Stories from Tuesday, May 13, 2014

A new birth center and surgery center are part of a $21 million construction project at Lakes Regional Healthcare and residents can have a first look on Saturday. An open house introducing the new east wing to the public will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, May 17. A picnic lunch will be provided and residents can take tours of the new facility and ask questions...

Standing atop the 125-pound podium at the 2014 NJCAA National Wrestling Tournament in Spokane, Wash. in early March, Freddie Rodriguez did all he could to soak in the moment. "I told coach [Cody] Alesch that it was like a fairytale," Rodriguez, Iowa Lakes Community College's latest national champion, said. "The feeling was unbelievable. It was surreal. If I could live in that moment the rest of my life, it would be sweet. It's a moment I will cherish forever."...

The Spirit Lake-Okoboji boys tennis team fell to Spencer 8-1 on Tuesday. In singles action, Michael O'Brien fell to Alex Kaldahl 5-7, 1-6; Ryley Smith fell to Brady Plueger 1-6, 2-3; Hunter Andreason fell to Edoardo Tavani 4-6, 7-6, 5-10; Will Fuelberth beat Jack O'Hara 6-5, 4-6, 10-5; Jason Thorn fell to Joe Sherbon 1-6, 0-6; Tully Reed fell to Robert Stocco 1-6, 1-6...

With one conference meet to go, the Okoboji boys golf squad pulled into a tie for the Siouxland Conference lead Tuesday, earning a two-stroke victory over co-leader Sibley-Ocheyedan at Emerald Hills. Down one point in the conference standings entering the meet, the Pioneers received stellar contributions from up and down the varsity lineup to best the Generals...

Facing a much-improved Spencer squad, the undefeated Spirit Lake-Okoboji girls tennis team was pushed Tuesday night, but ultimately earned a definitive win over their Lakes Conference rivals on the road. "I felt that Spencer has dramatically improved from the time we played them earlier this year," SL-O coach Bob O'Hara said. ...

The Iowa Economic Development Authority Board on Friday is expected to consider a $1 million financial incentive package that could add at least 150 Polaris jobs in Milford. The Milford City Council approved a resolution in support of the state application at a meeting Monday. Funding through the High Quality Job Creation Act includes a $700,000 investment tax credit and a $300,000 forgivable loan at the Polaris location in Milford...

DES MOINES (AP) -- The State Appeal Board has rejected a $500,000 claim filed by a former resident of the Iowa Juvenile Home. Nineteen-year-old Jessica Turner, of Okoboji, said the state violated her constitutional rights by inflicting cruel and unusual punishment and denying her due process. She says she spent nine months in isolation at the now-closed home...

This year, Discovery House was the recipient of $9,442.89 from the Good Neighbors fund. We would like to send out a big, heartfelt thank you to each individual, group or organization that contributed to the fund. Your dollars are helping to make Dickinson County the great place we call home where non-profit organizations, like Discovery House, provide services that none of us know when a friend, loved one, co-worker, or acquaintance will need help from...

Spirit Lake letter carriers collected 2,000 pounds of food and $35 from customers along postal routes on May 10, and delivered it to our Upper Des Moines food pantry for the needy in Dickinson County. This amount of food will help feed families for several months. The food was delivered on Monday, May 12. Again this year our pantry was very low supply for the needy. They are now in much better shape for the coming months thanks to you, our community...

Did you know that every two seconds, someone, somewhere needs blood? Just one blood donation can impact the lives of up to three different hospital patients. LifeServe Blood Center services over 100 hospitals in Iowa, South Dakota and Nebraska by relying on donations from generous blood donors to maintain an adequate blood supply for our community...

About 120 employees at Rosenboom in Spirit Lake were evacuated Monday night after smoke began to fill the factory along Iowa Highway 9. The commotion resulted in a little more than an extended break for the workers, according to Rosenboom's Iowa Chief Operating Officer Brian Lenderink...

The Taco House, Yesterday's and Nutty Bar Stand are open which means it is time for me to dust off my desk at the Dickinson County News, and get back to work. I spent my winter months rehabilitating a new knee and, along with everyone else who stayed in Iowa, trying to keep warm. ...

Emil and Sue Richter of Milford, with Keith and Teresa Kathol of Omaha, Nebraska, are delighted to announce the engagement of Brian Richter to Ashley Kathol. Brian is a second generation team member of The Three Sons in Milford and Ashley is an interior designer with Johnathan Blake Interiors in Okoboji. They will be married at Mary Our Queen Catholic Church in Omaha on Nov. 1, 2014...

The Okoboji Tourism Committee has found a new director just in time for the busiest season. Carina Woodward began her new duties Monday, May 12. The former marketing associate at Parks Marina is ready to help the Chamber make an impression on the area's many visitors...

