Stories from Tuesday, January 26, 2016

Outsiders and newcomers be aware. The Iowa Caucuses are not an election. For starters, they're on Monday, not Tuesday. "The actual parties are the administrators of the caucus," Dickinson County Auditor Lori Pedersen said. In Dickinson County, that means Republican Chair Mike Koenecke and Democrat Chair Denny Perry have a grasp of the details...

There are only so many hours in a day to pick up garbage and a limited number of city employees to get the job done. This has become an increasing problem for the town of Milford. "The city keeps growing so more and more time is needed to pick up the garbage," explained City Administrator LeAnn Houge...

Little did they know, when they thought a broomball game on the ice would be a good idea in the brutal cold of winter, that 36 years later, thousands of people would flock to the Iowa Great Lakes Region to participate in a festival with over 90 activities to enjoy...

Home Base Iowa Program Director Jason Kemp will be on hand to help residents celebrate a county-wide accomplishment Thursday night. Dickinson County officials in December learned they would receive the Home Base Iowa designation. The celebration ceremony will be held at 4 p.m. Thursday at the Arnolds Park Pavilion...

This area's legislators acknowledge they have their work cut out for them. A legislative forum brought state Sen. David Johnson, state Rep. John Wills and state Rep. Megan Jones to visit with their constituents at the Pearson Lakes Art Center in Okoboji for a legislative forum Saturday morning. Two weeks into the session, they openly discussed issues and answered questions about the topics of interest to those in attendance...

Republican Presidential Candidate Jeb Bush will stop in Okoboji as he crosses the state the last weekend before the Iowa Caucuses on Feb. 1. Bush will appear at the Arrowwood Resort and Conference Center in Okoboji at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 30. The former governor of Florida starts the western Iowa portion of "Countdown to Caucus" tour Friday afternoon in Carroll. Other stops include a Sioux City appearance and he ends the day with a 6:45 p.m. stop at Dordt College in Sioux Center...

Locks can't protect you. Doors won't keep it out. A killer may be sneaking into your home without you even knowing it. It's radon. And it silently kills about 21,000 Americans every year. January is National Radon Action Month, and the Dickinson County Conservation Board encourages you to protect yourself and your family from danger by testing your house for this terror...

Friends of the Sami Center honored Executive Director Terry Miller on Jan. 23 in the Black Box Theatre before "Rock Legends" the final Friends concert of the season. The Friends organization praised Miller who is retiring after nine years as executive director for his leadership and vision in helping the organization reach its goals...

The Iowa Great Lakes Drug Task force was credited for its role in a northwest Iowa methamphetamine ring. The last of two men and two women who conspired together to distribute methamphetamine was sentenced to federal prison on Jan. 25. Isaac Esquivel, 37, from Sanborn, Mackenzie Jellema, 31, from Sioux City, Joe Leal, 49, from Hartley and Valerie Ortega, 30, from Sanborn each received prison terms after guilty pleas to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine...

The Harris-Lake Park girls basketball team earned a come-from-behind road win over Remsen St. Mary's on Tuesday night, as the Wolves defeated the Hawks 61-47 in Remsen. The Wolves trailed 11-10 after one and 32-25 at the break, but bounced back to take a 46-34 lead heading into the final stanza where they sealed the victory...

Sixth-ranked (3A) Spirit Lake led from start to finish Tuesday night, as the Indians dominated the visiting Estherville Lincoln Central Midgets 78-47 in front of the home crowd. With ELC committing three players to guarding star forward Ryan Kriener in the post, the Indians struggled out of the gates to hit open shots, but quickly found their groove in the second quarter and beyond...

The Clay County Fair announced that platinum-selling Christian artists MercyMe will be joined by special guest Phil Wickham on the U.S. Cellular Grandstand stage at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 13. "It's an honor to bring these two exceptional artists to the fair for the first time," fair manager Jeremy Parsons said. "Our Tuesday night contemporary Christian concert is rapidly becoming one of our newer traditions at the fair."...

Singer Lisa Rock and her six-piece band are bringing the music of The Carpenters back to the stage with their spot-on renditions of Carpenters classics with 'Close to You: The Music of The Carpenters' at Pearson Lakes Art Center on Feb. 11. Considered one of the best vocalists of all time, Karen Carpenter captured the attention of a generation with her unabashedly catchy pop music. ...

