Stories from Tuesday, August 16, 2016

Many J-1 international college students choose to come to the Iowa Great Lakes Region each summer to work and learn about a different culture and lifestyle. Most also desire to improve their English skills. The members of the mission committee at First Lutheran Church in West Okoboji have the goal to help the underserved; those who can use some extra support. They chose the J-1 students...

After anxious weeks of hoping and waiting, the Milford Pioneer Theatre has reopened for business. Friday night, Aug. 12 the screen lit up again and an appreciative audience saw a movie in Milford for the first time in months. The movie house had closed down when all film distribution went strictly digital. A new digital projector's cost was prohibitive to the owners, the Mayer family, in spite of a fund-raising effort in the community...

With clear, sunny skies overhead, community members turned out in large numbers on Thursday, Aug. 4, at the Gateway neighborhood in Spencer, a project built by IGL Construction. The local family-run construction company teamed up with Spencer USA Young Professionals to open their newly built homes to interested home buyers allowing them to get an up-close look at the vibrant, family-friendly environment at Gateway and receive first-hand testimonials from current residents...

We all know that Celtic music has a lively beat and unique sound. We expected to enjoy that with an Irish pub mentality when Gaelic Storm took to the stage last Wednesday night. The Lauridsen Performing Arts Theatre at the Pearson Lakes Art Center quickly filled with Irish music lovers. We soon found ourselves laughing continually...

Lon Leroy Lindsey, 59, of Milford was charged with serious assault at 5:48 p.m. Friday, July 29, at 2300-13 Sunner Avenue in Spirit Lake. Mitchell Jay Brink, 25, of Spirit Lake was charged with theft at 7:11 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 4, at 1906 Keokuk Avenue in Spirit Lake...

Evertek teamed up with Lake Park Foods to celebrate Evertek's 30th Anniversary. Flyers were inserted into customer bags with information about the Evertek Security Services and Internet service offered in Lake Park. A grand prize for a $250 gift card to Lake Park Foods was drawn by CEO Roxanne White. Pat Baumgarn was the winner and she was presented the $250 gift card by manager Tiffany Mejia...

As a young second lieutenant with a degree from Iowa State University, I had high aspirations for my military career. When I was about 22 years old, it was my goal to one day command a combat engineer company.
Unfortunately, that dream was short-lived. ...

Q: What's the federal government's stake in seeking a cure for Alzheimer's disease? A: More than five million Americans today are living with Alzheimer's disease. Nearly two-thirds of these individuals are women. And unless medical breakthroughs are discovered to unlock causes and cures, the number of Americans who will receive this diagnosis is expected to triple to more than 16 million by 2050. ...

Mara Groom, D.O., a family practice physician joining Avera Medical Group Spirit Lake Medical Center, will begin seeing patients on Sept. 1. Dr. Groom recently moved to the Lakes Region after completing her family medicine residency in Sioux City. Prior to that, she received her undergraduate degree in Biochemistry in 2009 from Wartburg College in Waverly and her medical degree from Des Moines University in 2013. ...

We are the Class of '41. Most of us were born in 1923 or 1924 when Calvin Coolidge was president! Our country was prosperous and safe. In 1929 we became the Great Depression "kids." We heard about President Roosevelt and things like the CCCs and the WPA. We went barefoot to save our shoes for school and Sundays in church, but we never went hungry and we never knew we were poor...

A few months ago, Governor Terry Branstad and Republicans privatized health care for over 500,000 Iowans on Medicaid. After months of delays, confusion and scandal, Branstad's privatization scheme is now officially a disaster. All around the state, we've been hearing horror stories from Iowans and local providers dealing with the new private, out-of-state companies Branstad picked to manage Medicaid (called MCO's)...

Salsa Making 101 with Iowa Lakes Community College takes place soon. Join Iowa Lakes for a fun filled and educational class, where participants will learn the art of making a variety of hot, sweet, spicy and tangy salsas! Class will be held on Saturday, Aug. 27 at the Estherville-Lincoln Central High School from 9 - 10 a.m. Cost is $20...

The public is invited to in at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 21 for a hands on art experience. Plein aire is a French expression meaning "in the open air" and refers to the act of painting outdoors withe artist's subject in full view. Participants with work with Karess Knudtson in the field as they create their own plein aire painting...

The 39th Annual University of Okoboji Budweiser Men's Slow Pitch Softball Tournament will be played this Saturday and Sunday, Aug 20-21, at the Memorial Park softball fields in Milford. Director Brett Groen said 24 teams from Iowa, Nebraska, Minnesota and South Dakota will play on the three softball fields at the Milford memorial Park Complex. ...

The Harbor Heritage Choir will begin preparation for the fall musical Wednesday, Aug. 17. Harbor Music Minister Bob Floss announced the selection for this year is titled "Jubilee." Floss said "Jubilee" has a more southern gospel flavor and promises to be a unique change of pace from previous productions by the choir. ...

Terry Klien will perform at 5:30 p.m on Thursday, Aug. 25, at the Heritage Landing Seniors Living Apartments. A picnic supper will be served and tours of apartments will also be available. Heritage Landing Seniors Living Apartments is located at 1305 Jeppeson Road in West Okoboji. For more information, call 712-338-2909...

Joe Cuttell is no stranger to the Iowa RockNRoll Music Association Hall of Fame. He was inducted with a well-known area band, The Dentairs, back in 2004. He was included in the Bedell Guitar Company induction the same year. "I worked for Tom while I was in high school," Cuttell said. "I gave guitar lessons and helped sell merchandise, so he included me when the store was inducted."...

The Okoboji City Council has decided to take action after a large piece of lakeshore eroded due to a project near Smith's Bay on West Lake Okoboji. The council unanimously passed an up-to six-month moratorium on issuance of any lakeshore landscaping permits Tuesday, Aug. ...

Thirteen people embarked on a mission trip to teach English to the people of the Ukraine and came back educated themselves. Diane and Jeff Duis of rural Lake Park, youth group leaders, escorted a team of 13 people, five adults and eight students to an English Camp through Arise, a non-denominational organization. "We were to teach them English as well as Bible lessons," Diane stated...

Jamie Hicks, certified family nurse practitioner, announced the opening of her new primary care clinic located at 1004 21st Street, Suite 2 in Milford. Hicks Family Healthcare will open Sept. 1 with hours from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday...

Dickinson County lost one of its most prominent public figures on Monday. Longtime Dickinson County Board of Supervisors chairman David Gottsche passed away at Lakes Regional Healthcare in Spirit Lake. He was 71. Gottsche was a rural Milford farmer who also served on the Iowa Lakes Community College Board of Trustees. Dickinson County board vice-chairman William "Bill" Leupold served with Gottsche since 2010...