Stories from Tuesday, October 13, 2020

  A: As the world's largest economy and beacon of democracy, it's not a secret that our elections are targeted by foreign adversaries seeking to sow discord and division in the United States of America. For the last four years, Congress and the Trump administration have stepped up oversight, enforcement and funding to protect election security for the 2020 elections. ...

  Iowans have options about how we choose to vote. We can cast an absentee ballot from the comfort of our home, in-person at the county auditor's office, or vote at the polls on Election Day. All three methods are safe and secure. Whichever method you choose, it's important to have a voting plan...

Parenting is not an easy task, and parenting teenagers comes with its own unique set of challenges. During National Teen Driver Safety Week, Oct. 18-24, the Governor's Traffic Safety Bureau is teaming up with law enforcement across the state to help empower parents to discuss the importance of safe driving habits with their young drivers. ...

Team WAVE and the City of Arnolds Park would like to thank everyone who participated in our Adopt-A-Flowerbed program this year. Helping to keep our landscaped areas of the city clean and beautiful for everyone to enjoy is no easy task, especially with the drought the last couple months. This year's Adopt-A-Flower-Bed program participants were, Okoboji PT, Liberty National Bank of Okoboji, Oak Hill Marina, The Sugar Shack, Jensen Real Estate, Linda Hinshaw and Barb & Wayne Woodley...

Senator Joni Ernst deserves credit: She kept her word to support conservative, constitutionalists for the bench by announcing her support for President Trump's Supreme Court nominee, Amy Coney Barrett. The left is outraged, but if they had the White House and Senate, they would support an election-year nominee. ...

On Sunday, Oct. 11, I had the good fortune to drive down from the Twin Cities in Minnesota to provide some feedback to the Spirit Lake High School Marching Band and their staff. Currently in my 36th year of public school teaching as a high school band director, I have had the opportunity to both compete with and adjudicate a large number of marching bands in the Midwest. ...

Nov. 23, 1954 — Oct. 6, 2020 A funeral service for Curtis Iwen, age 65, was held  Saturday, Oct. 10, 2020, at Turner Jenness  Funeral Home in Spirit Lake. Burial was at Lakeview Cemetery in Spirit Lake. Curtis Edward Iwen passed away Oct. 6 at the Good Samaritan Society in Estherville after courageously battling M.S. for over 40 years...

Jan. 23, 1935 — Oct. 5, 2020 Marilyn (Krage) Higgins was born Jan. 23, 1935, to Roy and Helen Krage of Sioux City. Marilyn adored and cherished her seven brothers and sisters, Ron, Sam, Helen Ann, Blanche, Barb, Colonel and Mary Alice. Marilyn's greatest accomplishment comes in the form of the seven children she and Bob raised together: Roy, Mike, John, Teresa, Robert, Lisa and Mary. ...

As if you'd want to miss MML’s YA Subscription Box: Back to the '90s, make sure to call the library and pre-register. All materials are provided by the library. Dude, you can bounce by Wednesday, Oct. 7, through Wednesday, Oct. 28, during normal drive-up hours...

A Family Fun Fest will be held Sunday afternoon to help raise funds to send a team of nine high school students and six adults to UCI Schools in Central Haiti. Their trip is planned for Jan. 4-12, 2021. "My wife Karen, daughter Janae and I are joining a team that has been going to Haiti during the Spirit Lake High School J-Term period for several years now," organizer Dan Hassman said. ...

Iowa Lakeside Laboratory and Imagine Iowa Great Lakes have launched a new public art and ecology artist in residence (AIR) program. The program will result in the creation of interactive, artistic experiences that allow residents and visitors to learn about the ecology and natural systems that comprise the Iowa Great Lakes region...

A Spencer man accused of trafficking methamphetamine in the Iowa Great Lakes Area during the spring and summer of 2019 pleaded guilty in federal court. Christopher Frerichs was sentenced Friday, Oct. 9, for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possessing a firearm during a drug trafficking crime. ...

Clay County authorities said minor injuries were reported after a rollover Friday night near Fostoria. The Clay County Sheriff's Office said 18-year-old Taylor Ginger of Spencer was traveling north along the 2800 block of Highway 71 when her red, 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix blew a tire around 7:15 p.m. ...

Members of the Spirit Lake Chamber of Commerce recently met with Derek Nelson of Nelson Custodial Engineering. Nelson said he and his family started their business in early June and offer a wide spectrum of cleaning services. Nelson said his company can handle not only commercial clients, but also residential needs, including seasonal rentals and estate preparations. Nelson's crew is also accepting clients for regular upkeep or just one-time cleanings. Nelson can be reached at 402-650-5889...

Founded in 1965, the Pearson Lakes Art Center has focused on broadening horizons through the arts for more than 50 years. For more information or to become a member, please contact the Art Center at 712-332-7013, by email info@lakesart.org, or visit the website at www.lakesart.org...

The Okoboji Foundation considers vital capital project grants with a focus on structures or physical property and equipment that make a lasting positive impact. Foundation funds are not intended for operating expenses or other short-term outcomes, however, the Foundation has established a Disaster Recovery Fund to help nonprofit organizations offset nonprofit shortfalls...

He wasn't in town long, but Doug Walters of Waterloo caught some friendly attention from drivers along Highway 9/71 in Spirit Lake the morning of Oct. 5. Walters has set himself the task of walking across the entire state of Iowa from the Big Sioux River to the Mississippi...

The victim of an Aug. 1 stabbing in Milford was arrested in connection with a recent series of thefts from vehicles in several northwest Iowa counties. Troy Dean Petersen, age 23, of Milford — formerly of Emmetsburg — was charged with three counts of third-degree burglary and booked into the Emmet County Jail Oct. 5 on a $6,000 bond...

Every year, Graettinger-Terril fifth grade teacher Shayla Hunefeld asks her students which subject is their favorite, and every year social studies is consistently at the bottom of the list. But history resonated on an emotional level for some of Hunefeld's former students after a field trip to the Gardner Cabin Museum in Arnolds Park last year. ...

The Harris-Lake Park school board met in special session Thursday night to discuss potential changes to its COVID-19 mitigation efforts, but H-LP Superintendent Andy Irwin said no motion was put forward by the board to mandate masks be worn by students and staff in the school. Irwin said the district will continue to recommend masks be worn, and the board will be reassessing the situation at least once a month...

I've been with the Dickinson County News since the start of 2010. There's never been a week when we've left out the opinion page. Sometimes, when we get a bumper crop of commentary, we'll even add a second page.
That's not a wrinkle I brought to the table, by the way. ...