Stories from Tuesday, July 28, 2015

Connie and John Boetel of rural Lake Park love horses. They own seven and love to parade some of them ... literally. "We love to take them to parades," Connie said. "I am proud of them and I trust them. I don't trust a small child running out into the street to retrieve some candy, but I trust my horses."...

It's funny how, even with today's technology, it becomes increasingly more difficult to spend time with friends as the years tick by. Busy with careers, and wives, and kids, and bills, my longtime friends and I try to make it a point to get away for a weekend each summer, but sometimes it just doesn't work out. So when I got a text from two of my best friends since middle school, Rob and Erik, inviting me to a Cubs game this past weekend in Chicago, I made sure I had the time...

Gone Cold: Exploring Iowa's unsolved murders is a year-long collaborative effort by Iowa news organizations to revisit some of the most brutal and mystifying homicides in Iowa's history. Beginning today and in the weeks following, we'll share information about many of the state's 438 unsolved homicides...

The Dickinson Soil and Water Conservation District is now accepting applicants from landowners and businesses in need of funding for water quality improvement projects. The local organization was awarded $150,000 for use in new projects over the next 12 months...

Can a role played at the age of 10 change a child's life? Ask Mary Badham who played Scout in the 1962 movie "To Kill A Mockingbird." She will immediately tell you yes. Badham and her best friend from school wanted to go to the audition. Mary's father said "no," but her mother intervened...

Passersby and attendees of the annual Okoboji Bible Conference immediately notice the improved tabernacle portico completed just in time for the nine-day conference. The building entrance, located on West Broadway Street in the heart of Arnolds Park, may look new but the conference theme and goals are rooted in Bible lessons centuries old. According to conference coordinator Jody Van Kley, this year's theme is based on the Bible scripture from 2 Corinthians 3:18...

We know that all babies are born color-blind. I don't mean visually, I am talking about mentally. So how did our parents and grandparents end up with children harboring prejudices? It was taught to them. I sat through a spellbinding performance of "To Kill A Mockingbird" at the Okoboji Summer Theatre last week. ...

Trust me, I never thought I'd be one of those "people" on a diet. It just wasn't me. Why would I want to subject myself to a life of salads and low calorie foods? Well, here I am, deep into my very own diet and can finally see why people do it. No, it hasn't been easy, and no, I didn't have a life-altering occurrence that forced me to go on a diet...

The Milford Commercial Club would like to thank everyone who joined us for any part of our Pioneer Days celebration last weekend. It was a great weekend full of lots of fun activities and, we hope, something for everyone. We would also like to thank the numerous volunteers who helped in any way to make the weekend a success...

There has been some confusion as a result of last week's police blotter column [sirens] in the Dickinson County News. I am not the Michael Jensen mentioned in that column who recently experiences some legal trouble. I am J. Michael Jensen age 32 and I have been a local businessman for more than 14 years. ...

Traffic had to be directed around the northbound lanes of U.S. Highway 71 following a two-car crash at about 1 p.m. Tuesday. A rear-end collision sent four people to the hospital, according to emergency responders on scene. The crash took place near the Farmers Bank intersection near Lazer Car Wash in Milford...

Artists will bring their creations outdoors once again for Saturday's annual Art in the Park. Organized each year by Pearson Lakes Art Center, the show on the Preservation Plaza in Arnolds Park is a chance for artists around the Midwest t0 display and sell their best pieces of work...

The Centers Against Abuse and Sexual Assault (CAASA) has received a grant exceeding $3,000 grant from the Iowa Child Abuse Prevention Program (ICAPP) to provide Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Education during the fiscal year beginning July 2015. About 600 children/adults will benefit from this service in Dickinson County over the next year...

An attempted water rescue in Lost Island Lake on Friday has claimed the life of a Carroll woman. Just before 2:30 p.m. Friday, the Clay County Sheriff's Office received notice from the Palo Alto County Sheriff's Office, reporting a possible drowning in Lost Island Lake in Clay County. ...

Jason Lake, 40, Spirit Lake, was charged with operating while intoxicated at 10:41 p.m. Saturday, July 25 at 23rd Street near the Sunrise Apartments. Michael Jensen, 35, Spirit Lake, was charged with violation of a court order and aiding and abetting at 5:41 p.m. Saturday, July 25 at 805 26th Street...

Okoboji School District Superintendent Gary Janssen has been named the 2015 Educator of Character by The Robert D. and Billie Ray Center at Drake University. The Ray Center, formerly known as Character Counts in Iowa, issues the Educator of Character award annually to a school teacher or administrator who teaches and models good character and has made an impact on students through innovative character development and education in their subject areas. ...

The 21st Annual University of Okoboji Bedell Family YMCA Point to Point Open Water Swim will be held this Saturday, Aug. 1. The Swim is 3.5 miles from Gull Point State Park to Pikes Point State Park. Online registration is available at www.threesons.com...

PITMASTERS BBQ COMPETITION Congratulations to Mike Grims who placed first in the 2nd Annual Pioneer Pitmasters BBQ competition. He won a Green Mountain Daniel Boone grill which was donated by Cutting Edge Sales and Service of Milford. HUMAN FOOSBALL...

The Rusty Wright Band, a blues and Southern rock band from Flint, Michigan, will be performing at the Pearson Lakes Art Center on Wednesday, July 29. The performance begins at 7:30 p.m. What sets the Rusty Wright Band apart from the pack, with its music seamlessly assimilating everything from early prog-rock to "the intricate melodies and harmonies and counter-rhythms" of the Allman Brothers to the "cool riffs" and "right-in-the-pocket" grooves of Chicago blues guitarist Hubert Sumlin to the "big heavy bass beats" of electronic music. ...

The Des Moines Civic Music Association and the Johnston Public Library are pleased to present a free, patriotic concert featuring Keith Brion and his New Sousa Band at 7 p.m. Monday, Aug. 3, at the Sami Bedell Center for the Performing Arts. The Spirit Lake concert is part of the band's summer tour after performing in Johnston on Sunday, Aug. ...

Iowa has gone more than a month without a new case of bird flu. The last case was reported in Sioux County in early June. Seventy-seven sites and 34 million birds have been affected by avian influenza H2N5 across the state. According to the Iowa Department of Agriculture, all 77 affected sites have been depopulated and 59 have completed disposal. Disposal continues to be ongoing at 18 sites...

Boji Bay Fun House and Pavilion located on Highway 71 in north Milford announces its next free outdoor concert at Boji Bay music festival grounds for Friday July 31. Rock a La Carte will be presenting their highly-regarded tribute show to Queen. The band calls the Lakes Area home and they are all outstanding musicians...

Stefani Mariah Keller and Scott Andrew Maudlin are announcing their engagement and approaching marriage on September 5, 2015, at Zion Mennonite Church in Donnellson, Iowa. Stefani is the daughter of Gary and Kristi (Krauter) Keller of Donnellson and a 2009 graduate of Central Lee High School. ...

There's no telling how many athletes and coaches Chuck Skogerboe influenced while roaming the third base coaching box during his 21-year career. But one thing is for certain -- they're all better people for having known him. A humble man with a team-first approach, Skogerboe amassed 425 wins during stints at South Clay and Story City as well as his 15-year career at the helm of the Spirit Lake softball program. ...