Stories from Tuesday, September 17, 2019

President Trump stated: "I could stand in the middle of 5th Avenue and shoot somebody and not lose any voters." Amid daily gaffs, false statements, praise of foreign dictators while alienating allies, and imposition of tariffs that cost Americans millions of dollars, his supporters march lock step to defend him...

  For over 15 years, Spirit Lake and surrounding communities have been supporting the local blood bank, LifeServe Blood Center, at the community blood drives coordinated by John Guthrie. The blood drive was held Tuesday, Sept. 10, to help the blood center keep units on hand for hospital patients across the tri-state area. ...

My name is Kacey Krieger, and I am a part of Spirit Lake High School's Student Council. I am reaching out in hope of informing the community about our 2019 homecoming events! This year our homecoming week is Monday, Sept. 30 through Friday, Oct. 4. Our theme is "Home Sweet Homecoming."...

Feb. 7, 1946 — Sept. 11, 2019 A memorial service was held at 10:30 a.m. Monday, Sept. 16, 2019, at United Methodist Church in Peterson for Carlene Nothwehr. Interment was at St. John's Cemetery in rural Peterson. The Rev. Michael Hyde officiated. Carlene Marie Nothwehr, the daughter of Carl and Shirley (Bruner) Struve, was born Feb. ...

Nov. 27, 1941 — Sept. 7, 2019 A Mass of Christian Burial for Irene Clark, 77 of Milford was held Thursday, Sept. 12, 2019 at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Milford. Burial was at Milford Cemetery. Irene Louise Clark, the daughter of Eldon and Irene (Koch) Wallace, was born Nov. 27, 1941 in Odebolt. After graduating from Odebolt High School, she attended Briar Cliff College in Sioux City...

March 21, 1962 — Sept. 8, 2019 Timothy D. Radke, age 57, of Alta, died Sept. 8, 2019, at Methodist Manor Retirement Community in Storm Lake. Funeral services took place Thursday, Sept. 12, at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Alta. Burial was at the Woodlawn Cemetery in Alta. ...

Brandy Champale Reason, age 45, was booked into the Dickinson County Jail at 2:02 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 11, on charges of violating a temporary restraining order. Bond was set at $500. Luther Flewelling, age 42, was booked into the Dickinson County Jail at 11:28 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 12, on charges of obstructing emergency communication, domestic assault causing bodily injury and child endangerment — no injury...

Lakes Regional Healthcare (LRH) Hospice, Schuchert-Lentz Funeral Home and Turner Jenness Funeral Home have teamed up again this year to honor those who have passed away and those that are currently in hospice care by hosting their annual Walk/Run to Remember 5K event on Saturday, Sept. 21...

GriefShare is returning to the Iowa Great Lakes region on Monday, Sept. 23. GriefShare is an internationally-known video seminar series which features some of the nation’s foremost Christian experts on grief and recovery topics. This program features teaching that focuses on grief topics associated with the death of a loved one...

Calling all Busy Brain Gamers (grades 5-8)! Video Games Day is happening at 3:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 20, in the library. Please join the fun by playing Wii and Xbox games provided by MML and Exile Gaming. Join MML and Rich Tyler at 2 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 26 for the program "If Barns Could Talk."...

The Iowa Great Lakes Area Chamber is excited for the return of the Great Okoboji Lakes Finale — or G.O.L.F. — Tournament. Emerald Hills Golf Club will host the 18-hole tournament for teams of four on Friday, Sept. 20. Check-in and lunch will be held from 11 a.m to 12 p.m. Participants will enjoy a putting contest before the shotgun start shortly after noon. Additional contests and pin prizes will be included throughout the afternoon...

There has been flooding northwest of the Humane Society of Northwest Iowa Shelter building every spring. This spring, the water stopped three feet from the foundation of the building housing cats (the cattery) and flooded five of the outside dog runs...

Iowa state parks have set Saturday, Sept. 28 as annual Volunteer Day, when Iowans are invited to lend a hand at more than 40 parks hosting clean-up events. Volunteer activities will focus on prepping for the upcoming 100th anniversary of the Iowa state park system in 2020. The DNR is working with several organizations to create park improvements and plan activities for the centennial event...

