Stories from Tuesday, July 1, 2014

Five years ago almost to the day, I was the most anxious, nervous and scared I had ever been. I was preparing for the birth of my son and I didn't know what to expect. I had absolutely no experience around young children let alone newborns, so one could only imagine my fear. But, I can honestly say, the day Caiden was born five years ago was the greatest moment of my life. He has brought nothing but joy and excitement into my life and I wouldn't change anything about it...

The Iowa RockNRoll Music Association announced plans for an executive director search following the resignation of Jenna Hardy Pedersen. Hardy Pedersen leaves after a brief -- but important -- stay at IRRMA. She was originally hired by IRRMA in June 2013 to conduct a feasibility study for the new Iowa RockNRoll Museum. She began her duties as director on Sept. 16...

A new can redemption center has popped up just in time for the busiest summer holiday. Lakes Redemption opens at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, July 2 as the county's newest and only bottle and can redemption center. The new business operation, in a collaborative effort with Sandy Conover of Spencer and the Iowa Great Lakes Chamber of Commerce, is located in the Center Lake Plaza along 30th Street in Spirit Lake...

The Iowa Lakes Corridor Development Corporation has named a replacement for longtime CEO Kathy Evert. Kiley Miller of the Mount Pleasant Area Chamber Alliance will take over as President and CEO starting in August. Miller is currently the Executive Vice President at the Mount Pleasant Chamber...

Good food, good laughs and good memories are on the agenda for this weekend's annual Superior Community Picnic. The 38th version, which brings together former and current neighbors and Superior High School alumni, is set for Sunday, July 6. A committee of seven have created the picnic itinerary each year since the mid 70s. A potluck meal will be served in the community center in Superior starting at 12:30 p.m. on Sunday. Each dish is home-cooked and many have become quite famous over the years...

Keona Jenkins, 32, Spirit Lake and George Ladehoff, 24, Spirit Lake, were charged with open burning at 9 p.m. Sunday, June 29 at 25th Street in Spirit Lake. Kalmer Olsen, 20, Sheldon, and Pierce Adams, 19, Hartley, were charged with fifth degree theft -- video games and air freshners at 4:40 p.m. Saturday, June 28 at Wal-Mart...

Arnolds Park City Council member John Adams Sr. and former Pearson Lakes Art Center CEO Tom Tourville recently joined the staff of Parks Marina. "I've known both of them for close to 40 years," said owner Leo "Butch" Parks. "I guess I've had good luck hiring people in their second and third careers. ...

Ryan Wedebrand will continue to serve a possible life sentence for kidnapping and murder convictions following a decision Thursday by the Iowa Board of Parole. The board denied Wedebrand's request for release in the June 26 decision.His case will be reviewed annually...

Community Theatre is pleased to announced the cast for one of the most high energy musicals of the year. They are so excited about this terrific musical "13" and here is the listing of the cast that has been selected. The cast members are: Nate Walsh, Dawson Kuker, Sophia Butler, Mikayla Watson, and Emery Groen, show pianist Lauren Sandison, Kaitlin Kuker, Isaac Lenertz, Alexis Catlin, Madison Kueper, Charity Muller and Nick Sandison. ...

Two fun theatre shows are at Treasure Village. The Frog Prince runs July 2-5, Tuesday through Saturday, then continues on Fridays through the summer. The new finger-snapping musical, The Princess and the Pea opens July 8. Starting time for all shows is 10 a.m. ...

The Spirit Lake Fire Department was called at about 11:20 a.m. Tuesday to a car fire in the Wal-Mart parking lot. Heavy smoke was coming from the hood of a red, two-door Monte Carlo as firefighters arrived. Officers with the Spirit Lake Police Department were already at the scene and tried to contain the fire with fire extinguishers while the fire department was en route...

Spirit Lake scored early and often in Lakes Conference baseball action against Estherville Lincoln Central Monday night, earning a 11-6 win over the Midgets. The Indians jumped on top early, scoring three in the first and two in the second to lead 5-0 after two...

Tied 5-5 entering the final stanza Monday, Spirit Lake plated a run in the bottom half of the seventh to earn a 6-5 win over Estherville Lincoln Central in Lakes Conference softball action. In a back-and-forth affair, the Indians scored four in the bottom of the third to erase a two-run deficit, but watched as ELC scored two in the top of the sixth to knot it at 5-all...

Weather was a major factor for the Okoboji softball tournament on Thursday and Saturday, but the Graettinger-Terril/Ruthven-Ayrshire softball team was able to get a pair of games in during the contest, besting Sibley-Ocheyedan 8-7 and falling to Sioux Central 15-5...

Winners of six straight, the Harris-Lake Park softball squad ran into a tough test Monday, squaring off with Class 2A No. 7-ranked North Union on the road. While the Wolves fought valiantly, the Warriors were simply too much, besting H-LP 11-1 and 13-0...

In a baseball doubleheader Tuesday, the Harris-Lake Park squad split with North Union on the road, winning 13-7 and falling 8-7 to the Warriors. In their victory, the two teams were tied at 2-2 after one, but the Wolves took a 6-2 lead with a four-run second...

The Harris-Lake Park softball team, coming off four straight wins, continued to roll at a home tournament on Saturday, besting Laurens-Marathon and Central Lyon/George-Little Rock in a pair of games. Against Laurens-Marathon, a five-run second put H-LP up early before the Wolves built a 7-0 lead entering the sixth...

The Harris-Lake Park baseball team seemingly found its stride Saturday, as the Wolves earned back-to-back wins for the first time since a June 11 doubleheader against Clay Central-Everly, defeating Sibley-Ocheyedan 14-4 after besting Trinity Christian a day earlier...

Facing some of the best softball teams the area has to offer, Spirit Lake went 1-3 at a tournament hosted by Spencer on Friday and Saturday. The Indians faced Class 1A No. 1-ranked Akron-Westfield, Class 2A No. 7-ranked North Union, Denison-Schleswig and MOC-Floyd Valley at the tournament...

Stormy weather put a damper on what was supposed to be a fun few days of softball, but the Okoboji squad was able to get in one game against Manson Northwest Webster at a tournament in Milford. The two teams remained tied at 1-1 after two, but the Cougars plated three in the third and two in the fourth to take a 6-1 lead...