Stories from Tuesday, July 5, 2016

People from across the Iowa Great Lakes Region will travel to Arnolds Park Amusement Park dressed in purple for a different kind of relay this week. They won't be completing for a trophy or a prize. Instead, they are all united behind a common goal, the fight against cancer...

The Alliant Energy Foundation awarded the Arnolds Park Library a community grant for $2,600. The library applied for the community grant to help with the cost of purchasing AWE computer stations for the children and juvenile sections. The AWE's products focus on early literacy and school readiness skills. The AWE early literacy stations have 4,000 localized learning activities with content spanning over seven curricular areas...

Andrew Broocks and Tanner Thomas of Spirit Lake earned spots on the dean's list at the University of Omaha for the most recent spring semester. To qualify for the dean's list, students must earn a GPA of 3.5 or better for courses taken at UNO during the semester, provided a minimum of 12 semester hours were completed. Those students earning placement on the chancellor's or dean's list will receive a letter from their respective college signifying their academic success...

U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst announced that her office is seeking Iowa college students and recent graduates for internship opportunities in her Washington, D.C. and state offices during the upcoming fall semester. Applications are due on Aug. 1 and can be found on Ernst's website...

Did you know there are over 40 uses for paracord? It can be used in everyday activities as well as survival. If you are in grades 4-12, come to the Milford Memorial Library at 1 p.m. Thursday, July 7, to make paracord bracelets. This craft is part of the teen summer reading program. For more information about the summer reading program contact the Milford Memorial Library. All supplies are provided by the library at no cost to the students...

Abracadabra, magician and family entertainer Mike Prestby will appear for an 11 a.m. program Wednesday, July 6, at the Spirit Lake Public Library. Prestby has a fun program filled with comedy, magic, puppets and storytelling for kids of all ages. This summer program for children is sponsored by Dowden-Hinn, Golden K and Noon Kiwanis, Polaris, Pronto and Turner-Jenness Funeral Homes...

For those looking for something educational to occupy their children's time this summer, look no further than the Dickinson County Nature Center. Free youth programming is held each week at the nature center in Okoboji -- Nature Tots for ages 2-5, Nature Explorers for ages 6-9 and Young Naturalists for ages 10-12...

For those looking for something educational to occupy their children's time this summer, look no further than the Dickinson County Nature Center. Free youth programming is held each week at the nature center in Okoboji -- Nature Tots for ages 2-5, Nature Explorers for ages 6-9 and Young Naturalists for ages 10-12...

Sept. 9, 1923 -- March 26, 2016 Fanchon Priscilla Ewing was born Sept. 9, 1923, in Lakefield, Minnesota, the daughter of Frank Edward and DeEtte Catherine (Otto) Hartwig. She graduated from Preston High School in May of 1941. After her education, she moved to Rochester, where her older sister lived. She attended Teacher's College, where she learned typing and short-hand and was employed as a secretary at the Mayo Clinic...

Nov. 22, 1959 -- June 24, 2016 Kevin Duane Kelly, 56, of Eaton, Colorado passed away on Friday, June 24, 2016 at North Colorado Medical Center in Greeley. He was born Nov. 22, 1959 to Floyd Duane and Leafe Maxine (Stanton) Kelly in Emporia, Kansas and spent most of his childhood and early adult life in his hometown of Logan, Kansas, where much of his family lived also. ...

Aug. 10, 1945 -- June 30, 2016 Funeral Services for Nick Hass, 70, of Okoboji will be 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, July 6, 2016 at Turner Jenness Funeral Home in Spirit Lake. Visitation was Tuesday, July 5, at Turner Jenness Funeral Home in Spirit Lake. Nickolas Junior Hass was born Aug. 10, 1945 in Cherokee, the son of Harold Henry and Beulah Louise (Purcell) Hass. He was raised in Linn Grove, graduating from Linn Grove High School...

Calvary United Methodist Church of Arnolds Park continues Vacation Bible School at 5:30-7:30 p.m. on July 6-7. Children 4 years of age and older are invited to meet at Sawmill Bridge Shelter House in Arnolds Park. A light meal will be served at 5:30 p.m. at no charge. The theme is "SURF SHACK -- Catch the Wave of God's Amazing Love" with outdoor lessons, games and service projects. Contact Betty Naab to preregister. Phone 332-5194 -- if no answer, leave your name and phone number...

