Stories from Wednesday, December 28, 2011

What seemed to be a harmless brush fire on a quiet, Christmas afternoon quickly spiraled out of control for a landowner just north of Vick's Corner. Land owners have advantage of mild weather and the removal of a burn ban to dispose of leftover trash and brush from the fall...

Republicans will take a first step in deciding a hotly-contested nomination process when the Iowa Caucuses convene Tuesday night. Meanwhile, Democrats will continue an under-the-radar, grass-roots process to shape platforms and promote candidates farther down on next November's general election ballot...

Milford Fire Chief Jim Carpenter says a fireplace was the likely source of a Christmas Eve fire that caused extensive damage to a home in the Lower Gar Estates area of Milford. The Milford Community Fire Department was called to the Mick and Connie Christofferson home at 60 Hill Drive in Milford around 9:30 p.m. Saturday...

As 2011 draws to a close, we, the board of Northwest Iowa Corridor Habitat for Humanity, would like to take this opportunity to thank the people of our little corner of the world for their unselfish donations of time, talents and resources in our recent build and those of past years. ...

For Dickinson County and the Iowa Great Lakes region, this past year was an extremely memorable one filled with countless moments that many of us will never forget, it included some amazing individual feats and even more outstanding team accomplishments. While 2011 was another great year, I'm sure 2012 will bring many more firsts and record breaking moments in the wild world of sports that we live in...

By now, you're probably aware of the Atlantic article heard round the state. In this article, written by University of Iowa Professor Stephen Bloom, the constituents of Iowa are in a word: "mocked." Over the past few days, I've read rebuttal after rebuttal, from the University of Iowa President, former students and co-workers of the professor, and even in the Atlantic itself. ...

2011 was filled with a vast array of highlight plays and incredibly exciting performances in Dickinson County. The year started with impressive state title runs in wrestling by Doug Miner and Nate Howard and finished with a run to the finals by the Spirit Lake football team. ...

1A Record Pts. 1. Nashus-Plainfield 11-4 902 2. Don Bosco 15-5 818 3. Alburnett 13-1 791 4. Underwood 9-0 786...

Tis the season for new calendars and countdowns. While many will pop the champaign cork upon the arrival of 2012, allow me to look back at 2011 by opening a six pack of moments destined to make the past year stand out in good ways and bad: 6. The Royal Wedding...

Janine Gustafson realized she was a certified yoga instructor without a true place to work back in 2004. The Iowa Great Lakes lacked a facility exclusively for yoga, so the eventual owner of Yoga Okoboji decided to do something about it. Since then, Yoga Okoboji has grown from a few mirrors to a full-blown studio...

June 30, 1924 -- Dec. 14, 2011 A funeral service for Vivian Helfenstine, 87, of Spirit Lake was held Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2011, at Turner Jenness Funeral Home in Spirit Lake. Burial was at Lakeview Gardens. Vivian June Helfenstine was born June 30, 1924, in Libertyville, the daughter of Van T. and Bertha Marie (Scovel) Lawson...

June 29, 1941 -- Dec. 19, 2011 Private services were held for Donald Lee Meyer, 70, of Arnolds Park and formerly of Altoona at First Lutheran Church in West Okoboji with Rev. Robert Vaage officiating. Turner Jenness Funeral Home of Milford were in charge of arrangements. Online condolences may be sent at www.turnerfuneralhomes.com...

July 8, 1939 -- Dec. 20, 2011 Audrey J. Jacobsen, 72, of Lakefield passed away in Mesa, Ariz. on Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2011. A funeral service for Audrey will be on Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2011 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Sioux Valley, Minn. with the Rev. Gerald Gauthier II officiating. Burial will be at Silver Lake Cemetery in Lake Park...

A season-long trend reared its ugly head once again, as Okoboji stuck close with Emmetsburg for three quarters before giving up 27 points over the final eight minutes of a 68-51 loss Thursday, Dec. 22 in boys basketball action. The E'Hawks broke open an eight-point game in the final quarter by scoring on 10 of their final 11 possessions. ...

Okoboji entered the halfway point of the season in desperate need of a victory, but couldn't manage to come away with one in a 46-33 loss to Emmetsburg Thursday, Dec. 22 in a girls basketball showdown. The Pioneers stuck close for eight minutes, but the E'Hawks used a 21-8 scoring advantage in the second quarter to break open a two-point affair. Freshman Ashton Connelly scored nine of her team-high 13 points in the stanza...