PHOTO STORY BY DAVE PETRICK

Milford Police say an intoxication and vandalism investigation escalated to a charge of terrorism just after midnight on Sunday, March 16. Officers were dispatched to the 1200 block of L Avenue near Harbor of Joy Lutheran Church in Milford, for an altercation between two men who were fighting in the church parking lot. Upon arrival, police encountered 34-year-old Paul K. Davis of Milford who was allegedly intoxicated and yelling loudly.

The Spring Run Wildlife Management Area Shooting Range will close for construction over the summer, but hunters and other firearms owners should have much better surroundings once the range reopens in the fall.

Friends, family and colleagues planned to take a moment Thursday, March 20, to remember a longtime gill-netter, firefighter and board member in Spirit Lake.

Wallace “Wally” Jorgensen passed away Friday, March 14, at Community Health Center in Hartley. He was 88 years old.

ANNUAL CHICKEN AND NOODLE DINNER PLANED

Saint Joseph Catholic Church, in Milford, will host its annual homemade chicken and noodle dinner from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday, March 23 or when the servers run out of food.

The Iowa DNR is actively searching for top-notch volunteers who love to camp and enjoy meeting people to serve as campground hosts for the 2025 camping season at several state parks and forests.

Campground hosts serve as welcoming guides to the park by checking in campers, answering questions and providing park information. Hosts also assist park managers with maintenance and housekeeping duties as needed.

SPIRIT LAKE CLASS OF 2000 REUNION

The Spirit Lake Class of 2000 Reunion will be held on Saturday, July 19. Please check the Class of 2000 Facebook page for event details to be shared in the upcoming weeks or contact Greta (Goerss) Gruys at 507-581-6608 or Kelli (Nichols) Hagedorn at 712-330-0609.

OKOBOJI SCHOOL DISTRICT AUDIT

The Iowa Lakes Corridor Development Corporation (Corridor) has announced the top five Big IDEAs moving on to the live pitch competition on April 1.

After two weeks of public voting on entrepreneurial ideas submitted to the Corridor, the top five are:

• Fuller Radiance LLC (Cody Fuller)

• Spencer Create Catalyst (Vanessa Moore)

• Glacier Made (Jack Bauermeister)

• Boji Bites (Jeff Krage) and

• Outlaw Kicks (Cayden Fischer).

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will be conducting prescribed burns this spring on wildlife management areas managed by the Iowa DNR’s Great Lakes Wildlife Unit in Dickinson, O’Brien and Lyon counties.

 Areas scheduled for prescribed burns are:

• Spring Run

• Cayler Prairie

• Center Lake

• Christopherson Slough

• Diamond Lake

• Dugout Creek

• Hales Slough

• Kettleson Hogsback

• Silver Lake

The Iowa Rock 'n Roll Music Association (IRRMA) announced that enrollment starts June 16 for the 2025 Iowa Rocks Talent Contest.

The Lakes Regional Healthcare (LRH) Board of Trustees recently approved the hospital’s property tax rate for the upcoming fiscal year, maintaining the county tax rate at $0.48 per $1,000 of property value. This decision ensures continued financial support for vital healthcare services without increasing the tax burden on Dickinson County residents.

Milford will welcome tens of thousands of riders and support teams to the community when RAGBRAI LII arrives for an overnight stay on Sunday, July 20.

The Milford RAGBRAI Committee is looking for volunteers to help make everyone’s experience a memorable one. The group has a variety of opportunities — area residents can take part in the early planning process and/or be involved on the day of Milford RAGBRAI.

CAR FIRE EXTINGUISHED WITH NO INJURIES

At approximately 3:30 p.m. Sunday, March 16, the Spirit Lake Community Fire Department was called to the report of a vehicle fire at 14070 240th Ave. (county road M49) in Spirit Lake. Firefighters arrived on scene to find a heavily involved vehicle fire in front of a residence. They were able to quickly extinguished the fire without injuries. Spirit Lake Police assisted at the scene.

The Spirit of Okoboji proudly announces the first two recipients of its Lakes Area Museum Alliance (LAMA) grant program, marking a significant step forward in supporting cultural preservation and community engagement in the Iowa Great Lakes region.

HERITAGE SQUARE MUSEUM

The Dickinson County Treasurer’s Office is now accepting the 2025 Iowa property tax credit claims for property tax assistance for the September 2025 to March 2026 property tax payments. There are three types of assistance available.