Stories from Tuesday, June 3, 2014

Spirit Lake-Okoboji's dynamic duo of Michael O'Brien and Ryley Smith wrapped up their senior seasons with an appearance at the state tennis tournament on Friday. Unfortunately, the doubles team went 0-2 on the day -- eliminating them from tournament contention -- but head coach Dan Taylor said his boys can hold their heads high knowing they proved themselves as one of the elite teams in the state...

In doubleheader action Monday night in Lake Park, the Harris-Lake Park and Graettinger-Terril/Ruthven-Ayrshire softball teams split two, as the Wolves earned a 15-5 win in game one and the Titans exacted a measure of revenge in game two, winning a narrow 6-5 contest...

Squaring off with Marcus-Meriden-Cleghorn/Remsen-Union at home on Friday, the Harris-Lake Park baseball team ended up on the wrong end of a 14-2 decision. The Wolves jumped out to an early 1-0 lead after plating one in the bottom half of the first inning, but MMC-RU answered by slowly building an insurmountable lead, scoring two in the second, four in the third, one in the fourth, three in the fifth and four in the sixth to hold a 14-1 advantage...

The Harris-Lake Park baseball team bounced back from a pair of tough losses to Remsen St. Mary's and Marcus-Meriden-Cleghorn/Remsen-Union with a 3-1 defeat of Trinity Christian on Monday. The Wolves got out front and stayed there, scoring a run in each the first, third and fifth innings before allowing a Trinity run in the sixth and holding on for the win...

With a win over Spencer on Monday, the Okoboji softball team has won three games in a row. To quote Lou Brown, "That's called a winning streak." Not only did the Pioneers win, but they pounded the visiting Tigers for 14 runs in a 14-4 rout that ended after five innings...

In the first round of postseason play on Friday, the Spirit Lake Park-Okoboji girls soccer squad took the broom to the Storm Lake Tornadoes, earning its third victory of the year over its Lakes Conference rivals by a score of 11-1. Both Katy Brevik and Kayla Herrig went for four goals in the lopsided victory...

Vernette Palmer has retired from the city of Lake Park after 30 years of continuous service. Vernette's duties as city clerk saw her act as the city's chief financial officer during this time. She oversaw the cities $1.7 million operating budget. During Vernette's tenure the city's combined fund balances grew to approximately $1.5 million dollars...

Michael Ehret's design has been selected as the winner of an art contest to design a new Lake Park city seal. The winning design will be engraved into the city's stone sign adorning the building. It also will appear on all city bonds, contracts, and proclamations...

Milford native Jeff Starr has been named Assistant Store Manager at Buy Rite Foods in Milford. He had most recently been Manager of Buy Rite's Lake Park store. Starr graduated from Milford High School and obtained his college degree from Gustavus Adolphus College in St. ...

Tim Hilbert heard the bite was good on Big Spirit Lake, he just didn't know it was this good. A short time after 8 a.m. Friday, May 30 cast his line out near Buffalo Run and next thing he knew, he was reeling in a $2,283 walleye. Hilbert, of Hartley, caught the first tagged Walleye of the Iowa Great Lakes Chamber extended Walleye Weekend Contest...

I was out and about this past weekend enjoying all the wonderful things this area has to offer. Much to my surprise, I heard many grumblings about RAGBRAI coming to town. Comments such as "I won't be able to drive through Arnolds Park," or "Those bikes will be everywhere!" and on and on...

His intellect and quiet intensity positively jumped out of the camera lens the first time I interviewed Dr. Scott Hurd. But, I think it was his enthusiasm that threaded its way through every sound-byte, every sentence, every column or social media posting he wrote, which set him apart from the rest...

Oct. 3, 1933 -- May 25, 2014 A funeral service for Alice Cross, age 80, of Spirit Lake, was held Thursday, May 29, 2014, at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Spirit Lake. Burial was at Lakeview Gardens Cemetery in Spirit Lake. Alice Ann Fett was born to Carl and Anna Fett in Hanover, Iowa on Oct. ...

Jan. 31, 1956 -- May 27, 2014 A funeral service for Craig Poss, Sr., 58 of Milford was held at the Turner Jenness Funeral Home Chapel in Milford on Saturday, May 31, 2014. Burial was at Milford Cemetery. Craig A. Poss Sr. of Milford passed away Tuesday, May 27, 2014, at the age of 58, after a seven-year battle with cancer. Craig was born on Jan. 31, 1956 in Spirit Lake to Dixie and Richard Poss. He was preceded in death by Patty Poss, his wife of 22 years...

Okoboji junior Alex Mankle secured her third straight top-10 finish at the Iowa Girls High School State Golf Tournament, as she shaved six strokes off her first round to finish in a tie for sixth. In her first 18 holes at Ames Golf and Country Club, Mankle bookended an up-and-down round with birdies on the par-5 first and par-4 18th for a round of 86 that placed her in a tie for eighth with Morgan Naberhaus of Kuemper Catholic and Paige Backhaus of Clear Lake...

