Stories from Monday, May 4, 2015

You know, over 33 years of teaching and coaching, it was amazing to me how sincere youngsters could be about solving problems and issues around them. It's been 12 years since I retired, but last Saturday in April I listened to a young third grader share his vision to help solve a problem right here in the lakes region...

Troy Larson, Director of Athletics at Iowa Lakes, has announced the hiring of Corey Christopher as the new head women's basketball coach at Iowa Lakes. Christopher's basketball coaching career spans 20 years and includes experience at both the collegiate and high school levels. ...

Billie Scott and Gary Rosemore have been named Co-Chairs for the Arnolds Park Amusement Park 125th Celebration Parade set for 1 p.m. Thursday, June 14. Details and planning are already underway. Anyone interested in offering help or participating in this event email Billie or Gary for more information. Contact Billie (billiescott13@yahoo.com) or Gary Rosemore (rosee@mchsi.com)...

The Iowa Lakes Community College Music Department announces the 2015 Spring Recital at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, May 6, in Room 60 on the Estherville campus. The recital features selections from students currently receiving vocal and instrumental music lessons. Music lessons from private music instructors are available to all students attending Iowa Lakes. Instructors include Carol Ayres, Brett Fuelberth, Gary Lambert and Arnie Schilling...

Okoboji High School's award-winning jazz band will present an evening of big band jazz from 7-9 p.m. Saturday, May 9, at The Pearson Lakes Art Center in Okoboji. "This is a great chance for the general public to hear what our kids are doing," said Okoboji High School band director Greg Forney. ...

The Dickinson County Nature Center hopes to bring residents one step closer to nature Saturday, May 9, for the 20th annual Wings and Wetlands Weekend. Wings and Wetlands Weekend is a cooperative event between six northwest Iowa counties and their conservation boards, offering educational opportunities to outdoor enthusiasts. ...

Iowa Lakes Community College has received approval from the Department of Education, Division of Community Colleges, for its new Digital, Social and Broadcast Productions program at the Estherville campus. The program begins in the fall of 2015. In the letter of approval, Brad Buck, Director and Executive Officer of the State Board of Education said: "Congratulations on the development of this program. ...

Sept. 10, 1936 -- May 2, 2015 Avis Marie Snyder, 78, of Burlington, died Saturday, May 2, 2015, at her home. Born Sept. 10, 1936, in Hartley, she was the daughter of Wilhelm and Ethelyn H. Andrie Lorenzen. On July 10, 1955, she married Gary J. Snyder...

June 28, 1951 -- April 25, 2015 A funeral service for Mrs. Nancy Heronimus of Milford, were held Saturday, May 2, 2015 at DaySpring Assembly of God Church in Spencer. Burial was at Lakeview Cemetery in Spirit Lake. Nancy Ann Heronimus, the daughter of Christina (DeKoter) and Herman Van Donkelaar, was born June 28, 1951 in Orange City...

Dec. 7, 1932 -- April 22, 2015 A funeral service for Joanne Wunder, 82, of Lake Park, was held Saturday, April 25, 2015, at First Presbyterian Church in Lake Park. Burial was at Silver Lake Cemetery. Joanne Mavis Wunder, the daughter of Ethel (Wood) and Leon Lago, was born Dec. 7, 1932 in May City. Her family moved to Ocheyedan and then to Lake Park where she was raised and educated...

Spring morel hunters would be doing their favorite woodland a favor by packing along a big garbage bag, too...to load up with garlic mustard plants before they set their seeds. Morels are being found now; and should really be popping with the string of 60+ degree days ahead. In an ideal spring--and who has those anymore--a string of days in the 70s is sufficient to warm soil temperatures, to spur morel development...

A new online fishing atlas for desktop computers and smartphones became available on May 1. This mobile friendly atlas that will sync with your current GPS location contains lake contours and fish structure locations (tree piles, rock reefs, etc.) Anglers can use these features to target areas of a lake likely to hold fish. Other layers available on the atlas will help anglers plan their next fishing trip with road maps, lake amenities and topography...

Heading into the half down 2-0 in Spencer on Thursday, the Spirit Lake Park-Okoboji needed the ball to bounce their way in the second. An early goal by Hannah Poolman had SLP-O back into the contest at 2-1, but a questionable call allowed a Spencer goal and the Tigers eventually pulled away to win 4-1...

The Okoboji boys and girls and Harris-Lake Park boys track teams competed at the 2015 Nighthawk Relays in Hull Friday. While the Pioneer girls earned a top-three finish overall, the Okoboji boys placed fifth and H-LP boys placed eighth. With three champions on the day, the Okoboji girls track team earned a third-place total of 105 points on Friday, finishing behind runner-up Western Christian (107) and champion Boyden-Hull/Rock Valley (129)...

