Stories from Tuesday, May 10, 2016

The Milford man accused of armed robbery at Barb's Corner Restaurant & Lounge will face charges once he recovers enough for a return to Iowa, according to Clay County authorities. An investigation into 40-year-old Joshua Emerson Mandelkow began when witnesses at Barb's Corner on March 11 reported a male suspect who brandished a shotgun and demanded money from employees at the establishment. The employees complied with the suspect's demands...

A 1987 Spirit Lake High School graduate hopes to shine a light on professional gambling through his film, "The Best of It." Scott Pearson Eberly made his directorial debut with the release of the feature-length documentary on Tuesday, May 3. The film focuses on the lives of four gamblers in Las Vegas who bet on sporting events...

Crews are dodging raindrops and making progress as construction continues on one of the largest outdoor stages in the Upper Midwest. Boji Bay CEO Tom Golden said work at Legacy Park in north Milford will be done in time for the Richie Lee & The Fabulous 50's tribute to Buddy Holly...

Around 50 northwest Iowa high school students soared through the air last week while learning about aviation. Iowa Lakes Community College held its second annual Aviation Exploration Day at the Estherville Municipal Airport Thursday, May 5. During the event, students learned about aviation careers, the science of flight and how science is used every day by pilots...

Okoboji Foundation Youth in Philanthropy (YIP) held a year-end celebration on Wednesday May 4 at Lake Okoboji Methodist Camp to highlight the Aerial High Ropes Confidence Course that received funding through a 2015 YIP Grant. Eighty-nine students have participated in YIP since 2010, collectively raising over $154,000 for vital capital projects in the Lakes Community. Youth in Philanthropy also set a new annual fundraising record of $34,050 in 2016 with YIP Grant Awards to:...

DNR officials say a wastewater discharge near a lagoon on West Lake Okoboji has been neutralized and the area should be safe to use. Officials with the Great Lakes Sanitary Sewer District think 15,000 gallons of untreated wastewater reached Lazy Lagoon, which is on the northwest shore of West Lake Okoboji. Employees discovered the wastewater discharge at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday...

A plan for a bike trail leading through the Clay County Fairgrounds along 18th Street has been suspended due to a change in cost. The initial cost estimate was conducted several years prior and costs have risen since that time. The project will be resumed some time in the future...

Some Iowa Great Lakes Area students stepped away from the classroom and closed their text books last week in the name of science. Talented and Gifted (TAG) eighth grade students from northwest Iowa attended the "Touched by Science" event at the Iowa Lakeside Laboratory Wednesday, May 8. During the daylong event, students interacted with experts in environmental fields through presentations and hands-on activities...

A westbound lane of traffic had to be closed down after a two-car crash at 4:15 p.m. Friday near the intersection of Erie Avenue and Highway 9 in Spirit Lake. A westbound 2004 Oldsmobile Alero driven by 19-year-old Dustyn Earles of Collins, Iowa, was following a red 2010 Ford F150 driven by 57-year-old Michael Peschon when the car hit the truck from behind. ...

Brandon Wilcox, 40, of Spirit Lake, was charged with child endangerment resulting in bodily injury at 8:29 a.m. Friday, April 22, at 506 19th Street in Spirit Lake. Peter James Wood, 59, of Spirit Lake, was charged with narcotic violations and trespassing at 5:14 p.m. Tuesday, May 3, at 2408 25th Street in Spirit Lake...

Everything in the world is connected. A vibrant example of that connectivity is where prairie and lakes meet. A mutual admiration society, these two ecosystems affect each other and depend on each other in the Iowa Great Lakes area. That is why conservation professionals from throughout the region have banded together to create the Prairie Lakes Conference Thursday-Friday, Aug. 11-12, at the Arrowwood Resort & Conference Center in Okoboji...

Spirit Lake mayor Blain Andera signed a proclamation on May 9 declaring May 20-21 as Poppy Days in the community. The American Legion Auxiliary will distribute buddy poppies during the two days at HyVee, Wal-Mart and Fareway. The group will be asking for free will donations as well. All the money donated will go to help disabled veterans, veterans in need and widows and orphans of deceased veterans...

