Stories from Tuesday, June 24, 2014

The Harris-Lake Park baseball team stormed out to an early lead, but were forced to watch as Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn slowly cut into the Wolves' advantage before scoring the only run in the final frame to earn a 6-5 win in Lake Park. After holding HMS scoreless in the opening stanza, H-LP plated four runs in the bottom half of the first to take a solid 4-0 lead...

With a one-run advantage heading into the final from Friday night, the Harris-Lake Park softball team looked to be in good shape against visiting Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn. However, the Hawks did just enough damage to steal a 5-4 victory out from under the Wolves by scoring a pair in the top half of the seventh before holding H-LP scoreless...

The Harris-Lake Park softball team left Saturday's tournament hosted by Akron-Westfield with a pair of losses, but it easily could have been a couple of wins, as the Wolves fell by one-run to both Sioux Central and West Monona. Against Sioux Central, the Rebels took an early 2-0 lead after scoring a run in both the second and third innings, but the Wolves battled back, scoring three in the top of the fourth to take a 3-2 advantage...

The Graettinger-Terril/Ruthven-Ayrshire baseball team dropped a pair in Le Mars over the weekend, as the Titans fell to Boyden-Hull/Rock Valley and Woodbury Central at a tournament hosted by Gehlen Catholic. Against B-H/RV, the Titans fell behind 2-0 early, but cut into the deficit with a run in the top half of the fifth...

It seems like the Harris-Lake Park softball team simply can't catch a break lately, losing three straight one-run contests. The Wolves' bad luck streak continued on the road Monday, as they lost yet another game by a lone run, falling 9-8 to Remsen St. Mary's...

Spirit Lake was downright offensive Monday night, outscoring visiting Spencer 10-0 in just over four innings of a Lakes Conference softball rout. The Indians collected 10 hits and 10 RBIs in a contest that was over before it even started. After a one-two-three inning by Spencer to start the night, the Indians wasted little time in establishing their dominance...

The griddle will be ready at Florence Park and bicyclists will return to Milford for the University of Okoboji's 30th Annual Don Eckard Memorial Cycling Classic Campus Bike Ride. Riders can register from 7-9 p.m. Friday, June 27, or 7-9 a.m. Saturday, June 28, at Florence Park, near Okoboji High School in Milford. The Milford Boy Scout Troop will serve their world famous pancake breakfast from 7-9 on Saturday morning...

The Spirit Lake Cruise In has 17 years of history, but the feeling of nostalgia goes back farther than that. Spirit Lake Chamber of Commerce Director Blain Andera compares the annual event to a typical night on the town in the 1950s or 60s. The 17th Annual Cruise In is from 6-9 p.m. Saturday, June 28, in downtown Spirit Lake...

A pair of Spirit Lake runs in the bottom half of the first broke up a 1-1 tie with Spencer Monday night, but the Tigers would not go down without a fight. Spencer plated one in the final frame to get within striking distance, but starting pitcher Tony Eckert scooped up a ground ball and fired to first baseman Cole Thate to secure the final out with the winning run aboard to seal a 3-2 win for the Indians...

Coming off a 5-0 defeat of Sibley-Ocheyedan, the Okoboji softball team kept the good times rolling Monday night, blasting West Lyon 14-1 on the road. The Pioneers wasted no time, scoring four in the top half of the opening stanza and tacked on two in the second, four in the third and four in the fourth to hold a 14-1 lead...

Nicholas Rosentiel, 33, Spirit Lake, was charged with disorderly conduct at 8:54 p.m. Saturday, June 21, at 12th Street and Keokuk Avenue in Spirit Lake. Edward Brands, 46, Spirit Lake, operating while intoxicated, failure to maintain control, and open container at 1:10 a.m. Saturday, June 21, along Highway 9 in Spirit Lake...

State average rainfall for the two weeks of June 5 through June 17 was 4.01 inches, but the story is the extreme amounts of rainfall some areas received. Shallow groundwater is about normal for most of the state, but an accurate assessment of the impact of the recent rainfall will take a couple of weeks to determine in northwest Iowa, especially in areas where wells are located a distance from rivers...

Sheriff Greg Baloun has continued to increase the number of volunteers he has assembled to patrol the Dickinson County trails. The Dickinson County Trails Board continues to obtain grants to build new extensions and plan for additional expansions of the trail system. This, therefore, continues to create a greater challenge for Sheriff Baloun to keep abreast of the increase in miles to patrol on a regular basis. This produces the need for more volunteers and a continuous need for more equipment...

