Stories from Tuesday, April 5, 2016

As we wind down our tax season, I'd like to remind readers of the opportunity we have on our Iowa 1040 tax form to designate money toward the Chickadee Check-off also known as Fish/Wildlife Fund. This designated money goes to the Wildlife Diversity Program...

Nicole Brown Simpson's sister Tanya likely tuned in for "American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson" -- she told People Magazine she wanted to know what is said about her sister and the case. The 10-part miniseries on the FX network ended Tuesday night. Cuba Gooding Jr. landed the role of O.J. Simpson. John Travolta was cast as Robert Shapiro. Sarah Paulson was the television version of Marcia Clark...

David Gottsche is the lone Democrat to file for the Supervisor's District 3 seat serving the Milford area -- and it appears he will have company on the November's general election ballot. Republicans Terry Adams Sr., Shane Bush and Don Olsen of Milford all met the filing deadline to appear the June 7 primary election ballot. The winner will face Gottsche this fall. Gottsche was first elected to the Dickinson County Board of Supervisors in 1994 and currently serves as the board's chairman...

The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) and the Iowa Office of the State Medical Examiner are continuing to investigate the death of a man who was considered a prime suspect in the 2000 death of a Spirit Lake toddler. Jesse Wendelsdorf, 41, of Cherokee, was admitted to St. Lukes Hospital in Sioux City where he was listed in serious condition on Tuesday, March 29. He died on the evening of Thursday, March 31...

After pulling within one with a second-half goal, the Spirit Lake Park-Okoboji boys soccer team collapsed late in a 7-1 loss to Lakes Conference rival Spencer at home. SLP-O coach Mike Davis said fatigue played a factor in the second half against the Tigers, as the Indians were coming off a pair of games during a road trip to Ames over the weekend...

Despite pitching a second-half shutout, the Spirit Lake Park-Okoboji girls soccer team could not come back from a 4-0 first-half deficit in a road loss to fifth-ranked (2A) Spencer in Monday's season-opener. "Like any new team, and you face a very strong opponent like Spencer, we knew we had our work cut out for us," SLP-O coach Bill Cochran-Bray said. ...

The Iowa Lakes baseball team kicked off a one-week home stand with a trio of doubleheaders against Rochester Community and Technical College and Southeastern Community College. The Lakers swept Rochester on Tuesday, March 29, but lost four straight to Southeastern on Sunday and Monday, April 3-4...

With four doubleheaders in five days, the Iowa Lakes softball team emerged from a busy stretch at an even 4-4 to move to 14-10 overall on the season. It was the tale of two games for the Iowa Lakes softball team Thursday night against the North Iowa Area Community College Trojans. The Lakers took game one 10-2 in five innings before dropping the second one 1-0...

The Harris-Lake Park boys and girls golf teams got their seasons started on the right track Monday, picking up a pair of wins over Marcus-Meriden-Cleghorn/Remsen-Union at Silver Lake Golf Club in Lake Park. The girls earned a 239-268 victory, while the boys won 182-187...

Facing bitter cold, stiff winds and stiffer competition, the Spirit Lake girls golf team played well, but ultimately fell in its season opener against Jackson County Central on Monday at Okoboji View Golf Course. "I was pleased with the way the girls played for it being their first trip out," Spirit Lake coach Lucas Doxtad said. ...

The Iowa Lakes men's and women's golf teams were in action in Ankeny over the weekend, as the Lakers competed at then Iowa Central Spring Tournament at Otter Creek. The Lakers battled 40-50 mph winds both days of the tournament. Even with warmer temps on day two it was still very tough, according to Iowa Lakes coach Andrew Soper...

Former Okoboji golfer Alex Mankle is enjoying a breakout freshman season at Morningside College. The four-time prep state place-winner ended March with a runner-up medalist finish in Lincoln, Nebraska and started April by being named the GPAC Women's Golfer of the Week for her efforts...