The Graettinger-Terril/Ruthven-Ayrshire boys and girls golf squads traveled to Emmetsburg on Friday to compete in the Palo Alto County meet. The boys carded a 191 to finish behind runner-up West Bend-Mallard (184) and champion Emmetsburg (167), while the girls shot a 209 to fall to the host E-Hawks (178)...

The Spirit Lake boys golf team earned a runner-up finish at a meet in Sheldon on Friday, as the Indians carded a 176 to finish behind the host Orabs (169) and ahead of Western Christian (185). Jack Bauermesiter led the Indians with a low round of 43 on the day. Jac Radcliffe and Jake Heitritter both carded rounds of 44, while Peyton Smith shot a 45 to round out the scoring for Spirit Lake...

The Spirit Lake girls golf team carded a combined round of 220 to place second at a triangular in Spencer on Friday. The host Tigers combined to shoot a 200 to earn top honors, while Sheldon placed third with a round of 232. The Indians were led by Lauren Laven with a round of 53. Callan Hinn followed with a 55, while Abby Dulin and Kristen Salzwedel rounded out the scoring with rounds of 56...

The Iowa Lakes men's golf team wrapped its season over the weekend at the Region XI Men's Golf Championships at Lake Panorama National Golf Course in Panora, Iowa. The Lakers placed fifth overall with a two-day total of 658. "We didn't finish how we wanted to but the guys battled out there both days," Iowa Lakes coach Andy Soper said. ...

The Spirit Lake-Okoboji girls tennis team improved to 6-0 on the year with a 9-0 sweep of Estherville Lincoln Central at home on Thursday. While the score was lopsided, SL-O coach Bob O'Hara said the Midgets played much better than the scores indicated...

While the Graettinger-Terril/Ruthven-Ayrshire boys golf team crept closer to its overall team goal, the Titans couldn't do enough to earn a win at a Twin Lakes Conference quadrangular in Sac City on Thursday. The Titans carded a 186 overall, while South Central Calhoun carded a 160 and East Sac County carded a 163...

In a Twin Lakes Conference quadrangular with South Central Calhoun, East Sac County and Sioux Central, the Graettinger-Terril/Ruthven-Ayrshire girls golf team went 1-1 on the day. The Titans carded a 213 to edge East Sac County (218), but it wasn't enough to defeat South Central Calhoun (201)...

Squaring off with Lakes Conference foe Estherville Lincoln Central on the road Thursday, the Spirit Lake-Okoboji boys tennis team was dominant, cruising to an 8-1 win over the Midgets. It was a much-needed performance after struggling at home in a loss to Storm Lake the previous Monday and ahead of the Lakes Conference tournament on Saturday...

After playing to a 0-0 halftime score, the Spirit Lake Park-Okoboji boys soccer team allowed a late goal in a 1-0 loss to visiting Spencer on Thursday. The loss was SLP-O's second to the Tigers this season, but a vast improvement from the 6-0 rout the Tigers dished out early in the year...

The Okoboji boys golf team had difficulty avoiding trouble in Rock Valley on Thursday, as the Pioneers placed eighth in a Siouxland Conference meet hosted by the Rockets. Seth Feller had the low round for the Pioneers with a 45. Luke Wollenburg followed with a 46, while Nike Mankle and Holt Hunziker rounded out the scoring with rounds of 47...

Even on an off day, Okoboji's Alex Mankle still proved herself to be the best girls golfer in the Siouxland Conference, as the three-time state qualifier edged the field assembled at Woodlyn Hills on Thursday to take medalist honors. Visibly frustrated after a hiccup in her short game on the sixth green and after landing her drive on the cart path of the par 4 seventh, Mankle regrouped to earn a one-stroke victory over runner-up Lauren Weber of MOC-Floyd Valley with a nine-hole round of 40...

Everything seems to be coming together at the right time for the Graettinger-Terril/Ruthven-Ayrshire boys track team, as the Titans set five school records at a meet hosted by North Union on Thursday. "The guys performed amazing," GT/RA coach David Peterson said. ...

The Spirit Lake boys golf team hosted a Lakes Conference triangular with Estherville Lincoln Central and Le Mars on Thursday night, as the Indians carded a 168 to finish behind the Midgets (157) and Bulldogs (154). Peyton Smith carded the low round for the Indians with a 41. Jack Bauermeister and Jac Radcliffe both shot a 42, and Austyn Reynolds rounded out the scoring with a 43. Non-counting rounds came from Jake Heitritter with a 44 and Drew Fowler with a 49...

The Harris-Lake Park boys and girls golf squads battled Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn in a road coed dual in Hartley on Thursday, as the boys fell 173-185 and the girls fell 219-249. For the H-LP boys, Brady Van Iperen and Bret Sohn both carded the low round for their team with rounds of 45. Kole Ruml followed with a 47 and Bryce Perkins came in with a 50...