Stories from Monday, December 30, 2019

Dec. 26, 1918 — Dec. 23, 2019 A funeral service for Deloras Gilmore, age 100, of Estherville, and formerly of Spirit Lake was held Friday, Dec. 27, 2019, at Turner Jenness Funeral Home in Spirit Lake. Burial was at Memory Gardens in Spirit Lake. Deloras Gilmore was born to John and Maude (Taylor) Baker on Dec. 26, 1918, in rural Spirit Lake. After graduating from Spirit Lake High School in 1937, she worked at the Jersey Dell Tea Room, Blair's Grocery and Northwestern Bell Telephone Company...

Sept. 7, 1924 — Dec. 26, 2019 A funeral service for Kathryn Hansen, age 95, mother of Nancy, Gary and Kenneth, was held Monday, Dec. 30, 2019 at Harbor of Joy Lutheran Church in Milford. Burial was at Milford Cemetery. Kathryn Marie Hansen was born Sept. ...

Jan. 9, 1961 — Dec. 27, 2019 A funeral service for Thomas Kyle, 58, of Lake Park, was held Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2019, at the United Methodist Church in Lake Park. Interment was Silver Lake Cemetery in Lake Park. Thomas Nelson Kyle was born Jan. 9, 1961, in Rock Rapids to Loran and Margaret (Harries) Kyle. He passed away on Dec. 27, 2019 at Sibley Specialty Care in Sibley...

  As we wrap-up 2019, I wanted to take a moment to look back on some of the highlights of the past year. First and foremost, I completed my fifth 99-county tour, my annual tradition where I visit every single one of Iowa’s 99 counties within a calendar year, and hold public town hall meetings to hear directly from constituents. ...

  As this year nears its end, the Grassley family is grateful for another fall harvest. Like other family farms across Iowa, our three-generation farming operation experiences many of the uncertainties blanketing our profession. For starters, our livelihoods are at the mercy of Mother Nature...

First, let me tell you the kids at Harris-Lake Park are pretty special. I say this because it was my job to pick up some holiday-inspired writing assignments from the H-LP elementary earlier this month, so the Dickinson County News could publish some of the New Year's wishes from some of our youngest people. It was just a couple of small stacks held together by a couple of paper clips, but I've got to say I was pretty impressed by some of the sentiments expressed by the young Wolves at H-LP...

A Hummingbird zips around the yard visiting one colorful flower after the next. A Robin sings from the top of the fruit tree. A Phoebe darts from a branch to catch an insect in flight. Birds are all around us, and whether we think about it or not, we need them. From pollination and seed dispersal, to pest control and their beautiful sights and sounds, birds benefit humans every day...

The winter weather outside can be frightful, but wildlife are used to it and are even adapted to survive it. Let’s take a look at how three creatures survive the frigid winters of Dickinson County. It may look like a whole colony of muskrats has overtaken a wetland in the winter. ...

I’ve been in the business of fishing for about 40 years and have been fishing even longer. The changes in fishing and fishing equipment over those years have been many, and a lot of those changes have effected, for the better, the way we fish and what we catch. Following are some of the changes that I’ve experienced...

What an interesting ice fishing season this has been. Here we are beginning the year 2020, and our ice conditions have not improved much over the past couple of weeks. Water is flowing nearly 7 inches over the Big Spirit Lake spillway and leaving the system at Lower Gar nearly 8 inches over full. ...

After back-to-back upset victories in the first two rounds of postseason play, Spirit Lake's incredible run came to an end a win shy of the state tournament in late February, as the Indians fell 50-38 to No. 2 Sergeant Bluff-Luton in Sioux City. Spirit Lake — after battling through an injury-plagued regular season — picked up a playoff win in the rubber match with Le Mars in the first round. The Indians started the postseason unbeaten with a 61-45 victory over the Bulldogs in Le Mars...

Harris-Lake Park junior Edgar Tapia entered the 2019 state meet with high hopes and returned home with a pair of medals in late May. Tapia placed fifth in the 400-meter dash and fourth in the 400-meter hurdles inside Drake Stadium in Des Moines. The two-time state qualifier beat his season-best times in both events, finishing the 400-meter dash in 50.30 seconds and the 400-meter hurdles in 56.17 seconds...