The Spirit Lake boys track team ended its indoor season in victory Monday, as the Indians earned a team championship at a meet held on the campus of South Dakota State University in Brookings. "The boys ended their Indoor season tonight on a great high, with many personal records [resulting in] a team win," Spirit Lake coach Brad Travis said. ...

Cale Hellinga was the lone champion in Harris-Lake Park's outdoor track opener on Monday in Sioux Rapids, leading the Wolves with a win in the 400-meter run. Hellinga finished in 54.71 seconds in the meet hosted by Sioux Central. Darin Hesebeck followed with a second-place leap of 5 feet, 8 inches in the high jump, and Braeton Nitzschke also earned a runner-up finish with his 41-foot, 11.25-inch toss in the shot put...

The Graettinger-Terril/Ruthven-Ayrshire boys track team made a pair of trips to Lake City on Tuesday, March 29 and Monday, April 4 to kick off the outdoor track season. In their first trip, the Titans impressed coach David Peterson, placing highly in several events...

Mari Stein impressed at the Dan Lennon Invitational held Tuesday, March 29 on the campus of the University of South Dakota in Vermillion, earning a runner-up finish in the 1,600-meter run. Stein's time of 5 minutes, 52.06 seconds finished just behind champion Josie Heeren of Elk Point Jefferson (5:45.39), and was the top placing for the Okoboji contingent...

There was a time on the both East Okoboji and Big Spirit where if you wanted fishing action, you could go after white bass. On East Okoboji, they were even a nuisance when you pulled spinners and live bait for walleyes and even when you pulled crankbaits. They would attack pretty much anything thrown their way. However, most of the time they were the smaller ones...

More and more, anglers are getting on and in the water. Some folks are fishing from boats, some are wading, and some are fishing from docks or shore. Some anglers are catching fish, some aren't catching too much. If you'll be fishing in the next couple of weeks, keep these fishing thoughts in mind...

Easter has come and gone, the holiday that gets us thinking about eggs and new beginnings. Many birds are arriving back north to begin their nesting season; frogs are calling in the marsh; and soon we will see insects like butterflies and dragonflies sailing about. They are all getting ready to lay eggs...

Spring is arriving! I'm going to think positive and believe that spring is around the corner although sometimes the corner is pretty wide. Today is one of the annual events that could happen two or three times or more in any given season, but it is an annual event...

Some Boji Voices have found the right harmony once again in 2016. For the fourth consecutive year, Okoboji High School's ensemble reached the Iowa Vocal Jazz Championships. The group traveled March 29 to Valley High School in West Des Moines and placed sixth out of eight 2A choirs. Sheldon's Vocal Fusion won the 2A competition...

Members of the Spirit Lake High School Key Club donned capes and costumes this past Friday as part of its annual autism awareness event. Kids from across Dickinson County gathered in the new Character Center at the Bedell YMCA to take part in the event full of activities and socializing. The theme for the day was "being your own hero," in the hope of appreciating each other's differences...

MaxYield Cooperative has agreed to purchase eight facilities from the The Anderson, Inc in northwest Iowa. These facilities included grain elevators in Superior, Gruver, Milford, Langdon, Everly, Spencer and Greenville, as well as a liquefied petroleum gas storage facility in Royal...

Q: Why is an "all-of-the-above" energy policy good for the economy and national security? A: The United States has entered a new era of domestic energy production that is setting the stage for energy independence. Thanks to remarkable innovation and investment, American businesses and entrepreneurs are driving job creation and economic growth by tapping into natural resources to produce more energy than ever before right here in the United States...

Anyone who has a credit history or plans to establish one should have an interest in what appears on their credit report. Your credit report includes information about your identity, detailed credit history and other information about you, including court judgments. Your credit report can affect your ability to get a credit card or loan, how much interest you pay, your insurance rates, and can even impact where you can live and work...

