Stories from Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Alisha M. Droegmiller went home to her Lord on February 17, 2011 at the age of 32. There was a celebration on life at Summit Evangelical Free Church in Alta on Tuesday, February 22, and burial was at St. John's Lutheran Cemetery in Galva. Alisha was born in Ida Grove on February 14, 1979. ...

Earl Flanigan,Cherokee, age 95, passed away February 20, 2011 at Cherokee Regional Medical Center in Cherokee. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, February 23, 2011 at the Immaculate Conception Gymnasium. Father Armand Bertrand will officiate. Burial will take place at Mt. Calvary Cemetery in Cherokee. The Greenwood Funeral Home in Cherokee is assisting the family with arrangements. Online condolences may be sent to www.greenwoodfuneral.com...

Bernice M Brauninger, age 83, of Correctionville, passed away on Thursday, February 17, 2011 at the Correctionville Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Correctionville. A funeral service was held on Monday, February 21,2011 at the Grace United Methodist Church in Correctionville, with the Rev. Sheryl K Ashley officiating. Burial was at the Correctionville Cemetery. The Nicklas D Jensen Funeral Home of Correctionville was in charge of the arrangements...

Funeral services for Verna Pingel of Cherokee, 94, formerly of Aurelia, were held at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, February 22, 2011, at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Aurelia, with Pastor Larry Lemke officiating. Burial was in the Pleasant Hill Cemetery, rural Aurelia. Redig Funeral Home of Aurelia was in charge of arrangements. Memorials may be directed to St. Paul Lutheran Church in Aurelia, the Iowa Department for the Blind, or Lutheran Blind Mission...

Fern L. Sleezer, 91, of Cherokee, passed away Monday evening, Feb. 21, 2011 at Cherokee Regional Medical Center in Cherokee. Memorial services will be on Saturday, Feb. 26, 2011 at 10:30 a.m. at the Boothby Funeral Home in Cherokee. Pastor Ethan Sayler will officiate. ...

Robert Michael Diercks, 57, Storm Lake, died Friday, Feb. 18, 2011, at University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha from complications of a stroke. A visitation was held Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2011, at the Elks Lodge from 4-8 p.m., where Mike had served as Exalted Ruler. A memorial Mass is scheduled for noon Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2011, at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Storm Lake, with Rev. Jeremy Wind principal celebrant and Rev. James Smith concelebrant...

For water enthusiasts, from fishers to boaters to swimmers to picnickers, the news is simply too good to be true - scientists in the burgeoning renewable energy field can make fuel out of algae. That's right. That stinky, slimy, disgusting plant-life scum that adorns our lakes, ponds, seas, and bays could be a lucrative crop in the production of biofuels...

After nearly six weeks, the Iowa Senate finally began some serious work on what was supposed to be major legislation. Unfortunately, that just wasn't the case. On Thursday, the last day of our legislative week, the Senate took up HF 45, the Taxpayer's First Act. ...

According to the American Cancer Society, it is estimated that there will be over 1.5 million new cases of cancer diagnosed in 2011. Everyone has been affected by cancer in one way or another. You may be a current cancer patient, a cancer survivor or have a family member or friend who is suffering from cancer...

The Cherokee Washington High School Music Department will be presenting their annual Pops Concert, featuring the WHS Band and Jazz Band and the WHS Choirs. There will also be some small group numbers. This year's theme is "Broadway," with hit songs from musicals such as "Wicked," "Les Miserables," "American Idiot" and "Phantom of the Opera."...

Cherokee Regional Medical Center Hospice is offering "Living with Loss," a five-week grief support program on Tuesdays, March 15 through April 12. The program is free of charge and is offered to anyone who has experienced a loss through death three months or more prior to attendance. This format combines grief education with peer support in a small group atmosphere...

Pastor Ken and Lori Thrasher of Cherokee happily announce the engagement of their daughter Kayla to Kenneth Lhamon. The couple will be married on April 16, 2011, in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

LINCOLN , Nebr. - The Morningside College women placed 7th in the Women's team standings at Saturday's GPAC Indoor Track and Field Championahips here, while the Mustang men placed 6th in the Men's team standings. Several athletes from the Chronicle Times coverage area ran for the Morningside teams. ...

ORANGE CITY - The Marcus-Meriden-Cleghorn girls beat George-Little Rock 50-41 in a Class 1A Regional basketball semifinal here Friday night, advancing to face Newell-Fonda in Spencer, that winner to the Iowa State Tournament next week in Des Moines...

DES MOINES - Two Marcus-Meriden-Cleghorn juniors placed in last week's Class 1A Iowa State Wrestling Championships, with Jacob Pearson finishing sixth at 171 pounds, and Dillon Mugge placing seventh at 285 pounds. That Eagle duo led a contingent of eight Cherokee area wrestlers qualifying for the 2010-2011 State classic...

Cherokee 5-7 sophomore Megan Hummel was named to the 2010-2011 All-Lakes Conference girls basketball second team announced last week. Cherokee's Shanon Shaefer, a 5-6 junior; and 5-5 sophomore Megan Carlson were named All-Lakes Conference Honorable Mention...

The Cherokee Educational Foundation's annual Benefit Dinner and Auction is scheduled for Friday, Feb 25, on the Upper Level of the Cherokee Community Center. The enjoyable "evening out" will begin at 6 p.m, with a social hour and bidding on several valuable silent auction items. A delicious dinner of prime rib, chicken and fish, catered by Holly Ohlson, follows, and the evening will conclude with a "live" auction...

On Saturday, March 5, the 17th Annual Chronicle Times Home Show will feature information and products to improve homes and lifestyles. Exhibits from various vendors will be on display from 9 a.m. to 3p.m. Saturday at the Conference Center at the Cherokee campus of Western Iowa Tech Community College. A variety of presentations will also be offered throughout the day...