Stories from Tuesday, August 11, 2015

Arnolds Park Amusement Park is a survivor. She's been mangled by tornados. She heard whispers of bulldozers. But her bright lights still shine at night, her Tilt-A-Whirl still spins and her Legend roller coaster still looks out over West Lake Okoboji...

The "war to end all wars" concluded 70 years ago when the Japanese surrendered on Aug. 14-15, 1945. Dickinson County's "Spirit of 45" ceremonies to mark the anniversary will take place at 2 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 16, near the Freedom Rock Memorial in Lake Park...

A Spirit Lake man has entered a "guilty" plea to lascivious acts with a child, according to court records. In exchange for the guilty plea, 68-year-old Neil Heiser will have a charge of second-degree sexual abuse dismissed. A plea-taking hearing for the Class C felony has been scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Monday, Aug. 17, at the Dickinson County Courthouse...

Eight virtual start-up companies vied for supremacy during the 10th annual Okoboji Entrepreneurial Institute Aug. 2-7. The Iowa Lakes Corridor Development Corporation and the Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Centers at Iowa Lakes Community College, the University of Iowa, Iowa State University, University of Northern Iowa, Buena Vista University collaborate each year for OEI. ...

Dickinson County's only can redemption center has closed its doors indefinitely. Lakes Redemption was operated by Sandra Conover, but the 55-year-old owner passed away Friday, Aug. 1, at the Spencer Hospital. Conover's passing brought the can redemption process to a halt in Spirit Lake. The Conover family hasn't decided whether or not they will reopen the business...

Nov. 11, 1959 -- Aug. 1, 2015 Sandra Jo Quist Conover, the daughter of Robert Sr. and Marge (Faulkner) Quist was born Nov. 11, 1959, in Spencer. Her childhood years were spent in the Spencer area where she received her education before attending Ellsworth Community College...

Dec. 17, 1958 - Aug. 4, 2015 Rick "Gunner" Geinitz, age 56, of Spirit Lake, passed away Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2015, in Spirit Lake. He was born on Dec, 17, 1958, in Spirit Lake, to Robert and Bonnie (Shepard) Geinitz.
Rick graduated from Spirit Lake High School in 1978. ...

July 25, 1924 - July 29, 2015 A funeral service for Richard Alexander was held Monday, Aug. 3, at Turner Jenness Funeral Home in Spirit Lake. Interment followed at Memory Gardens in Spirit Lake. Richard Alexander, the son of Ida (Smith) and Henry Alexander, was born July 25, 1924 in Bergan, Minnesota. Richard attended country schools at Heron Lake and Lakefield, Minnesota. He served his country during World War II...

May 24, 1925 - July 30, 2015 A funeral service for Marvis Reed was held Monday, Aug. 3, 2015, at First Presby5terian Church in Spirit Lake. Interment followed at Lakeview Cemetery in Spirit Lake. Marvis Marilyn Reed daughter of Faye (King) and Martin Meiners, was born May 24, 1925 in Ringsted. After graduating from high school, she completed two years of business college...

Sept. 29, 1939 - Aug. 6, 2015 A funeral service for Mr. Gordon Finnern, 75, of rural Lakefield, Minnesota, was held Monday, Aug, 10, 2015, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Sioux Valley, Minnesota.
Interment was at Sioux Valley Cemetery in Sioux Valley.
Gordon L. ...

Madisyn Hansen, 19, Spirit Lake, was charged with domestic assault at 1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 8 at 1909 Erie Avenue. Madisyn Hansen, 19, Spirit Lake, was charged with disorderly conduct at 2 p.m. Friday, Aug. 7 at Burger King. Timothy Higgins, 35, Spirit Lake, was charged with driving while revoked, no SR insurance and violation of restrictions at 2:49 p.m. Friday, Aug. 7 at Hill Avenue and 38th Street...

The 38th Annual University of Okoboji Budweiser men's slow pitch softball tournament will be played this Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 15-16 at the Memorial Park softball fields in Milford. Director Cory Peter, reports that 28 teams from Iowa, Nebraska, Minnesota and South Dakota will play on the three softball fields at the Milford Memorial Park complex. ...

It's been one hot summer for a pair of Spirit Lake hoop stars. In addition to winning an AAU national championship for their Martin Brothers team, Indians seniors-to-be Billy Brown and Ryan Kriener ended their long journey along the recruiting trail by verbally committing to a pair of Division 1 teams...

Midwest Publications, has announced the forthcoming new book by Tom Tourville titled, "Sun, Sand, Surf & Sidewalls- Looking Back At Surf & Summer Music As Seen Through Autographs Second Edition" The book continues on with the author's focus on classic surf music artists from the early 1960s. This is an all new edition with no repeated artists from the first edition...

The Okoboji Summer Theatre will close its 58th season Aug. 11-16, with one of the most popular musicals of all time, "Fiddler on the Roof." The only available seats remaining are on Wednesday through Friday at 8 p.m. People may call the box office to be placed on a waiting list for unclaimed seats for the sold-out shows on Tuesday 8 p.m., Saturday 4:30 p.m. ...

Bold action isn't new to Marc Mores. In the summer of 1984, while staying with family on their annual vacation to the Iowa Great Lakes, the then 12-year-old had a burning desire to swim across Emerson Bay on West Lake Okoboji. His parents Steve and Michelle and grandfather Leo had their doubts about the young swimmer's ability to complete the trek, but Marc was relentless and eventually convinced his elders to let him attempt the swim...

Saturday's Clean Water Concert was truly a celebration of all the efforts made throughout the Iowa Great Lakes area to improve the quality of the waters in which we spend so much of our leisure time. Clean water activities included several opportunities:...

Down through the years we've been taught that fish do certain things at certain times of the year, and that there are certain ways that we can catch those fish. Often those time-tested techniques for catching fish work well, but there are times when we need to do things a little or a lot differently if we want fishing success. One of those situations happened to me last week...

A few weeks ago we took a look at the data collection compiled for the first year of the special three-year early teal season. According to Orrin Jones, Iowa DNR Waterfowl Research Biologist headquartered in Clear Lake, results of the data were favorable. Data collection will continue in this second year study...

A campaign is underway by tree stand manufacturers, retailers, media, natural resource agencies and deer hunters to reduce and eliminate tree stand accidents by raising awareness of this issue and providing education about safe tree stand hunting best practices...

Whether you have a quarter acre or 100 acres to plant, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) State Forest Nursery has seedlings for your project. Orders are being taken for fall 2015 and spring 2016 tree planting. Bare-root seedlings can be purchased for 25-to-55 cents per seedling plus tax, shipping and handling, for large-scale plantings, depending upon species and size. ...