Stories from Wednesday, February 18, 2015

I did not plan on writing a litany of complaints about the winter weather, so I will do my best to refrain. Though I must admit it is not an easy feat for me. Everyone is staying in and keeping warm. I enjoy all the library activity, all those little feet (and the big feet too) and look forward to the sound of their voices, the cold rush of air emanating off their outdoor clothing, the rustle of papers and books from the after school crowd. It has been too quiet to suit me...

Remember when Cuba was regarded as important in terms of American foreign policy? Remember when we were so alarmed at the threat posed by a communist regime 90 miles from our shores that we had a trade embargo against Cuba? Remember when we showed more concern about human rights violations in Cuba than such violations in dozens of countries with equal or worse human rights records?...

Walter Brenner of Cherokee, 90, passed away Saturday, February 14, 2015 at the Gardens Assisted Living Facility in Cherokee. Funeral services were at 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, February 17th at Greenwood-Schubert Funeral Home in Cherokee, with Father Dan Guenther officiating. ...

Shirley Simmons of Cherokee, 81, passed away Monday, February 16, 2015 at her home in Cherokee. Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m., Thursday, February 19th at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Cherokee, with Father Dan Guenther officiating. ...

Edna Swanson of Aurelia, 97. passed away Saturday, February 14, 2015 at Sunset Knoll Care and Rehab Center in Aurelia. Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m., Wednesday, February 18th at Greenwood-Schubert Funeral Home in Cherokee, with Pastor Jim Bartsch officiating. ...

Alfred V. Steiner of Spirit Lake, 79, passed away Sunday evening, February 15, 2015 at the Avera McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls, South Dakota due to complications of lung cancer. Funeral services will be held on Friday, February 20th, at 10:30 a.m. ...

Elmer H. Petersen of Sutherland, 95, passed away Saturday morning, February 14, 2015 at the Sutherland Care Center. Private family services were held, with Pastor Tom Lewis officiating. There was no visitation. Burial was in the Waterman Cemetery in Sutherland, with military rites by the Sutherland American Legion and the LA. Wescott Post #2253 of the V.F.W. The Boothby Funeral Home of Cherokee was in charge of the arrangements. Online condolences can be left at www.boothbyfuneral.com...

Josh and Leeha Keck of Cherokee are happy to announce the birth of their baby boy, Jonathan Dean Keck, at 7:44 p.m. on January 28, 2015. Jonathan weighed 8 lb. 3 oz. and measured 20 1/2 inches.

Elsie Hardin, a resident of Cherokee Villa, celebrated her 103rd birthday on Feb. 16. Photo contributed

Josh Severs and Chad Huffman will be presenting a program on Saturday, Feb. 21 at the Sanford Museum titled 'UAVs, Drones and Precision Agriculture'. Unmanned aerial vehicles have become a hot topic in production agriculture, but drones have negative connotations...

Joshua Phillip Anderson and Nichole Elizabeth Beier exchanged wedding vows at the Oakdale Evangelical Free Chhurch in Meriden at 3 p.m. on November 22, 2014. Pastor Peter Bunnell officiated the marriage ceremony. The bride, the daughter of John and Donna Beier of Cherokee, was given in marriage by her father....

Popular school assembly speaker and author Bob Lenz will be be at Cherokee Washington High School in Cherokee on Monday, February 23rd; Paullina on Tuesday, February 24th; and Sheldon on Wednesday, February 25th. During the school assembly programs Bob Lenz will be sharing an anti-bullying message which promotes value, courage and respect. ...

The Ridge View Dance Squad is a sight to behold in its Lumberjack costumes, a routine the squad will perform at the Iowa Girls State Basketball Tournament March 2 in Des Moines. Members include, front row, left to right, Hannah Feilmeier, Tonia Anway, Afton Wulf, Taylor Muckey, Becca Kestel. Back, Emily Sippel, Sierra Deck, Lexi Phillips, Brittney Vincent, Keely Soellner...

Magistrate Lisa Mazurek swore in Jim Peck Tuesday as the newest member of the Cherokee County Board of Supervisors. Photo by Ken Ross

A complete renovation of the building on the southwest corner of Main Street and Hwy. 59 has taken place in preparation for the building to house the Cherokee Chamber of Commerce, the Cherokee Area Economic Development Corporation and the Cherokee Industrial Corporation. Those organizations started moving into their new home this week. A Chamber Coffee will take place there on Feb. 27...

Weeks of preparation culminated in the Cherokee Community Theater, Jr. production of 'The Best of Both Worlds', a musical comedy in which the real world and the world of make believe come together, over the weekend of Feb. 13-14.

A group of citizens attended the Feb. 16 meeting of the Cherokee School Board to express support for Cherokee Middle School Principal Larry Weede, 64, who was placed on administrative leave after being charged with two serious misdemeanors in District Court in Cherokee...

1. (tie) Williamsburg, Pella ; 3. Waverly-Shell Rock; 4. Le Mars; 5. Fort Madison; 6. MOC-Floyd Valley; 7. Dubuque Wahlert; 8. Spirit Lake; 9. Davenport Assumption; 10. Keokuk 1. New Hampton; 2. Western Christian; 3. Aplington-Parkersburg4. Monticello; 5. Cascade,Western Dubuque; 6. IKM-Manning;Forest City; 8. Northeast, Goose Lake; 9. (tie) West Fork, Sheffield, Treynor...

Each school is responsible for supervising and policing their own spectators regarding behavior and conduct. The following behaviors are not permitted at Iowa High School Athletic Association sanctioned events, and shall result in the specified penalty:...

DES MOINES - Seven Cherokee-area wrestlers will compete in the Iowa State Wrestling Tournament beginning Thursday in Wells Fargo Arena here, including two from Cherokee, two from Marcus-Meriden-Cleghorn, and three from Alta-Aurelia. The seven, five of them underclassmen including three freshmen, advanced by winning or placing second in last Saturday's Class 1A and 2A Ditricts. Cherokee is in 2A and MMC and A-A in 1A...

The steadily improving Cherokee Washington High girls basketball team turned back a stiff challenge in a Class 3A Regional Tournament opener here Saturday night, decking a good East Sac County club 67-52 to advance to second-round action tonight at Spirit Lake against the familiar Lakes Conference foe...

The Ridge View boys basketball team had a rough outing on the road at Westside on February 10th, losing to host Ar-We-Va by a score of 56-50, and Ridge View coach Ken Slater commented, "It took all we could do to make it a respectable game." Ar-We-Va hit several three-pointers early in the game and held a 21-12 lead at the end of the first quarter. ...

SCHALLER - Emily Egger scored 14 points and Karlen Lamp added 12 as Ridge View defeated Akron-Westfield, 47-37, in a Class 2A girls basketball regional quarterfinal here Saturday. Emily Brosamle snared nine rebounds to lead the Raptors on the boards...

LE MARS - Led by senior guard Dallas Jalas' 16 points, which included three 3-point baskets, South O'Brien (18-3) picked up its 12th straight win here Friday, taking its second consecutive victory of the season over Class 1A state-ranked Gehlen Catholic, 51-44...

Friday's Chamber Coffee will be sponsored by the American Cancer Society, and it is being held at Danny's Sports Spot, 103 South 2nd Street, and it begins at 9:30 a.m.