Stories from Tuesday, February 12, 2019

The Internal Revenue Service is officially accepting and processing federal tax returns for tax year 2018. The IRS expects more than 150 million individual tax returns to be filed this season and has already received several million in the opening hours...

We made significant progress on a couple of important issues this week at the Statehouse. Once again, weather was a detractor from our work on the Hill as it was across the state. All the while, we were working hard at doing the peoples work and making Iowa a better place. The two significant issues that were brought to light this week were school funding and judicial selection reform. ...

The attention of many Iowans was focused on the work being done in the Senate this week. Several key issues being discussed this legislative session began to work their way through the process and have been the topic of many discussions at the Capitol...

Assuming the weather didn't freeze us all where we stood, a number of the faces in your local newsroom will have visited Des Moines to receive their various awards at the Iowa Better Newspaper Association Convention and Trade Show this past weekend. ...

Oct. 9, 1976 — Feb. 5, 2019 Jared Carl Christensen, 42, of Overland Park, Kansas, formerly of Spirit Lake passed away Tuesday, Feb. 5, 2019, at his home in Kansas City. Memorial services were held Monday, Feb. 11, at the United Methodist Church in Spirit Lake. Arrangements are under the direction of the Schuchert-Lentz Funeral Home in Spirit Lake. Online condolences may be sent to spiritlakefuneralhome.com...

June 4, 1991 — Feb. 5, 2019 Adam Robert Dreeszen, 27, a courageous warrior in his fight against esophageal cancer, lost his battle on Feb. 5, 2019. Visitation was held Monday, Feb. 11 at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Spirit Lake. A funeral service will was held Tuesday, Feb. ...

Nov. 8, 1935 — Jan. 27, 2019 Keith D. Rick, 83 of Spirit Lake and formerly of Urbana died Sunday, Jan. 27, 2019, at Accura Health Care of Spirit Lake.  Funeral Services were held Friday, Feb. 1, at Phillips Funeral Home Chapel, 212 East Sixth Street in Vinton with Rev. Jessica Crane-Munoz officiating. Interment was at the Urbana Cemetery. Memorials may be directed to the family...

July 28, 1922 — Feb. 8, 2019 A memorial service for Ruth Hass, age 96, of Spirit Lake and formerly of Minneapolis will be held at 1 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2019 at the Turner Jenness Funeral Home in Spirit Lake. Ruth L. Hass, of Spirit Lake formerly of Minneapolis, the daughter of Emil and Carrie Fry Hass was born July 28, 1922, in Lake Park.  She passed away Feb. 8, 2019 at Lakes Regional Healthcare at the age of 96...

Hey, I just met you, and this is crazy. I have no cover, so read me maybe? There will be no awkward questions, no forced conversation, no judgmental looks, no need to call. Just have a blind date with a book! All of February you can have a blind date with a book. ...

  Iowa Rock 'n' Roll Music Association has encouraged students to pursue music in college since in 2004. Gage Wiggins from Minden and Hunter Johnson from Manson were both awarded $1,000 scholarships from Iowa Rock 'n' Roll Music Association for the 2018-19 school year...

Northwest Bank locations in Milford, Arnolds Park and Spirit Lake hosted an effort to raise money and food items for the Okoboji and Spirit Lake Schools Backpack Programs. The programs help supply food to youth and families in need. Northwest Bank offered to match funds up to $1,000 for both programs. ...

The Artisans Road Trip has become an established tradition in northwest Iowa. As the Friday participant application deadline for the 2019 tour nears, longtime board members and participant artists, Joleen Dentlinger and Bill Lieb reflected on the show's evolution...

State Sen. Zach Whiting said he was proud to speak to several hundred attendees at the Iowa Tourism Industry luncheon and meet with Kiley Miller of Iowa Lakes Corridor Development Corporation and Rebecca Peters and Laurie Simington of Okoboji Tourism...

One year ago, the Spirit Lake High School music department decided to host its first-ever Show Choir Festival. Twenty-seven individual groups performed, and $9,000 was raised for music education. The second annual "Shake the Lakes Show and Jazz Choir Competition" is scheduled for Feb. 15-16, and 42 groups representing 30 different schools from Iowa, Minnesota and Nebraska have committed to participate. The Spirit Lake Music Boosters hope to net $20,000...

Rep. John Wills (R-Spirit Lake) and state Sen. Zach Whiting recently welcomed Casey Jones of Milford and Philip Lorch of Harris, who are members of the Iowa Cattlemen's Association. They were visiting the capitol to talk with legislators about the agriculture and beef industries in Iowa...

A crazy cast of characters will visit the Dickinson County Nature Center for Family Nature Nights in February and March. Flik, Hopper, Atta, Dot and their friends will be on hand 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 22, as "A Bug's Life" is shown inside Pollinator Paradise...

Several northwest Iowa realtors came to the Capitol this week to speak on issues important to their industry.

The YMCA of the Okobojis held a canned food drive for the month of January. The Y wishes to thank all the members and staff who helped collect the canned goods for Upper Des Moines Opportunity. (Photo submitted)

This week, Rep. John Wills (R-Spirit Lake) welcomed Kerri McKim, of Spirit Lake, to the Iowa House of Representatives. McKim was visiting the capitol with other members of the Iowa Association of School Boards to talk with legislators about extending the school infrastructure tax...

The Okoboji Foundation's Youth in Philanthropy group met Feb. 6 for a first-hand look at the impact they make. YIP gathered at the Dickinson County Courthouse where they toured the new Dickinson County Incident Command & Mobile Medical Unit. In 2018, YIP gave $4,000 to Dickinson County Emergency Management for medical equipment needed for major incidents in Dickinson County. ...

The Iowa State Patrol has taken a pledge to keep tobacco, alternative nicotine and vapor products out of the hands of youth. Known as I-PLEDGE, the program is a partnership with the Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division (ABD) to educate local retailers and to enforce Iowa's tobacco, alternative nicotine and vapor product laws. ...

Creatures both furry and feathery are enjoying relative safety during the year's early winter, but soon hunting season will be upon them again. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources would like to hear from the state's hunters this month in order to guide the department in updating or changing its rules and regulations. Representatives of the DNR will be hold a moderated town hall meeting at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 26, at the Dickinson County Nature Center in Okoboji...

Iowa's State Auditor said taxpayers could be on the hook if the Iowa Finance Authority pays $4.15 million to settle sexual harassment claims against former IFA Executive Director David Jamison as planned. Some of the complaints stemmed from Jamison's behavior at an unnamed Arnolds Park hotel bar. ...

The Dickinson County Board of Supervisors voted to provide $10,000 to Milford's proposed MillStone Park project in hopes the community will see even greater funding. A large-scale memorial incorporating one of the city's namesake millstones has been designed for the lot immediately southwest of the intersection of Highway 71 and 13th Street in Milford. ...

The Dickinson County News received 35 awards and secured the top spot among the state's weekly newspapers Friday at the Iowa Newspaper Association 2019 Convention and Trade Show. The event was held Feb. 7-8 at the Des Moines Marriott Hotel. The newspaper's first-place "General Excellence" designation takes writing, photography, advertising, page design, website elements and community involvement into account. ...

The Dickinson County Sheriff's Office executed six warrants for 32-year-old Joshua David Schierholt. He was booked into the Dickinson County Jail at 8:27 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 23. Ian Krame, age 18, of Estherville was charged with credit/ATM fraud at 11:27 a.m. Friday, Feb. 1, in the 1500 block of 18th Street in Spirit Lake. The police report indicated the incident originally occurred on Jan. 13...