Stories from Tuesday, February 10, 2015

A winter fundraiser isn't on thin ice, just yet. The 9th annual Spirit Lake Sunrise Kiwanis and Rotary Club car drop began in late January. The locally decorated, red sedan is now parked in its usual spot -- on the ice in Smith's Bay. The contest raises money for local youth activities -- while also giving residents a chance to compete for some extra cash. ...

Commitment is an important quality for a paratrooper to have -- there are no half jumps from planes flying thousands of feet above the ground. Just ask Nick Vos of Arnolds Park, who recorded 78 jumps during World War II. He knows something about commitment both at home and abroad...

With a 50-34 win over Le Mars on Tuesday, the Class 3A No. 12-ranked Spirit Lake girls basketball team secured a runner-up finish in the Lakes Conference behind champion Western Christian. The Indians overcame a slow start thanks in large part to first quarter three-pointers by Katy Brevik, before pouring it on over the final three quarters...

Win and split the Lakes Conference title. Lose and finish third. Those were the stakes as the Class 3A No. 4-ranked Spirit Lake boys basketball team hit the hardwood Tuesday night against No. 7 Le Mars in a road rematch. Unfortunately, the Indians came up just short of earning a share of the conference crown, as they fell to the Bulldogs 60-43...

Despite a slow start, the Harris-Lake Park boys basketball team turned up the intensity in the second half of a 57-40 home win over Marcus-Meriden-Cleghorn on Tuesday. The Wolves trailed by two entering the locker room at halftime, but outscored the Eagles 38-19 in the second half to pull out the victory...

All year long, the Harris-Lake Park girls basketball team's bugaboo has been turnovers, and Tuesday night's matchup with Marcus-Meriden-Cleghorn was no different. After opening to a narrow deficit, the Wolves' lack of ball control proved costly as the Eagles opened up a wide margin and never looked back in a 42-29 win in Lake Park...

The city of Lake Park is once again looking for a new administrator. Wade Wagoner on Monday turned in his resignation to the Lake Park City Council. He said his family is relocating to Norwalk, where he has accepted a city planning and economic development position...

The Dickinson County News received 25 awards and secured a top-three finish among the state's largest weekly newspapers Friday at the Iowa Newspaper Association 2015 Convention and Trade Show. The event was held Feb. 6-7 at the Des Moines Marriott Hotel...

A process several years in the making is now complete. Jake Jostand and Tim Sather are the new co-owners of Oak Hill Marina in Arnolds Park. The owners will be familiar faces to many -- the duo boasts 25-years of combined employment at Oak Hill. Long-time owners Phil Milko first bought the boat dealership in 1992. ...

The Dickinson County News welcomes a second Okoboji High School student for the second semester. Hinda Moritz has visited the office for instruction and is working on stories throughout the area. She is the daughter of Jason and Tonia Moritz of Spirit Lake. The lifelong resident of the Iowa Great Lakes is the third oldest of four siblings in the Moritz family...

The state budget was one of the topics addressed Saturday in Spencer as lawmakers hosted the first installment in a series of legislative forums. Later Saturday, state Sen. David Johnson, state Rep. John Wills and state Rep. Megan Jones hosted an event in Arnolds Park...

On behalf of the American Red Cross, we wish to express our deep appreciation and say "thank you" to every donor, volunteer and support person who participated in the Feb. 2 blood drive in Spirit Lake. A special thanks go to Grace Lutheran Church for providing a wonderful place for this to happen and a big "thank you" goes to Lisa's Bake Shop for the fabulous cookies she provided...

In the Sunday Des Moines Register, I read that the proposed hog confinement lot near Big Spirit Lake is once again on the table. I understood the application had been withdrawn, but now it seems to have re-emerged. With our lax laws, it seems difficult to prevent, and few in the government seem willing to change that...

Maybe Friday the 13th isn't so unlucky after all. The Iowa Lakes Community College men's quartet is returning with a fundraiser that brings bright smiles and bow ties to cubicles throughout the Iowa Great Lakes. Vocal music professor Brett Fuelberth is taking orders for singing valentines and proceeds help fund music programs on campus...

The Top Ten teams in the Associated Press Iowa high school basketball poll with first-place votes in parentheses and won-loss record, total points and position last week at right: Others receiving votes: Dubuque, Hempstead 18. Council Bluffs, Abraham Lincoln 11. Ames 10. Epworth, Western Dubuque 7...