Stories from Tuesday, May 31, 2016

The election of agricultural producers to Farm Service Agency (FSA) county committees is important to all farmers and land owners, whether they be a beginning or longtime producer, or whether they have a large or small operation. Every eligible agricultural producer whether they own or operate a farm, should participate in the FSA Committee election process because FSA county committees are a link between the local agricultural community and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)...

The Lake Park Care Center staff thanked Julie Ebel, owner of Blossoms and Blooms of Lake Park for taking an afternoon to plant flowers with the residents. They said her thoughtfulness, kindness and attention to detail was greatly appreciated and the residents loved the afternoon outside...

Okoboji Middle School Student Kallyn Stumbo is the winner of the 2016 Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) History Award. The Ladies of the Lake Chapter of the DAR annually presents this recognition to a student who has shown outstanding work in the field of history. Stumbo is the daughter of Brett and Danelle Stumbo of Milford. The DAR Chapter serves all of northwest Iowa...

Friends Science Seminar -- Learn and engage with Lakeside students and faculty as researchers share their findings at 7:30 p.m. every Tuesday in Mahan Hall. On Tuesday, June 7, Paul Bartelt of Waldorf College will present "It's Not Easy Being Green: Amphibians on an Agricultural Landscape."...

Mary Thunhorst, of Spirit Lake and retiring social studies teacher at Okoboji Middle School, will be installed as the new regent of the Ladies of the Lake Chapter of the DAR at 1 p.m. Tuesday, June 14, at Arnolds Park City Hall. Retiring Regent Colleen Lemkuil, of Spirit Lake, will be honored for her seven years of dedicated service to the chapter...

Colleen Lemkuil, Grants Chairperson for the Okoboji Queen Chapter of Questers, accepts a check in the amount of $4,284.44 to restore the windows in the 1936 Baker School House being renovated at the Prairie Arts Council Historical Park in Sheldon. International Quester President Ginger Robbins presented the check from the Preservation and Restoration Committee of Questers International at their annual convention May 22 in Des Moines...

State Rep. John H. Wills of Spirit Lake was among 33 select lawmakers chosen to participate in a training program that annually identifies and assists promising state leaders in the Midwest. Wills will meet with fellow lawmakers from Iowa and 10 other Midwestern states and four Canadian provinces Aug. 12-16 in Madison, Wisconsin, for The Council of State Governments' 22nd annual Bowhay Institute for Legislative Leadership Development (BILLD)...

Okoboji eighth grade student Avery Arrowood participated in the 28th Annual Iowa Bandmasters All-Iowa Eighth Grade Honor Band on Thursday, May 12, in Des Moines. She participated in the band along with other top eighth-grade performers in Iowa. Students were chosen through auditions at the district level in the fall of 2015. The band rehearsed Thursday morning and presented a concert under the direction of Randall Standridge at the Marriott in downtown Des Moines in the afternoon...

The adult education and literacy program at Iowa Lakes Community College is offering classes for non-native English speakers on both the Spencer and Estherville Campuses. These classes are no charge to students and are designed to offer a comfortable learning environment to help adult students improve their English for the workplace or for future academic study...

Lake Park Public Library's summer reading program begins on June 1. The theme of the program is: "On your mark, get set...read!" The Hanson Family performance at 6 p.m. Wednesday, June 8, has been moved to the Harris-Lake Park Elementary School gym. Some of the items used during their show will be available for purchase following the event...

The Milford Memorial Library is hosting an adult summer craft series from 6-7:30 p.m. every Wednesday this June at the library. The cost to participate in the program is $2 per event. Registration is required. The summer craft series will start on June 8 with adult coloring. ...

Children who read over the summer do better in school than children who don't. Incorporating reading into your child's summer in a fun way is easy to do at the Spirit Lake Public Library. Children from infants through eighth grade are invited to come read, spin the wheel, win prizes, listen to stories, do crafts and attend entertainment programs...

May 3, 1919 -- May 21, 2016 Services for Agnes Adeline Munns, 97, of Spirit Lake, were held Wednesday, May 25, 2016, at Grace Lutheran Church in Spirit Lake. Interment was at Lakeview Cemetery in Spirit Lake. Agnes Munns died peacefully Saturday, May 21, while in hospice care at Lakes Regional Hospital in Spirit Lake, after a short illness and a long battle with osteoporosis. ...