Okoboji Christian Women's Prayer Connection will meet at 11 a.m. Wednesday, July 6, at the Dream Center in Spencer. Everyone will pay for their own lunch. This is a time of fellowship, prayer for others and finalizing plans for the luncheon on July 15 at the Okoboji Bible Conference. ...

With much of our lives going digital, paper, as a technology, is becoming obsolete. That's not the case with paper and papermaking as art. Artist, author, and instructor Helen Hiebert will be giving a two-day seminar at Iowa Lakes Community College on hand-making paper using plants (other than trees)...

The 37th Annual University of Okoboji World Tennis Classic will be played Saturday and Sunday, July 9-10 in the Iowa Great Lakes Area. Headquarters for the tournament will be Speier Park in Okoboji. Tournament coordinator Brian Richter invites everyone to watch the super tennis...

Lutheran Lakeside Camp holds its 23rd Annual Quilt Show on Saturday, July 9. The camp is located two miles south of the Dickinson County Courthouse in Spirit Lake. The address is 2491 170th St., Spirit Lake. Quilt viewing and lunchtime place from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. with the auction beginning at 1 p.m. More than 160 handmade quilts and other items will be on display in the dining hall, located at the second entrance to the camp...

Iowa Lakes Unitarian Universalist Fellowship will hear David Thoreson present "The Northwest Passage in the Era of Climate Change" on July 10 at Arrowwood Resort. Thoreson is a professional photographer and explorer from Lake Okoboji. Thoreson grew up in Algona but has been on adventures much of his life, whether bicycling around the United States, Canada and New Zealand or exploring the oceans and polar regions of the world. ...

The Northwest Iowa Concert Band celebrates 25 Years of concerts at Arnolds Park Amusement Park this year. The band, directed by Rich Nicklay, will present their annual summer concert at 2 p.m. on Sunday, July 10, at the Arnolds Park Amusement Park. This is the 25th year for the concert. Featured will be marches, overtures, patriotic selections, and sing-a-longs. Volunteer members come from northwest Iowa area communities...

The Iowa Great Lakes Shrine Club will hold its 16th Annual "Good Old Summertime Ice Cream Social" from 4-7 p.m. Sunday, July 10. The Shriners will serve sloppy joes, chips, drinks and ice cream with various toppings at the cost of $5 for adults, $3 for students and children under 5 years of age free. ...

Jump Start to Reading begins from 9:30-10 a.m. Friday, July 8, at Milford Memorial Library. The program continues every Friday during the summer. Adult volunteers will be available to meet one-on-one with children to help them maintain and improve their reading skills...

Join Iowa Lakes in the exciting world of 3D printing. The mission of the 3D Printing Summer Camp is to provide students with the tools to bring design ideas to life. Campers in this course will learn how to accomplish the following: Model objects from scratch using Blender, harness the power of online apps for quick project creation, apply the rules of 3D print design, scan objects using various 3D scanners, sculpt with a digital drawing tablet and use Thingiverse. ...

Iowa Lakes will be holding an "I Wonder" day camp for all area students entering into grades 2-5. Students will explore reading, writing, math and science while working interactively with fun projects, games and activities. This is a great opportunity to keep the kids learning all summer long through hands-on experiences. ...

Registration for the Heldt-Lake Memorial golf outing begins at 11 a.m. followed by a shotgun start at noon Friday, July 15, at the Estherville Golf Course. The entry fee is $100 per golfer or $400 per four-person team and includes green fees, cart (if requested), lunch, Laker Athletic T-shirt and a scholarship fund donation. ...

Light of the Lakes Church in Arnolds Park will have a free faith-based day camp for one week this summer. A team of college students, sponsored by Quakerdale in New Providence will facilitate the camp for ages 6-11 starting July 18-22. Each day will start at 8:30 a.m.and finish at 3:30 p.m. ...

Join Iowa Lakes on Wednesday, July 20, and travel by bus to Sioux Falls for a day of nature. Several activities are planned for this trip. Take in the view of Falls Park while enjoying lunch at Falls Overlook Café. Then, travel to Butterfly House to see over 800 free-flying butterflies from all over the world. ...

Harbor of Joy Lutheran Church will host its Summer Street Bible School program at 6-8 p.m. on July 27 and August 3, 10 and 17 at Florence Park. The theme for this year's program is: "Heaven is for Real." Each weekly meeting will include a meal from 6-6:30 p.m. followed by a lesson from 6:30-7 p.m. Crafts and closing activities will last until 8 p.m. Lessons are geared toward second through sixth graders, but all grade levels are welcome. There is no registration required...

