Stories from Tuesday, August 25, 2020

Where is everyone in this coronavirus time? They are on the bike trails — you can keep yourself 6 feet away from other people. There are some new trails. One is along Highway 86 on the west side of West Okoboji. There is a new one by our home at the Landings. ...

For many of us, summer in Iowa is synonymous with sitting outside on the patio of our favorite bar or restaurant and enjoying a cold beverage. Luckily, for now, we have been able to do that albeit with some restrictions. In order for this to continue, we all need to take personal responsibility to slow the spread of COVID-19...

I am deeply concerned about what is happening in our country at this time. I do not understand why the president is not doing everything possible to help the post office, one of our oldest institutions. He has the power to provide money for extra workers and allowing overtime hours. ...

When you go to the polls in November to cast your vote – ask yourself, "would I vote for this party’s platform?" 1. Provide amnesty and free health care for people in our country illegally.  2. Open our borders to millions of more undocumented immigrants. ...

June 3, 1934 — Aug. 25, 2020 Mazie La Vonne Elkin (formerly Rettig), 86, of Spencer passed away on Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2020, at the Palo Alto County Hospital in Emmetsburg. A graveside service will be held at 10 a.m. Friday, Aug. 28, 2020, at the Lakeview Cemetery in Spirit Lake with Rev. David Simonson officiating. Arrangements are under the direction of the Schuchert-Lentz Funeral Home in Spirit Lake. Online condolences may be sent to spiritlakefuneralhome.com...

Feb. 6, 1929 — Aug. 17, 2020 A funeral service for Robert Milberger, 91, of Spirit Lake, was held Friday, Aug. 21, 2020, at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Spirit Lake. Burial was at St. Margaret Cemetery. Robert Donald Milberger, the son of Grace (Rogers) and William Milberger, was born on Feb. 6, 1929, in Cloquet, Minnesota. After high school, Robert served his country for four years in the United States Air Force...

Sept. 2, 1948 — Aug. 17, 2020 A Celebration of Life Gathering for Ronda Youde, 71, of West Okoboji, was held Friday, Aug. 21, 2020, at Turner Jenness Funeral Home in Milford. Ronda Rae (Ridenour) Youde was born Sept. 2, 1948, in Emmetsburg to Kenneth and Mary (Baas) Ridenour. The family moved to West Okoboji in 1956. Ronda graduated from Arnolds Park Schools in 1966, then graduated from the University of Iowa in 1971. Ronda and James Youde were married on June 2, 1973, in Spencer.  ...

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will be conducting an aerial spraying project targeting invasive cottonwood and willow trees that are encroaching on grasslands at 15 wildlife management areas. Locally, spraying will occur at Santee Prairie, Cayler Prairie, Garlock Slough, Spring Run southeast, Spring Run main, Spring Run northeast, Christopherson Slough west, Hales Slough and Christopherson Slough east between Aug. 26-Sept. 4, when weather conditions allow...

  A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine was sentenced Aug. 21 to more than 11 years in federal prison.    Jacob Johnson, age 30, from Mason City, pled guilty on March 17 to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking...

  In Iowa, one in nine people struggle with food insecurity — meaning they have insufficient or unreliable access to enough nutritious food to live a healthy, active life. Fareway, in partnership with Food Bank of Iowa, is working to fight food insecurity by donating 21,600 dozen eggs to hungry Iowans in need...

The Iowa Rock 'n Roll Music Association on Aug. 18 a special Labor Day weekend music event – the Iowa Rock 'N Roll Music Festival. "We had made the difficult decision to postpone our annual Labor Day Weekend Hall of Fame Induction to Memorial Day 2021 due to concerns by the inductees, families, board, and staff," Iowa Rock 'n Roll Music Association Executive Director Clay Norris said. ...

Iowa Lakeside Laboratory is pleased to announce that Dr. Rebecca Kauten began her duties at the 2020 Scientist in Residence Fellow on Aug. 1. Prior to coming to Lakeside, Kauten was a visiting assistant professor at the University of Iowa. She received a master's degree in land use policy from the University of Northern Iowa and a Ph.D. in geographical and sustainability science from the University of Iowa...

An open meeting of the Board of Trustees for Milford Memorial Library is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 2, in the Milford Community Center. The agenda is posted on MML's website and front bulletin board at least 24 hours in advance of the meeting. The public is welcome to join...

Ciao Boji! (pronounced "chow"), a new Italian and Mediterranean themed restaurant with hand crafted cuisines by Juliana Domoras is now open. This family owned restaurant is easily accessible on Highway 71 in Arnolds Park, where the restaurant "Pho" was once located...

Five Iowa Lakes students received the prestigious John P. “Jack” Kibbie Outstanding Service Award. Jolene Rogers, Iowa Lakes Executive Director of Community and Business Relations, presented the awards to Trevor Friesner, Lucas Gardner, Calvin Hart, Faith Lutat, and Hannah Seil at the 2020 Summer Commencement Ceremony held on July 24...

Bridges Bay in Arnolds Park has been fined $8,000 by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources this month for unauthorized storm runoff into East Lake Okoboji. The report said DNR officials received a complaint Sept. 23, 2019, about a lack of storm water control measures near a construction site on the property, which was confirmed during a site visit. ...

No injuries were reported Friday after a Volkswagon Bug caught fire along 180th Street east of Highway 86. A single fire engine from the Milford Fire Department responded after being paged around 10:15 a.m., but Milford Fire Chief Jim Carpenter said the fire was largely brought under control through the efforts of Assistant Fire Chief Doug Hanna...

The Northwest Iowa Public Safety Training Center is a common locale to witness some smoke or fire as fire departments diligently practice their craft, however on Wednesday afternoon a different form of heat was present. The High-risk Entry and Arrest Team — whose membership includes departments within Dickinson County and others from the region in Iowa and Minnesota — gathered in east Spencer Wednesday and quickly began working with the modular training facility clearing rooms, maneuvering and practicing with weaponry modified to shoot chalk rounds.. ...

The Dickinson County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Tuesday to sell a parcel of land to the city of Lake Park, but the fully-supported motion didn't come without some debate. The lot lies behind Lake Park's fire station near the intersection of Avenue A West and West First Street. ...

The Test Iowa Clinic serving Dickinson County will remain open past the end of the month — but Iowans will be directed to a different location in Spirit Lake. Drive-thru testing is currently taking place at the Lakes Ice Arena at 3800 Sunner Ave. That location will close at noon Friday...

Iowa's county auditors were able to begin accepting requests for general election absentee ballot requests on July 6, and U.S. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy said in a July 27 statement that the U.S. Postal Service needed to "redouble our efforts to focus on our plans to improve operational efficiency and to further control overtime expenditures."...

A Spirit Lake man awaiting trial for a November robbery violated his probation by allegedly stabbing a Cherokee man earlier this month in Milford. Patrick William Miles — also known as Patrick Wascher — was charged with willful injury after the Aug. ...

The Clay County Fair & Events Center announces a number of September "Un-Fair" activities to help fair fans get their "fix" in 2020, including "Fair in a Box," two nights of IMCA auto racing and a second round of Fair Food To Go and nonprofit "Take Out Tuesdays."...