Make it a six-peat. Despite struggling early, the Spirit Lake softball team plated six runs in extra innings to seal a sixth consecutive Lakes Conference crown Wednesday, June 26. The Indians topped the Midgets 10-5 in Estherville. "We know that ELC is going to play us tough every year," Spirit Lake coach Rachel Fisher said. "Our girls had the right mentality going into the game but, unfortunately, made some uncharacteristic errors early in the game ... ...

The sixth-ranked Spirit Lake boys golf team entered the Class 3A tournament as underdogs following runner-up finishes in the conference and sectional tournaments and a third-place finish in the district tourney. However, the Indians shocked the state by jumping out to a 15-over-par opening round of 303 and an eventual runner-up finish after wet weather washed away the chances of a second 18 holes Friday at Lakeside Municipal Golf Course in Fort Dodge...

According to Okoboji girls golf coach Bill Alexander, 'You don't want to ride in the car with (the Pioneers) when they're excited." If that's the case, the ride back from Ames last week must have been something else for the longtime coach, as his girls earned a runner-up finish at the 2019 Class 2A IGHSAU State Golf Tournament...

Spirit Lake Park entered Saturday night's finals knotted with Clear Lake for second place in the Class 2A team race at the 2019 Iowa High School State Wrestling Championships in Des Moines. Long before the evening began, West Delaware had already clinched the title with 76.5 points. ...

For the third time in his high school career, Okoboji's 400-meter hurdler Ethan Albright headed to Des Moines with high expectations. As a sophomore, Albright stumbled, false-starting and ending his trip without a lap around the famed Blue Oval. He returned with a vengeance as a junior, earning a runner-up finish. After a stellar performance this past Friday, Albright ended his high school track career as a champion...

Spirit Lake junior speedster Joe Stein established himself as the fastest man in Class 2A in late May, winning the 100- and 200-meter dash events at the state track meet in Des Moines. Stein, a third-place finisher in the Class 3A 100-meter dash last season, qualified for the 100-meter finals with the second-fastest time (10.94 seconds) and the 200-meter finals with the fastest time (21.86 seconds) on Thursday...

At the 2018 state tournament, the Harris-Lake Park boys golf team watched as a state championship slipped out of its grasp on day two. That year's team led after 18 holes but wrapped the year by bringing home the Class 1A runner-up trophy. This year, the top-ranked and tournament-tested Wolves led wire-to-wire from the very first tee shot of the season and concluded the year with their first-ever state championship following a rain-soaked and weather-shortened tournament Thursday, May 23 at Westwood Golf Course in Newton.. ...

Kyler Rieck was no stranger to heartbreak. Few outside the Lakes Area knew what to expect from the first-time state qualifier back in 2016, but the Spirit Lake Park standout knocked off some of Iowa's best to finish fifth. Rieck put the rest of the state on notice as a frosh but moving forward he struggled to meet his own high expectations. Rieck failed time and time again to summit the Class 2A podium in two additional trips to Des Moines...

Several Lakes area libraries have invited local favorite Nathan Jorgenson to introduce his newest book, "Contrapasso." He will visit the Estherville Public Library at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 9. He will visit the Spirit Lake Public Library at 2 p.m. Friday, Jan. 10. The Spirit Lake Library visit will be sponsored by Friends of the Arnolds Park, Milford Memorial and Spirit Lake libraries. Books will be available to purchase at this event...

At 5:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 6, an open meeting of the Board of Trustees for the Milford Memorial Library will take place in the Milford Community Center. The agenda will be posted on MML's website and front bulletin board at least 24 hours in advance of the meeting. Everyone is welcome to attend and offer their thoughts in order to make MML a better library...

This past year was yet another in a long line of memorable moments for Dickinson County sports-enthusiasts. A local grappler got the year started with state championship and led his team to a runner-up finish at the high school state wrestling tournament. ...

As area lakes, ponds and other waterways attract anglers and others for winter activities like ice fishing, multiple accidents concerning vehicles on the ice have occurred throughout the state, two happening in northwest Iowa last week. Iowa Department of Natural Resources Conservation Officer Steve Reighard said while the accidents resulted in no injuries and the vehicles were promptly recovered, the events are a reminder to exercise caution when on the ice...

