Stories from Wednesday, June 24, 2015

CHEROKEE - A former teacher in the Cherokee Community School District has pled not guilty to having sex with a student. Chad Osler, 32, of Manchester, Iowa, entered his written plea Thursday in Cherokee County District Court to charges of sexual exploitation by a...

Joe Bertino has been with Hy-Vee since before graduating from Omaha Central High School, starting with the company in 2003. In 2010, Bertino who was then married, moved to Worhthington, Minnesota, as the result of a promotion. In 2012, he was moved to Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and his recent move to Cherokee is his first position as store manager...

The Cherokee Braves stayed busy posting a 2-2 record the past few days, falling 4-3 at rated Spirit Lake Friday night, defeating Ridge View 17-3 and losing 11-3 to Alta-Aurelia in Saturday's Ridge View Tournament in Holstein, and venturing to Hull Western Christian Monday night to claim an 8-4 Lakes Conference victory...

The Cherokee Washington High softball team split two recent games, defeating MOC-Floyd Valley 8-2 last here Thursday, and falling 10-0 at ranked Spirit Lake on Friday. Cherokee tallied five runs in the sixth inning for the win over the Dutch, with Payton Slaughter clubbing a two-run home run, followed by a solo homer off the bat of Kaely Hummel. Lindsay Williams followed those fireworks with an RBI double, and Brookelyn Hoeppner added an RBI single for the winners...

Strong winds early Monday morning caused damage to several structures and equipment in the area, including this truck trailer that was blown over at the construction site for the Shopko store in Cherokee.

Two-time champion Todd Sapp of Sioux City clipped former champion Bill Mathers of Cushing 2-1 to pocket the championship of the 1st Flight at last weekend's 81st annual Sioux Valley Amateur Men's Match-Play Golf Tournament at the venerable Cherokee Golf Course...

One of the first things the 2015 Sioux Valley Amateur Men's Match-Play Golf Tournament champion Bret Taylor plans on doing when he and his wife get home is to invite this year's Sioux Valley Am runner-up J.D. Anderson and his wife to his home for dinner, "and I'm going to put this trophy right in the middle of the table because that's what he'd do to me," said Taylor with a big grin after winning the coveted Sioux Valley title and the accompanying Wayne Johnson Memorial Trophy Sunday night at the acclaimed Cherokee Golf Course.. ...

Cherokee Middle School Band Director Casey Kingdon poses with musicians Addie Cosgrove, left, and Alexa Timmerman after they were recently chosen to perform with the All Iowa Honor Band Concert in Des Moines.

Jennifer and Jake Dyslin of Cherokee are happy to announce the birth of their baby boy, who was born on June 19, 2015. Ethan Everett Dyslin was born at 1:56 p.m., weighed 8 lb. 7 oz., measured 20 1/2 inches, and was welcomed home by his big sister, Brianna Marie Dyslin...

In response to the recent avian influenza outbreak, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach has launched a multi-state approach to providing research-based information and resources to families. "By leveraging our resources and strategically sharing information with families throughout Iowa, Minnesota and South Dakota, we are able to provide daily updates and recommendations," said Debra Sellers, director of Human Sciences Extension and Outreach and associate dean in Iowa State'Äôs College of Human Sciences. ...

The Cherokee Community Theater cannot easily exceed expectations because that organization has set expectations so high, but the production of Peter Pan achieves that goal. The large cast and crew completed their first series of performances on Sunday, and they will perform again Thursday, June 25 through Sunday, June 28 (7:30 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sunday)...

Am I starting to sound like a pre-recorded message stuck on "Press One for more options?" Cannot help myself. I truly did not know how much fun (and work) having the Summer Reading program would be. I have met great kids and very cool parents. Please help me if I forget a name, I have been introduced to so many new faces this summer. Feel free to remind me if I hem and haw when I see you...