The recent passing of former First Lady Nancy Reagan generated new attention to her leadership in the battle against drug abuse in America. Over the years much debate has ensued over her role in the "war on drugs" and whether or not true progress was made on her watch and thereafter...

Frustration reigns in the State Capitol. First, we have the Senate who takes off on Thursday and comes back later on Tuesday from doing business while we could be doing the work of the State and finalizing budget targets. I have worked hard on the budget in order to ensure a common sense and conservative budget is passed. ...

According to the Arthritis Foundation, 46 million Americans live with arthritis or chronic joint symptoms. Arthritis symptoms limit everyday activities such as dressing, bathing and cooking for more than 7 million Americans. Half of those Americans with arthritis aren't aware of options that are now available to help alleviate their symptoms. ...

When the legislature passes a bill and the Governor signs it, the law is put into the Iowa Code. Many laws require administrative rules to implement or administer the law. Rules are adopted by state agencies. These rules are put in the Iowa Administrative Code...

All's quiet on the Capitol front. There was no debate and therefore, no bills advanced during the 12th week of the session. Today (Thursday) the Senate gaveled in at 9:02 a.m. and gaveled out at 9:05. Some constituents who pay attention to the daily Senate Journal entries give me a ribbing over that...

The Clay County Fair welcomes Andrea Wiesenmeyer as its marketing and sponsorship manager. Wiesenmeyer brings more than 15 years experience in marketing and design to the position. Prior to joining the Clay County Fair team, she was the director of operations for the Iowa Rock 'n' Roll Music Association in Arnolds Park. Wiesenmeyer has also served as executive director for the Lanai Art Center in Lanai City, Hawaii, as well as owned a small screen printing business in Pella...

A Colorado Springs, Colorado man was booked into the Dickinson County Jail after a traffic stop led to a series of charges Monday. The Spirit Lake Police Department said 38-year-old Steven Barrett was pulled over in a gray 2000 Saturn at about 2:45 p.m. in Spirit Lake. Further investigation prompted officers to call in the department's K-9, Cairo. The dog detected the possibility of marijuana, according to the police department. They obtained a warrant to search the vehicle...

A 20-year-old Milford man faces a series of charges after high speed chase Saturday night. The Dickinson County Sheriff's office said a deputy noticed a truck pulling a trailer with a UTV going north on Highway 71 near 165th Street. McCauley Arndt was believed to be driving the truck and trailer as it weaved in and out of traffic at a high rate of speed, according to a sheriff's report. Deputies were right behind the vehicle as it attempted a U-turn near the Spirit Lake Dairy Queen restaurant...

David Gottsche is the lone Democrat to file for the Supervisor's District 3 seat serving the Milford area -- and it appears he will have company on the November's general election ballot. Republicans Terry Adams Sr., Shane Bush and Don Olsen of Milford all met the filing deadline to appear the June 7 primary election ballot. The winner will face Gottsche this fall. Gottsche was first elected to the Dickinson County Board of Supervisors in 1994 and currently serves as the board's chairman...

Dust off your reel, check your line and kick off the 2016 walleye season in the Iowa Great Lakes during the 34th Annual Great Walleye Weekend, May 7-8. This two-day fishing tournament witnesses close to 2,000 anglers converging upon the Iowa Great Lakes to see if they can catch one of the specially tagged walleye...

Riley Ann, a former high school English teacher, is a storyteller through song, and she's sharing her stories this spring. Spanning five states in three weeks, she's taking her songs on the road, including a 7 p.m. show Saturday, April 16, in Milford at West O Beer in Milford. The show is free and open to the public...

Bobolinks nesting in the prairie, Blanding's turtles resting by the stream, bald eagles flying overhead -- a walk through the Judd Wildlife Area allows some of nature's finest to show off. Twenty years ago, the Dickinson County Conservation Board looked to add a public recreation area south of Milford and a Wildlife Habitat Stamp grant assisted with the purchase of the original 136 acres of the Judd Wildlife Area...

