a rodeo in the fall. The Spirit Lake Public Works Department invites area snowplow operators to a timed obstacle course at the Dickinson County Fairgrounds each year. Crews from Arnolds Park and Okoboji joined Spirit Lake drivers in the 2011 competition...

Team Name: Ruthven-Ayrshire/Graettinger-Terril Boys Basketball Conference: Cornbelt Head Coach: Randy Hough Seasons Coached: 10 years at Ruthven-Ayrshire Last Year's Finish: R-A 5-17 overall, G-T 8-12 overall Q&A with Coach Hough 1. What are the main differences between this year's team and last year's team?...

Wolverines down Raiders in Cornbelt opener Ruthven-Ayrshire/Graettinger-Terril sophomore Brooke Hoffman exploded for 21 points on 9-of-12 shooting, but it still wasn't enough to get over the hump in a 63-50 setback to West Bend-Mallard Tuesday in both school's Cornbelt Conference opener...

The Iowa Sports Connection magazine selected fourth-year Spirit Lake coach Josh Bolluyt as its Class 2A coach of the year after he was able to direct the Indians to a state runner-up finish on the gridiron this fall. The Indians rewrote the school record books on the way to a 13-1 record and the first outright district championship in school history...

Class 3A No. 13 Spirit Lake battled with not only a couple of the best programs but two of the top coaches in Iowa this past weekend at the Thanksgiving Classic in Waukon. The Indians came away with a third place finish after recovering from a 66-60 setback suffered against Waukon with a 57-47 victory over Cedar Falls...

12-year coaching veteran Lane Gunderson was named the 8-man District 2 coach of the year after leading Harris-Lake Park back to the football playoffs for the first time since 2007. The Wolves capped off the year 7-3 overall and third in District 2 with a 4-2 mark. It was the program's best finish since claiming a district championship during their last run to the playoffs in '07...

How do you think our country is doing these days? It seems that after watching the news or listening to the radio, I find myself amongst other fellow citizens who are very unhappy with what is happening. We commiserate with one another but what do we do? I have made a decision that it is time to take a stand while there is still time...

President Obama's latest media campaign is built around the tag line "We can't wait for Congress." Under this banner, he has announced executive actions for everything from mortgage and student loan relief, job placement for veterans, grants for healthcare workers and stricter funding requirements for Head Start programs...

Yes, the Bowl Championship Series got last year's championship game right, when undefeated Auburn squared off with undefeated Oregon. But, don't take that stroke of luck as evidence the system works. We have been hearing for years that the system is failing, and this year is another example...

A new bidder has emerged as the Dickinson County Board of Supervisors tries to secure the future of a historic swing bridge near Milford. The Dickinson County Historical Society would like to acquire the old pony-trust bridge that used to sit at the U.S. Highway 71 crossing with East and West Lake Okoboji. The 78-by-18 foot structure was a functional swing bridge for cars and boats roughly from 1909 to 1929...

With the holiday season now in full swing, local officers and state troopers aren't striving to ruin the festivities by giving out high-priced tickets. But, drivers likely will notice more patrol cars out on the roads -- and they'll turn their lights on for anyone driving recklessly or speeding...

The family of Hazel Read is requesting a card shower in honor of her 80th birthday on Dec. 14. Please send your greeting and good wishes to her at 1900 Country Club Drive #6, Okoboji, IA, 51355. Her family includes two daughters, Linda and Connie; five grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren...

Evelyn (Evie) Lucille Moore was born Nov. 3, 2011, to Jason and Millie Moore of Omaha, Neb. Proud grandparents are Rev. Dr. Bill Moore and Linda (Weik) Moore of Spirit Lake. Great-grandmother, and namesake, is Evelyn Weik of Spirit Lake. Evie joins her sister Zoe, 13 months...

Jan. 5, 1966 -- Nov. 7, 2011 A funeral service for Sharon Franke, 45, of Lake Park, was held Friday, Nov. 25 at the Fort Des Moines Open Bible Church in Des Moines. Burial was at Elkhart Cemetery in Elkhart. Sharon Franke was born Jan. 5, 1966 in Creston. She was the daughter of Wayne and Dorothy (Edwards) Franke...

Feb. 16, 1928 -- Nov. 26, 2011 Robert F. Kirschbaum, age 83, Spirit Lake, passed away Saturday Nov. 26, 2011, at Community Memorial Health Center in Hartley. He was born Feb. 16, 1928, in Omaha, Neb., to John and Francis (Rosman) Kirschbaum. Robert graduated from Elgin Watch Makers College in 1955 and worked at Peiffers Jewelry in Cedar Rapids. ...

April 10, 1932 -- Nov. 22, 2011 Marjorie "Marjie" Ricker, age 79 of Westbrook, Minn., formerly of Spirit Lake, passed away Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2011, at Our House of Murray County in Slayton, Minn. Memorial services were held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 29 at the Westbrook Funeral Home. Visitation was Monday at the funeral home. Interment is at Bethany Lutheran Cemetery in Storden, Minn...

Dec. 3, 1921 -- Nov. 16, 2011 Helen Elizabeth Waters, 89, died Nov. 16, 2011 at her home in Emporia, Kan. Helen Elizabeth Rude was born Dec. 3, 1921 in Marshalltown, the daughter of John Randolf and Rena (Meek) Rude, Sr. Helen married Harry J. Waters in Marshalltown on Jan. 25, 1945. He died Feb. 12, 2008, in Emporia...