The electric fish barrier at the Lower Gar Outlet is active for the first time in 2014. "After Monday's storms (June 16) the lake levels were three inches over crest," said DNR fisheries biologist Mike Hawkins. "We had water spilling over the barrier. The lake rose about eight inches fairly quickly, the storm brought the lakes up very, very quickly -- we started five inches below crest."...

The Okoboji Foundation's endowment campaign is yielding big results, according to Foundation President Mary Freiborg. The organization will hold its annual meeting at 5 p.m. Friday, June 27, at Boji Bay Pavilion. Supporters there will learn the foundation has exceeded $2 million in gifts as part of the 25th Anniversary Endowment Campaign...

Gaylord Kemp thought his ticket booth was a goner last week. The high winds and rains from the June 16 storm shifted the booth four feet and nearly put it on its side. The devastating storm also ripped away a few metal planks from the skirt of his 55-by-90-foot movie screen...

The Graettinger-Terril/Ruthven-Ayrshire baseball team outscored Clay Central-Everly by a combined score of 36-0 on Monday night, as the Titans took a pair of wins over their hosts. Starting pitcher Taylor Enderson surrendered just two hits in a 12-0 win in game one, while the G-T/R-A offense plated five runs in the first inning to take an early lead...

Without ace Mattie Larson, Clay Central-Everly was left helpless Monday evening, as Graettinger-Terril/Ruthven-Ayrshire feasted on the Mavericks' young pitching staff and sweeping CC-E in doubleheader action. "After a week off of play due to weather, we came out a little rusty," G-T/R-A coach Jana Beisell said. ...

Jan. 29, 1936 -- June 13, 2014 A funeral service for Ross "Jeep" Jahn was held Wednesday, June 18, 2014 at Turner Jenness Funeral Home in Spirit Lake. Ross William (aka "Jeep") Jahn, the son of Johnny Jahn and Bionda Reimers, was born Jan, 29, 1936, in Estherville. He received his Bachelor of Arts Degree at Buena Vista University. Ross served his country in the United States Marines until he was honorably discharged in 1957...

Sep. 10, 1917 -- June 20, 2014 Dr. Robert William Lee was born in Nevada, Iowa, on Sept. 10, 1917, to parents, William and Mabel McConnell Lee. Robert was preceded in death by his parents; sister, Nadine Lee Diamond; son, James Lee; daughter-in-law, Suzanne Orres Lee; sister-in-law, Audrey Matthias Uekert...

May 12, 1918 -- May 27, 2014 A memorial service for Norma Wagner of Spirit Lake, will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, June 30 at Turner Jenness Funeral Home in Spirit Lake with visitation beginning at 10 a.m. A private family interment will be held at a later date...

May 26, 1958 -- Thursday, June 19, 2014 Larry Lyn Bauer, age 56, passed away on Thursday, June 19, 2014, in Arnold, Missouri, due to a traffic accident. He was born on May 26, 1958, in Sac City, Iowa to Lawrence and Adah (Hutchinson) Bauer. Larry graduated from Spirit Lake High school in 1976. ...

Jan. 25, 1927 -- Feb. 23, 2014 A memorial service will be held at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, June 26, at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Spirit Lake. Burial will be at St. Margaret's Catholic Church in Spirit Lake. Keith Spencer Minard of Sheridan, Wyoming, formerly of Spirit Lake and Cedar Falls, died peacefully Sunday morning, Feb. 23, 2014, at Sheridan Memorial Hospital. He was 87 years old...

Dec. 21, 1916 -- April 18, 2014 A memorial service will be held at 1:30 p.m. Monday, June 30, at Fratzke & Jensen Funeral Home in Storm Lake. Burial will be at Good Hope Cemetery near Aurelia. Condolences can be sent to the Art Sutton family at 17977 West Jojoba Road, Goodyear, AZ 85338 as well as turnerfuneralhomes.com...

Facing a three-run deficit through four innings Tuesday night, the Spirit Lake softball team caught fire thanks to a fifth-inning grand slam by Bailee Newman that sparked her squad to a 10-5 comeback victory over Spencer. Down 4-1 entering the fifth, Maddie Richter led off with a double to center field and advanced to third on a single by Kelsey Delperdang. A walk to Erin Dau loaded the bases when Newman stepped to the plate...