Stories from Tuesday, December 28, 2021

Once upon a time, in a somewhat heated but of course entirely civil comment section, I was told editorial cartoons and other opinion content were well beneath the former Spirit Lake Beacon, because its staff "had more class and intellect to know to keep a local paper unbiased." Putting aside the fundamental purpose of an opinion page and how it relates to bias, I knew very well that claim couldn't be true. ...

May 20, 1952 – Dec. 21, 2021 A funeral service for Ruth Boer, age 69, of Spirit Lake, will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, Dec. 31, 2021, at Good News Community Church in Okoboji. Visitation will take place prior to the service from 9-10 a.m. at the church. Burial will be in the Lakeview Cemetery in Spirit Lake. ...

April 10, 1964 – Dec. 23, 2021 It is with extreme sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved mother and wife, Peggy Sue Cother on Dec. 23, 2021, at age 57 after more than a year-long battle with a rare neurological disease. Peggy Sue Wheeler was born April 10, 1964, in Lake City and she was a 1983 graduate of Lake City High School. Peg went on to spend her years raising her three boys Colt, Brent and Adam.  ...

March 10, 1956 – Dec. 22, 2021 Elizabeth “Liz” Inge Herigstad Lorch, age 65, of Spirit Lake passed away at her home in Spirit Lake on Wednesday, Dec. 22, 2021. A celebration of life for Liz was held Wednesday, Dec. 29, 2021, at the Schuchert-Lentz Funeral Home in Spirit Lake. Arrangements are under the direction of the Schuchert-Lentz Funeral Home in Spirit Lake. Online condolences may be left at spiritlakefuneralhome.com...

May 25, 1934 - Dec. 20, 2021 A funeral service for Jan Ortmeier, age 87, of Milford was held Monday, Dec. 27, 2021, at Turner Jenness Funeral Home in Milford. Burial was at Calvary Cemetery Jeanette Eileen Ortmeier, the oldest of four children of Lucille (Yates) and Edwin George Schwedler, was born May 25, 1934, on the family farm near Climbing Hill. ...

July 18, 1946 – Dec. 21, 2021 A visitation for Lawrence Perry, age 75, of Arnolds Park will be held from 4-6 p.m. Monday, Jan. 3, 2022, at Good News Community Church in Okoboji. A Graveside Service will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2022, at the Evergreen Memorial Park in Omaha, Nebraska...

Feb. 14, 1950 – Dec. 23, 2021 A memorial service for Roberta Thorn, age 71, of Lake Park, will be held at 11 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 3, 2022, at the First Presbyterian Church in Lake Park. Visitation will take place from 4-6 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 2, 2022, at the church in Lake Park. ...

Sept. 6, 1927 – Dec. 20, 2021 A funeral service for Ferne Mae Toft, age 94, was held Monday, Dec. 27, 2021, at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Royal. Interment was at Willow Creek Cemetery in Royal. Arrangements were by Warner Funeral Home of Spencer...

Augustana University in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, is pleased to announce that Laura Murray of Spirit Lake has earned a scholarship through the School of Music for the 2021-22 academic year 2021-22. The scholarship is designed to recognize students' musical talents, their ability to contribute to excellence in AU ensembles and help make an Augustana education more affordable. ...

The Dickinson County Endowment Fund, in support of 13 projects led by Dickinson County non-profit organizations, recently distributed grants totaling $94,308. “Our non-profit organizations work hard to serve the diverse needs and opportunities throughout the county," DCEF Council Advisor Ann Ditsworth said. "The Dickinson County Endowment Fund is excited to support these positive projects in our communities.”...

After a year hiatus, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach will again offer the Crop Advantage Series to producers at 14 locations across Iowa during January 2022. Sessions will be held in Sheldon on Jan. 4, Storm Lake on Jan. 5, Okoboji on Jan. 11, Le Mars on Jan. 26 and Denison on Jan. 27. Agendas for each session vary but generally feature two morning keynote speakers and a customizable afternoon schedule...