June 14, 1939 -- May 29, 2014 George Junior Ahrendt, 74, passed away from complications related to cancer on Thursday, May 29, 2014, at Avera McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The funeral service was held Monday, June 2 at the Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Inwood, Iowa with Rev. John Wolf officiating. Burial followed at the Richland Cemetery. Visitation was held Sunday, June 1, at Bethlehem Lutheran Church. Porter Funeral Home of Inwood is in charge of arrangements...

Jan. 16, 1919 -- May 25, 2014 A funeral service for Glenn Wayne Otte, 95, of Spirit Lake was held on Friday, May 30 at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Spirit Lake. Burial was at Clarinda Cemetery in Clarinda, on Saturday, May 31. Glenn Wayne Otte, the son of Henry Harmon Frank Otte and Cora May Cagley Otte, was born Jan. ...

Feb. 14, 1937 -- May 24, 2014 Jerry Schmitz, age 77, of Spirit Lake, formerly of Wall Lake, passed away Saturday, May 24, 2014 at the Milford Care Center in Milford. Jerry Henry Schmitz was born to parents Hugo and Augusta (Block) Schmitz on a farm five miles from Earling. ...

1938 -- 2014 Larry J Smith of Fargo, North Dakota, passed away May 25, 2014, following an eight- year struggle with multiple myeloma. He was 76. Larry was born in Albert Lea, Minnesota in 1938 to John and Alice (Barret) Smith and as a child moved with his family to Milford. ...

Sally McCall Henry, 87, died Friday, May 23, 2014, in Seattle. A memorial gathering was held on Sunday, June 1, at First Congregational Church in Cedar Rapids. Sally was the daughter of Lawrence Earl ("Hy") and Pearle ("Ann") Henry of Cedar Rapids. The following was written by Sally "to thank all of those who, by their love and loyalty, enriched my life: My great love was dogs -- especially German shepherds. ...

April 5, 1943 -- May 27, 2014 A funeral service for Rosa Simington, 71 of Milford was held on Saturday, May 31, 2014, at Harbor of Joy Lutheran Church in Milford. Burial was at Little Sioux Lutheran Church Cemetery of rural Milford. On Tuesday, May 27, 2014, Rosa was called to her eternal mansion prepared by her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ...

A well-known figure in the local arts community is stepping down. The Pearson Lakes Art Center announced Friday, May 30, that longtime administrator Tom Tourville will be leaving later this month after 10 years as CEO. "I'm not sure there is a good time or a bad time (to leave)," Tourville said. ...

Sunday's ride into Okoboji was just an appetizer. The main course begins Saturday, July 19. About 50 RAGBRAI officials and supporters were part of an inspection team traveling the official 2014 RAGBRAI route June 1-7. The pre-ride has been held 50 days in advance of RAGBRAI for the past 10 years so organizers are confident the safest route is being used...

Joelle Lizer, 19, Harcourt, was charged with possession of alcohol under the legal age at 2 a.m. Monday, May 26, at 20th Street and Lincoln Avenue. Joseph Winch, 22, Harcourt, was charged with operating while intoxicated, driving while suspended and an open container at 1:56 a.m. Monday, May 26, along 20th Street in Spirit Lake...

Diana Herrig was on her way back from a supply run Tuesday and Laura Kabele juggled phone calls and foot traffic from a steady stream of suppliers Tuesday. Time is almost up: The business partners likely put in their final day of work before turning on the "open" sign at Arnold Park's newest restaurant...

DES MOINES (AP) -- Joni Ernst, an Iowa state legislator whose ads about guns and hog castration helped her shore up support among conservatives, easily won the GOP nomination for U.S. Senate Tuesday, setting up a fall matchup that Republicans are eyeing as a prime opportunity to pick up a seat...

Paul Johnson will be seeking his fourth term as Dickinson County Supervisor come November. The three-term Republican defeated challenger Mike Wittrock in District 4 for the GOP nod --receiving 53 percent of the 572 votes cast Tuesday night. District 4 includes Lake Park, Okoboji and some rural portions of Spirit Lake and Milford. No candidates met the filing deadline to appear on the Democratic Primary ballot...

Dickinson County Clean Water Alliance Coordinator John Wills carried two of three House District 1 counties to secure the GOP nomination got Iowa House District 1 Tuesday night. His 1,891 votes gave him 42.5 percent support in the field of three candidates...

In a Siouxland Conference contest with West Lyon on Monday, the Okoboji baseball team fell to the Wildcats 3-2 in extras. Despite the loss, Pioneers coach Rory Marra was impressed with his teams ability to stay in the fight. "We really played well," he said. ...