March 7, 1924 -- May 25, 2016 A memorial service for Cecil Zahren, age 92, of Lake Park, was held Saturday, May 28, at the United Methodist Church in Lake Park. Burial was at Silver Lake Cemetery. Cecil W. Zahren, the son of Charlotte (Lenz) and Gilbert Zahren, was born March 7, 1924, in Westport Township in Dickinson County Iowa. He attended and graduated from the Lake Park High School in 1943...

Feb. 24, 1922 -- April 23, 2016 A memorial service for Evelyn Dotson, 94, will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, June 4, at Turner Jenness Funeral Home in Milford. Interment will be at Fairview Cemetery in rural Langdon. Evelyn passed away Saturday, April 23, 2016 at Hawkeye Care Center in Milford...

May 16, 1924 -- May 20, 2016 A funeral service for John Berg, 92, of Milford, was held Wednesday, May 25, at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Milford. Burial was at Calvary Cemetery in Milford. John Joseph Berg was born May 16, 1924 to Joseph and Margaretha Berg in Milford. John grew up in Milford loving farming and farm animals. He joined the Army in 1942 and served until 1946. John then returned to his family home to continue farming...

Dec. 4, 1938 -- April 14, 2016 A memorial Mass for Richard Mulder, 77, of Terril will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, June 4, 2016 at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Milford. Visitation will begin at 9:30 a.m. until the time of the service. There will be a Knights of Columbus Rosary at 9 a.m. at the church...

The family of Mike and Marge May would like to acknowledge the Spirit Lake couple as they celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary on Sunday, June 5. Cards and warm wishes may be sent to: Mike and Marge May 17024 255th Ave. Spirit Lake, IA, 51360

Dale and Helen (Nash) Sturgeon, of Arnolds Park and formerly of Cherokee, will celebrate their 70th wedding anniversary on Tuesday, June 7. They were married at the Presbyterian Church in Cherokee and have four children: Sherry (Mark) Clark of Tulsa, Oklahoma, Susan Williams of Fort Collins, Colorado; Michael of Lakewood, Colorado and Connie (Tim) Holmer of Sedalia, Colorado...

The Spencer Alliance for a Creative Economy is pleased to announce the dates and live music scheduled for the five arts, farmers market, and entertainment events for the 2016 Summer. July 14 -- Itty Bitty Boji Band July 21 -- Society of Broken Souls...

For over 40 years the amazing display over West Lake Okoboji has been made possible thanks to the generosity of individuals and businesses throughout our community. The awe-inspiring show can be enjoyed from miles away by thousands and thousands of people...

Mannheim Steamroller will present the best the holiday has to offer this season. The group will perform live at the Clay County Regional Events Center, Thursday, Dec. 15. Complete ticket information, including on-sale dates, will be announced this summer...

The Vietnam Veterans Moving Wall will be at Wild Rose Casino and Resort from Thursday, July 21 thru Monday, July 25. John Devitt, Norris Shears, Gerry Haver and other Vietnam veteran volunteers constructed The Moving Wall. It went on display for the first time in Tyler, Texas in October of 1984. Two structures of The Moving Wall now travel the USA from April through November, spending about a week at each site...

"Sting" Ray Anthony is back again for another great evening of entertainment. He is one of the most acclaimed tribute artists representing the 1950s and 1960s in music today, and is endorsed by the Ritchie Valens estate with his unparalleled tribute to Ritchie Valens and other rock 'n' rollers. Sting Ray has delighted audiences up on their feet dancing and singing the greatest songs ever written wherever he performs...

The Iowa Great Lakes Chamber of Commerce presented East Lake Okoboji Improvement Corporation, Center Lake Protection and Improvement Association, Spirit Lake Protective Association and Okoboji Protective Association each with $2,500 donation from the Walleye Weekend proceeds...

