Stories from Wednesday, March 13, 2013

As Old Man Winter blasts us with rain, ice, snow, wind and cold temperatures, it's time to think about the dedication to duty of our street and road crews, utility workers, law enforcement officers, fire fighters, and emergency responders. As winter pelts us with snow, icy conditions, dangerous winds, and freezing temperatures, it's nice to know that our capable city street, county and state highway road crews are prepared to work long and hard hours in very difficult and dangerous conditions day and night to keep us safe and make transportation possible, if need be.. ...

Hilda W. Carstens, age 90 of Quimby, IA, passed away Friday, March 8, 2013 at the Cherokee Regional Medical Center. Funeral services were held at 10:30 A.M. Tuesday, March 12, 2013 at the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Cherokee. Father Dan Guenther officiated. ...

Funeral services for Kathleen E. Allen, 89, of Aurelia, will be held at the First Congregational Church in Aurelia, on Wednesday, March 13, 2013 at 10:30 a.m., with Pastor Bruce Rapp officiating. Visitation will be from 10:00 to 8:00 P.M. on Tuesday at the Redig Funeral Home in Aurelia. Burial will be in the Pleasant Hill Cemetery, rural Aurelia...

Pearl Rose Frangenberg, of Marcus, age 93, passed away Monday, March 11, 2013, at the Heartland Care Center in Marcus. Funeral services were held at 10:30 A.M. today at Holy Name Catholic Church in Marcus. Father Dan Guenther officiated. Burial was at Holy Name Catholic Cemetery in Marcus. ...

Lillian V. Johnson, 94, of Cherokee, a former Storm Lake resident, passed away Sunday, March 10, 2013 at Countryside Estates in Cherokee. Funeral services will be held Thursday, March 14th, at 10:30 a.m. at the Boothby Funeral Home in Cherokee. Pastor Jeff Harris will officiate. ...

Michael and Eileen Revland of Cherokee are happy to announce the birth of their first child, a boy. Aiden Michael Revland was born at 11:54 p.m. on March 7, 2013, and he weighed 8 lb. 5 oz. and measured 21 1/2 inches long. Grandparents are Steve and Barb Kinney of Alton and Mark Revland and Rhonda and David Nelson, all of Arnolds Park...

Ashley and Leonardo Rivas of Cherokee are happy to announce the birth of their baby girl, born on March 8, 2013. Julie Marie Rivas was born at 5:47 p.m., weighed 6 lb. 3 oz. and measured 19 1/2 inches long. She was welcomed home by her big sisters, Rachel Holland and Veronica Rivas. Grandparents are Brian and Lori Dingel, Kelly and Jocelyn Petersen, and Maria N. Canales...

The Storm Lake St. Mary's boys basketball team readies to enter the Panther gym during the school's homecoming celebration last weekend after the Panthers placed second in the Class 1A Championship game, falling to State Champion Boyden-Hull in Des Moines. Carrying the trophy is 1A All-Tournament Team Captain Luke Lenhart. Photo contributed...

STORM LAKE -- The Buena Vista men's tennis team has now won five straight matches and is currently in second place in the Iowa Conference standings after adding two more wins to its overall total on Saturday, including a 6-3 triumph over Wartburg College. BVU then closed the day with a thrilling 5-4 non-conference victory over visiting Doane College...

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) -- Authorities discouraged travel Monday in eastern Nebraska and much of western Iowa as crews reopened roadways and cleared away remnants of a late-winter storm that was headed east. Workers cleared portions of Iowa Highway 141 and U.S. highways 59, 30 and 20 in western Iowa that were reported impassable earlier on Monday, and Interstates 80 and 29 were open for traffic...

The Cherokee Area Economic Development Corporation will be holding its 18th annual Recognition Banquet on Saturday, March 16, 2013, at the Western Iowa Tech Community College Convention Cente in Cherokee. The public is invited and encouraged to attend. A social hour at 5:30 p.m. kicks off the evening, followed by a Buffet Dinner at 6:30 and awards and presentations at 7 p.m...

For the 30th consecutive year, the Agri-Business Committee of the Cherokee Chamber of Commerce is offering scholarships for graduating seniors. This year, two $500 scholarships will be awarded to graduating seniors who resides in Cherokee County. The scholarships may be used at a two or four year college or university...

Ann M. Reisdorf of Dubuque is this months Sanford Museum's Artist of the Month. "Creating art is something I have been doing all my life. As a child and adolescent I was always drawing, doodling, or painting. Without any formal art training I believe my artistic expression is genuinely my own. I have grown as a person and an artist at my own pace to my own liking," stated Reisdorf...

Members of the Cherokee Volunteer Fire Department will be starting their door-to-door ticket sales on Monday, March 18 for the annual Cherokee Firemen's Dance. The 131st annual Firemen's Dance will be held at the Cherokee V.F.W. Club, located at 113 E. Maple St., from 8 p.m. to midnight on Saturday, April 13...