Stories from Wednesday, April 25, 2018

Buena Vista University (BVU) will formally install its 18th president, Dr. Joshua D. Merchant, on Friday, May 4. The ceremony is open to the public and will take place at 4 p.m. in Siebens Fieldhouse on the BVU campus. Buena Vista University Spencer was established in 1976 in partnership with Iowa Lakes Community College. The partnership with Iowa Lakes Community College expanded to include programs in Estherville in 1994, Spirit Lake in 1996 and Emmetsburg in 1997.  ...

Blake Lineweaver of Milford recently was awarded a Study Abroad Grant worth $1,000 from The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi — the nation's oldest and most selective collegiate honor society for all academic disciplines. Lineweaver is one of 50 students nationwide to receive the award...

High school students hoping to jump-start their higher education have multiple options at Iowa Lakes Community College that will allow them to save money and time, thanks to partnerships with multiple local high schools. Currently, those options include concurrent enrollment, contracted courses and the career academy programs, and though each of the three programs is a bit different from the others, all of them have two things in common: they can save high schoolers both money and time...

More than 30 students from Iowa Lakes Community College and Algona High Scho­ol will be competing in 12 different categories at the statewide SkillsUSA contest in central Iowa on April 26. The competition is open to high school and college students enrolled in technical, skilled and service occupations...

Nearly 600 area high school sophomores and juniors had a chance recently to speak with area businesses about their future careers right here in Iowa. The Career Day featured some 100 businesses and was hosted at the Emmetsburg campus of Iowa Lakes Community College. ...

Social media can be one of the tools to increase business awareness, connect with customers and prospects, boost business revenue and drive ongoing success. Tietz Entrepreneurial Center at Iowa Lakes Community College hosted a social media lunch-and-learn for community and business members. There, social media enthusiast and expert Sara Broers shared advice and examples of employing social media to help organizations and businesses maximize their presence...

Paint Night will be from 7-9 p.m. on Tuesday, April 24, at the Arnolds Park Public Library. Any skill level is invited to recreate a painting following step-by-step instructions. All of the supplies will be provided, but there is limited space. Please pre-register at any of the local libraries (Spirit Lake, Arnolds Park, Milford Memorial) with the cost being $7.50 for early registration and $15 for registration on the day of the event...

Autumn's Center was formally recognized as a "Community Development Best Practice" site Thursday, April 5, by the Iowa Rural Development Authority in Grinnell. Seasons Center was nominated for several categories pertaining to Community Development Block Grant projects at Autumn’s Center and Camp Autumn...

Commander Denny Perry (left) presented Robert "Bob" Boettcher (right) with a 75-year Continuous Member Certificate at the Spirit Lake American Legion Timpe Post #23. Boettcher has been an active member of the post over the years The National American Legion will be celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2019. (Photo submitted)...

The Spirit Lake Noon Kiwanis and Spirit Lake fourth grade K-Kids partnered to purchase, package and donate holiday meals to Upper Des Moines for 30 families in need. K-Kids is a student led service club for students in elementary school. K-Kids' purpose is to develop leadership through service to the school and community. (Photo submitted)...

The Iowa Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame Museum is expanding to southeastern Iowa thanks to funding from Ottumwa Regional Legacy Foundation. The organization was awarded a grant to establish a satellite museum in Market on Main located in Ottumwa. The Iowa Iowa Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame Satellite Museum is slated to open June 23 and will include artifacts from Iowa Rock 'n' Roll Music Association’s rock 'n' roll collection. ...

The public is invited to attend a handbell performance at 7 p.m. Sunday, April 29, at First Presbyterian Church, 3501 Hill Ave. in Spirit Lake. The Iowa Lakes Community College Handbell Choir, under the direction of Carol Ayres Stueven, performs on a six-octave range — from G2 to G8 — of Schulmerich handbells. The bells are made of bronze and range in weight from four ounces to 15 pounds. The choir also supplements handbells with a six-octave set of hand chimes...

Even with recent snowstorms, birder Ed Thelen isn’t worried about there being birds in the area during the first Birding on the Green event 7 a.m. Monday, May 7. "I think birds migrate on the photo period, so I think it will be the same as usual," he said. "We get a good diversity of birds. Usually, we have 50 species of birds. You're catching some of the migrating warblers, the fly-catchers, the swallows."...

It is veggie growing time. The public is invited to the Dickinson County Community Gardens kick-off. Participants will find out about working dirt, planting seeds, transplanting seedlings and teaching multiple generations how to start, maintain and harvest fresh vegetables...

Another round of cold, wet weather and some significant snowfall again kept farmers from the field for much of the past week, according to Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig. "As a result, we are now well behind the five-year average of 11 percent of corn planted by April 22," he said. ...

Like drunk driving, drugged driving is impaired driving, which means it is illegal in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and Washington D.C. Whether the drug is obtained legally or illegally, driving while drug-impaired poses a threat to the driver, vehicle passengers and other road users...