The 34th annual Walleye Weekend saw 1,785 anglers casting their lines into the Iowa Great Lakes. The event was held Saturday, May 7, through Sunday, May 8. No angler came home with the top prize. Complete results are as follows: 1st place: Ashton Bradley, Estherville -- 5.02 lbs...

The Spring 2016 commencement ceremony for Iowa Lakes Community College will be held Friday, May 13. Following the fall 2015 and spring 2016 semesters, 360 students have completed or are in progress to complete the requirements for their degrees or diplomas at Iowa Lakes. Over 190 students plan to attend the commencement ceremony...

The Sioux Prairie Quilt Guild will hold its annual Quilt Show at the Prairie Winds Event Center in connection with the Orange City Tulip Festival. The show hours are 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on May 19-20 and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on May 21. The theme this year is "A Beautiful Finish" and will feature a large variety of quilts and quilted items made by the guild members. ...

Okoboji Christian Women's Connection will have their monthly luncheon entitled "On Pins and Needles" at 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 18, at the Okoboji Bible Conference Grounds in Arnolds Park. Rita Weber of Sioux Falls, South Dakota will be the speaker with her talk "Confessions of a Strong-Willed Child," which reveals hope for a broken heart. ...

The 29th annual Fun and Wellness Day will be held on Wednesday, May 18, at the Iowa Lakes Emmetsburg campus. Doors open at 7:45 a.m. for registration, egg bake breakfast and display booths. Participants are encouraged to park in the lot northeast of the main campus building. ...

Okoboji Ladies Night Out will meet AT 6 p.m. Tuesday, May 17, at the Okoboji Bible Conference grounds in Arnolds Park with a meal at a cost of $10. The speaker will be Rita Weber of Sioux Falls, South Dakota with her talk " Confessions of a Strong-Willed Child," letting us know there is Hope for a Broken Heart. She will also have CDs and a book for sale. Reservations are requested and appreciated...

All active and retired law enforcement personnel and their family members are invited to an appreciation service at Light of the Lakes Church, at the stoplight in Arnolds Park, on May 15. The service will start at 10:30 a.m. followed by a meal at noon. ...

Jeremiah Myer of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Mankato, Minnesota will present the program "The Stony Path" to the Iowa Lakes Unitarian Universalist Fellowship May 15 at the Arrowwood Resort and Conference Center in Okoboji. Unitarian Universalist Fellowship coffee is at 10:30 a.m. ...

Brewster Fun Time Dance is sponsoring a dance from 7:30-11:30 p.m. Saturday, May 14, at the American Legion in Brewster, Minnesota. Jesse James Band will preform music at the event. Complimentary dance lessons will be offered at 7 p.m. The dance is open to the public...

Calvary United Methodist Church in Arnolds Park will serve its annual roast beef dinner at the American Legion Club in Milford from 5-7 p.m. Thursday, May 12. The menu consists of roast beef, mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans, corn, salads, dinner rolls and homemade pie. The cost of the meal is $12 for adults, $5 for anyone under 12. Carry-out meals are available. Call 712-332-2447 before 4 p.m. the day of the event for home deliveries. The event is open to the public...

A heartfelt THANKS to the Milford Fire Department, Milford and Okoboji Police Departments, Dickinson County Sheriff's Department, Milford Municipal Utilities, Dickinson County Emergency Management and Lakes Regional Healthcare ambulance and paramedics, for their quick response to the small fire last Friday. Because of their professional handling, the smoke damage was kept to a minimum. We are grateful to live in a caring community of customers and countless friends!...

I will accept Bill Kerstring's apology for misquoting the First Amendment. He then, however, quotes the preamble of the Declaration of Independence as a statement of opposition to the "Death With Dignity" concept. To pick the one word "life" out of the phrase "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" is a total misunderstanding of what was intended here...

Congratulations to the 140 students from Spirit Lake High School who participated in the State Large Group Music Contest held at Humboldt High School on Friday night , May 6. All Spirit Lake musicians performed very well and represented SLHS in an excellent manner. In performance order: here are the results:...