The new year can be a time to get more involved in the community and Northwest Iowa Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) is a way to discover options in the area. "Many people resolve to focus on improved health or become more active each year," Northwest Iowa RSVP director Dawn Bernhard said. ...

Nature stories, live animals, outdoor play — Nature Tots is a hit program at the Dickinson County Nature Center that will return Jan. 8 for the 2020 season. "I think this program has been so well attended because it offers activities families can do together," environmental education coordinator Bryanna Kuhlman said. "It also gives families things to learn about and talk about after the program is over."...

Democratic candidate for president Tom Steyer will hold a special event Friday to open a campaign office in Spirit Lake. An 11:30 a.m. program will take place at the office, which is located at 605 Lake St., Unit 4. Steyer left his investing business seven years ago to give his own money and focus time and energy on fighting for progressive causes. His efforts include: registering more young voters and voters of color, fighting climate change and working for racial justice...

EXIT Realty Midwest’s Peggy Bergh and Erica Schultes recently received National Real Estate Awards from EXIT Realty Corp International.  Bergh and Schultes each received the Bronze award from EXIT Realty Corporation at their national convention in Nashville. EXIT Realty annually recognizes their agents who perform at the highest levels of production and service...

Part of a series looking back at 2019 They gave selflessly to make life a little better for those around them. Continuing an annual tradition, The Dickinson County News recalls three more of the many notable figures who left us in the past year. Their legacy lasts well beyond the confines of a calendar and generations will remember them for their commitment to communities, families and friends...

This is part of a series looking back at 2019. Vulnerable northwest Iowans were rescheduling appointments and finding new offices after a tumultuous year for substance abuse treatment and prevention providers. Doors were still open and clients were still being served at the start of April at the Spirit Lake Compass Point office — but staff members at the Dickinson County location were scrambling after an April conference call among Compass Pointe board members. ...

This is part of a series looking back at 2019. The area lost John Senn in 2019 — but he didn't leave any unfinished business before he said good-bye. A funeral service for the Lakes music icon was held Monday July 22, at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Spirit Lake. ...

This is part of a series looking back at 2019. From better foot traffic to refurbished buildings, the Iowa Great Lakes is undergoing a steady transformation. The "Green Space" near Arnolds Park Amusement Park has become a multi-million dollar "Arnolds Park Promenade at Preservation Plaza" with nine arches, 10 benches and thousands of new trees, shrubs, perennials and annuals...

This is part of a series looking back at 2019. In a time when statesmanship and diplomacy feel like they're in short supply, a loss late in 2019 reminded us that there is still a place for dignity in politics, business and life. Berkley Bedell suffered a severe stroke on Dec. 4 and passed away on Dec. 7...

This is part of a series looking back at 2019. One of the top stories of 2018 continued to have major ramifications for a pair of Lakes Area communities in 2019. In Milford, a newly-minted board of education will oversee plans and costs as construction on a voter-approved, $25 million Okoboji Middle School continues. The school district's voters went back to the polls in 2019 to at least partially control the fate of the current middle school property in Arnolds Park...

In 2005, Donald Trump founded a privately owned for profit operation known as Trump University: aka Trump Wealth Institute. It operated till 2010 then being cited for false advertising, high pressure sales and having little educational value. Thousands of students paid up to $35,000 for worthless sessions. It was never university accredited. In 2013 Trump was fined $25 million for fraudulent practices which he refused to pay until 2016 as he was then a candidate for the U.S. presidency...

A Spirit Lake man arrested during a mid-November search in downtown Spirit Lake pleaded not guilty to charges of first-degree robbery and possession of a controlled substance. Patrick William Miles — also known as Patrick Miles Wascher — entered the plea earlier this month. ...

A Monday morning accident claimed the life of a Spirit Lake man after the van he was driving collided with a semi-truck and tractor near the John Deere dealership on U.S. Highway 71 south of Spencer. At 11:15 a.m., Clay County dispatched received a report of a motor vehicle crash in the 3700 mile of Highway 71. ...