Milford Memorial Library will be closed on Friday, Dec. 31, and Saturday, Jan. 1, in observance of the New Year’s holiday. The library will be open at 9:30 a.m. Monday, Jan. 3. We wish you a safe and fun holiday weekend. Thank you to all of our patrons whom donated food to Dickinson County Upper Des Moines Food Pantry. Because of your generosity, Dickinson County Upper Des Moines will be able to assist more families...

A 40-year-old Spencer man was arrested and charged after leading the Spencer Police Department and other law enforcement agencies on a chase spanning three counties early Monday morning. At approximately 12:23 a.m., Spencer police attempted to stop a Chevrolet Malibu in the 100 block of East First Street in Spencer for a registration violation. ...

Winther, Stave & Co., LLP recently announced the admittance of Rodney A. Meendering, CPA, David A. Schmidt, CPA, and Jennifer L. Maki, CPA, as partners in the firm of Certified Public Accountants effective Jan. 1, 2022. Meendering received a Bachelor of Arts degree in accounting from Briar Cliff College. ...

The Spirit Lake Noon Kiwanis partnered with Hy-Vee on Tuesday, Dec. 22 to package 50 family ham dinners with all the fixings to be distributed to families in need through Upper Des Moines Opportunity. Organizers said the effort was the club's way of helping the community have a very Merry Christmas with their families. (Photo submitted)...

The Iowa Navy Commodores gathered last week to welcome Shawn Soucie of A+ Services to the Iowa Great Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce. Soucie told the group he has a background in real estate — specifically flipping properties and remodeling homes. He said he hopes to fill a service gap he sees in the community and provide "big city urgency" to Lakes Area residents in need of jobs big and small. ...

Many Lakes Area residents both past and present have contributed to their community with selflessness, dignity and heart. The Dickinson County News resumes its year-end tradition of honoring just a few such individuals whom the community lost during the past year. In their various roles, these four individuals made a lasting local impact which will continue for years to come...

Several notable court cases with ties to Dickinson County crossed from 2020 into 2021. The criminal process continued for two suspects accused of murdering a Lake Park woman in December of 2020 — one recently pleaded guilty to an amended charge. A local businessman has been satisfied after taking the Okoboji Community School District to court over costs associated with an open records request. ...

The region saw a Spirit Lake attorney ascend to a district court judgeship in June this year. John M. Sandy of Spirit Lake was chosen by Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds in March to succeed Iowa Third Judicial District Court Judge David A. Lester, who was stepping down after serving the court for more than 20 years...

While a fast-moving storm left a majority of area residents with only damaged tree limbs, the National Weather Service later determined an EF-1 tornado had briefly twisted its way across the southern Dickinson County. An EF-1 is the second-lowest category on the National Weather Service's scale — with wind speeds between 86 and 110 mph...

The resignation of Iowa's District 1 State Sen. Zach Whiting this year prompted the governor call for a special election to be held six weeks after local city and school board races had been decided. Whiting officially stepped down at noon on Oct. 30 to take a position with the Texas Public Policy Foundation. ...

A pair of proposed pipelines carrying pressurized liquid carbon dioxide may cross Dickinson County in the coming years if the Iowa Utilities Board grants their respective project permits. Local landowners first filed into the Dickinson County Expo Center on Sept. ...

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds on Tuesday proclaimed Dec. 28 to be Iowa Statehood Day. Her proclamation fell on the 175th anniversary of Iowa's admission to the union as its 29th state. The governor's proclamation highlighted several notable aspects of the state's history — from the native people who predated Iowa's pioneers, to families who aided the Underground Railroad and immigrant families who worked to better Iowa's communities...

Dickinson County will officially be submitting comment to the Iowa Utilities Board regarding the two liquified carbon dioxide pipelines proposed to cross local farmlands. The board voted unanimously Tuesday morning to send a pair of drafted letters — one for each proposed project — specifically opposing the potential use of eminent domain in securing land for the pipelines...