Stories from Wednesday, June 5, 2013

Sue Larsen became a permanent resident of Okoboji 20 years ago and she didn't waste time trying to make a difference. Within five years, she was serving on the Okoboji Planning and Zoning Commission. She spent more than 13 years on the Okoboji City Council...

Dick Cain may have been a little underwhelmed when a 13 1/2-inch walleye found his jig and minnow as midnight approached to end Tuesday, May 28. "I was skeptical about keeping it," Cain admitted. "I just about threw it back." Instead, Cain reached his limit from a dock on the northwest corner of Big Spirit Lake. He woke up the next morning to clean his catch...

Rachael Westergard and Natalie Delaney capped off an impressive run with a sixth place showing in the doubles bracket at the 2013 state tennis tournament held this past week at the Ankeny Tennis Complex. "It was a great tournament for Rachael and Natalie," said Spirit Lake-Okoboji coach Bob O'Hara. ...

Okoboji sophomore Alex Mankle finished six shots shy of winning a state title with a two-day fifth place total of 166 (80-86) at the Class 2A state girls golf tournament Wednesday, May 29 at American Legion Golf Course in Marshalltown. "Alex could not get a handle on the greens down there for some reason," said Okoboji coach Bill Alexander. ...

Spirit Lake got several timely hits to break open a tight game and surge past rival Spencer for a 7-4 victory Monday, June 3 in Lakes Conference softball play. The Indians plated three runs in the bottom of the fifth to break open a 2-2 tie. They added two more in the sixth before Spencer pushed across two runs in the seventh. Paige Krause, Hayley Roberts, Bailee Newman and Mackenzie Thate all strung together RBI hits during that span...

Senior right-hander Brandon Stoll was magnificent on the hill in a key early-season Lakes Conference showdown with Spencer, allowing the Indians to roll to a 5-0 shutout win Monday, June 3 at Indian Field. Stoll tossed a complete game no-hitter with 10 strikeouts and only three walks for his third victory of the season to help his team improve to 6-0 this season. The hard throwing Augustana College signee has posted an impressive 0.37 ERA with 27 strikeouts in 19 innings pitched this season...

Harris-Lake Park wasn't going to be denied a doubleheader sweep of Cornbelt Conference rival Clay Central-Everly after playing well in all three facets of the game Monday, June 3 in Royal. The Wolves used a pair of offensive eruptions to turn the tide in a 14-0 victory in game one, scoring six times in the fourth and tacking on seven runs in the seventh...

Okoboji mustered a late rally before eventually falling short in a 14-6 loss to Sheldon Wednesday, May 29 in Siouxland Conference softball play. The Pioneers rallied back to within eight runs after falling behind 9-0 four innings into the contest. Okoboji outscored Sheldon 6-5 in the final two innings after a scoreless fifth...

The Pearson Lakes Art Center (PLAC) has announced the celebrities that will be playing in its 2013 Bud Pearson Celebrity Golf Classic on Friday, July 12 at Brooks National Golf Course in Okoboji, Iowa. The list includes two former NFL veterans, a 10-year NHL standout, a 1970 World Series champion and a couple of local celebrities...

Even though Harris-Lake Park smacked 11 hits in two out of three games, it wasn't enough to get them in the win column this past Saturday at the Newell-Fonda Invitational. The Wolves fell to Maple Valley-Anthon-Oto 13-5, dropped a 10-1 contest to third-ranked (Class 1A) Newell-Fonda and then lost 6-5 to Charter Oak-Ute...

Okoboji couldn't overcome an early 6-0 deficit on the way to suffering a 9-4 setback at the hands of West Lyon Thursday, May 30 in Siouxland Conference softball action. The Wildcats gained the early momentum with six runs in the first two innings. After the Pioneers rallied back to within 6-1 with a solo tally in the top of the fourth, West Lyon put up three more runs in the bottom half of the frame...

Okoboji had a flare for the dramatics, emphatically rallying past Central Lyon for a 10-5 victory Friday, May 31 in Siouxland Conference baseball action. This was a huge win for us because it was our first conference win and it was on the road," said Okoboji coach Rory Marra. ...

Harris-Lake Park used a three-run opening inning and a solid outing from starter Colin Brons to hold off Sioux Central for a 5-1 win Thursday, May 30 in non-conference baseball play. Brons turned in his best outing of the young season, striking out a career-high 15 batters in a complete game three-hit effort. ...

Spirit Lake improved to 5-0 on the season with a 4-2 victory over Cherokee Friday, May 31 in Lakes Conference baseball play. The Braves were held scoreless after a two-run first frame. Senior right-hander Paul Brown mowed down Cherokee over the final six innings on the way to his second pitching win of the season. Brown tossed a complete game three-hitter, walking two and fanning nine...

