Stories from Tuesday, October 21, 2014

The Dickinson County Conservation Board received a $6,200 grant from the Dickinson County Endowment Fund to expand the native gardens outside the nature center's Butterfly House within Kenue Park in Okoboji. This grant funding will be used toward three specific additions in and around the existing gardens...

Tom Kuhlman, Executive Vice President of the Iowa Great Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce, presented Krable Menzterof Easter Seals Iowa with a check for $16,114.82. These funds were collected during the 33rd Annual Great Walleye Weekend this past May 3-4. The 34th Annual Great Walleye Weekend will be held May 2-3, 2015. Visit www.okobojichamber.com for updates and a calendar of events...

Batman, Spiderman, wizards, ghosts, goblins and even a Buzz Lightyear or two will take over the Roof Garden Saturday. The third annual Iowa Great Lakes Chamber of Commerce Fall Fest is set for Oct. 25. From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. area children and their families can enjoy several Halloween-themed activities at the Roof Garden in Arnolds Park. A portion of the rides at Arnolds Park Amusement Park will be open during the two-hour event as well...

After graduating from Iowa Lakes Community College with a degree in commercial art in 1983, Bob Holt began a new career that would take him some big places. Due to today's technology, sending e-cards has become a standard way to wish someone a "happy birthday," "happy holidays," or just to brighten up someone's day. Some of the most popular e-cards circulating the web feature the hilarious Hallmark duo "hoops&yoyo."...

Sept. 17, 1929 -- Oct. 14, 2014 Jacquelin "Jackie" Sangwin, age 85, of Milford, passed away Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2014, at her home in Milford. She was born on Sept. 17, 1929, in Calmer, to John and Bertha (Letchenberg) Thuente. Jackie graduated from Bishop Garrigan High School in 1947, and St. ...

Oct. 18, 1921 -- Oct. 16, 2014 A funeral service for Nina Keuck, age 92, was held Monday, Oct. 20, 2014 at First Lutheran Church in West Okoboji. Burial was at Milford Cemetery. Nina Rose Keuck was born Oct. 18, 1921 at Walthill, Nebraska, the daughter of Leo and Bessie (Dean) Huff...

Spirit Lake kept its undefeated season intact Friday with a 48-35 win over non-district rival Spencer, though the game wasn't nearly as close as the final score would indicate. The Indians took a commanding 48-7 lead before pulling their starters in the fourth quarter, as the Tigers scored 28 unanswered over the final 12 minutes to make it interesting...

The 9th annual Ace Cory Conservation Award was presented to Chris La Rue, wildlife management biologist for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, at the 2014 annual meeting of the Okoboji Protective Association.
La Rue was born and raised on a Family Century Farm near New Sharon in south-central Iowa. ...

Displaying a dominant power run game that was nonexistent through the first seven weeks of the season, Harris-Lake Park exploded to a 12-0 first quarter lead over Graettinger-Terril/Ruthven-Ayrshire on Friday. However, a key injury in the second quarter took the wind out of the Wolves' sails, and the Titans responded with 32-unanswered points to take a 32-12 lead at the halftime of what ended up being a 58-19 rout...

Turning the corner. That's how Okoboji coach Jon Allen described his long-maligned Pioneers football program after it held on for its second victory of the season with a 24-18 win over Cherokee on Friday. Winless since a week one victory over North Union and without a multiple win season since a 2008 run to the state quarterfinals, the Okoboji football program has struggled to find success on the field in recent memory. ...

Arnolds Park resident Randy Kelley was recognized this month by his employer, Mediacom Communications, for earning top honors in the company's national awards program that recognizes employees for exceptional customer service. Kelley earned the national gold "Payment Center Representative of the Year" award...

"They cleaned us out," Rod Sheldon said with a smile as he talked about last Saturday's Dickinson County Pheasants Forever Youth Hunt. "We had 42 youth hunters attend along with 60 adult volunteers. They went through 1,300 clay targets. We cooked 200 brats and 200 hamburgers, and there were only half a dozen of each left."...

About 100 people set aside a portion of their Monday night to hear Republican U.S. Senate Joni Ernst at Parks Marina in Okoboji. With the Nov. 4 general election just around the corner, Ernst is crisscrossing the state on a 99-county tour in her quest to reach out to as many constituents as she can face-to-face. ...

Area farmers may be looking at some long days as harvest nears crunch time. Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey said corn and soybeans are running behind schedule, but the late harvest won't effect yields. "I think statewide we will have one of our best harvests -- we are hearing of some big yields," Northey said. ...

The tradition of honoring all United States Military Veterans continues with the annual Rock4Vets event presented by the Iowa RockNRoll Music Association. Rock4Vets 2014 will take place Tuesday, Nov. 11 -- Veteran's Day -- in the ballroom at Village West on the west side of West Lake Okoboji...

Students at Iowa Lakes Community College will celebrate a "Laker Zombieland" homecoming-themed after the popular movie Zombieland -- Oct. 24-Nov. 1. Organizers are encouraging graduates of Iowa Lakes and the public to show their Laker pride and participate in the planned activities...

Okoboji Community School's certified enrollment was up four students from last year at this time when enrollment was reported to the Iowa Department of Education. Our final student count for the 2014-15 school year is 924. Our certified enrollment includes all resident students in grades transitional kindergarten through 12th grade attending school in Okoboji and open-enrolling out to neighboring districts...

Francisco Montelango, 34, Arnolds Park, was charged with driving under suspension at 10:17 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 18 at Brooks North Lane and 175th Street. Nicholis Murphy, 34, Spirit Lake, was charged with public intoxication at 2:57 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 15 at Dyno's in Spirit Lake...

Plans are once again coming together for the Upper Des Moines Opportunity Adopt a Family program. The local Spirit Lake UDMO office is accepting applications now for the annual program, which help less-fortunate families during the holiday season. "It's a program that the entire community can participate in," said Upper Des Moines Opportunity Dickinson County Outreach Director Annette Eckert said. ...

They didn't all arrive on the same truck, but Doug Heller, Josh Lieb, Casey Carpenter and Captain Russ Bell of the Milford Fire Department all went up to the second floor of a burning hotel complex together. The men were trying to get to room 205 of the Rodeway Inn in the early morning hours of Sept. 30, 2011. They knew three guests were trapped and they risked their own safety to get them out...

In the first round of the Class 1A regional volleyball tournament on Tuesday, the Harris-Lake Park Wolves advanced with a straight-set victory over Graettinger-Terril/Ruthven-Ayrshire. The Wolves displayed intensity throughout the match, something coach Daryl Meyer believed was key for his squad...

Bonnie Ewoldt of Milford is right when she says the following: "Iowans are dizzy from the non-stop ads coming from the [Joni] Ernst / [Bruce] Braley campaigns -- ads that want us to think Iowa is doomed if the opposing candidate is elected," she writes. ...