Aug. 11, 1936 -- May 6, 2014 Joanne Lussman, 77, of Storm Lake, died Tuesday, May 6, 2014, at Mercy Medical Center in Sioux City with Dusty at her side. Funeral services were held Monday, May 12, at St. John Lutheran Church in Storm Lake. Burial will be in the Buena Vista Memorial Park Cemetery in Storm Lake. ...

Feb. 5, 1953 -- May 10, 2014 Roy Edward Ward, 61, of Bonnie, Illinois passed away at 9:15 A.M. on Saturday, May 10, 2014 at Hamilton County Memorial Hospital in McLeansboro, Illinois. Roy was born on Thursday, Feb. 5, 1953 in Haskell, Oklahoma, the son of the late William Newton and Flossie Jewel (Evans) Ward...

April 3, 1937 - April 18, 2014 Geraldine Eckley Zelinsky, 77, of Hot Springs Village, Arkansas passed away on April 18, 2014 at a local hospital. Geraldine was born April 3, 1937 in Spencer to the late Gerald Fred and Ethel (Smith) Eckley. Geraldine was a member of Faith Lutheran Church and kept active in church, sang in the choir, would volunteer with different things, liked to play cards, sewing and baking...

Aug. 4, 1926 -- May 4, 2014 Delmer A. Nelson, age 87, of Wahpeton, passed away on Sunday, May 4, 2014, at the Largo Medical Center in Largo, Florida. He was born on Aug. 4, 1926, in Wichita, Kansas, to Arnold and Alice (Tedrick) Nelson. Del graduated from High School in 1944, and served his country in the United States Army from 1944, until 1946. ...

In January of 2013, members of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Milford began Phase III of a renovation and remodeling project. This weekend the parish members welcome the community to an open house celebrating completion of the project. There were several components to the overall project. ...

Anthotype printing was the earliest form of photo developing. It will not become a lost art because of artists like Allen Morris. Morris is visiting the Iowa Great Lakes Region for two weeks to teach and share his talent as part of the 2014 Artists in Residence Community Programs at the Iowa Lakeside Laboratory...

A famous Nutty Bar? Check. A thrilling ride on the Legend roller coaster? Check. A tour of the nostalgic IGL Maritime Museum and Okoboji Classic Cars? Check. A bus ride through the beautiful Iowa Great Lakes ? Check. Iowa Tourism's Epic Iowa Road Trip was able to experience many of the wonders of the Iowa Great Lakes with a tour Thursday, May 8...

Amanda Dunn, a 2010 graduate of Okoboji High School, was crowned a conference champion at the Iowa Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships held May 8-10, at Carlson Stadium on the campus of Luther College. For the second time in as many years, Dunn sat atop the leaderboard in the hammer throw. ...

The 2014 Cyclone Tailgate Tour will make a stop at the Arnolds Park Pavillion at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday. The tour is a traveling caravan featuring coaches, student-athletes, spirit squads, Cy, interactive games, attractions for kids, and door prizes makes stops across CyclONE Nation. The events are free and open to all fans and friends of the Cyclones...

Missing its top three golfers, the Spirit Lake boys golf team put together a seventh place finish at Monday's Lakes Conference Tournament in Spencer. Without Zach Skopec, Corey Potter and Trevor Caldwell, the Indians relied heavily on Jack Bauermeister and Grant Schuchert, who carded rounds of 88 and 89, respectively, against the best golfers the area has to offer...

Led by a solid effort by Ellie Katzfey, the Spirit Lake girls golf team earned a fifth place finish at Monday's Lakes Conference Girls Golf Tournament despite horrible scoring conditions. "The girls really endured tough conditions tonight," Spirit Lake coach Rick Reinking said. "Our scoring was really up and down and we didn't play our best golf. Ellie Katzfey had one of her best days, however, and nearly medaled."...

Former Harris-Lake Park and current Crown College volleyball and basketball student-athlete Samantha Brueggeman has been selected to attend the NCAA's Career in Sports Forum. An extremely exclusive event, the forum is hosted at NCAA national headquarters in Indianapolis and helps current and recently graduated student-athletes explore and plan for a career in sports...

Squaring off in a varsity co-ed golf triangular, Graettinger-Terril/Ruthven-Ayrshire, Harris-Lake Park and West Bend-Mallard battled for top honors on a drizzly Monday afternoon. While the Wolves earned a decided advantage on the boys side, the Titan girls continued to dominate, winning by 16 strokes on their home course...

Despite facing some of the top talent from around northwest Iowa at a tournament in Spencer on Saturday, the Spirit Lake-Okoboji girls tennis team never flinched, as seven SL-O athletes earned tournament championships and contributed to an overall team victory...

After splitting in doubleheader action against West Sioux on Thursday, the Spirit Lake Park-Okoboji boys and girls soccer teams both walked away from a road trip to Sioux City Saturday with losses, as the boys fell to Sioux City East 1-0 and the girls lost 9-0...