Stories from Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Newly-filed court documents in the Tailer Handsaker murder case appointed a judge, named a public defender and removed the need for a preliminary hearing at the Dickinson County Courthouse. Dickinson County Attorney Jon Martin filed a trial information document, which accuses Handsaker of Class A felony first-degree murder for the Dec. ...

Harris-Lake Park held North Union scoreless for much of the second quarter and the defense kept the drought going after halftime for a 53-34 win Friday in Lake Park. "We got a lead and then we started getting into some foul trouble in the first half, so we really weren't able to play as aggressively as we wanted to," Harris-Lake Park coach Jeff Sohn said. "But, overall we were able to go into halftime with a nice lead and we were able to maintain it in the second half."...

Harris-Lake Park used some stingy third quarter defense to pick up a 48-39 win over North Union on Friday night. North Union took an 11-9 lead at the end of the first quarter. Harris-Lake Park, however, pulled to within 23-22 at halftime. The Wolves only allowed two points in the third quarter and led 32-25 after the third frame. The team took advantage of its opportunities at the charity stripe by converting 16-of-19 free throws. H-LP pulled down 36 rebounds, including 17 boards on offense...

Spirit Lake shut down Estherville Lincoln Central and outscored the Midgets 16-3 in the fourth quarter to secure a 55-30 win Friday night. The game was a rematch of a Class 3A state quarterfinal last February at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines. Estherville Lincon Central won that contest 55-39...

The Graettinger-Terril/Ruthven-Ayrshire girls basketball team used a huge second quarter run to lift themselves to a 54-41 victory over West Bend-Mallard. The win closed out the first half of the season Thursday, Dec. 19, in Ruthven. The Titans are now 4-3 on the year after securing their second win of the season against the Wolverines. After taking an 11-6 lead through a quarter, GT/RA outscored WB-M 21-14 in the second quarter to take a 32-20 halftime lead...

The Graettinger-Terril/Ruthven-Ayrshire boys basketball team rolled into the holiday break with a 5-1 record after securing a 77-46 win over Laurens-Marathon Thursday, Dec. 19 in non-conference action. "This was a very well played game for us both offensively and defensively," said GTRA coach Randy Hough...

The Okoboji wrestling team fought hard but gave up too many bonus points in a one-point loss to Central Lyon/George-Little Rock. The Pioneers settled for a 1-1 mark in a Siouxland Conference double dual Thursday, Dec. 19 in Milford. The Pioneers downed West Lyon 49-30 in the evening's first dual...

The Spirit Lake Park wrestling team placed eighth overall at the Spencer Invitational Saturday, Dec. 21 at the Field House. The Indians finished with 94 total points after getting two champions and eight place winners. Humboldt took the top spot with 214 points followed by Sergeant Bluff-Luton at 200.5 and Spencer with 185 points...

Junior Alec Henrickson poured in 36 points but it wasn't enough as Spirit Lake fell to Estherville-Lincoln Central in overtime 75-74 Saturday, Dec. 21 in Spirit Lake. The Indians drop to 3-2 on the year after the hard-fought loss. Henrickson knocked down seven 3-point shots. The junior was also 9-for-9 from the free throw line and added two steals to keep the Indians close...

Okoboji used a strong start and a strong finish to oust Boyden-Hull 52-40 in a Siouxland Conference girls basketball tilt Friday night. The Pioneers pulled out to a 14-7 lead after the first quarter. The advantage held up for a 24-17 edge over the Comets at halftime. Boyden-Hull outscored the Pioneers 13-12 in the third quarter but Okoboji put the game away with a 16-10 finish...

The message of peace has been heard around the world through music over the past 20 years. And a local family helped make sure sound systems were set up again on Dec. 11 for the 20th annual Nobel Peace Prize Concert. The Thomas L. Pearson and The Pearson Family Members Fund stepped forward as a benefactor for the concert held at Oslo Spektrum arena in Norway...

Future bike travel through Spirit Lake may soon become a little easier. Dickinson County Trails Board member Yvonne Taylor is promoting the concept of a bike boulevard in the city. Taylor has been a member of the Dickinson County Trails Board for 18 years and has focused a majority of her efforts on improving Spirit Lake...

A few brave souls plan to take an icy dip for cancer during the University of Okoboji Winter Games. The low temperatures of recent weeks may have several residents nervous about their watery plunge, but late December's negative wind chills won't deter a group of Northwest Bank employees from their fundraising efforts...

My mother collects nativity sets and has one of about every kind you can imagine. However, for all their differences of materials or appearances, they all have a lot in common. There are three wise men (though the Bible doesn't give a number and suggests they weren't at the manger). ...

Sept. 20, 1927 -- Dec. 18, 2013 A funeral service for Roy Boles, 86, of Lake Park was held Saturday Dec. 21, 2013, at Turner Jenness Funeral Home in Milford. Burial was at Silver Lake Cemetery in Lake Park. Roy M. Boles was born September 20, 1927 in Hartley, the son of Raymond J. and Sadie (Van Cleve) Boles. Roy grew up and attended schools in Hartley, Ocheyedan and Arnolds Park...

Feb. 14, 1945 -- Dec. 17, 2013 A graveside memorial service for longtime Berthoud resident, Paula Ann Sorber Clark (McCann), was held at 10 a.m., Monday, Dec. 23, at the Greenlawn Cemetery in Berthoud, Colo. Paula was born Feb. 14, 1945, in Spirit Lake to Forrest and Ethyl McCann. She passed away at McKee Medical Center in Loveland, Colo. on Dec. 17, 2013 at the age of 68...

May 26, 1944 -- Dec. 16, 2013 Donna Lee Hansen, the daughter of Thomas and Mildred (Simpson) Beedle, was born May 26, 1944, in Sioux Rapids. Her childhood years were spent on farms near Sioux Rapids, Marathon and Laurens, where she attended Cornell Elementary School and later attended and graduated from Marathon High School. She later graduated from a beauty school. After her schooling, she operated a beauty shop from her home in Sioux Rapids...

Aug. 25, 1961 -- Dec. 12, 2013 Ann Sorey was born on Aug, 25, 1961 in Las Vegas, Nev. She was a loving and dedicated friend, the glue that kept her family together and a single mother who gave the world to her son. The middle child and only daughter of Darrell and Lillian Sorey, Ann attended school in Las Vegas and later received an associate degree in hospitality management...