It's no secret that there is deep corruption, waste, and abuse across the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). I have made clear that we simply cannot look the other way as continued misconduct and poor care continue without repercussions. Our veterans have selflessly sacrificed in defense of our freedoms and deserve better; they deserve nothing less than timely and quality care...

At 1 p.m. Wednesday, July 6, the Task Force on Executive Overreach will hold a hearing titled, "The Federal Government on Autopilot: Mandatory Spending and the Entitlement Crisis." Since the 1930s, the federal government has grown exponentially through the creation of entitlement programs to deliver retirement and health benefits to the American people, such as Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, food stamps, unemployment insurance, the earned income tax credit, disability insurance, and others.. ...

Imagine pulling up to a highway toll booth and the attendant demands that you pay right now using an Apple iTunes, Amazon or PayPal gift card. That doesn't sound right, does it? Of course not, and the same goes for anyone who calls you and demands immediate payment using a gift card. Scammers also demand money through prepaid reloadable money cards (such as GreenDot, MoneyPak or Vanilla), or wire transfer payments (such as MoneyGram or Western Union)...

Q: How are nursing home residents being victimized on social media? A: Advancements in technology simplify ordinary tasks, enhance quality of life and revolutionize the way we communicate and consume information. Consider social media. It provides unfiltered channels of communication that allow instant connection among followers. As an elected representative, I embrace these tools of technology to communicate directly with Iowans...

The second-annual Farm Gadget Show is now accepting entries for the 2016 Clay County Fair. During the nine days of the fair, these unique gadgets can be found in and around the Innovation Pavilion in the southwest corner of the fairgrounds. "All entries should be something that can be used on the farm," Karen Schwaller, superintendent of the Farm Gadget department, said. "Farmers are some of the most creative people I know."...

New data from the Iowa Department of Transportation shows 42 more people have died on Iowa roads in 2016 than at the same time last year. The Des Moines Register reports seven people were killed in traffic accidents over the weekend, bringing the total number of motor vehicle deaths to 170 people. That's 30 more than the five-year average of 140...

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey on Thursday, June 30, encouraged Iowa hay and straw producers to register or update their listing on the Iowa Hay and Straw Directory. The directory lists Iowa producers with hay and straw for sale, as well as organizations and businesses associated with promoting and marketing quality hay and straw...

Thirty-eight Iowa members of the Daughters of the American Revolution and Questers International honored Jim Hass, creator of the Jim Hass History Barn, in Peterson on June 28. The group will also tour the historical sites in Peterson, which include the Heritage House, Clay County's first frame house built by Peterson's first settlers; the Kirchner family; the Gus Kirchner house built by a Kirchner son and also restored and furnished accurately for its period; the French Memorial Museum, a collection of over 200 dolls, toys, china and glassware; an original blockhouse from Fort Peterson, constructed in 1862 after an Indian uprising in Minnesota; and an Antique Farm Machinery building which also houses a covered wagon, a sheepherder's wagon, a fence making machine and more.. ...

At 10 a.m. Sunday, July 10, members of St. Alban's Episcopal Church will be having their second annual outdoor Eucharist service at Gull Point State Park, 1500 Harpen Street, Milford. The service will be led by the Rev. Cathleen Bascom. Organizers have also invited members of Trinity Episcopal Church in Emmetsburg to join them at the service...

Northwest Bank hosted a week-long grand opening May 16-20 and invited the community to visit its staff at its new location at 1008 18th Street in Spirit Lake. During the week, visitors were encouraged to register for a daily giveaway from a local merchant and the winner also got to choose a charity in Dickinson County for Northwest Bank to make a cash donation to...

Iowans are being warned to watch out for those plants on the side of the road with lacy yellow flowers. Des Moines television station KCCI reports that large patches of wild parsnip are growing now across the state. Also known as poison parsnip, the plant looks like a dill plant or Queen Anne's lace. It is yellow and grows about four feet tall...

Wild Wednesdays -- "Peck, Crack and Glean: Amazing Bird Beaks" will take place at 7 p.m. Wednesday, July 6, in Waitt Lab. Wild Wednesdays are a fun, free, family-orientated program. How do birds clean themselves? How do they break things apart? What are all the ways birds use their beaks? Come to Wild Wednesday and find out!...