Country school teachers in the early 1900s lived a strict life. An actual set of rules for a country school teacher in 1915 included these parameters: You are not to keep company with men; you must be home between the hours of 8 p.m. and 6 a.m., unless at a school function; you may not loiter in any of the ice cream stores...

Brianna Lynne Laubenthal, 27, of Terril, was charged with driving while license under suspension, failure to obey stop sign and yield right away, operating a vehicle without registration and possession of drug paraphernalia at 4:02 a.m. Thursday, May 19, at 38th Street and Highway 71 South in Spirit Lake...

If you were lost in the woods, would you know how to start a fire, how to build a shelter, how to find water? If your 10- to 12-year-old participates in this summer's Young Naturalists program at the Dickinson County Nature Center, they will know how to do all of these tasks. The bi-weekly program beginning 1 p.m. Thursday, June 16, will focus on Outdoor Survival Skills...

Traffic had to be redirected near the intersection of Keokuk Avenue and Highway 9 in Spirit Lake following a two-car crash Wednesday afternoon. Emergency crews were called at about 12:53 p.m. to the location near the Spirit Lake Fareway grocery store...

Lakes Regional Healthcare in Spirit Lake is among the organizations that could benefit from a bipartisan bill proposed by Sen. Chuck Grassley. Grassley included the Spirit Lake medical center among four "tweener" hospitals in Iowa and many others nationwide in a hospitals bill from the House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee. ...

It's a long way from Red Oak, Iowa to Washington, D.C., but often I think back to even more distant places I've traveled to like Kuwait and Iraq, where I served as a company commander, leading 150 Iowa Army National Guardsmen during Operation Iraqi Freedom 13 years ago. I also often think of the nearly 4,500 Americans who gave the ultimate sacrifice to our nation during the Iraq War...

Primary Election Day is Tuesday, June 7, and I encourage all eligible Iowans to make their voices heard by participating. Exercising the right to vote is one of our most important civic duties. We are very privileged to live in this great country where we have the freedom to choose our elected representatives...

Memorial Day weekend has come and gone and that means the official start of summer for many. With that, I did some research to explain what the real meaning of Memorial Day is and why we celebrate this day. Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance for those who have died in service of the United States of America. ...

With U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley Q: Why is Memorial Day a federal holiday? A: This holiday observes the ultimate sacrifice of more than 1 million Americans who served in the Armed Forces and lost their lives in the line of duty. It is a day of reverence and remembrance for our fallen heroes, the sons and daughters whose call to duty protected our shores, battled regimes of tyranny and terrorism and defended freedom and liberty around the world...

The Lakes Area Hockey Association would like to express thanks and gratitude to the Good Neighbor Fund and those who contributed to this year's campaign. We are blessed to live in a community that supports the work of the many great organizations providing invaluable community enhancements and opportunities in the Lakes Area...

Okoboji Christian Women's Prayer Connection will meet at 11a.m. Wednesday, June 1 at the Bird House Cafe in Milford. Everyone will pay for their own lunch. This is a time of fellowship, prayer for others and finalizing plans for the luncheon on June 15 at the Okoboji Bible Conference. No reservations are necessary for the prayer connection and whey would love to have everyone join them. For questions call Marvis at 712-330-0671...

A grant writing workshop is scheduled to be presented in Dickinson County June 2 for representatives of nonprofits, local government and schools. Grant Writing 101 will provide hands-on training in seeking and writing successful grant applications. The workshop will be presented from 1 to 4 p.m. Thursday, June 2, at the Dickinson County Extension office, 1600 15th Street, Spirit Lake. The program is sponsored by Iowa State University Extension -- Dickinson County...

Summer is just around the corner, and so is the 2016 lake monitoring season. Volunteers are needed to assist with checking the water quality of Dickinson County lakes with the Cooperative Lakes Area Monitoring Project coordinated by Iowa Lakeside Laboratory. ...

The Iowa Lakes Community College Chamber Choir will be featured along with seven other choirs on Iowa Public Television at 8 p.m. on Monday, June 6 for the broadcast of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony with the Sioux City Symphony Orchestra. For the 100th Year Celebration, the Sioux City Symphony invited the Iowa Lakes Choir along with the choirs of Briar Cliff University, Morningside College, Northwestern College, University of South Dakota, Western Iowa Tech Community College, the Sioux County Oratorio, and the Siouxland Master Chorale to perform in a mass choir.. ...

