Stories from Tuesday, December 2, 2014

The Okoboji girls basketball team improved to 2-0 on the young season with a 63-42 road win over West Lyon on Tuesday. The Pioneers jumped out to a 21-6 first quarter lead before the Wildcats battled back to cut it to 34-22 at half. The teams matched buckets in the third quarter, as the Pioneers took a 45-32 lead into the final stanza before putting the game away with an 8-0 run to start the fourth. ...

Well, Graettinger-Terril/Ruthven-Ayrshire wasted little time making a statement. The Titans -- who returned their entire boys varsity squad from last year's Co-Cornbelt Conference championship team -- bruised, battered and bullied West Bend-Mallard right from the get-go in Tuesday night's season-opening bout, as they jumped out to a 19-2 lead in the opening stanza and never looked back...

After letting a 13-0 early lead turn into a 39-30 late deficit, the Graettinger-Terril/Ruthven-Ayrshire girls basketball team connected on 14 unanswered to close out a 44-39 win over visiting West Bend-Mallard on Tuesday. "We've got some young girls out there," GT/RA coach Todd Hough said. ...

Iowa Department of Natural Resources Fisheries biologist Mike Hawkins has mixed news for area lakes as the zebra mussel watch continues. "We're seeing exactly what we expected -- we're seeing a ballooning of the population on the Okoboji Lakes -- that would be East Okoboji, West Okoboji and the lower chain," Hawkins said. "The most and highest densities are in the southern half of East Okoboji, but I've documented zebra mussels as far north at Triboji on the north end of West Okoboji."...

Gov. Terry Branstad ordered all flags in Iowa to be flown at half-staff from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. today (Wednesday, Dec. 3) to honor a veteran and northwest Iowa lawmaker. Iowa state Rep. Dwayne Alons, who was battling renal cancer, died Saturday. He was 68...

Whether leading mission trips, teaching the local Sunday class, or spearheading the Spirit Lake Key Club, you can usually find Jim Hitchcock extending a helping hand any way he can. The well-respected Spirit Lake resident was recently recognized as the 2014 Kiwanis "Citizen of the Years."...

A local fire department was on the move over the Thanksgiving holiday. A structure fire at 1000 Lakeshore Drive No. 39 in Okoboji pulled several volunteers from their families Thursday, Nov. 27 after concerned neighbor reported smoke billowing from the eves of the home owned by Bob Gordon at 12:40 p.m...

Instead of heading out of town for their annual holiday shopping, Milford officials hope to keep residents around this weekend as part of the Milford Holiday Fantasy. Events for young and old will dot the Milford landscape Friday and Saturday Dec. 5-6. From a chili feed, shopping discounts and a chance for kids to meet Santa Claus, the holiday spirit will certainly be in the air...

Kelly Schmidt, 36, Spirit Lake, was charge with driving while suspended at 10:51 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 25 at Ithaca Avenue and Lake Street in Spirit Lake. Bryna Eckard, 41, Victor, Iowa, was charged with public intoxication at 2:30 a.m. Friday, Nov. 28 along 15th Street...

Okoboji school official say their middle school classrooms are cramped, the lunchroom doesn't have enough space, some classes meet in the gymnasium and vocal students are often sent to an art room to practice. Even more middle school-aged Pioneers are expected in future years and officials are looking at construction options. ...

Carlie Jo Ahrenstorff is working on a monologue on stage at the Pearson Lakes Art Center. She will be a part of the Stage Door acting class that beings in January 2015. Young actors will have a chance to work on stage with Marta Barnard at the Pearson Lakes Art Center. ...

The Spirit Lake High School music department has announced its Christmas concert for 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 14. Community members are needed. Performing in the concert will be: a high school/community chorus singing Handel's Messiah. There will also be "Songs of...