Insect repellant encouraged by IDPH With Iowans expected to be spending extra time outdoors over the next few months, the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) is reminding Iowans to take insect repellant along with them to their picnics, concerts, celebrations and fireworks displays to protect against mosquito bites. West Nile virus is transmitted through mosquitoes...

Skylar Elizabeth Ingwersen was born May 5, 2016, to Ross and Sara Ingwersen of Des Moines. She weighed seven pounds and 13 ounces. Skylar's excited grandparents are Jon and Linda Bickford of Ottumwa and Curt and Kim Ingwersen of Lake Park. Her great grandparents are Ann Elizabeth Bickford of West Burlington and Robert Ingwersen of Spirit Lake...

The Iowa Great Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce has announced it has hired a new events coordinator. Kara Matheson is a 2016 graduate of Iowa State University in Ames with a degree in event management. She was also very active with Wishmakers Club, Dance Marathon in Ames and served as an intern for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation in West Des Moines...

Views from the Gast family's 1946 Cessna 140 airplane have become a point of reference for a series of large scale works by Spirit Lake artist Danielle Clouse Gast. The exhibit is currently on view in the Goodenow Gallery of the Pearson Lakes Art Center through Aug. 13. An Artist Reception will be held from 5 -- 7 p.m. on Thursday, July 7 with an artist talk at 6 p.m. This event is free and open to the public...

Local jewelry artist Kathy Evert announced the sixth annual Okoboji Bead and Jewelry Splash will be from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on July 23 and July 24 at the Dickinson County Community Building. The event is open to the public and admission is $2 at the door...

Alligator recording artists Lil' Ed & The Blues Imperials will give a free performance as part of Live at the Lake 2016 at Preservation Plaza in Arnolds Park on Saturday, July 23. Showtime is 7:30 p.m. It is suggested that concert goers bring their lawn chairs for concert comfort...

Six thundering dirt events, including a significant change to the fair's tractor pull schedule, will fill the U.S. Cellular Grandstand during the nine days of the 2016 Clay County Fair, Sept. 10-18. "Many fairgoers have great memories attending dirt events at the fair and this year will be no different," fair manager Jeremy Parsons said. "For tractor pull fans especially, the return of the Outlaw Pullers will be a welcome addition."...

Mid-America Festivals is pleased to announce that the Minnesota Renaissance Festival will be at their current location through 2019. Their initial season in their new home will be 2020. "We are grateful for the outpouring of support expressed by our loyal guests and neighbors," says Deb Schaber, Director of Marketing. ...

The Okoboji Summer Theatre is pleased to present its fifth production of the summer, "You Can't Take it With You" by Moss Hart and George S. Kaufman. Join them for this old-fashioned, feel-good crowd pleaser about what happens when future in-laws meet and havoc ensures. The production runs from Tuesday, July 12 through Sunday, July 17 and is generously sponsored by Rosemary Sackett & Family and Polaris...

The Dickinson County Nature Center in Okoboji will host a Nature Kids camp on July 18-20 to explore the wonders of the world. "Nature is an amazing place to spark the imaginations and all the senses of our kids," said naturalist Mary Petersen. "A great reminder to parents is that many studies have shown great benefits to both academics and the health of kids who regularly get outside and are involved in nature-related activities."...

The Okoboji Summer Theatre is pleased to present its fourth production of the summer, "Cinderella" by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II. The production runs July 5-10 and is generously sponsored by Pearson Art Foundation and Landmark Products, Inc...

Lakes Regional Healthcare, Northwest Iowa Bone, Joint & Sports Surgeons and Liberty National Bank are happy to participate in this year's Milford Pioneer Days by hosting a 5K run/walk. The event will be held at 9 a.m. Saturday, July 23, and will begin at the corner of 9th Street and H Avenue by Florence Park and Okoboji High School, progress south on H Avenue, then west on 225th Street, then north on 213th Avenue until 13th Street (A34). ...

Iowa Lakes Community College's GROW program comes to the Dickinson County Nature Center for a wild edibles class at 4:30 - 6:30 p.m. Friday, July 15. Naturalist Charles Vigdal will take adults through the rules and tips of finding edible plants right in their own backyards or in common areas such as road ditches. They will learn how to utilize cattails, pineapple weed and other plants for everyday meal preparations...

Baltimore orioles, ruby-throated hummingbirds, yellow-headed blackbirds -- all kinds of neat species make their homes in Kenue Park, home of the Dickinson County Nature Center in Okoboji. Bird brains of all ages are invited to the next Family Nature Night 6 p.m. ...

