Stories from Wednesday, October 29, 2014

I hate it when winter holiday hoopla supersedes Halloween and I normally do not acknowledge red and green while it's time for orange and black. But timing is everything and it's time to talk about the Friends of the Library's annual book basket fundraiser...

Many hallmarks of Halloween -- lit jack-o-lanterns, candle decorations and billowing costumes -- all pose fire safety hazards. When choosing a costume, stay away from billowing or long trailing fabric. Choose material that won't easily ignite if it comes into contact with heat or flame. If your child is wearing a mask, make sure the eye holes are large enough so they can see out...

"The Lesters" will be appearing in concert on Sunday, Nov. 9 at 6 p.m. at the Cherokee Community Center. This concert is co-sponsored by Meriden Evangelical Free Church, Memorial Presbyterian Church and Saint Paul's United Methodist Church. Often called "St. ...

The Cherokee Bethlehem Lutheran Church will host a "Hymn Festival" on Nov. 9 at 3 p.m. at the church, which is located at 300 E. Bow Drive. The festival will feature a community choir, congregational singing, instrumentalist, as well as a series of readings...

David L. Nelson of Marcus, 82, passed away on Saturday, October 25, 2014 at Happy Siesta Care Center in Remsen. Funeral services will take place at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, October 30, 2014 at Grace United Methodist Church in Marcus. Rev. Ron Rice will officiate. ...

Nathan A. Phipps of Cherokee, 84, passed away Monday, October 27, 2014, at the Cherokee Regional Medical Center. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, October 31, 2014, at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Cherokee. Father Dan Guenther will officiate...

Richard D. Jensen of Cherokee,84, passed away Saturday, October 25, 2014, at the Cherokee Villa. Funeral arrangements are currently pending at the Greenwood-Schubert Funeral Home in Cherokee. Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.greenwoodfuneral.com...

Four Cherokee Middle School band students have been selected to participate in the 46th annual Northwest Iowa Junior High/Middle School Honor Bands Festival. On Saturday, October 18, over 300 seventh and eighth grade band students from 43 Northwest Iowa schools auditioned for a position in two honor bands. Approximately 190 students were chosen. These selected students will perform a concert at Schaller Chapel on the Buena Vista University Campus, Saturday, Nov. 1...

Kathryn Marie "Kathy" Thacker, 63, of Bonner Springs, Kansas, passed away on Friday, October 24, 2014 at Mary Greeley Medical Center in Ames. Memorial Funeral Services will be at 4 p.m. on Saturday, November 1, at Bonner Springs United Methodist Church with committal of ashes to follow at a later date. ...

There will be a Halloween Dance & Costume Party benefiting the Cherokee Jazz & Blues Festival at the Cherokee VFW Club on Friday night. The event is a fundraiser for the upcoming 15th Cherokee Jazz & Blues Festival (CJBF), which will be held on Jan. 16 & 17, 2015, and the band "Short Notice" will perform from 8 p.m. to midnight. Friday night's Halloween Dance & Costume Party is being co-sponsored by the committee planning the 15th CJBF and Steve Bechtel, Manager of the Cherokee VFW Club...

A benefit spaghetti dinner and live auction are planned Saturday, Nov. 1 for cancer victim John Langschwager of Cherokee. The benefit will be at the Cherokee Community Center beginning with the free-will donation dinner at 5 p.m., to be followed by the live auction at 6 p.m. There also will be basket raffle drawings at 7 p.m. for fabulous items donated by Cherokee area merchants...

PAULLINA - The O'Brien County Conservation Board is announcing a rate increase beginning in the 2015 summer season for all campgrounds and camping cabins. Due to the popularity of the 12-person camping cabins, the Board will be seeking grant funding for additional cabin construction...

The Computer Genies of Northwest Iowa will hold its quarterly meeting at the Le Mars Public Library meeting room on Saturday, November 1, at 1:30 p.m. Each member and visitor is invited to bring a family heirloom and tell about its history. The business meeting will center on the future of the club and election of officers. The meeting is free and open to the public...

