Stories from Wednesday, October 21, 2015

To no one's real surprise, once again this fall we will have an "Unofficial World Series." To the uninitiated, the late Des Moines Register cartoonist Frank Miller declared many years ago that any World Series in which the New York Yankees were not participants was not an "Official" World Series, and many of us have held to that belief...

Hillary Clinton will testify before the U.S. Congress Select Committee on Benghazi this week. Unless she makes an unexpected revelation or is caught in a blatantly false statement, the useful role of the committee, if it ever had one, will come to an end...

October is my time to run away. It's always been my favorite month and this year I have had a chance to hit the highway several times. I've been west to the Black Hills, east to the Mississippi River and by the time this column prints I will have been south to Des Moines and north to Wisconsin. Three of the four ventures involved pretty trees and fun activities. The other trip to the Iowa Library Association conference was business, but the road time was still nice...

Jessica Halverson and Scott Bohnenkamp of Remsen are happy to announce the birth of their baby boy, born on October 14, 2015. Braden Lyle Bohnenkamp was born at 5:16 p.m., weighed 7 lb. 13 oz. and measured 21 1/4 inches long. Grandparents are Ron and Dondee Halverson of Cherokee and Steve and Linda Bohnenkamp of Remsen...

Ramsey and Cassie Johnson of Cushing are happy to announce the birth of their little girl on October 15, 2015. Hailey Ann Johnson was born at 7:20 a.m., and she was welcomed home by her big brother, Daniel Tanner Johnson. Grandparents are Cheryl Johnson of Cushing and Randy and Lisa Johnson of Winchester, Kentucky...

Andrew and Jenna Medick of Kingsley are happy to announce the birth of their baby girl on October 15, 2015. Emmie Marjorie Medick was born at 7:27 a.m., weighed 5 lb. 9 oz., and measured 19 inches long. Grandparents are Darwin and Jackie Phillips of Kingsley, Deb Medick of Cherokee and the late Harold Medick...

The official enrollment for the 2015-16 school year is down only slightly from the previous year, according to figures presented by Superintendent Kim Lingenfelter to the Cherokee School Board at the Oct. 19 meeting. Lingenfelter had been concerned because the in district student numbers were down significantly from the previous year but an increase in the open-enrollment into the district brought the total enrollment for purposes of the per-pupil funding for the general budget to just 3.3 students short of the previous year (home schooled and dual enrollment students count as fractions of students).. ...

The Annual Main Street Trick or Treat Costume Parade, sponsored by the Cherokee Chamber of Commerce, will be Saturday, Oct. 31. Children are asked to check in at the Fire Station between 12:30 - 1 p.m. The parade will leave from the Fire Station at 1 p.m...

The Lesters, from St. Louis, Mo., will be appearing in concert on Monday, October 26 at the Cherokee Washington High School Auditorium. The concert begins at 6 p.m. Often called "St. Louis' First Family of Gospel Music," The Lesters have been sharing the Word through song for four generations. With more than an 80 year history and numerous albums behind them, the group proudly brings the third & fourth generation to the stage for a sound that is 100% ~ "PURE LESTER."...

The Cherokee Quilt Batts is the local quilt guild which meets the third Tuesday of each month in the basement of the First Church of Christ. For many years, the Quilt Batts held a work shop in August to make Christmas stockings for service men and women overseas...

LeMARS - Alta-Aurelia pulled out an overtime win against District opponent LeMars Gehlen Catholic here on Friday. Alta-Aurelia QB Parker Meier ran it in from 5 yards out to give AA the lead in OT, and the Warrior 'd' then held the Jays to secure the 21-14 win for Alta-Aurelia, their second win in the last three games."...

HOLSTEIN - The Ridge View football team triumphed, 28-14, over the traditionally tough West Lyon eleven in Class 1A District football action here Friday, improving their season's mark to 7-1. Grant Anderson completed 15 of 24 passes for the Raptors, good for 178 yards anf three touchdowns, and he was not intercepted. ...

CORRECTIONVILLE - River Valley fell to West Harrison, 52-40, in a high-scoring 8 - Man District football game here Friday. River Valley senior Justin Beeson ran the ball 44 times from scrimmage, gaining 237 yards and scoring four touchdowns, and hea also completed four of six pass attempts for 22 additional yards. ...

PAULLINA - The Wolverines fell to visiting Woodbury Central football team, 42-15, in Friday night Class A District football action in Paullina.. Woodbury Central put the first score in the endzone with 9:01 left in the first quarter. The Wolverines had stuffed the run but a 54 yard pass on third and long put the visitors in the endzone and an extra point kick put them up 7-0...

This Friday's Chamber Coffee will be hosted by O'Halloran International, 1324 South 2nd Street.

The Cherokee Braves had just enough of what it takes to subdue a dangerous Okoboji team, 23-20, in Class 2A District 1 football action here Friday night, clinching a state playoff berth in the process for the first time in seven years. QB Adam Cedar passed for two touchdowns and Evan Wharton rushed for another to pace the Braves to their sixth victory against two defeats so far this season. ...

MARCUS - Senior QB Ben Specht ran roughshod over Remsen St. Mary's in 8-player football action here Friday night, totaling 255 rushing yards on 15 carries for six touchdowns to lead Marcus-Meriden-Cleghorn to a 62-26 laugher over the Hawks. When Specht wasn't romping through the Hawk defense, tailback Derek Erdman was, on his way to 108 yards on 16 carries and two TDs. ...

Marcus-Meriden-Cleghorn (7-0) seeks an undefeated regular season with a tough encounter at West Bend-Mallard (4-3) Friday night in 8-player football action. Also in 8-player action, River Valley (0-9) hosts Ar-We-Va Westside (6-2) in Correctionville...

1. Albia; 2. Spirit Lake;3.Tama South Tama;4.Anamosa 5. Aplington-Parkersburg; 6. Waukon; 7. Donnellson Central Lee; 8. West Union North Fayette; 9. Garner-Hayfield/Ventura; 10. Mount Vernon --- 1. Iowa City Regina; 2. Dike-New Hartford; 3. West Branch; 4. Underwood; 5. St. Ansgar; 6. South Central Calhoun; 7. Van Meter; 8. Hinton; 9. Hull Western Christian ;10.Hudson...

The Washington High School 9th - 12th Grade choirs will be presenting a concert in the High School Auditorium this Thursday, October 22nd, beginning at 7:30 p.m.