The Iowa Hawkeye Chapter of the Studebaker Drivers Club and Studebaker devotees will visit Okoboji on Sept. 21-22 for a time of fellowship and showing their vehicles. Their visit to the Okoboji area includes a stop at Okoboji Classic Cars on Sunday. This visit is being coordinated by Jerry and Tootie Kittelson of Spirit Lake...

The Spirit Lake Public Library is pleased to once again welcome acclaimed Celtic guitarist and storyteller Jerry Barlow in concert. The program will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 19, at the Spirit Lake Public Library, 702 16th St. in Spirit Lake. The program is sponsored by the Friends of the Milford Memorial, Arnold Park and Spirit Lake Libraries and is free to the community...

Instead of returning to its previous schedule of 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday-Friday, Labor Day-Memorial Day, the Dickinson County Nature Center will now remain open to the public 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday year-round. "We have had requests from visitors to have a weekend day open to the public during the off-season so kids who are in school have an opportunity to visit the nature center," community relations coordinator Kiley Roth said. ...

'BONES' MILLER COMES TO PLAC The Scottie Miller Band will perform at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 26, in the Lauridsen Theatre for the Performing Arts. Minneapolis music scene stalwart Scottie Miller has been around long enough to acquire not only a funky nickname "Bones," but also membership in the Minnesota Blues Hall of Fame, experience touring with blues icon Bo Diddley, a signature style that warps far to the south of his home tundra and an international reputation. ...

Of Moment and Place, an exhibit of works by artist Bruce A. Morrison, opens Oct. 3 and will be on view through Jan. 4 in the Weaver Lobby and McIlrath Landing Galleries of the Pearson Lakes Art Center. Visitors will have a chance to meet the artist at the show's opening reception from 5-7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 3, and enjoy complimentary wine and hors d'oeuvres while viewing the artwork...

Seasons Center for Behavioral Health is hosting a free kids carnival from 4-7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 26 in Spencer. This free, family-friendly event is open to the entire community and families of all ages are welcome. "The purpose of this carnival is to provide a fun-filled event for the whole community, while sharing resources that are available to those in need," said Katie Ping, marketing and events coordinator at Seasons Center. ...

The Dickinson County Board of Supervisors canvassed the results of two special elections from last week regarding the Secure an Advanced Vision for Education Fund — or SAVE. Both the Spirit Lake and Okoboji school districts conducted special elections Sept. ...

He may have been with the Okoboji Police Department for 20 years, but that's only about half of officer Mitch Watters' law enforcement career. His 40 years of experience include titles ranging from park ranger to Osceola County Sheriff. Watters officially ended his time with the Okoboji Police Department on Wednesday, Sept. 11. Okoboji Mayor Mary Vanderwoude presented Watters with an award, thanking him for his years of service during the Sept. 10 Okoboji City Council meeting...

Stepping into Dave's Barbershop in Spirit Lake reminds a visitor of simpler times. A single chair stands in the center of the room. Newspapers and magazines are tucked neatly in a rack, and a portrait of Howard McNear — the actor who played Floyd the barber on the Andy Griffith Show — hangs just inside the doorway...

Motorists will hopefully be seeing a new grouping of American flags near the corner of Highways 9 and 71 in Spirit Lake come Memorial Day. The Spirit Lake City Council unanimously voted Sept. 10 to allow city property on the southeast side of the intersection to be used for the Avenue of Flags. The annual Memorial Day display is coordinated by Spirit Lake John W. Kidd VFW Post 4514 and Spirit Lake American Legion Timpe Post 23 each year...

The United States Department of Transportation recently announced that Iowa was awarded a $33.4 million federal Competitive Highway Bridge Program (CHBP) grant. State Departments of Transportation in 25 eligible states were invited to apply under the program — by law eligible states were limited to states with population densities of less than 100 people per square-mile based on Census data...

U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst issued a statement Tuesday encouraging Iowans to "forget Area 51 — waste at the Pentagon is out of this world." The combat veteran's point was to let Iowans know about the need to consolidate unneeded and underused warehouses in the Department of Defense...

The hood of a Jeep was crumpled back to reveal a mass of broken metal and tubing. Bits and pieces of dark-colored debris littered the roadway. But three people who were injured in a head-on collision at around 10:38 a.m. Friday in Spirit Lake found help wasn't far away — the crash happened to take place about halfway between Lakes Regional Healthcare and the Spirit Lake Fire Department...