Winter Games presenting sponsor Parks Marina will play host to an award winning ice carving company at this year's University of Okoboji Winter Games. Metro Ice Sculptures of the Twin Cities area will be demonstrating a live ice carving at 11 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 30 at Parks Marina on East Lake Okoboji...

Kids and parents -- join us at the Spirit Lake Public Library for Nighty-Night Storytime on Tuesday, Feb. 2 at 6:30 p.m. It will be a valentine theme. Call the library at 336-2667 to sign up but walk-ins are always welcome too. Be sure to wear your 'jammies' and bring a blanket or favorite stuffed friend to share this time with...

The Milford Boy Scouts will serve their annual Winter Games pancake and sausage breakfast Saturday, Jan. 30, 8 a.m. to 12 noon at the Okoboji Middle School, in Arnolds Park. Pancakes, sausage and a beverage will be available for $7 for adults and $5 for kids 5-12 with preschoolers eating free. Proceeds will be split between the Boy Scouts and community organizations. The Milford Commercial Club is assisting with the breakfast. All are welcome...

The public is welcome to attend the Okoboji Summer Theatre Association's (OSTA) annual Winter Games meeting, at 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 30, at the Arnolds Park Maritime Museum Hedberg Theatre. The announcement of the 2016 Okoboji Summer Theatre season productions will be made by Okoboji Summer Theatre staff, Ruth Ann Burke, Executive Director, Gail Humphries Mardirosian, Artistic Director, and Michael Burke, Director of production and operations...

ISU Extension and Outreach -- Dickinson County will offer the Commercial Ag Weed, Insect and Plant Disease Management Continuing Instruction Course (CIC) for commercial pesticide applicators Tuesday, Feb. 9. The program will be shown at locations across Iowa through the Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Pesticide Safety Education Program (PSEP)...

The family of Nick and Jennie Vos invites you to join them in a card shower to honor their parents' 67th wedding anniversary on Jan. 31. Please send your well wishes to 707 Sunshine Run, Arnolds Park, IA, 51331.

The Spirit Lake Noon Kiwanis inducted four new members during their regular meeting Thursday noon on Jan. 21 at Wesley Place in Spirit Lake. "It is always exciting to welcome new members to better help us attain our goals in serving the community. I am really looking forward to working with them and I know they will be a great asset to our club." Club President Brent Harris said...

The Girl Scout Cookie Program is back for another exciting year! For the second year in a row, Girl Scouts in Iowa are taking the iconic Girl Scout Cookie Program online, as they use web-based tools to market their cookie businesses starting in February...

The Ladies of the Lake Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) are joining with women all over the world in collecting letters for the military. They ask each person to write one letter. Bring them to the United Methodist Church in Spirit Lake. DAR members will pick them up on May 4 to bring to the Iowa State Daughters of the American Revolution meeting. Do not address them. They request writers use stationery or a card. Write a nice message to our military who are serving our country...

Every year a committee within the state library selects a book for other libraries across Iowa to promote, to "foster a sense of unity through reading," according to the All Iowa Reads program website. This year's book is a novel by Marilynne Robinson, titled "Lila."...

Coming off a tough stretch of games where they lost to fifth-ranked (1A) Okoboji, fourth-ranked (3A) Cherokee and top-ranked (2A) Western Christian, the eighth-ranked (3A) Indians got back on the winning track with a dominant 62-26 home win over unranked Estherville Lincoln Central on Tuesday night...

The Board of Trustees of Iowa Lakes Community College covered a wide variety of topics when they met Tuesday Jan. 19, in Estherville. The Trustees were updated on progress in the sustainable energy resources and technologies programs which include: wind energy and turbine technology; heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC); electrical technology; engineering technology; environmental studies; as well as water quality and sustainable aquatic resources...

Lauren Dusold, of Spirit Lake, was named to the Lincoln Memorial University (LMU) dean's list for the fall semester of 2015. The main campus is located in Harrogate, Tennessee. To be placed on the dean's list, the student must be a full-time undergraduate and have a 3.5 grade point average for the semester. Over 500 students earned the academic honor...

Iowa Lakes Community College hosted a Jazz Band Contest on Jan. 19-20. The winners were: Class 1A - (first) South O'Brien High School directed by Brian Cole; (second) Central Lyon High School directed by Sherwin Langholdt; (third) Harris-Lake Park High School directed by Emily Gladfelter...