From the backwoods of Minnesota, a keynote speaker will share his interests with humor and stories Wednesday, May 16, at the 31st Annual Fun and Wellness Day at Iowa Lakes Community College in Emmetsburg. Minnesotan humorist and author Al Batt, who writes humor and nature columns for many newspapers and magazines, also hosts a radio show about nature, writes nationally-syndicated cartoon strips and has hosted TV shows. He is the author of the book "A Life Gone to the Birds."...

Sarah Elizabeth Egan, 21, of Spirit Lake was charged with driving with license suspended at 1:57 p.m. Tuesday, April 10, in the 300 block of 18th Street in Spirit Lake. Trey Devone Trumpeter, 21, of Estherville was charged with drug equipment violation at 11:38 p.m. Tuesday, April 10, near the intersection of 18th Street and Erie Avenue in Spirit Lake...

A Dickinson County man reached a plea agreement with prosecutors after admitting he received and possessed child pornography. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy T. Duax said 41-year-old James Sorter reached a guilty plea to one count of receipt and distribution of child pornography April 17 in federal court in Sioux City...

You will not want to miss this year's Dickinson County Trails benefit. The Boots & Boogie Bike Bash II will be Saturday, June 30 at the new Arnolds Park Pavilion. The event will feature live music by Georgia Clay and will benefit local trail projects including the Highway 71 PLAC Trail and signing improvements. For sponsorship opportunities please contact us at dctrails@co.dickinson.ia.us...

Q: Why is China targeting U.S. farm goods with double digit tariff proposals?   A: China is responding to proposed tariffs announced by the U.S. to rein in intellectual property violations. Anti-competitive, discriminatory Chinese policies put pressure on American companies to transfer their technology and accept unfair licensing agreements, for example. ...

Would you believe it is less than 100 days until the third annual Okoboji Blue Water Festival? Seems like a lot, but I guarantee you it will be here before we know it. Just wanted to give a tip of the hat to chief organizer Greg Drees and his band of hardworking volunteers. The first two festivals were awesome, but I have a feeling this third one could top them both...

I would like to finish our discussion on the Bill of Rights and then look at how our State Constitution “meshes” with the U. S. Constitution. The 9th and 10th Amendments to the U.S. Constitution protect individual rights and state rights that are not explicitly spelled out in the U.S. Constitution. ...

Several people have contacted me and asked, "Where is my tax refund?"  Great question. The first stop to tracking down your refund is to go to the Department of Revenue's website. I reached out to the Department of Revenue for an explanation of the delay. ...

The nation paused to mourn the death of first lady Barbara Bush. Well, not everybody. A certain English professor at California State University - Fresno (or Fresno State University, depending who you ask) made some remarks about Mrs. Bush which caught fire in the public arena. They have even led some sponsors of the university to consider pulling their funding, according to the Fresno Bee. Of course, not all of them plan to, but enough to spark a discussion...

Some of this is going to sound familiar. Please forgive that — the midterm elections are creeping up on us, including the primary elections in June. We run plenty of updates from your state and federal lawmakers so you're up-to-date with everything in Des Moines and Washington, D.C...

Shakespeare said it in his play Henry VI, but I think President Trump might be saying it now, several hundred years later. Lawyers and judges (judges — just lawyers with more authority) have for some years given Donald Trump headaches and unwanted problems...

How much longer will Iowans accept political leadership that rests on "alternative facts" to reach bad public policy? On April 18, Representative John Wills (R-Spirit Lake), authored comments in The Dickinson County News about special drinking water protection for the Iowa Great Lakes. A conclusion Representative Wills reaches about Des Moines Water Works raises serious issues about his policy conclusions involving environmental issues...

A state push for consistent approaches to survivors of sexual assault resulted in the creation of a local response team partnership last year. "Even though we're a small community, you can expect a similar response as in a big city," Cathy Hanson, Dickinson County victim witness assistance coordinator, said...

A Spirit Lake man accused of supplying the weapon and transportation used in an armed, forced entry in Spirit Lake entered a "not guilty" plea on Monday. Attorney Jack Bjornstad entered a written arraignment and plea of not guilty on behalf of Samuel Stoller. The 26-year-old and 19-year-old Brandon Scott Bebon of Sheldon were arrested March 7 on suspicion that Bebon used a gun to force his way into 1502 Memphis Ave Lot #1...

People continue to share memories of former First Lady Barbara Bush, who passed away Tuesday, April 17, at the age of 92. Her memorial service was held Saturday in Houston. The wife to President George H.W. Bush used her platform to promote literacy — and that belief came through during a Monday, Nov. 23, 1987, stop at Spirit Lake High School...

The Iowa Court of Appeals on Wednesday, April 17, threw out the conviction of an Estherville man who fired gunshots and ended the life of a local community college student. The appeals court decision means either the Iowa Supreme Court or a new district court jury may have to review Lee Christensen's role in the June 2015 death of Thomas Bortvit. ...