Stories from Wednesday, April 17, 2013

April 22 represents the 43rd anniversary of "Earth Day" - a day meant to focus our thoughts and renew our commitments to caring for this place we call home. It calls attention to how we manage our lives to assure the health and vitality of our landscape and resources that we enjoy. Just like the clock in our bedroom that goes off in the morning to wake us for a new day - Earth day is the alarm going off to remind us of a new future...

The registration night for the Cherokee Swim Team last Wednesday went pretty well, despite the questionable weather, and Coach Jodi Mongan is offering young swimmers one more chance to sign up today, Wed. April 17, from 4:30 - 6:30.p.m. at the Community Center...

SIOUX CITY - A handful of boys and girls from the Cherokee Washington High track and field teams participated last Saturday in the annual Sioux City Relays held under chilly, breezy, partly cloudy skies. Members and placings of the WHS girls competing in the rugged competition included the 4x200 relay unit of Danni Roethler, Kaleigh Dixson, Courtney Johnson, and Jen Baker clocking in 9th in 1:57; Kaitlyn Parrott 18th in the shot put with a throw of 31-1; Baker 13th in the 100 meters in a time of 14.32; Dixson 16th in the 100 meters in 14.5; and Johnson 29th in the long jump with a 12-1 3/4 effort.. ...

LE MARS - A talented Le Mars girls tennis team spanked the Cherokee Washington High girls 9-0 in Lakes Conference action here Monday night under cold, windy conditions. In varsity singles for Cherokee, Megan Carlson lost 10-2 to Carolyn Ahlers at #1, Megan Hummel fell 10-0 to Emily Ahlers at #2, Karen Yearous lost 10-3 to Sophie Arens at #3, Angela Livezey lost 10-4 ro Emily Pick at #4, Jennifer Davis fell 10-1 to Jordan Helms at #5, and Abby Lubeck lost 10-1 to Ellen Meis at #6...

SIOUX CITY - Ridge View High School took home three medals in the Girls' High School portion of Saturday's Sioux City Relays. The Distance Medley Relay team of Jadyn Mohr, Rachel Hunt, Sydney Kistenmacher, and Nicole Snyder won the Gold Medal, in a time of 4:29.78; the 4 x 400 team of Gretchen Kistenmacher, Sydney Kistenmacher, Nicole Snyder and Rachel Hunt finished in second place, with a time of 4:28,21; and the 4 x 200 team of Gretchen Kistenmacher, Jadyn Mohr, Rachel Hunt and Sydney Kistenmacher placed third, in a time of 1:53.1.. ...

The Cherokee Braves tennis team dropped a hard-fought 6-3 Lakes Conference match to Le Mars here Monday night after sweeping the first three varsity singles matches. In varsity singles for the Braves, Bret Walker beat Matt Ellefson 10-5 at #1, Alec Shultz beat Evan Richards 10-7 at #2, Connor Ogren beat Ben Meis 10-4 at #3, Alexx Maurer lost 10-3 to Ryan Hovey at #4, Nathan Dodd fell 10-5 to Josh Sluiter at #5, and Nate Fowler lost 10-5 to Cody Kliever at #6...

PETERSON-The Glacial Trail Scenic Byway steering committee announces it will be hosting its 4th annual byway stakeholder meeting at 5 p.m. Wednesday, May 1 at the Prairie Heritage Center in Peterson. Over the past year, the steering committee has been actively engaged in developing and finalizing their Byway Corridor Management Plan. This meeting will be the presentation of the Corridor Management Plan with an opportunity for public input before it is finalized...

In celebration of Earth Day, the O'Brien County Conservation Board is hosting a program to look at a different form of recreation. In this case, the focus is on re-creating something new from something old! Bring your recycling spirit and learn about how to transform cast-off objects into something new...

The 2012 - 2013 Cherokee All School Art Show will be held from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Monday, April 22, Tuesday, April 23, and Wednesday, April 24 at the Western Iowa Tech Community College Conference Center in Cherokee. Art work featured will be from the students at Cherokee Washington High School, Cherokee Middle School and Cherokee Roosevelt Elementary School...

Ben Shuberg, Cherokee County Emergency Management Director, recently presented at the 2013 Iowa Governor's Conference on Public Health. Shuberg spoke to Public Health and Environmental Health professionals regarding their roles and responsibilities in an emergency operations center during a disaster. He emphasized the importance of pre-planning together before disaster strikes and keeping open lines of communication between all agencies involved in a response...

Cherokee Mayor Mark Murphy, center, was at the Iowa Capitol last Wednesday where he accepted a $42,600 Vision Iowa grant. He was congratulated on the Senate floor by Senator Randy Feenstra (R-Hull), left, and Representative Dan Huseman (R-Aurelia). Photo contributed...

The Cherokee County Legacy Foundation (CCLF) recently hosted their annual Awards Dinner at the Cleghorn Community Center for 25 organizations receiving grants for 2013. The County endowment fund program began in 2005 through a percentage of the commercial gaming tax revenues given to counties that do not have gaming revenues. Since 2005, the CCLF has given out almost $620,000 to over 100 organizations throughout Cherokee County...