Stories from Thursday, October 24, 2013

Mackenzie Gaes of Cherokee is happy to announce the birth of her baby girl on October 10, 2013. Aubree Addison Gaes was born at 8:14 a.m., weighed 7 lb. 12 oz. and measured 19 3/4 inches long. Keith and Tanya Gaes of Aurelia are Aubree's grandparents. Great-grandparents are Kenny and Donna Steward of Cherokee, Susan Gaes and Jeff Megrath of Aurelia and Tom and Renee Gaes of Louisville, Kentucky...

The Cherokee Middle School and Cherokee High School Vocal Music Departments held a combined Fall Concert at the Cherokee WHS auditorium on Tuesday. The concert was under the direction of Amy Sarchet, who is pictured with her students at the end of Tuesday's performance. See more concert photos in the October Area Happenings Photo Gallery. Photo by Mike Leckband...

The MMC Highsteppers drill team performed at half time of last week's Marcus-Meriden-Cleghorn Football Senior Night. The Highsteppers will perform at the upcoming State competition. Photo contributed

GRAND MEADOW - Halloween is fast approaching and for those of you who love a good fright during the Halloween season, you're in luck. For the eighth straight year the Grand Meadow Heritage Center's Haunted House will be opened to satisfy your ghoulish needs. The spook house will also be open this weekend on Oct. 25 and Oct. 26, from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m...

Section 136.03, Removal of Snow, Ice and Accumulations of the Cherokee City Code states that it is the responsibility of the abutting property owners to remove snow, ice and accumulations promptly from sidewalks. If a property owner does not remove snow, ice or accumulations within a reasonable time, hereby designated to be within 24 hours of the accumulation of snow or ice, the City of Cherokee may do so and assess the costs against the property owner for collection in the same manner as a property tax.. ...

Birding is one of the nation's most popular pastimes. Millions of people spend billions of dollars each year to feed, photograph and track these feathered wonders. The O'Brien County Conservation Board is pleased to be hosting a worldwide bird traveler to share his special stories with area residents. Kelly McKay, a birder by both career and hobby, will be sharing his riveting stories in a special presentation -- Tales from a Birder -- on Tuesday, Nov. 5 at 7 p.m. at the Prairie Heritage Center...

Plants and animals around the world hold the key to new antibiotics. Select species are used in designer clothing and bags. Endangered animals make their way into our pet stores. The Prairie Heritage Center is hosting a display on Habitat Heroes and Hurdles in the lower level of the center. On Tuesday, Oct. 29, the conservation board naturalist will present a program entitled "Uncovering the Wildlife Trade" at 7 p.m. at the Prairie Heritage Center...

At Tuesday's meeting of the Cherokee County Board of Supervisors, the supervisors heard from representatives of the local VFW as well as several other interested citizens concerning the possible placement of the proposed Veteran's Rock/Freedom Rock on the county courthouse property. ...

Recently the Cherokee City Council unanimously approved front yard driveway/street side yard driveway and parking standards for all residential properties in the City of Cherokee. All new or expanded driveways located in the front yard or street side yard must be hard-surfaced (asphalt or concrete). Said driveways are limited to 24 feet in width for residences with no garage, single car garage or double car garage...

This week's Cherokee Chamber of Commerce Coffee will be held at 9:30 a.m. on Friday and will be hosted by Cherokee State Bank at 212 W. Willow St. The coffee will be held in observance of Cherokee State Bank's 125th anniversary.

Ryan and Mallory Meyer of Harlan are the proud parents of a baby boy, born on September 12, 2013. Keegan Ray Meyer was born at 12:41 p.m., weighed 6 lb. 13 oz. and measured 19 1/2 inches long. Grandparents are Kathy Wankum of Marcus and the late Ray Wankum and Jim and Annette Meyer of Larrabee. Great-grandmother is Rita Frankl of Cherokee...

Tyler and Jessica Kannegieter of Aurelia are happy to announce the birth of their baby girl on October 18, 2013. Liv Tyler Kannegieter was born at 7:19 a.m., weighed 7 lb. 11 oz. and measured 21 inches long. She was welcomed home by her big sisters, Aubrey and Leah...

Aarron and Shavon Cronin of Marcus are happy to announce the birth of their baby boy on October 15, 2013. Francis Michael Cronin was born at 1:11 p.m., weighed 8 lb. 1 oz. and measured 20 inches long. He was welcomed home by his three brothers - Matthew, Abram and Job. Grandparents are Bob and Sherill Glassmaker and Mark and Kim Cronin, all of Marcus; Great-grandparents are Helen Glassmaker of Cleghorn, Eugene and Teeny Weiland of Cherokee and Joan Cronin of Marcus...

Mary Frances Lux of Cherokee, age 90, passed away Monday, October 21, 2013 at Careage Hills Nursing Home in Cherokee. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, October 25, 2013, at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Cherokee. Father Dan Guenther will officiate. Burial will be at Maryhill Visitation Cemetery, rural Cherokee...

SCHALLER - Ridge View's volleyball team improved its season record to a sparkling 31-3 with a 25-10, 25-8, 25-12 sweep of Siouxland Christian and a 25-10, 25-7 win over Storm Lake here on Thursday. Anna Davis, with nine kills, and Jadyn Mohr, with seven, led the Raptors' offense, helped along by eight digs by Kyra Hoffman, six by Lexi Johnson and five by Mohr and 22 assists by Emily Forristal . Mohr also had six ace serves and Hoffman four, while Hoffman and Emily Brosamle each had two blocks...

POCAHONTAS - The Alta-Aurelia boys finished third in Saturday's Twin Lakes Conference Cross Country championships, scoring 85 team points. South Central Calhoun, with 27 team points, and Manson-Northwest Webster, with 49 points, finished 1-2 in the boys' team standings...

HOLSTEIN - Ridge View's Jason Kenny toured the 5k course at the Holstein Country Club in a time of 17:06.51 to win individual honors in the Boys Varsity race at Saturday's Western Valley Conference Cross Country Meet. The senior's time beat the times of Westwood seniors Hunter and Skyler Hostetler, who finished second and third, respectively, by 15 and 26 seconds, as the top six finishers all ran in a time of under 18 minutes...

As area farmers get closer and closer to completing the fall harvest season, it's vital for them to remember and practice important safety steps when dealing with large equipment and power lines. Each year in the United States hundreds of farm workers are injured and many killed when their farming equipment makes contact with power lines...

I'm so excited to share some new books that have just arrived and are ready for check out. Before I do I would like to remind the boys and girls of our two library programs which will be held on Wednesday, October 23 and October 30 from 2:45 - 3:45 p.m. The children will need to put on their detective hats for October 23 because we have a mystery to solve at the library...