A dozen young apple trees now dot the fields at Lakeside Laboratory, thanks to a partnership with the local Hunger Coalition and a few eager volunteers.

The initiative will eventually bear fruit for the entire community.

Nick Blocha oversaw the May 3 planting, saying that the orchard represents the latest branch of an established community collaboration.

Iowa Lakeside Lab is kicking off a summer filled with free educational opportunities. Activities range from prairie burns to fungal forays.

The lab's “Wild Wednesdays” series has a new time slot at 5 p.m. time slot at Mahan Hall. Lakeside Lab designs the 11-week, free weekly program for families, children and kids-at-heart.

To maintain a busy taproom, you need to plant more barley.

Harvest more hops.

And if you’re West O Beer, get a few shade trees to take root as well.

The West Okoboji brewery held a grand opening for the Terrace on Saturday, May 17. The six-figure expansion creates a new space for seating and entertainment while adding parking to the north and west.

A sprawling 75 acres of recreational space, funded entirely by an anonymous donor, will be ready Dickinson County visitors next month.

Sherwood Forest Park, located at 3301 Lake Shore Drive in Okoboji, opens June 12 with a 10 a.m. ribbon-cutting ceremony. The park offers everything from mountain bike trails to natural prairie lands.

Locals can't wait to dive into the park, according to Amy Heibult with the Dickinson County Conservation Board.

Local American Legion,  V.F.W. and Auxilliary posts are once again preparing to honor veterans past and present in 2025. Several programs are planned throughout the county this Memorial Day.

The Central Emporium is used to its share of traffic, but the historic building saw more activity than usual as ice left West Lake Okoboji this spring.

Michael Jensen was less than 100 days into his ownership of the property as he walked past contractors and into the building that will celebrate its quasquicentennial next year.

Felony criminal charges are still pending as of Tuesday, May 20, for the owner of Boji Nites, who operated the now-shuttered adult entertainment club along West Broadway Street in Arnolds Park.

Dickinson County Attorney Steven Goodlow said Boji Nites owner Matt Little’s criminal case remains sealed at the Dickinson County Clerk of Court’s Office as the investigation into his business dealings continue.

While many students spend spring break relaxing, a dedicated group from Iowa Lakes Community College’s Laker Life campus ministry chose a different path — volunteering their time to serve those in need during a week-long mission trip to Chicago.

MILFORD RAGBRAI NEEDS VOLUNTEERS

The Dickinson County Endowment Fund Advisory Council is now accepting applications for their 2025 grant cycle.  

Grants are awarded to I.R.S. 501(c)(3) tax exempt organizations and 170(b) unit of government organizations benefiting residents of Dickinson County. Non-profit organizations without either status may apply by seeking a fiscal agent that carries the designation.

Funds may be requested within the DCEF priority project focus areas which include:

A trio of locations will once again have hidden treasures on display during the summer holiday weekends. Fantastic finds will be ready for sale over Memorial Day, the Fourth of July and Labor Day weekends.

Treasure Village is on the west side of Iowa Highway 86 near Wahpeton.

Vick’s Corner World is west of Spirit Lake at the junction of Highways 86 and 9.

A portion of the Lake Okoboji Resort & Conference Center (Arrowwood Resort) will once again become a courtroom as part of the Chautauqua Conference for attorneys in Iowa.

The Iowa Court of Appeals will hear oral arguments in two cases starting at 1 p.m. Thursday, May 29. The hearings are open to the public and the court encourages people to attend.

 The court will hear attorneys argue the cases of:

EMS Week is May 18-24 and Lakes Regional Healthcare (LRH) wants to recognize the many individuals who provide care to people within the Iowa Great Lakes Region. Dickinson County has a robust emergency services system comprising of more than:

• 70 volunteer first responders

• 35 law enforcement officers

• 9 dispatchers

• 15 DNR Conservation Lake Patrols

• 5 fire departments

• an underwater rescue team

• LRH’s ambulance service and

ARRESTS

Jonathan Francisco Vignon, age 37, of Terril was arrested on the charge of violation of a no contact order at approximately 10 a.m. Tuesday, May 13, near North Third Street in Terril.