Stories from Wednesday, July 25, 2012

The fire started on the southwest corner on the second floor of the Rodeway Inn. But it didn't stay there. Soon and Andre Frigo lost everything in the early morning hours of Friday, Sept. 30. Milford's only hotel at the time was gone. Yellow caution tape stayed up around the property as construction equipment tore the building down piece-by-piece over the winter...

Nearly 1,000 competitors came from far and wide to flash some impressive times in nearly ideal conditions in the four major races -- the marathon, half-marathon, triathlon and 10K race -- during the 35th annual University of Okoboji homecoming festivities held this past Saturday in the Iowa Great Lakes...

I'll start by saying that I'm not a professional runner by any sense of the imagination. I just enjoy running and both the mental and physical challenges the sport brings to the table. I've been wanting to run a marathon for the past two years and finally was able to check that off my bucket list this past weekend at the University of Okoboji homecoming races. ...

Sioux Falls native Dick Hahn, who spent 15 years as a tennis pro at the Lodge in the Iowa Great Lakes region from 1985-2000, was inducted into the South Dakota Tennis Hall of Fame along with Nancy Driggs Hougland this past Sunday during the SD Open tournament at McKennan Park...

For over 25 years, the Back to School project in Dickinson County has clothed needy children in time for school to begin in the fall. According to Laurie Ruf, Outreach Director for Upper Des Moines Opportunity Inc. (UDMO), there are approximately 150 children to clothe for school this year. Back to School was originally started with a grant from the University of Okoboji Foundation...

All the healthy diets, lifestyle changes and hard work may soon pay off for residents of Spirit Lake. Representatives with the Blue Zones Project will visit the city on Thursday, Aug. 2, to determine whether they will become certified as a Blue Zones community...

The first ever STEM (science, technology, education and math) Regional Hub Coordinator for Iowa Lakes Community College will be a familiar face in education circles. Kari Webb has stepped down as a Spirit Lake High School teacher and Academic Dean and fill the role at the college to help connect education with private and public sectors. ...

The purpose of this letter is to express concern residents along Highway 86 north of Highway 9 have concerning the proposed reconstruction of the highway. Everyone agrees 100 percent that Highway 86 needs to be improved, but how to accomplish that is the controversy...

I have been talking about the need for government to change the way it does business for quite some time. At the Dickinson County budget meetings, I have put together cost savings ideas, talked about the LEAN process and expressed the need for Dickinson County to reduce expenses and streamline processes...

John Adams Sr. and Denny Perry sit on different sides of the aisle on most issues, but after reading Mardi Allen's letter to the editor, we find we agree that the residents of Dickinson County deserve to keep the excellent service from the recorder's office in the Dickinson County Courthouse...

Now, it may go against the stereotype that news organizations only like to report bad news, but personally, I hope we can get away from the headlines we've seen in the past week. The list includes tragic but important stories like the movie theater shooting in Colorado, the disappearance of the two young eastern Iowa girls and the disgusting catastrophe of the Penn State athletic program...

Over 63 years ago, the forward-thinking board of First Lutheran Church in Milford found a solution for a problem faced by countless vacationing visitors to the Iowa Great Lakes Region. Vacationers didn't bring "Sunday clothes" with them when they visited, so few were attending church. ...

Feb. 10, 1945 -- July 20, 2012 Sevilla Tvedte, age 67, of Okoboji, passed away Friday, July 20, 2012, at her home in Okoboji. She was born on Feb. 10, 1945, in Spirit Lake to Charles Dewey and Geneva (Wood) Belken. Sevilla attended grade and high school at the Spirit Lake Schools, working, marrying and raising her family in the lakes area. ...

Feb. 8, 1924 -- July 21, 2012 Laurel "Johnny" Johnson, age 88, of Arnolds Park, passed away Saturday, July 21, at the Avera Heart Hospital in Sioux Falls, S.D. He was born on Feb. 8, 1924, in Gowrie, Iowa, to Reuben and Vernie (Carlson) Johnson. Laurel graduated from Gowrie High School in 1942. He served his country in the United States Navy. Laurel was united in marriage to Kathlyn Moore on July 4, 1944, in Kanawha, Iowa. She passed away on Feb. 3, 2012...

Dec. 30, 1954 -- July 18, 2012 James R. Geinitz, age 57, of Spirit Lake, passed away Wednesday, July 18, 2012, at his home in Spirit Lake. He was born on Dec. 30, 1954, in Spirit Lake, to Robert and Bonnie (Shepard) Geinitz. James graduated from Spirit Lake High School in 1973, and furthered his education attending Iowa Lakes Community College and Buena Vista University. He worked for Burger King and Taco John's in Spirit Lake. James enjoyed spending his spare time fishing...

July 25, 1926 -- July 18, 2012 A funeral service for Grant Franker, 85, of Spirit Lake was held Saturday, July 21, 2012, at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Spirit Lake. Burial was at Lakeview Gardens Cemetery. Grant Franker was born July 25, 1926, in Milford, the son of Oscar J. ...