Stories from Wednesday, February 13, 2013

The Dickinson County News received 21 awards and was named the top mid-sized weekly newspaper in the state Friday at the Iowa Newspaper Association 2013 Convention and Trade Show. The event was held Feb. 7-8 at the Des Moines Marriott Hotel. The Dickinson County News received a first-place award for General Excellence in the mid-sized weekly newspaper category. The designation takes writing, photography, advertising, page design, website elements and community involvement into account...

Eric & Brooke Thompson of Spirit Lake, and big sister Braelyn, recently welcomed home Alexis Joy. Alexis was born on Feb. 1, 2013. She was 21 inches and weighed 8 lbs. 3 oz. She was delivered at the Spencer Hospital. Proud grandparents are Scott and Teresa Loving of Albert City and Bruce and Lori Thompson of Jewell. Great-grandparents are Lee and Alyce Shatto of Spencer, Margaret Thompson of Story City and Bud & Ardys Hendrickson of Radcliffe...

The delivery vans are filled with gas, vases are stocked, plants are covered and phones are starting to ring off the hook. Local flower shop owners don't need a calendar to know Valentine's Day is on the horizon. "We usually get the phone really ringing from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and the doors revolving (on Valentine's Day)," said Nona Joen with Blossoms and Blooms in Lake Park. "We also put out an extra delivery van on that day."...

Spirit Lake Park showcased its dominance at three weight classes with Doug Miner (120), Zach Skopec (138) and Kenten Murray (145) all wrestling to titles at the Class 2A district tournament Saturday, Feb. 9 at the Spencer Fieldhouse. The Indians also had a few heart-broken wrestlers after Gage Roberts (106) and Cody Norton (HWT) finishes as runners-up and Brady Mart (195) capped off his career with a fourth place showing...

With 10 total wrestlers competing for state bids, it turned into a somewhat discouraging day for Okoboji and Graettinger-Terril/Ruthven-Ayrshire with Titan heavyweight Cody Thompson securing the lone state berth at the Class 1A district tournament Saturday, Feb. 9 at Okoboji High School...

Faced with a one-point deficit with the clocking ticking down, Skylar Hansen made a veteran play and was able to score on a baby hook shot that propelled Okoboji to a 42-41 victory over Sioux Central in the quarterfinals of the Class 2A regional girls basketball tournament Tuesday night in Milford...

Things looked dire with Okoboji trailing by seven with two and a half minutes remaining, but the Pioneers showcased the same no-quit attitude they've had all season with the game on the line. Senior center Dalton Syverson put the Pioneers on his back with 11 of his 26 points in the fourth quarter and Alex Heller made a couple of huge defensive plays to help his team surge back for a heart-stopping 58-55 road win over Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn in the quarterfinals of the Class 2A district boys basketball tournament on Monday, Feb. ...

Harris-Lake Park had a tough time breaking Central Lyon's full-court press, eventually wearing down in a season-ending 75-37 setback to the top-ranked Lions in the quarterfinal round of the Class 1A regional girls basketball tournament Tuesday night in Rock Rapids...

Spirit Lake did enough to survive a game effort from North Union, riding its defense and a stellar performance on the glass to a 47-30 victory in the quarterfinals of the Class 2A district boys basketball tournament Monday, Feb. 11 at Spirit Lake High School...

The rousing defensive play of Alissa Christoffer and K.J. Veldman keyed an 18-2 scoring surge that propelled ninth-ranked Spirit Lake to a 78-51 victory over Sheldon in the quarterfinals of the Class 3A regional girls basketball tournament Saturday, Feb. 9 at Spirit Lake High School...

A non-conference showdown between fifth-ranked (Class 1A) Harris-Lake Park and Spencer had all the makings of a down-to-the-wire affair and it certainly lived up to its billing with Matthew Klemme knocking in the game-winner with four seconds remaining to send the Tigers home with a 51-49 victory Thursday, Feb. 7 at the Spencer Fieldhouse...

Harris-Lake Park strung together one of its best quarters of the season, allowing themselves to build a large enough lead to hold on for a 57-42 victory over Trinity Christian in the opening round of the Class 1A regional girls basketball tournament Thursday, Feb. 7 in Lake Park...

Graettinger-Terril/Ruthven-Ayrshire gave Clay Central-Everly the best test they have all season long, but it wasn't enough to pull the upset as they suffered a season-ending 50-43 loss Thursday, Feb. 7 in the first round of the Class 1A regional girls basketball tournament in Everly...

Former Green Bay Packers head coach Vince Lombardi said it best in that, "The dictionary is the only place that success comes before work. Hard work is the price we must pay for success. I think you can accomplish anything if you're willing to pay the price."...

Residents at 184 Beach Street in Orleans escaped the extensive heat and smoke of a house fire Sunday, Feb. 10, according to Spirit Lake Fire Chief Dave Kollasch. Spirit Lake Fire crews were dispatched to the scene shortly after 2 p.m. for reports of heavy smoke and flames inside the house...

There's one drawback to a career in the "city that never sleeps." When Monday morning rolls around, thousands of drowsy and crabby New Yorkers have to punch their timecards or report to their office cubicles. Alyson Schacherer hated those workweek commutes. The edgy atmosphere on those subway rides didn't sit well with a 1997 Okoboji graduate who grew up a stone's throw away from the glacier-carved lakes of northwest Iowa...

July 13, 1908 -- Jan. 30, 2013 Sadie Adams, 104, of Spirit Lake, Iowa, passed away Wednesday, Jan. 30, 2013, at Hilltop Care Center in Spirit Lake. Sadie Adams was born July 13, 1908, the daughter of George and Betty (Kuper) Mori, in Waterford Township, Everly. She attended a rural school near her home...

June 3, 1927 -- Feb. 3, 2013 A funeral service for Russel Stahly, age 85, of Lake Park, was held at 10:30 a.m. Friday, Feb. 8, 2013, at Concordia Lutheran Church in Lake Park. Burial was at Union Township Cemetery in Harris. Russel James Stahly was born June 3, 1927, near Ocheyedan, to Rude and Etta (Winter) Stahly. ...

Oct. 20, 1923 -- Feb. 6, 2013 Funeral services for Robert A. Anderson, 89, of Spirit Lake, Iowa, were at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 12 at Union Memorial Church in Milford. Interment was at Northlawn Cemetery in Spencer. Robert A. Anderson was born Oct. 20, 1923 in Des Moines to Olive (Pitcher) and Arthur O. Anderson...

Sept. 22, 1932 -- Feb. 9, 2013 Arnold F. Schroeter, age 80, of Spirit Lake, passed away Saturday, Feb. 9, 2013, at Hilltop Care Center in Spirit Lake. He was born Sept. 22, 1932, in Lindsey, Neb., to Gustav and Martha (Leder) Schroeter. Fred attended the University of Nebraska before owning and operating Diesel Specialties. ...

March 17, 1916 -- Feb. 2, 2013 Ann M. Thiel, age 96, of West Saint Paul, Minn. passed away on Saturday Feb. 2, 2013, at the Southview Nursing Home in West Saint Paul. She was born on March 17, 1916, in Fostoria to Mike and Marie Clemmensen Michelson. Ann attended a country school in Clay County through eighth grade. She was united in marriage to Bryce Thiel on April 10, 1938, in Spencer...