Stories from Tuesday, August 5, 2014

U.S. Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky made a fundraising stop Monday in Okoboji on behalf of U.S. Rep. Steve King -- but, the high-profile senator says it's too soon to know if he'll ask King to return the favor. Paul made several stops in Iowa on behalf of King and 2nd District congressional candidate Mariannette Miller-Meeks. The visits have fueled speculation that Paul will be a Republican candidate for the White House in 2016...

Erika Andiola, an Immigration activist and former outreach director for Arizona Rep. Kyrsten Sinema, approached U.S. Rep. Steve King at the end of his fundraising event Monday night in Okoboji. Andiola and Cesar Vargas introduced themselves as "DREAMers" the title given to supporters of the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act. ...

The First Annual Walk/Run To Remember 5K event will take place Saturday, Aug. 9 in Spirit Lake. Missy Hilgendorf, LRH Director of Home Care and Hospice, is organizing the run. "We left it open this first year with no registration fee so that as many as want to can participate," she said. ...

With the 2014 summer sports season officially over, several area baseball and softball stars earned postseason honors for their respective efforts. Below is a quick recap of how each team fared and which athletes earned awards: The Spirit Lake softball squad ended the year with a 24-10 overall record, a Lakes Conference championship, a regional tournament championship and a seventh place finish in the 2014 IGHSAU State Softball Tournament -- the school's fifth trip to Fort Dodge and the first since 2006. ...

Six graduates of the Milford Graduating Class of 1954 celebrated the 60th anniversary of their high schoolv graduation July 16 at the Lake Okoboji Home of Smith and Pat Schuneman. There were 24 in the class. Participants at the reunion are (front, from left): Gloria (Emerich) Bedker, Theresa (Schott) Allen, Eunice (Hakeman) Northey, Dora (Morgan) Behrens, (back row) Smith Schuneman and Dick Long. ...

Kyle Box and Leah Elsbecker are happy to announce they are getting married. Kyle is the son of Mark and Lisa Box of Deer River, Minnesota. Kyle attended Southwest Minnesota State University where he graduated with a degree in political science and management in 2013. He is currently a route sales representative for Schwan Food Company...

Feb. 23, 1925 -- July 28, 2014 James R. Walston, age 89, of Spirit Lake, passed away Monday, July 28, 2014, at Hilltop Care Center in Spirit Lake. He was born on Feb. 23, 1925, in Spirit Lake, to Clarence and Vera (White) Walston. Jim graduated from Spirit Lake High School in 1944. He moved to Westwood, California, and worked for Safeway Grocery Stores for many years. After he retired, Jim moved back to Spirit Lake, to enjoy his family...

June 14, 1923 -- July 31, 2014 A funeral service for Jim Ziegenbusch, age 91, of Spirit Lake and formerly of Marshalltown and Cherokee will be held at 1 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 6, at the First Presbyeterian Church in Spirit Lake. Burial will be at 4:15 p.m. at Oak Hill Cemetery in Cherokee on Wednesday...

May 19,1946 - July 23, 2014 Funeral services were held at the Lake Park United Methodist Church on Saturday, Aug. 2, 2014 for Merlin Flint. Rev. Jennifer Hesebeck officiated. Inurnment was at Westport Township Cemetery of rural Dickinson County. Merlin Dean Flint was born May 19, 1946, to Marion Flint and Lola Belle (Yager) Flint. He spent his youth on the Flint Family Farm with his father, mother and sister Anita...

Oct. 7, 1927 -- July 26, 2014 A funeral service for Merwyn Shorey was held Wednesday, July 30, 2014, at Turner Jenness Funeral Home in Milford. Interment was at Lakeview Gardens Cemetery. Merwyn LeRoy Shorey, the son of Laura Mae (Moore) and Edwin Shorey, Jr., was born Oct. 7, 1927 in Spirit Lake. He graduated from the Arnolds Park High School...

Jan. 6, 1951 -- July 28, 2014 Patrick L. Fisher, 63, of Milford, Iowa, died Monday, July 28, 2014, at his home from a heart attack. Private family graveside services will be Thursday, July 31, 2014, at St. John's Cemetery in Gilmore City, Iowa. Pat was born Jan. ...

Sept. 29, 1918 -- Aug. 1, 2014 Helen Pedersen of Waterloo, passed away peacefully at Oakdell Cottage, her family summer home on Lake Okoboji Friday, Aug. 1, 2014. Helen was born Sept. 29, 1918, in Marshalltown, the daughter of Lacey and Iva Smith Patterson. She married William R. "Bud" Pedersen on Oct. 12, 1940 in Marshalltown, who died Jan. 2, 1993. Helen graduated from Marshalltown High School in 1937 and attended Grinnell College...

HIGHWAY 71 ACCIDENT DIVERTS TRAFFIC Around 10:10 a.m. Friday, Aug. 1 a two-car accident occurred near the intersection of 30th Street and Highway 71 in Spirit Lake. Dennis Ten Kley, 74, attempted to make a turn onto Highway 71. His 1998 Plymouth Voyager collided with Carol Lee, 76, Okoboji. ...

House Speaker Kraig Paulsen (R-Hiawatha) recently appointed Rep. Megan Hess (R-Spencer) to the House government oversight committee. The oversight committee directly holds government accountable to Iowa taxpayers and works to ensure that state government is being run efficiently, effectively and in the best interest of Iowans...

Last year, 50 artists made their marks on the Olde Town Spirit Lake sidewalk. On Saturday, August 9, A Piece of Work, Inc. will be hosting the fifth annual ChalkStock, a one-day family-oriented sidewalk chalk festival that will bring music people and art out of the gallery and onto the pavement. This year's number of participating artists is expected to continue to grow from previous years, so of course that means the creativity will grow as well...

A group of campers left their smartphones and tablets behind for a weekend in Lake Park. Friendly people and sunny skies welcomed the third annual Living History Rendezvous during Lake Park Farmer Appreciation Days. Living History Rendezvous' take place throughout the county and around world -- some are even held in Canada and Germany. ...

The Majestic Pavilion in Arnolds Park will have the feel of Little Italy tonight (Wednesday, Aug. 6). The Humane Society of Northwest Iowa holds its annual fundraiser "A Taste of Italy" at 5:30 p.m. Along with pasta dishes, pizza and local wines, there will be silent auction items for guests to bid on and show their support for the local animal shelter...

Thirty-two students from the Okoboji Entrepreneurial Institute traveled to Spencer as part of their first full day of activities to participate in the Technology Association of Iowa's 18th Pitch & Grow event. Conducted at StartupCity Spencer, the entrepreneurial incubator located at Gary's on the River, nine different pitchers shared their business propositions with a panel of experts and peers in an effort to garner valuable feedback and insight into the steps necessary to successfully move forward with their endeavors.. ...

By the end of August, Dollar General in the Great Lakes Mall will be gone. The retailer was first opened in May of 1992 but is not renewing its lease. The Spirit Lake assistant manager Amanda Zimmerman said they weren't offered a new lease by mall officials and are required to have the entire store cleared out by Thursday, Aug. 28...

Dickinson County's smallest towns remained steady and communities along and near Highway 71 continued to see growth, according to July population estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau. Arnolds Park is the fastest-growing town in Dickinson County since 2010. The city added 58 residents for 5.2 percent growth. Milford added the most residents -- 81 -- for 2.8 growth...

One of my pet peeves that has recently popped up is people who lack respect for cab drivers. It's often prevalent with some of our summer guests. Can we please show at least some respect? These cab drivers are providing a service for us -- getting us home safely from a night out on the town. ...