The Iowa Lakes Corridor held its fifth annual Business Recognition Luncheon on Nov. 19 at the Clay County Regional Events Center in Spencer. In addition to showing appreciation for local business and industry, five awards were given in the following categories: Young Professional of the Year, Gold Star Award (business-education partnership award), Small Business Excellence (30 employees or fewer), Large Business Excellence (more than 30 employees) and Entrepreneur of the Year...

An Iowa Lakes Community College landscape and turfgrass student is the recipient of the annual scholarship from the Palo Alto Garden Club. Ashley Ove of Spirit Lake received the scholarship. Ove is a student in the landscape and turfgrass technology program at Iowa Lakes Community College...

Creative Small Business Solutions in Olde Town Spirit Lake is pleased to announce they have recently hired Bart Bonnstetter and Haley Rothstein as full-time additions to their staff. Already employed by CSBS is Ken Lockard (owner), Brenda Schultz (senior accountant), and Diane Lockard, who provides oversight...

July 10, 1933 -- Nov. 28, 2014 Stanley Kay Thomsen was born in his grandparent's farmhouse near Lake Park, on July 10, 1933, to Henry (Joe) and Edna Ehret Thomsen. As he grew up, he and the neighbor boys rode their ponies everywhere together; catching frogs and roasting frog legs over open fires. ...

May 30, 1942 -- Nov. 28, 2014 Merlin "John" E. Norton, 72, of Atlantic passed away Friday, Nov. 28, 2014, at Nebraska Skilled Nursing and Rehab Center in Omaha. Merlin Everett Norton was born on May 30, 1942, in Des Moines, the son of Hulbert and Rosa (Bradley) Norton...

May 25, 1926 -- Nov. 15, 2014 James Matthew (Jim) Riley, age 88, passed away after a valiant fight with heart disease, Nov. 15, 2014, in Salt Lake City, Utah. Jim was born in Dolan Hospital in Worthington, Minnesota on May 25, 1926, to Frank and Florence Delaney Riley. From birth, he was a full partner in the family farm, which his grandfather had homesteaded in 1872. Jim experienced his first hardship in the Great Depression and learned lessons he would never forget...

Sept. 5, 1938 -- Nov. 19, 2014 James H. Keeline, age 76, of Spirit Lake, passed away Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2014, at his home in Spirit Lake. He was born Sept. 5, 1938, in Council Bluffs, to John B. Keeline II and Jennie Mickelson. Jim graduated from Cherokee High School in 1958. ...

July 20, 1942 -- Nov. 29, 2014 Diane J. Hammerstrom, 72 of Okoboji, formerly of Sioux City, passed away on Saturday, Nov. 29, 2014 at a Sioux City hospital. A private family service will be held. Nelson-Berger Northside Chapel is assisting the family with arrangements...

The Iowa Lakes men's basketball team defeated Little Priest Tribal College 98-69 on Monday. The Lakers were led by Trey Burkhall with 19 points. Lucas Smith followed with 17; Blake Wilder scored 13; and Jeff DeCock had 12. The Lakers (5-3) host Buena Vista's JV on Friday...

The Iowa Lakes men's basketball team lost to North Dakota State College of Science 73-67 on Saturday. The Lakers were led by Rachard Moody with 16 points. Brandon Boggs followed with 15. North Dakota State was led by Johnny Woodard with a game-high 27...

Does a turkey fly? Why does that millipede have so many legs? How do seeds turn into plants? Nature has its share of mysteries and many of them can be solved through the Young Investigators program. The new curriculum approach is led locally by Lakeside Lab in conjunction with funding from Friends of Lakeside Lab. It is designed for early childhood educators and dozens of teachers from northwest Iowa have been through the program...

Junior transfer Ryan Kriener drops 34 points in Spirit Lake debut

Led by a multi-dimensional scoring attack, the Class 3A No. 3-ranked Spirit Lake girls basketball team cruised to a 71-49 win over visiting Woodbury Central in Monday night's home opener. The Indians received major contributions from up and down the lineup, as three players scored in double figures and three more totaled seven points or more in the victory...