Stories from Wednesday, June 11, 2014

The body of a 44-year-old Cherokee man was pulled by City Police from the Little Sioux River Monday afternoon after being discovered by a passer-by near Cherokee's Westcott Park, a popular local fishing area. Cherokee Police identified the body as that of David Duane Driesen, 44, of Cherokee. Authorities reported that the body has been sent to Ankeny for an autopsy to help determine the cause of death...

The Cherokee and Aurelia Girls Scouts invite you to sign up for these amazing day camp opportunities in June, July and August. Picture yourself with your friends discovering new adventures and spending the day with Girl Scouts outside. Girls must register as a Girl scout and pay the $15 annual membership fee. Financial assistance is available for Girl Scout membership...

CLEGHORN - It is Cleghorn Ice Cream Day time once again. The eighth annual Ice Cream Day is Saturday, June 14, beginning at 4 p.m. with kids' games in the park, pop ring toss, train rides, and three inflatables sponsored by First Trust & Savings Bank, Wetherell Mfg. Co., and Frederick Welding...

The Western Iowa Tourism Region will hold their Annual Meeting on Wednesday, June 18 at the Western Iowa Tech Community College Cherokee Campus. "The goal of the meeting is to celebrate the past year's accomplishments and recognize volunteers and learn about plans for next year," said Julie Hering-Kent, President of the Western Iowa Tourism Region organization...

As a part of the U.S. Highway 59 Portland cement concrete overlay project in Cherokee County, the Iowa DOT and the City of Cherokee have agreed to extend paving through the intersection of U.S. 59 and Linden Street. This work requires closing access to Linden Street from U.S. 59 starting the week of June 16, weather permitting...

DES MOINES - Cherokee native Tasha Larsen will be spending her summer outdoors, helping to preserve and restore Iowa's natural beauty through a unique internship program. Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation (INHF) selected Larsen and nine other students from Iowa colleges as statewide land stewardship interns for the summer of 2014. INHF looks for college students who possess a passion for conservation and a desire to learn hands-on techniques for preserving Iowa's natural areas...

Special guests from the Fareway Corporation of Boone joined the local Fareway management and employees, along with the Cherokee Chamber of Commerce, in a Red Ribbon Ceremony and Open House last week to mark the completion of the Cherokee Fareway renovation. ...

The 80th annual Sioux Valley Amateur Men's Match-Play Golf Tournament will tee off Saturday and Sunday at the venerable Cherokee Golf Course. The 2013 Sioux Valley Am Champion and three-time winner J.D. Anderson of Des Moines returns to defend his title, along with past champions such as 2012 champion Matt Pitts of Cherokee, 2010 Champion Bill Mathers of Cushing, 2007 and 2009 Champion J.D. Anderson, 2008 Champion Jeff Campbell of Niles, Ohio, and 2005 and 2006 Champion Todd Sapp of Sioux City...

HUMBOLDT - The Cherokee Washington High girls lost two games in Saturday's rugged Humboldt Invitational Tournament here, falling 15-7 to Mason City, and 8-3 to host Humboldt. Emily Haselhoff took the pitching loss against Mason City, allowing 12 earned runs on 14 hits and one walk, with three strikeouts in six innings worked...

The Cherokee Washington High softball team dropped a pair of Lakes Conference games on the road last week, falling 13-1 at Spirit Lake, and 8-4 at Hull Western Christian. Emily Haselhoff took the pitching loss in the abbreviated three-inning game that was called due to the 10-run mercy rule after the Indians tallied 13 runs in the first two innings. ...

DES MOINES - The second State softball rankings by the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union (IGHSAU) have been released, and two schools from the Chronicle Times coverage area are among those ranked in Class 2A. Alta-Aurelia (5-1), which was ranked #14 in the first rankings, has moved up to #10, and Ridge View (4-2), which was not ranked last week, is now ranked #15 in Class 2A...

BRADENTON, Fla. - The Class A Florida State League recently announced the rosters for its upcoming All Star game., and among those selected was pitcher Matt Koch of the St. Lucie (Fla.) Mets. The game will take place at McKechnie Field in Bradenton, Florida on Saturday, June 14 at 7:05 p.m. ET...

FONDA - Two of the better softball teams in the state met here on Monday when Twin Lakes Conference rivals Alta-Aurelia and Newell-Fonda squared off,and the result was as one would expect - a close, low-scoring game. The Class 2A 10th- ranked Warriors, now 7-1, bested the Mustangs, who are state ranked in Class 1A, by a score of 2-0, behind another stellar pitching performance from senior Tayler Rohwer. ...

KINGSLEY - The River Valley boys scored four runs in the eighth inning to take an exciting 9-6 baseball game from Kingsley-Pierson here last week. Hunter Casey went the distance on the mound to chalk up the hard-earned win, allowing five earned runs on 10 hits and three walks, with 12 Ks in eight innings of work...

AKRON - Host Akron-Westfield scored single runs in the sixth and seventh innings to claim a hard-fought 5-4 victory over Marcus-Meriden-Cleghorn/Remsen-Union in War Eagle Conference baseball action here last week. Nick Braun got tagged with the pitching loss for MMC-RU, allowing two earned runs on three hits and one walk, with five strikeouts in six innings of work. Dylan Spieler pitched 2/3 an inning in relief and posted no line...

The busy River Valley softball team won two of three games last week, losing 7-4 at Kingsley-Pierson, defeating Odebolt-Arthur/Battle Creek-Ida Grove 10-1, and winning 9-2 at West Monona. Alycen Knaack took the pitching loss for RV against K-P, allowing six earned runs on 12 hits and two walks, with five strikeouts in five innings...

As we first proposed a few years ago, we still think the time is right for the Cherokee School District to change the name of Cherokee Washington High School (WHS) to, simply and pleasantly, Cherokee High School (CHS). That's what this community properly decided when we built the new Cherokee Middle School several years ago, even after several reputable names were bandied about as possible namesakes for the new junior high educational facility...

Summer is in full swing at the Cherokee Public Library. We had our first +400 checkout day for the year and we are enjoying busy days. The 2014 summer reading program has kicked off. It's a fun theme this year, FIZZ, BOOM, READ, and the response has been great. Kids love wacky stuff so a science topic with projects and experiments fits the bill. Seeing Peg dressed as a mad scientist has produced a lot of chuckles. Stop in and pick up a calendar of events!...

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 second market of the 2014 season. Cindy Juhl will have spinach, kale, fresh baked breads, jam/jelly, toy dolls and other craft items...

Ann (Stonebrook) Demma formerly of Schaumburg, Illinois, beloved mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, went to be with The Lord on Saturday, May 17, 2014. Ann maintained her sunny disposition while enduring a long journey with Alzheimer's until her peaceful passing in California. She will always be remembered for her big smile, welcoming personality and creative crafts...

Michael Glouser of Cherokee, 65, passed away unexpectedly at his home on Monday, June 9, 2014. Funeral services will be held at 2:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 12, 2014 at the Greenwood-Schubert Funeral Home in Cherokee. Pastor Magrey deVega will officiate, and burial will be at Oak Hill Cemetery in Cherokee...

Jane Katherine (Kirkholm) Carlson of Alta, age 79, passed away on Sunday, June 08, 2014 at the Methodist Manor Retirement Community of Storm Lake. A funeral service was held today at 10:30 a.m. at the United Methodist Church of Alta with the Rev. Remigio P. Panlaqui officiating. Burial was at the Buena Vista Memorial Park Cemetery in Storm Lake. A visitation was held on Tuesday, June 10, 2014 from 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. at the Nicklas D. Jensen Funeral Home in Alta...