The Spirit Lake Area Diabetic Support Group will meet at 7 p.m. on Monday, June 6. Chelsi Jahn, LMSW with NW Iowa Council Season Center, Spirit Lake office, will present Diabetes, Emotions, and Eating. Diabetes is a chronic disease that takes self-discipline a non-diabetic doesn't understand. Dealing with a chronic disease is an emotional, physical, and social adjustment. Jahn will address these aspects of change of living with diabetes for the diabetic, for the family, and friends...

All area youth, in grades 6-12, are welcome to participate in Minecraft Camp from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. June 6-7 and June 13-14 at the Spencer Iowa Lakes campus in room 117. The camp will also be held at 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Aug. 1-2 and Aug. 8-9 at the Emmetsburg campus in room 330...

The Dickinson County Taxpayers Association will hold its annual meeting at 9 a.m. Friday, June 10. The meeting will be in the Hedberg Theater of the Maritime Museum at Arnolds Park. Coffee and pastries will be available at 8:30 a.m. Association members and the public are invited to attend...

Often we allow time to give us a reason to ignore our retirement accounts. Economic challenges or changes in employment or family circumstances can mean that a retirement plan needs a tune up. Examples are illness, a housing needs change or relationships change through death, divorce or remarriage. Even changes can occur in your family with the care of your grandchildren...

(((SUBHEAD))) IOWA LAKES PLANS LOESS HILLS TRIP Join Iowa Lakes for a day trip of discovery on Tuesday, June 21. Escape from the hustle and the bustle of everyday life and finally spend some time in serenity, the Northern Loess Hills. Unique, breathtaking scenery will be experienced while visiting the Westfield Interpretive Center, Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center, the Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center and Betty Strong Encounter Center...

The Bedell Family YMCA is offering on-demand video tutorial fitness classes. The sleek, new touch pad at the front desk and the large flat screen TV in the fitness studio will give YMCA users more fitness options than ever before. The YMCA will begin offering Fitness On Demand in June...

Summer is fast approaching which means campgrounds in the Iowa Great Lakes Area will soon see an influx of traffic. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources expects more than 900,000 overnight stays and nearly 15 million day visits this year at state park campgrounds. An estimated 250,000 of these people will be traveling to campsites in northwest Iowa this summer alone...

A few Dickinson County residents and business owners woke up to fallen trees and structural damage on Thursday. A severe thunderstorm that produced winds around 60 miles per hour and large chunks of hail struck the Lakes Area in the early morning hours of May 26, causing a multitude of damage reports in the area...

Soon some people around the Iowa Great Lakes may be shooting for takedowns and trying to lock in arm bars when the Bedell Family YMCA starts offering jiu-jitsu classes this summer. Weekly classes will be held from 7-8 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays and from 9-10 a.m. the first and third Saturday of each month starting June 7 in the Healthy Living Program Center in downtown Spirit Lake. Cost of the class is a monthly fee of $35 for YMCA members and $50 dollars for non-members...

More than 370 flags unfurled in the wind Monday morning, as a crowd gathered on east lawn of the Dickinson County Courthouse in Spirit Lake to observe Memorial Day. The ceremony opened with the Spirit Lake High School band playing the Star-Spangled Banner. A prayer honoring the soldiers who gave their lives defending the nation followed...

Okoboji freshman Hannah Butler found herself in third place through the opening round of the Class 2A IGHSAU Golf Tournament held at Jester Park Golf Course in Granger on Tuesday. Butler carded a day one total of 82 to place herself two strokes back of leaders Erin Lockin, of Alta-Aurelia, and Aly Anderson, of Treynor...

Lesson plans brought Cliff Hinderman to Oaxaca, Mexico in the summer of 1985 -- he was working on a booklet for colleagues in education as they take students on field trips to the area. The former Spirit Lake High School Spanish teacher eventually learned a lesson of his own. He couldn't concentrate on his project due the copious amounts of children on the street begging and selling wares to get money for food...