Stories from Tuesday, August 12, 2014

Three exceptional Iowa Lakes students are the recipients of the Kibbie Outstanding Service Award. The John P. "Jack" Kibbie Outstanding Service Award is presented annually to those students who exemplify the spirit of service to the college community. Faculty and staff nominate students for this award and Iowa Lakes Trustee members select recipients...

May 21, 1926 -- July 31, 2014 Ramalee Elaine Pearson, 88, died Thursday, July 31, in Tempe, Arizona. A Memorial Service was held Monday, Aug. 11, at the United Methodist Church in Estherville under the direction of Schuchert Funeral Home in Spirit Lake...

April 30, 1933 -- Aug. 2, 2014 A funeral service for Mary Foxhoven, age 81, of Arnolds Park, was held Friday, Aug. 8, 2014, at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Milford. Burial was at Okoboji Cemetery. Mary Denise Boyles Foxhoven, daughter of Maude Twogood Boyles and Everett Palmer Boyles, was born April 30, 1933 in Everly...

With football practices officially underway, it is only a matter of time before area athletes feel the glow of those Friday night lights. With new district assignments in place for the next two years, Spirit Lake, Okoboji, Harris-Lake Park and Greattinger-Terril/Ruthven-Ayrshire football teams will battle familiar foes and fresh faces for gridiron glory. Below is a look at how each team stacks up in their respective districts this season:...

A Custom powder coating company opened its doors in July. Accurate Coats Powder Coating is operated by the father-son duo of Chris and Jerad Alger. They own the business and sister company, Alger Customs Inc., in Milford. The Algers emphasize size capacity -- anything that can fit in their oven, they will coat. Anything from agricultural equipment, to steel, fences and patio equipment. They will also coat steel car frames...

At approximately 3:48 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 9 the Spirit Lake Police Department conducted a traffic stop on a white 1999 Chevrolet k1500 near the intersection of Highway 9 and Gary Avenue in Spirit Lake. The Chevrolet was driven by 21-year old Kenneth Wohlfarth of Arnolds Park. Upon further investigation, drug paraphernalia, plant material believed to be marijuana and a white powdery substance believed to be cocaine, were located inside the vehicle...

HWY 71 CRASH SENDS ONE TO LRH Traffic had to be redirected near the scene of a crash at about 12:5 0 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 6. Robert Edwards, 63, Milford, was northbound on Highway 71 in Spirit Lake in a 2001 Ford Focus. Jeremy Smeenk, 37, West Des Moines, was southbound in a Honda Odyssey. ...

The Iowa Great Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce is excited to announce that Alison Schmitz will serve as the chairperson of the 2015 University of Okoboji Winter Games. To assist her with the various responsibilities, Ali has chosen Nick Stauss to serve as her co-chair...

Growing up in a small town has its benefits. I'm not sure if I really appreciated them until I had kids of my own. One of the drawbacks here is that there were only so many things you could do around town before getting bored. Most parents reading this know what I'm talking about. (By the way, is it time for school to start again?) You can only play whiffle ball so long ... you can only play your 8-bit Nintendo so long -- you get the picture...

I attended a ceremony this week at the Okoboji Cemetery in Arnolds Park. It was a beautiful day and many people showed up for that ceremony. There were two things that made that event special in my mind. The ceremony honored two Civil War Veterans who had lain in unmarked graves since the early 1920s. ...

Thirty-one college students from throughout the state descended on Okoboji Aug. 3-8 for a week of computer-based business simulations. The theme for the ninth annual Okoboji Entrepreneurial Institute was "experience." The students were encouraged to experience failure and success, all while running a mock business...

Aubrey LaFoy of Arnolds Park is a World War II veteran with a deeply ingrained love for history. This passion led to the discovery of two Civil War veterans buried at the Okoboji Cemetery in Arnolds Park with no grave stones to honor their service to our country...

A group of local Girls Scouts can pick up lessons in geography as part of a 24-hour bus ride, their real classroom was found July 27-Aug 4 in Savannah, Georgia. Four local eighth grade girls and a handful of adults visited the birthplace and gravesite of Juliette Low -- the founder of the Girl Scouts organization in 1912. The Iowa delegation of 45 Scouts also visited the first Girl Scouts Headquarters...

If the weather is warm and The Inn at Okoboji is open, count on a visit from Marilyn Maye. Lakes residents and guests will hear her blend of songs and stories during a 58th visit to Okoboji. The 7:30 p.m. shows for 2014 are Sunday, Aug. 17, Tuesday, Aug. 19 and Wednesday, Aug. 20 in the Lakeview Room...