The Cherokee County Board of Supervisors Tuesday approved by consensus a jail and communication center improvement project that will cost an estimated $771,000. The improvement wil take place over about 18 months and will probably be paid for out of the budgets of three fiscal years (one that started July 1, 2014, one that starts July 1, 2015, and one ending July 1, 2016)...

General Election results will be available on the homepage of the Cherokee County website at www.cherokeecountyiowa.com on election night as soon as all precincts have reported. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. until 9 p.m. in all Cherokee County precincts on Tuesday, Nov. 4...

HAWARDEN - The Alta-Aurelia football team saw their season come to an end Friday night as they fell to a powerful West Sioux team by the score of 50-28. West Sioux will go on to face district foe South O'Brien Wednesday night in a playoff game in Paullina, while the Warriors ended their season with a 3-6 record...

HOLSTEIN - The Alta-Aurelia boys punched their ticket to the Class 1A State Cross Country Meet for the 4th straight year here last week, led by a trio of seniors. Those talented runners included Michael Swanson (7th in a time of 17:21), Trenton Delp (11th in 17:38), and Ross Friedrich (15th in 18:01). Jacob Husman was not far behind with a career best of 18:17, good enough for 20th place out of the 135 runners...

WESTSIDE - River Valley's senior QB Wyatt Fitch accounted for three touchdowns and two 2-point conversions but it wasn't enough as a good Ar We Va team beat the Wolverines 34-28 in 8-player football action here Friday night to end regular season play...

HOLSTEIN - Hull Western Christian clipped Ridge View 31-21 in a regular season finale in Class 1A football action here Friday night. Senior QB John Kofmehl rushed for two touchdowns and passed for a third to lead Ridge View's scoring effort. Kofmehl carried the ball 10 times for 45 yards and two TDs, and hooked up with Peyton Boyle ib a 56-yard TD pass play to account for the Raptor scoring. Garrett Lamp kicked three PATs for the host club...

AKRON - South O'Brien wrapped up a very successful 2014 regular season Friday night, beating Akron-Westfield, 39-30. The Westerners threw the ball for 309 yards but the Wolverine rushing attack accounted for 365 yards on the ground. The Wolverines' first drive proved to be a quick 3 -and -out. The Westerners then drove down the field, and with the help of a roughing the passer call on 4th and goal, they managed to score three plays later...

As the sweet sound of the Victory Bell chimed over town, the Cherokee Braves football team, coaches, and fans finally embraced the warmth of winning after a near three-year drought with a hard-fought 25-22 win over 4-5 Sibley-Ocheyedan here Friday night to end the season on the highest of notes...

MARCUS - The battling Marcus-Meriden-Cleghorn football team totaled 300 yards of offense, including rushing for 148 and passing for 158, but could not get the ball into the endzone often enough to fall 34-13 to a rugged West Bend Mlalard team in 8-player District action here Friday night to end regular season...

1. Clear Lake (11), 2. Spirit Lake (2), 3. Williamsburg, 4. Sioux Center, 5. West Union North Fayette, 6. Hampton-Dumont,7. Baxter CMB,8. Cascade, 9. Albia, 10.Mediapolis Others receiving votes: Clarinda, Central Lyon-GLR , Dyersville Beckman, South Tama...

The Marcus-Meriden-Cleghorn football cheerleaders were all for a group photo by a TV guy prior to Friday night's regular season finale in Marcus. The Eagles host Graettinger-Terril/Ruthven-Ayrshire in 8-player State Football Playoffs tonight. Photo contributed...

Friday's Chamber Coffee will be hosted by the Cherokee Jazz and Blues Fest Committee at The Gathering Place, beginning at 9:30 a.m. Costumes are optional, but there will be a prize for the best one.

There is a Card Shower under way for Lila Hucke of Sioux City, formerly of Cherokee, in honor of her 85th Birthday. Cards may be sent to her at 2562 Pierce St., Apt. 527 Sioux City, IA 51104. Lila was born November 7, 1929. She was married to the late Hugo Hucke, and her children are Carol Walters of Hartley and Scott (Erin) Jones of Altoona. She has six grandchildren and one (deceased) great-grandchild. Photo contributed...