Stories from Tuesday, July 31, 2018

Sept. 9, 1937 — July 22, 2018 A funeral service for Richard Krause, age 80, of Milford, was held Friday, July 27, 2018, at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Spirit Lake. Burial was at LuVerne Cemetery in LuVerne. Richard Wayne Krause, the son of Sarah (Lamb) and Clarence Krause, was born on Sept. 9, 1937, in Algona...

The parents of Cory Garland and Morgan Orwig are pleased to announce their engagement. The groom to be is the son of Mike and Deanne Garland of Spirit Lake. The bride to be is the daughter of Elwin and Florence Orwig of Lake Park. Cory is a graduate of Spirit Lake High School and currently works for Maurer Manufacturing in Spencer as a welder. ...

Milford High School Class of 1968 held its 50th Class Reunion during 2018 Pioneer Days celebration. Classmates attending were (from left): Don Hintz, Pete Larsen, Tim Derner, Marilyn Nicol, Peg Knutson, Linda Mitchell, Craig Anderson, Sheri Cable, Wanda Vander Brock, Sheri Richter, Dean Schoning, Kathy Dougal, Mark Buhrow, Tom Bartlett, Ken Schroeder, Nancy Zimmer, Paul Goedicke, Kathy Reiman, Louise Guthrie, Connie Willison and Steve Titterington...

Michael Eckers will present a program on the D-Day Landings of Normandy at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 14, at the Spirit Lake Public Library. This event is made possible by the Friends of the Spirit Lake Public Library, Friends of the Milford Memorial Library and the Arnolds Park Library Foundation...

The Milford Commercial Club is happy to welcome Black Hills Energy to the organization. Black Hills Energy has been providing safe and reliable natural gas service to Milford since 1939. Spencer is the local office that is responsible for the northwest Iowa district and one of eight units that serves 132 communities across Iowa. ...

Winners at the Pioneer Days Bridge Tournament held Friday, July 27, at St. Joseph Catholic Church included (high) Dennis Tyrrell, of Okoboji, with 6,450 points and (low) Sharon Rettig, of Okoboji, with 1,290 points. The bridge tournament is an annual event on the Friday of Pioneer Days. (Photo...

Knights of Columbus from St. Mary's Parish in Spirit Lake put on egg bake breakfasts the past six weeks to honor outgoing pastor Rev. Brian Hughes and welcome incoming pastor Rev. Paul Kelly. Hughes thanked the parish in St. Mary’s bulletin. "It is not possible for me to express the deep sense of gratitude that I feel toward the people of St. Mary's Parish" he said. "These past seven years have been filled with wonderful experiences and delightful blessings."...

With the culmination of the YMCA of the Okobojis Strong Kids Golf Outing presented by Northwest Bank on July 26, the YMCA is proud to announce that its 2018 annual campaign goal of $150,000 has been surpassed. Originally slated for June 28, the Strong Kids Golf Outing had to be postponed to July due to large amounts of rain that hit the Lakes Area this spring and summer...

What began as a summer tent meeting in 1935 has become a well-attended source of inspiration in the Iowa Great Lakes. The 84th edition of the Okoboji Bible Conference begins Saturday, Aug. 4 and continues through Sunday, Aug. 12. "Daily attendance at both morning age-level sessions — we call them communities — and evening sessions runs 800 to 1,000," Okoboji Bible Conference Executive Director Rick Porter said. ...

While organizers were still tallying donation totals Sunday night, Boys Town development officer Melissa Steffes confirmed the Seventh Annual Boys Town Blue Water Bash exceeded fundraising goals to raise $150,000 and net $100,000. The event welcomed more than 300 guests and featured speakers, live music by the Jonah and the Whales and a live auction. Funds raised from the event will be used to support the operating costs of the Boys Town Camp in Okoboji...

Some might say there's nothing better than a cold beer on a warm summer day, but some of Iowa's craft breweries added a third component to the mix last year — community improvement. Brewers banded together with local service clubs last year to benefit the Lakes Area community for the inaugural Boji Brew Fest. ...

Up North, an exhibit of works by Iowa artist Sarah Grant, opens Aug. 9 in the Weaver Lobby and McIlrath Landing Galleries of the Pearson Lakes Art Center and will be on view through Oct. 13. Enjoy an opening reception of the exhibition from 5-7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 9. This event is free, and wine and hors d’oeuvres served...

Travis S. Johnson, of Spencer, current Clay County assistant attorney, was one three candidates nominated to fill the judicial seat vacated by Judge Charles Borth on the 3A District Court. Following a joint meeting that was held today of the Buena Vista, Cherokee, Clay and O'Brien counties Magistrate Nominating Commissions, three practicing attorneys were nominated for consideration by the district court judges of the 3A Judicial District to fill the vacancy created by the appointment of Borth to the district court bench.. ...

Over the past eight months, families across the country have seen significant benefits from last year's tax reform package. More than 4 million Americans have received bonuses or wage and benefit increases, and over a million jobs have been created since tax reform's passage. The child tax credit and standard deduction were doubled, and the average family of four making around $73,000 a year will save more than $2,000 on their taxes next year...