Spirit Lake jumped out to a 2-0 start to the Lakes Conference season with a 6-2 victory over Cherokee Thursday, May 30 on the Brave's home field. The Braves took the early 2-0 lead with solo runs in the second and third frames, but the Indians knotted the game with two runs of their own in the third...

Okoboji fell to 2-6 on the season after coming up winless this past weekend at the Ballard Softball Festival in Huxley. Defending Class 3A state champion Ballard was the only team to go 3-0 in the round-robin event, with the Bombers defeating Ames 5-4 and winning a 5-0 battle with Ankeny to cap off the tournament Saturday...

Spirit Lake had an up and down ride at the two-day Sheldon Tournament, finishing with a 1-3 record after falling to two ranked opponents this past Friday and Saturday. The Indians (5-5 overall) split a pair of games in Sheldon on Friday, slipping up 14-1 in five frames against Sioux Center and defeating the host Orabs 8-7. On Saturday in George, Spirit Lake fell 3-2 to Class 3A No. 13 Boyden-Hull/Rock Valley and came up short by a 12-5 margin versus 2A No. 15 George-Little Rock/Central Lyon...

Graettinger-Terril/Ruthven-Ayrshire split a pair of games at the Estherville Lincoln Central Tournament over the weekend, defeating Spencer 5-4 and falling to third-ranked (Class 2A) North Union 15-0 in three innings. During the victory over Spencer, the Titans rallying back ahead 5-4 with two runs in the seventh inning. GT/RA scored twice in the third to knot the game at 3-3, but fell behind again after giving up a run in the sixth...

Okoboji wasn't able to overcome a slow start, faltering to Sheldon 14-4 in five innings after falling into an early 8-0 hole Wednesday, May 29 in Siouxland baseball action. The Orabs jetted ahead by eight runs through two 1/2 innings after putting up five runs in the third inning...

Okoboji managed just two hits in a 13-3 six-inning loss to Boyden-Hull/Rock Valley Monday, June 3 in Siouxland Conference baseball action. Noah Bouse singled and scored a run and Weston Burgeson delivered a two-run double in the third inning. Holt Hunziker suffered the loss on hill for the Pioneers after walking seven batters...

Freshman Bailee Newman tossed a gem of a game to propel Spirit Lake to its second win over a ranked opponent in as many nights. The Indians built a 3-0 lead over 14th-ranked (Class 2A) Emmetsburg before having to hold on for nail-bitting 3-2 victory after a late error Wednesday, May 29 in Lakes Conference play...

Harris-Lake Park turned in an impressive offensive showing in an 11-6 victory over Graettinger-Terril/Ruthven-Ayrshire to open up Cornbelt Conference play Thursday, May 30 in Lake Park. The Wolves collected 15 hits and drew eight walks during a contest that was highlighted by a three-run third inning...

Harris-Lake Park put up a valiant effort even though they didn't have anything to show for it after getting swept in a baseball doubleheader Saturday, June 1 at Algona. The Wolves had multiple chances to pull out both games, but couldn't come up with a timely hit with runners on bases. The Bulldogs pulled out a 7-3 victory in game one and ended up winning game two of the twinbill 5-3...

A six-run fifth inning sparked Spirit Lake to a weather-shortened 9-5 home victory over Emmetsburg Wednesday, May 29 in Lakes Conference baseball action. The game was called after six innings due to lightning. The Indians made the most of what turned out to be their second-to-last opportunity at the plate, scoring six runs off six hits, all with two outs...

Several defensive miscues foiled Graettinger-Terril/Ruthven-Ayrshire and a decent mount effort from Alyssa Hoffman in a 13-0 four-inning setback to Trinity Christian Wednesday, May 29 in non-conference softball play. After the Tigers pushed across two in the first inning and tacked on three more in the third, an eight-run fourth closed out the game...

A Lake Park man entered a "not guilty" plea on Monday to a second-degree theft charge for misusing a service organization's funds. Lake Park Police filed the Class D felony charge on April 30, according to court records. Brian Kessler, an administrator with the Lake Park Town & Country Boosters organization is accused of misusing the group's funds between January and April of 2013...

Officials with The Andersons grain company say the location is expanding its storage capacity in Milford. Construction equipment has been tearing away at the wooden annex used to store grain east of the main office since May 28, according to operations worker Brian Johnson...

The recently installed electric fish barrier near the Lower Gar Outlet has been activated, according to DNR fisheries Biologist Mike Hawkins. Around 10 a.m. Wednesday, May 29, officials switched on the seven pulsators that generate electric currents spanning the deck of the barrier just below the damn...