Tennessee warblers, common yellowthroats, juvenile great-horned owls -- Wings and Wetlands Weekend promises exciting bird sightings in Dickinson County. The 21st annual celebration, a joint effort among northwest Iowa conservation boards, will be held May 14-15 with two programs Saturday, May 14, hosted by the Dickinson County Conservation Board...

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...

Q: What issues are handled by the Senate Judiciary Committee? A: The Senate Judiciary Committee is one of the original standing committees of the United States Senate. With sweeping legislative and oversight jurisdiction, the 20-member committee examines social, economic, legal and constitutional issues that matter to everyday Americans...

My rhubarb has bolted. Gardeners frequently ask why their rhubarb is bolting. Well, if you think of it from the plant's perspective, it is just a part of the plant's natural life cycle. Flowering is part of the reproductive phase that leads to the production of fruit and seed. ...

"Would you like me to swipe your credit card?" is a phrase whose days may be numbered. Major card issuers are adding a small metallic square to new cards, which are computer microchips designed to enhance the card's security. This technology is what the electronic payment industry calls EMV, which stands for Europay, MasterCard and Visa. ...

The 2016 legislative session adjourned sine die on Friday, April 29. The year of the session will cut down on much of the political posturing. The members know each other, one another's personalities and agendas are clearer. This session was slower paced, narrower in focus and seemingly a lot more deliberate in actions than others...

The Iowa Rock n Roll Music Association is seeking volunteers to help with the upcoming "Rock the Roof: concert series. Volunteer duties include assisting with the weekly concerts at the Roof Garden in Arnolds Park Amusement Park on Thursday evenings. The first of 12 Rock the Roof concerts this summer is set for June 9...

The 2016 Clay County Fair will begin with the powerful sounds of country superstar Martina McBride with special guest Brad Morgan in the U.S. Cellular Grandstand at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 10. A multi-time Grammy nominee, McBride has sold more than 18 million albums to date, including 20 Top-10 singles and six No. 1 hits. This winter McBride released her first single, "Reckless," the title track from her new album, which was released April 29...

Vietnam veterans and their family members are invited to a brunch in their honor on June 1. The Ladies of the Lake Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution is sponsoring the event at Wesley Place, 1812 Gary Ave., Spirit Lake ( just west of the United Methodist Church)...

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...

The Spirit Lake K-Kids fourth-grade class of Miss Liz Steiner collected non-perishable items as a service project and delivered them to Upper Des Moines Food Pantry on April 28. K-Kids is a Kiwanis International student-led organization for elementary age children. K-Kids provides its members with the opportunity to perform services in their community and school, develop leadership skills to grow as future leaders with strong moral character...

Volunteering has been a part of Lakes Regional Healthcare's (LRH) history since before the first patient received care, and is still an integral part of the organization. For over 50 years, LRH Volunteers have assisted patients and staff in various ways, such as escorting and transporting patients throughout the facility, delivering patient meal trays to cancer patients as they receive chemotherapy, and assisting gift shop customers...

A group of Iowa Great Lakes Rotarians got together Thursday, April 14, at West O Brewery to make "get well" cards for patients of Lakes Regional Healthcare. The Rotary members wrote notes of cheer on more than 60 get well cards. The cards were presented on Wednesday, April 20, at a meeting between a hospital representative and Rotarian Sonja Hamm. ...

Iowa Public Television is celebrating the 10th anniversary of its Reading Road Trip with a record-breaking 75 stops at libraries across the state. Dan Wardell, host of the IPTV KIDS Clubhouse, will welcome kids and families in communities across Iowa throughout the summer...

National Alcohol and Other Drug-Related Birth Defects Awareness Week starts this Mother's Day, May 8. Its a time to remind everyone that pregnancy and alcohol/drugs are harmful to the physical health of the growing fetus. Of all the drugs, alcohol has the most lasting and detrimental effects on the development of a fetus. ...

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey on Friday, April 22, reminded eligible farm owners that the deadline to apply for the 2016 Century and Heritage Farm Program is June 1. The program recognizes families that have owned their farm for 100 years in the case of Century Farms and 150 years for Heritage Farms...