Republican conservatism used to center on free trade, family values, fiscal conservatism, limited government and strong international leadership. These are admirable values that I totally agree with. It's hard to see these values embraced by our Republican conservative administration today...

A "save the date" announcement went out this month for school emergency management personnel. In response to the new statutory requirement put in place this year by the passage of SF 2364, the Department of Education booked the following dates for training on creating high quality emergency operations plans at the following AEAs:...

Registration is now open to attend Future Ready Iowa regional summits throughout the state and collaborate with local stakeholders on workforce solutions. The day-long summits are scheduled for late September and early October in 12 Iowa communities:...

Not many high school athletes get the opportunity to end their careers with a win. I was lucky enough to do just that. We had a great season, ending with a record of 29-8 and fifth overall in class 3A. I just wanted to take this opportunity to thank the Spirit Lake community for being such a big part of my years in softball. ...

I support bipartisanship. I dislike extremism. I write to support the position of the man I am running against. At the Dickinson County supervisors meeting on July 24, the Republican representative to the Iowa House District #1, John H. Wills, confirmed his intention to make a request of Governor Reynolds. I support his intent...

The lake road along the east side of West Okoboji Lake, from Monarch Cove on the north to the site of the former Inn on the south, is a three-mile stretch of narrow, two-lane pavement marked by several sharp curves and blind hills. It's a road where large vehicles associated with delivery, services and construction are often parked in clusters along the roadsides blocking almost an entire lane, sometimes for hours at a time...

The 2018 trails fundraiser was a huge success! Funds raised will be used to support the Dickinson County Trails Board in planning and development of priority projects. These projects include the Highway 71 PLAC Trail, Jones Pasture Trail, East Lake Trail and connecting Tatonka Ska Trace (rail trail) to the West Okoboji Trail at the north tunnel in Okoboji Harbor...

One of my all-time favorite movies is 1993's "Sandlot," a story about kids playing baseball in the summer. At a pivotal point, Scottie Smalls says that he has gotten the boys into "the biggest pickle any of them had ever seen." That's the way I have felt this past week after attending last Tuesday's Dickinson County Supervisor's meeting. ...

Breanna Jean Dawson, age 22, was booked into the Dickinson County Jail at 1:14 a.m. Wednesday, July 25, on charges of violating her probation. Bond was set at $2,000. Austin Lynn Bobzien, age 31, was booked into the Dickinson County Jail at 5:26 p.m. Wednesday, July 25, on charges of second-degree burglary...

Police are still unsure who tripped the alarms at Spirit Lake Silver and Gold in the early morning hours last week Wednesday. The jewelry store's security system drew law enforcement to the Great Lakes Mall in Spirit Lake at approximately 3:54 a.m. that day. Officers determined the intruder or intruders successfully gained entry to the building, according to a statement from the Spirit Lake Police Department...

The Okoboji Police Department says more charges may be filed as part of an ongoing narcotics investigation. Authorities arrested three people Monday afternoon after a search at 1104 Depot Ave. in Okoboji. Investigators say they seized quantities of methamphetamine, marijuana, psilocybin mushrooms, LSD, hash oil, prescription pills, several pieces of drug paraphernalia and more than $37,000 in cash related items as part of the 1:30 p.m. search...

About 30 people were on hand Friday as Judge Tod Deck considered a pair of lawsuits filed by the group Concerned Citizens of Dickinson County. The concerned citizens group filed its first lawsuit against the county and its board of supervisors in January, after the application for a 66-acre East Loch Estates development near Chalstrom Beach on the southwest portion of East Lake Okoboji. ...

Polaris CEO Scott Wine said the benefits of lower taxes and decreased regulation brought customers to Polaris showrooms in the second quarter, resulting in a 6 percent increase in North American retail sales. But, the company executive signaled concern about retaliatory tariffs from the European Union and their potential impact on motorcycle production in Spirit Lake...

A Lakes Area summer staple is ready to set out the tent stakes again this year. More than 80 participants will set up shop from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday on the grass of Preservation Plaza in Arnolds Park for Pearson Lakes Art Center's annual Art in the Park. Danielle Clouse Gast, visual arts director at Pearson Lakes, said the regional show is close enough for many artists to return each year from Iowa, Minnesota and South Dakota, but also pulls artists from Wisconsin and even Florida who are looking for a new market.

A northwest Iowa woman who originally faced armed robbery and kidnapping charges entered a guilty plea Monday in Dickinson County District Court. Jordaen Rochelle Duhn entered a guilty plea to second-degree burglary, a Class C felony as part of an agreement with prosecutors. Judge David Lester then proceeded to sentencing and ordered the 24-year-old to pay fines, court costs and serve three years of probation...

Gov. Kim Reynolds has called on the Iowa Department of Natural Resources to research and address local efforts to keep oil-contaminated soil and materials out of the landfill east of Arnolds Park. The Dickinson County Board of Supervisors lobbied state leaders for solutions after Burlington Northern Santa Fe Rail Lines began the process of mitigating a June 22 train derailment and oil spill. ...