Campers may start reserving their spots for the Fourth of July weekend on April 1 of this year. People can make reservations for sites three months ahead of their first night's stay. "Electric sites go quickly," Todd Coffelt, chief of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources State Parks Bureau, said. "And some sites will already be reserved by campers arriving prior to the holiday weekend."...

The Y Takes Time to Recognize and Recruit Volunteers during National Volunteer Week During National Volunteer Week, April 10-16, the YMCA of the Okobojis is encouraging individuals to seek ways to give back, while honoring those who dedicate themselves to helping strengthen communities...

U.S. Cellular will continue its Community Connections program for the second consecutive year to support local youth organizations. Last year, the company sponsored more than 700 school groups and youth sports teams through a partnership with Pear, an online platform that connects local brands with local community needs. Academic and athletic groups in grades K-12 can sign up at www.pearup.com/uscellular to receive sponsorship from the company to go toward group needs...

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey today announced 13 urban conservation water quality initiative demonstration projects have been selected to receive $978,149 in funding. The list includes the city of Arnolds Park, which will receive a $100,000 grant for its Monument Drive pervious paver system...

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey today announced 13 urban conservation water quality initiative demonstration projects have been selected to receive $978,149 in funding. The list includes the city of Arnolds Park, which will receive a $100,000 grant for its Monument Drive pervious paver system...

Jane Wiest, Dr. Terry Shively and Stevie Shively of St. Alban's Episcopal Church in Spirit Lake are returning to Haiti to assist with another Healthcare Mission with "Haiti Companions from April 8-18. This will be the fifth healthcare mission to Haiti for the team from St. Alban's...

From mucking through wetlands, canoeing and catching frogs, to learning the names of flowers and the habits of animals, Lakeside's summer camps offer a variety of experiences for K-12 students, including opportunity for high school students to earn college credit...

Iowa State University Extension and Outreach in Dickinson County is offering a food safety training for food service managers on Tuesday, May 10, at the ISU Extension office in Spirit Lake. "Certification in ServSafe meets the Iowa Food Code requirements to have a certified food protection manager in all establishments," said Renee Sweers, class instructor and ISU Extension and Outreach Nutrition and Health Specialist. ...

Iowa Great Lakes Council 5043 of the Knights of Columbus presented some gifts to Deacon Mauro Sanchez recently. Deacon Mauro Sanchez is scheduled to be ordained at Asuncion Church in Querendaro, Mexico, July 9. He has often been assisting Father Brian Hughes with Mass and other duties at St. Mary's Parish in Spirit Lake on his journey to the priesthood. After his ordination, he will serve as a priest for the Diocese of Sioux City...

Northwest Iowa Care Connections, a Mental Health and Disability Services Region covering, Clay, Dickinson, Lyon, O'Brien, Osceola and Palo Alto counties, contracts with Foundation 2 in Cedar Rapids for 24/7 confidential phone crisis assistance at 1-844-345-4569...

MidAmerican Energy and Alliant Energy are teaming up to fight back against scams. Phone billing scams targeting utility customers continue to be a daily battle for the utilities, resulting in money lost for several customers. Since the beginning of the year, customers have reported more than 400 fraudulent calls to the two utilities. The scammers are targeting all customer bases; however, small businesses and Spanish-speaking customers...

Iowa Lakes Community College will offer four courses at the Spencer Campus on April 26 to help people with writer's block. The first course: "Meet the Publisher -- Get Your Manuscript Critiqued," will run from 3-4 p.m. This course will go over how to talk to a real publisher and avoid the frustrations of having a non-professional critique individual manuscripts. ...

There's a saying posted on the wall in the Student Achievement Center on the Estherville campus that offers a good perspective of attending college. "Education is not preparation for life. Education is life itself." Like many others, Jacob Hansen didn't know where life would take him when he was studying at Iowa Lakes. The 2008 graduate came to Iowa Lakes to study wind energy and turbine technology...