What is made up of small irregularly cut pieces that fit together to make a picture? The jigsaw puzzle! Friday, Jan. 29 is National Puzzle Day and Milford Memorial Library has so many different puzzles available to check out. Stop in and ask to look at the list of puzzles. The library has 300, 500, 550, 750 and 1,000 piece puzzles! Choose a challenge or something easier...

On Saturday, Jan. 9, seven Spirit Lake High School instrumental music students traveled to Morningside College in Sioux City to rehearse and perform in one of the two Northwest Iowa Bandmasters Association Honor Bands for the 2015-16 School Year. The students were (left to right): Brittany Lende (alto sax), Noelle Yost (flute), Lauren Sandison (horn), Nate Walsh (euphonium), Lauren Laven (alto sax), Halleigh Hawkins (clarinet), and Ruby O'Hagan (clarinet)...

The student of the month program allows faculty members to recognize students for outstanding performance in one or more of the following: Academic excellence; special effort in the classroom activities; concern for learning, positive citizenship, hard work and/or other personal behavior which enhances the general school and classroom atmosphere...

Jan. 2, 1929 -- Jan. 16, 2016 A funeral service for Jane Call, 87, of Spirit Lake, was held Wednesday, Jan. 20, at Turner Jenness Funeral Home in Spirit Lake. Burial was at Lakeview Cemetery in Spirit Lake. Jane was born Jan. 2, 1929 to F.S. and Eunice (Boland) Snyder in Lawrence, Kansas. ...

Sept. 8, 1967 -- Jan. 16, 2016 James Allen Christoffer, 48, of Red Wing, Minnesota, and formerly of Wabasha, Minnesota, died unexpectedly, Saturday, Jan. 16, at Mayo Clinic Health System -- Red Wing. He was born Sept. 8, 1967, in Spirit Lake to Richard and Donna (Lauritsen) Christoffer. In 1986 he graduated from Spirit Lake High School, then went on to graduate from the University of Northern Iowa with a business degree...

April 23, 1931 - January 2016 Geneva Elaine Thorn of Worthington and Round Lake was laid to rest Saturday, Jan. 16, at the age of 84, in Riverside, California. Geneva was born on April 23, 1931 to August and Alma Stofferahn. She worked as a bus driver for the Anaheim School District for 30 years before retiring. Geneva was an avid reader, crossword fan, and great cook. She enjoyed spending time with her family and friends...

Sept. 5, 1918 - Jan. 16, 2016 A funeral service for Cleoda Knoblauch, 97, of Arnolds Park, was held Saturday, Jan. 23 at First Lutheran Church in West Okoboji. Interment was at the Milford Cemetery. Cleoda Clair Wright was born on Sept. 5, 1918 to Dollie and Harold Wright. ...

The Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union (IGHSAU) recently released the regional basketball pairings for the lowest three classes in the state. Perhaps the most surprising pairings came in Class 2A, as the IGHSAU separated top-ranked Western Christian (13-2), fourth-ranked Unity Christian (15-1) and fifth-ranked Okoboji (16-0), despite each school's relative vicinity...

The 2016 Laker Athletics Hall of Fame Banquet will be held on Friday, Feb. 19 at 6:30 p.m. in the SERT building on the Estherville campus of Iowa Lakes. The event is open to the public. Anyone who would like to meet the inductees of the Laker Athletics Hall of Fame and share in the memories of the past are encouraged to attend...

Spirit Lake Park, Okoboji and Graettinger-Terril/Ruthven-Ayrshire wrestlers recently competed at the Herb Irgens Inviational hosted by OA-BCIG on Friday and Saturday. Area wrestlers accounted for 14 place-winner, including one champion and three third-place finishers...

With a win over Spencer on Thursday, the Spirit Lake Park wrestling team improved to 7-0 in conference duals on the year and claimed the Lakes Conference dual crown in front of its home crowd. The Indians topped the Tigers 48-25. "It was an awesome night," SLP coach Andrew Lundgren said. ...

The Harris-Lake Park boys and girls basketball teams dropped a pair of home games with Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn on Friday night. The H-LP girls fell 56-48 and the boys lost 51-45. In the girls' contest, the Wolves got out to a great start, taking a 14-8 lead after one quarter before holding a 28-24 lead at the half. Momentum swung in the third quarter, as the Hawks outscored the Wolves 15-5 to gain a 39-33 lead heading into the final stanza before holding off H-LP to win 56-48...