MidwestCornLawsuit.com will be hosting an informational town hall meeting at noon Thursday, July 14, in Milford. The attorney hosting the meeting will cover the litigation against Syngenta Ag. All corn growers in the area are encouraged to attend. Media interested in talking to one of our attorneys about the litigation for background can email Andrew at andrew@linkstrategies.com to schedule an interview...

The Iowa Great Lakes Association needs your help to design the organization's new T-shirt. Enterants for the IGLA T-shirt design contest are encouraged to show their love of the Lakes with an original design. The successful designer will receive a Boji summer fun pack...

The Iowa Navy Commodores welcomed Okoboji Indian Motorcycle to the Iowa Great Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce with a ribbon cutting Wednesday, June 15. The company opened on May 2 in Spirit Lake and sells Indian and Victory motorcycles along with motorcycle accessories and apparel. Okoboji Indian Motorcycle is located at 4105 Highway 71 South in Spirit Lake. For more information, visit okobojiindian.com or call 712-336-6871...

The Iowa Navy Commodores presented Lakes Area Title with a symbolic first dollar of clear profit Wednesday, June 15. The company opened in 2012 in the Lakes Area and helps customers complete real estate transactions. Lakes Area Title is located at 1700 Hill Avenue in Spirit Lake. For more information, call 712-339-9392 or visit thetitleresourcenetwork.com...

The Iowa Navy Commodores welcomed Lost Gypsy Revival to the Iowa Great Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce Wednesday, June 29, with a ribbon cutting. The women's apparel store sells clothing and home decor items. Lost Gypsy Revival is located at 297 Iowa Street in Arnolds Park...

The Iowa Navy Commodores welcomed Integrity Real Estate to the area and to the Iowa Great Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce Wednesday, June 29, with a ribbon cutting. The company is an Iowa corporate real estate advisory firm that exclusively represents buyers and sellers. Integrity Real Estate is located at 584 Highway 71 South in Arnolds Park. For more information, contact broker and owner Nick Steffes at integrityiowa.com or nicksteffes@gmail.com...

The Iowa Navy Commodores joined the Spirit Lake Chamber of Commerce Friday, July 1, to christen Royal Avenue with a ribbon cutting. The new road is located between the Great Lakes Mall and Fishermen's Factory Outlet in Spirit Lake. Several commercial plots are available for purchase on each side of the roadway. Spirit Lake city officials hope to open the road to traffic later this month after traffic signs are installed...

For more than two decades, cyclists have hopped on their bikes and pedaled as part of BRASL, the Bike Ride Around Spirit Lake. The 22nd annual edition is set for Saturday, July 9. Proceeds from the event go to the Dickinson County Trails. "The Iowa Great Lakes Area has really become an area for biking," Spirit Lake Mayor Blain Andera said. ...

Gov. Terry Branstad signed about 130 bills during and after the legislative session, including a number of measures that will took effect Friday, July 1, the start of the state's fiscal year. "I believe this past session we were able to pass laws that protect Iowans and give them the opportunity to make family life more affordable, upward mobility more likely and employment easier to find," said state Rep. ...

Taylor Lee Croft, 25, of Spirit Lake was charged with a first-offense operating while intoxicated and excessive speeding at 2:24 a.m. Tuesday, June 21, at 26th Street and Hill Avenue in Spirit Lake. Jamie Lea Koedam, 20, of Ankeny, was charged with a weapon law violation, a liquor law violation and driving under the influence at 2:04 a.m. Wednesday, June 22, at 2203 Circle Drive West in Spirit Lake...

The Bedell Family YMCA and Pearson Lakes Art Center will add a splash color to the Iowa Great Lakes Area on Saturday. The two non-profit organizations will host the third annual Okoboji Color Dash at 10 a.m. Saturday. Funds raised go to help support programs at the YMCA and PLAC...

Fifty years ago, musicians from the Midwest and beyond made the trek to Milford to record their music at the Iowa Great Lakes Recording Company. Now, half a century later, a celebration will reunite many of them to honor a recording studio that is unique in Iowa's history. When doors to the IGL Studio opened in 1965, it became one of only two such businesses in the entire state...

The Barb's Corner armed robbery case is making progess through the court system, but court filings may cancel the need for early courtroom appearances by the 40-year-old suspect from Milford. Joshua Emerson Mandelkow faces charges of first-degree robbery, going armed with intent and intimidation with a dangerous weapon, according to online court records. ...