Congratulations went out to the student members of the Spirit Lake High School Music Department on their performances at Solo/Ensemble Contest April 2. Students traveled to Orange City to perform their vocal and instrumental solos and ensembles for adjudication. Nearly 80 students were involved in a total of 63 entries. Of the 44 vocal entries students, 25 Division I (Superior) ratings, 17 Division II (Excellent) ratings, and two Division III (Good) ratings were awarded...

Nearly 30 students from Iowa Lakes Community College will be competing in 10 different categories at the statewide SkillsUSA contest in central Iowa on April 29. The competition is open to high school and college students enrolled in technical, skilled and service occupations. Students from Iowa Lakes Community College include:...

Join the Milford Memorial Library staff in celebrating National Library Week. The public is invited to come to the Milford Memorial Library on for an open house from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Friday, April 15, The open house is being held to celebrate National Library Week. ...

The Okoboji High School Jazz Band, under the direction of Toni Hoffmann, participated in Class 2A at the 41st Annual Iowa Jazz Championships on Tuesday, April 5, in Des Moines. Musco Lighting from Oskaloosa sponsors the event in cooperation with Iowa Jazz Championships, Inc., Jazz Educators of Iowa, and the Iowa Music Educators Association...

June 6, 1924 -- March 17, 2016 On Thursday, March 17, Rosalee Alice McDonald passed away. Rosalee was 91 years old and a life-long resident of Milford. Her last years were happily spent at Hawkeye Assisted Living in Milford. Though her health was generally in decline for the last several months of her life, it was eventually discovered that she had cancer. ...

Oct. 18, 1936 -- April 1, 2016 Richard Orrin "Dick" Jacobson, 79, a distinguished businessman and philanthropist from Des Moines, passed away peacefully in his home in the Clearwater, Florida area on Friday, April 1. Dick was born in Greeley, Colorado on Oct. ...

Dec. 29, 2015 -- Jan. 13, 1942 Karen Maxine (Stientjes) Pas, age 73, of Milford passed away on Tuesday, Dec. 29, 2015, at Lakes Regional Healthcare Hospice in Spirit Lake. She was born on Jan. 13, 1942, in Iowa Falls to Arnold and Maxine (Cressey) Stientjes...

Feb. 5, 1932 -- March 30, 2016 Funeral services for Edna Marie Mett were held Saturday, April 2, at Trinity United Chruch of Christ in Hartley. The Rev. Jeff Filkins officiated. Burial was at North Lawn Memorial Park in Spencer. Edna Mett, the daughter of John and Venita (Hansen) Westergard, was born Feb. ...

Feb. 18, 1931 -- March 30, 2016 A funeral service for Clara Harnack, age 85, of Spirit Lake, was held Monday, April 4, at Turner Jenness Funeral Home in Spirit Lake. Burial was at East Lawn Cemetery in Sheldon. Clara Jo was granted her angel wings March 30, 2016 after a long battle with cancer while she was a resident of Hawkeye Care Center in Spirit Lake. She was born on Feb. 18, 1931, the daughter of Edmund and Bessie (Watson) Hopkins...

July 3, 1917--April 2, 2016 Catherine Wyatt of Okoboji passed away Saturday, April 2, 2016, to be with her Lord at the age of 98. What a wonderful life she lived! Cathie served the Lord in so many ways with her generous giving every day, being a role model, her positive attitude on life and her smiles. ...

Grady and Joyce Parham of Spirit Lake will celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary on April 28. They were married on that date in 1956.

Science class at Spirit Lake Elementary looked a little different Thursday. Textbooks and tests were replaced with slime, homemade volcanoes, and geodes for the annual Minds in Motion event. Projects were displayed in the school's gymnasium during the event, as third and fourth graders demonstrated what they came up with using critical thinking to classmates and parents. The projects ranged from the potato growth habits to how to make Play-Doh...