Clean water for the Iowa Great Lakes -- we all want it. How do we get it? The public is encouraged to participate in the East Okoboji Beach work day 1 p.m. Saturday, May 21. Attendees will learn how rain gardens and swales assist in the water quality process...

The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) recently announced that the organization will be donating $4,295 to Prairie Arts Historical Park for Baker Township School project. Funding for this project was made possible through the sponsorship of the Ladies of the Lake Chapter, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution in Spirit Lake, serving northwest Iowa including Sheldon...

Growing up in Algona, David Thoreson developed a spirit of adventure while exploring the outdoors. Thoreson used to imagine he was Davy Crockett and pretend he was sailing the world's oceans. He said whenever he was inside he was always dreaming of being outside...

Ten TRIO Educational Talent Search students, one TRIO Student Support Services student and two TRIO staff members went to Iowa City for a student leadership conference, campus visit and college basketball game. The conference was held at the University of Iowa...

Luke Thompson, a sophomore at Okoboji High School, will be performing with the Class 1A/2A Iowa All-State Jazz Band on Thursday, May 12. Each of the three Iowa All-State Jazz Bands (1A/2A, 3A and 4A) will begin rehearsals the afternoon of Wednesday, May 11, at Johnston High School. Thursday's final performance will take place at 3:30 p.m. at the Mariott Hotel in Downtown Des Moines in correlation with the Iowa Bandmasters Association Conference...

Okoboji High School Speech and Drama Awards Night and Thespian Induction was held Sunday, May 1. The following students were inducted into the Thespian Society: Laura Clark, Kaitlyn Meylor, Taylor Simington, Kiaya Pernick, Catherine Rohret, Dalton Johnson, TaNeka Williamson, Emily Naatjes, Bradenn Droegmiller, Kaia Johnson, Luke Thompson, Alie Willemssen, Nicole Welle, Rachel Harmon, Jacob Lappe, Dezirea Erickson, Dallas Jonhson, and Ali Goehring...

Stop "summer slide" in your child's reading achievement. It's as easy as putting books in their hands. It's free and it's fun at the Spirit Lake Public Library. Research shows that reading as few as four to six books during the summer is enough to keep kids from summer learning loss. ...

Sept. 15, 1925 -- May 2, 2016 Julia Lusher Smith, age 90, of Sioux City and formerly of Spirit Lake died on May 2, 2016, at the Sunrise Retirement Community in Sioux City. Funeral Services were held Saturday, May 7, at the Schuchert-Lentz Funeral Home, with burial in Lakeview Cemetery in Spirit Lake...

At 1 p.m. Tuesday, May 17, Milford Memorial Library's open book discussion group will be meeting to talk about "The History of Love" by Nicole Krauss. Anyone is welcome to join this book club. It meets every third Tuesday of the month. For more information contact Milford Memorial Library Director Beth Sorenson at beths@milfordlibrary.net or 712-338-4643...

Iowa Great Lakes Corridor Libraries Announce VERSACARD! As of May 1, five libraries throughout the Iowa Great Lakes Corridor announced their partnership through the VersaCard program. The Public Libraries of Arnolds Park (joining in July), Estherville, Milford, Spencer and Spirit Lake will be able to offer "one card" capabilities for their cardholders. ...

The Lake Park Public Library has some events coming up this summer. The library's summer reading program will start on June 1. The theme this year is "On Your Mark, Get Set ... Read!" The schedule will be sent home from school or you can pick one up at the library...

EF High School Exchange Year -- a division of EF Education First, the World Leader in International Education -- has kicked off its annual nationwide search for caring host families to welcome exchange students into their homes. Last year EF connected nearly 3,000 exchange students from around the world with families across the United States and they are expecting to place the same number for 2016-17...

July 30, 1927 -- April 28, 2016 A funeral service for Edith Long, age 88, of Milford, was held Tuesday, May 3, 2016 at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Milford. Burial was at Calvary Cemetery in Milford. Edith (Cecilia) Long was born July 30, 1927, the fourth child of Margaret and Joe Berg of Milford. ...