Stories from Wednesday, July 31, 2013

DES MOINES-- Gov. Terry E. Branstad Tuesday ordered all flags in Iowa be flown at half-staff from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday, in honor of Iowa native, retired Col. George "Bud" Day. Day, a Sioux City native, died Saturday at Shalimar, Fla., at the age of 88...

On Aug. 10 the 8th Annual Marcus Community Fair 5k Run/Walk, along with a One Mile Run/Walk will be held. These events are a fundraisers, with all proceeds to be used to support the Marcus Fair. The events are in memory of Michael Letsche, Hunter Heidesch and Sawyer Leavitt and honors these young men from the Marcus community who have passed away...

Here is the updated list of vendors and the items they will have available for sale during the Cherokee Area Farmers Market under the canopy at the depot from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. this Thursday. This will be the ninth market of the 2013 season. Cindy Juhl will have mini white cucumbers, basil, zucchini, summer squash, kale, rainbow chard, green onions, jam breads, baked goods, fabric headbands, and stuffed toy owls...

Cancer fighters will go around the clock in the battle against cancer when the American Cancer Society Relay For LifeŽ of Cherokee County gets under way with teams gathering at Gillette Park/Bacon Aquatics Center on Friday, August 2 at 5 p.m. The popular, highly successful Cherokee Relay brings together friends, families, businesses, hospitals, schools, faith-based groups - people from all walks of life - all aimed at celebrating the lives of those who have had cancer, remembering those lost, and fighting back against the disease.. ...

DES MOINES -- Rep. Dan Huseman (R-Aurelia) this week released details regarding the annual Iowa Sales Tax Holiday. This year, beginning at 12:01 a.m., Aug. 2, through midnight Aug. 3, no sales tax will be collected on clothing or footwear having a selling price of less than $100 per item...

Grand Champion Market Barrow: Kacy Wolf Reserve Champion Market Barrow: Amber Neisius Grand Champion Market Gilt: Ellie Kaskey Reserve Champion Market Gilt: Devin Lux Grand Champion Market Individual Overall: Ellie Kaskey Grand Champion Pen-of-Three: Kacy Wolf...

The news was mostly good at Friday's poorly-attended quarterly meeting of the Citizen's Advisory Board at the Cherokee Mental Health Institute. Dr. Jason Smith, Superintendent of both the MHI and CCUSO, reported that MHI staff members are preparing for an upcoming visit from the Joint Committee on the Accreditation of Hospitals, and he feels the institute should do well and continue their accreditation. ...

At their July 24th meeting, the Cherokee Soil & Water Conservation District (SWCD) set aside 30% of their cost share funds for management practices such as cover crops and no till. Producers can receive a one-time payment of $25 per acre for establishing a cover crop with a limit of 120 acres per applicant...

Irene Gladys Dobson of Cherokee, 88, passed away Friday July12, 2013 at Cherokee Regional Medical Center. Memorial services will be held Saturday, Aug. 3, 2013 at 10:30 a.m. at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Cherokee. Pastor Kathy Wicks will officiate. ...

Phillip W. Carlson, age 78, of Milford, passed away Wednesday, July 24, 2013, at his home in Milford. Phil was born on January 23, 1935, in Cherokee, to Einer and Tressa (Smith) Carlson. After attending community schools in Aurelia and LeMars, Phillip served his country in the United States Air Force from April 1954--November 1957, where he was a gunner on a B-36. ...

Gary B. Doherty of Cherokee, 71, passed away Friday, July 26, 2013 while on a fishing trip in Canada. Funeral services will be held on Thursday, August 1st, at 10:30 a.m. at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Cherokee. Pastor Kathy Wicks will officiate. Burial will be in the Oak Hill Cemetery at Cherokee. ...

Cheryl Schmidt of Cherokee, age 76, passed away Sunday, July 28, 2013, at Careage Hills Nursing Home in Cherokee. Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Thursday, August 1st at Trinity Lutheran Church in Cherokee. Pastor Jon Riggert will officiate. Visitation will begin at 12 noon on Wednesday, July 31st at the Greenwood-Schubert Funeral Home in Cherokee. ...

Gabe and Alanna Fuller of Cherokee are happy to announce the birth of their baby girl on July 17, 2013. Briel Valentine Fuller was born at 1:01 p.m., weighed 7 lb. 7 oz. and measured 18 1/2 inches long. She was welcomed home by her big brother, Tyson Fuller...

On Saturday July 27th, the Cherokee Bacon Aquatic Center hosted the annual AHEELA Conference Swim Meet. There were 11 teams and 386 swimmers that competed. Photos by Mike Leckband

The Twin Lakes Conference has released its 2013 All-Conference softball picks, and the Alta-Aurelia Warriors, who finished third in the conference with an 8-2 conference mark, placed two players on the All-Conference first team. A-A pitcher Tayler Rohwer and infielder Christena Heschke earned first team All-TLC honors. Both players are juniors...

Unintentional injuries in children are a serious public health concern. Not only are "accidents" the leading cause of death in children ages 3-8, they can result in long-term impairments -- such as traumatic brain injury -- as well as short-term impairments -- such as stitches or broken bones...