Blaze Alesch has had many memorable moments during his four-year prep career, but this one just might rank above the rest after the Graettinger-Terril/Ruthven-Ayrshire senior blasted three home runs during an 8-2 victory over Trinity Christian Wednesday, May 29 in non-conference baseball play...

Twenty-five years ago, Berkley Bedell, Sue Richter and Chuck Maxwell held a press conference to announce the formation of the University of Okoboji Foundation. The articles of incorporation were signed by that trio on Aug. 4, 1988. The organization, now known as the Okoboji Foundation, reached its diamond jubilee year at the annual meeting held Friday, May 31. ...

The 36th Annual University of Okoboji Youth Soccer Tournament will be held this Saturday and Sunday, June 8-9 at the Okoboji High School fields in Milford. The tournament will be played on the five high school fields and will be hosting 40 youth soccer teams. Teams from the Omaha area include: St. Roberts, St. James Elizabeth Ann, St. Wenceslaus, St. Bernard's, Cathedral, St. Pius/St. Leo, St. Vincent De Paul, St. Cecilia, St. Margaret Mary, Holy Cross and Our Lady of the Lourdes...

PIONEERS FURIOUS RALLY DOWNS WOLVES Okoboji never gave up in a 10-9 victory over Harris-Lake Park, furiously rallying back from a five-run deficit en route to its second victory in three outings May 28 in Milford. The Wolves gave up a 6-1 advantage after exploding for a five-run fourth inning, allowing the Pioneers to close to within 6-4 in the bottom half of the frame. Okoboji tacked on another run in the fifth and rallied back to outscore the Wolves 5-3 in the sixth inning...

A workplace accident at the new ice skating rink construction site in Spirit Lake claimed the life of a Okoboji resident. Cory Ritzer, 40, was working in a trench north of the Bedell Family YMCA at approximately 11:30 a.m. Monday. According to law enforcement officials, the trench gave way and a nearby skid loader fell on top of Ritzer...

The 2013 All-Lakes Conference soccer teams were fill with Spirit Lake Park-Okoboji athletes after successful seasons on the pitch. Seniors Kade Heikens, Jacob Molden and Brett Cochran-Bray were named first team all-conference for the boys squad while seniors Alissa Christoffer, Paige Krause and Stevie Spencer earned the prestigious honor for the girls team...

After an eventful six years as executive director at Lakeside Laboratory, a tenure filled with community outreach and academic expansion, Peter Van Der Linden is retiring. The full-time director and Sibley native is stepping down on July 31 to pursue a book and accomplish a few items on his bucket list...

On behalf of the American Red Cross, we would like to thank each and every one who donated at our blood drive in May in Dickinson County. Because ordinary people like you do extraordinary things when donating blood, your generosity lives on in the lives of patients who benefit from the gift of blood donations...

For 33 years I have honored my good friend Brent Palmer by decorating his gravesite in the Milford cemetery. Well, it finally happened --somebody stole my memorial planter from his gravesite. If they helped themselves because of the economy, I feel their frustration! Whatever the reason, I can't imagine ANYONE stealing from a gravesite!...

April 30, 1940 -- May 30, 2013 Susan Todd Larsen, age 73, of Okoboji, passed away Thursday, May 30, 2013, at Lakes Regional Healthcare in Spirit Lake. She was born on April 30, 1940, in Graettinger to Dr. Creno and Evelyn (Waters) Shiley. Sue graduated from Graettinger High School in 1958, and the University of Iowa in 1962. ...

Sept. 3, 1933 -- May 28, 2013 Richard "Dick" Kibbie, age 79, of Arnolds Park, passed away Tuesday, May 28, 2013, at Avera Heart Hospital in Sioux Falls, S. D. He was born on Sept. 3, 1933, in Emmetsburg, to Joseph and Gertrude (McGarvey) Kibbie. Dick graduated from Ayrshire Consolidated Schools in 1951. He served his country in the United States Army. Dick farmed until 1981, when he went to work for Smith's RV...

Jan. 23, 1926 -- May 26, 2013 Memorial services were held Thursday, May 30 at First English Lutheran Church in Spencer for Percy Toft. Rev. Paul Kaldahl officiated. Organist was Carolyn Blaue. Military services were provided by American Legion Glen Pederson Post 1 and Clay County VFW Post 3159. Inurnment was held Friday, May 31, at Riverside Cemetery in Spencer. Warner Funeral Home in Spencer was in charge of arrangements. www.warnerfuneralhome.com...

It was hard to find a quite spot in the hallways of Okoboji Elementary on Tuesday, May 28. Mud painting, tie dying, science projects and yoga were just a few of the activities students participated in during the first-ever "Date to Create" at the school...