Stories from Friday, February 26, 2016

Prospects are bright for the cutting down of the cemetery hill, which has always proved a menace to travel coming from the country west of town. A committee of the commercial club, composed of President F.I. Gardiner, A.R. Molyneux and H.E. Bennett, are responsible to a great extent for the bringing about of a promise from the state to have something done to get rid of the steep grade. ...

If Donald Trump faces Hillary Clinton in the general election, he will attack her from the left. If Trump faces Bernie Sanders in the general election, he will attack him from the right. Clinton's biggest vulnerability in a contest with Trump is the same as her biggest vulnerability against Sanders - the speaking fees, campaign contributions and foundation contributions she received from people seeking influence...

Did a college newspaper in Fresno, Calif., overstep the bounds of civility when it compared Donald Trump to Adolph Hitler? Yeah, a little. Use of Hitler in analogies is overdone and should be avoided. Only "a little?" Let's see, Trump wants to ban Muslims from the country, supports torture when questioning suspects, believes in killing the innocent family members of terrorists, and ridicules people who have disabilities...

Family and friends of Melburn Schmidt gathered together at Careage Hills Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center in Cherokee on Thursday February 18th to celebrate his 99th birthday. Joining Mel were his sons Dennis and Judy Schmidt of LeMars, Don and Trish Schmidt of Beaufort South Carolina and John and Jackie Schmidt of Aurora Illinois; grandson Greg Gutierrez and great- granddaughter Jane of Sioux City; Mel's sisters, Dorothy Schmith of Paullina and Lavera and Lloyd Rehder of Calumet; sister-in-law Donna Schmidt of Cherokee; Nephews and nieces Darrell, Bob, Kathy and Julie Rehder, Roger and Renee Smith, Randy Smith, Craig Schmidt, David and Jane Schmidt; and other friends, as well as the residents and staff of Careage Hills.. ...

Betty Mae Laursen of Aurelia, 92, formerly of Peterson, passed away on February 2, 2016, at Sunset Knoll Care and Rehab Center in Aurelia. Services were held at St. John's Church in rural Peterson on Saturday February 6th, with Pastor Michael Hyde officiating, and interment was at St. John's Cemetery. Funeral arrangements were made by Warner Funeral Home in Peterson...

The Rotary Student of the Month for February is Kaely Hummel (right) , being presented with a certificate by Julie Hering Kent. Kaely was nominated for participating in a multitude of school activities - speech, NHS, and student council. Kaely is also a four- sport athlete. ...

Gary Chase was recognized at Tuesday's Cherokee City Council meeting by Mayor Pro Tem Wayne Pingel for his many years of service as a firefighter, assistant chief and chief with the Cherokee Fire Department, Of his 42 years on the CFD, Chase served 19 years as assistant chief and seven years as chief...

The Marcus-Meriden-Cleghorn Foundation has received a $2,500 donation from America's Farmers Grow Communities, sponsored by the Monsanto Fund and directed by local farmers James and Marilyn Prunty of Cleghorn. The donation will help the Foundation provide scholarships to MMC graduating seniors who are continuing their post-secondary educations. ...

The first of the year brought a new realtor to Cherokee as Exit Realty, the local branch of the Spirit Lake office of an international real estate firm, opened its doors for business. The local office, situated in the former H & R Block office at 109 North 2nd Street, is capably staffed by Andy Carlson, Cindy Wilberding and Stephanie Zarr, all of whom have experience in, and knowledge of, local real estate - Wilberding with ten years' experience as a real estate broker, Carlson with six years experience as a broker, and Zarr with two years' experience in real estate sales.. ...

Brent Hustedt likes to work outside, and when he attended Iowa Lakes Community College he intended to work in Golf Course Management. However, when he came to realize that his early years working in that field would probably not be much more than mowing, he decided to take another look at the other half of his college major, landscape design...

Glenn Zimmer participated in the High School Mixed Honor Choir and Alexa Timmerman participated in the Middle Level Girl Honor Choir during the North Central Division of the American Choral Choral Directors Association concert in Sioux Falls, SD, on Feb. 20. These Washington High School students are under the direction of Natalie Barkley...

Glenn Zimmer participated in the High School Mixed Honor Choir and Alexa Timmerman participated in the Middle Level Girl Honor Choir during the North Central Division of the American Choral Choral Directors Association concert in Sioux Falls, SD, on Feb. 20. These Washington High School students are under the direction of Natalie Barkley...

PAULLINA - South O'Brien rolled to the championship game of their Class 1A District basketball tournament with a 54-38 semifinal win here over Woodbury Central Tuesday. The Wolverines, now 20-3, were led by Kyle Paulsen, who scored 17 points, and Damon Struve, who netted 14 points, dished out four assists and stole eight passes. Cameron Maxwell grabbed nine rebounds for South O'Brien and Cody Johanson and Brian Haden each had seven boards...

The Cherokee Symphony will be hosting their "Mid-Winter Concert" featuring composers with the last name starting with the letter "B". The Concert will be held in the upper level of the Cherokee Community Center on Sunday, Feb. 28, starting at 4 p.m.. Tickets are $12 per person, with season tickets honored. All students have access to the Cherokee Symphony Mid-Winter Concert at no charge...

I often wonder how many high school coaches understand the impact they have on the young people they mentor. It is profound. It lasts forever. It's been 44 years since a group of Cherokee Washington High basketball players broke huddle, and still today we recall valuable lessons learned from our coach, Ray Knauer...

Marcus-Meriden-Cleghorn Middle School Athletic Director Mark Brighton has received certification as a Certified Master Athletic Administrator (CMAA) from the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (NIAAA) . Brighton is a member of a very elite group of just over 600 Athletic Administrators across the country who have attained this distinction, and is one of just three current Iowa Athletic Directors with CMAA certification...

An energetic, passionate Marcus-Meriden-Cleghorn student body did itself proud cheering for the MMC girls in a Class 1A Regional Basketball final loss to Kingsley-Pierson Monday night in Le Mars. The K-P Panthers qualified for State with a 21-2 record, while MMC ends the season at 19-4...

Boyd "Bud" Perrin of Cherokee, 85, passed away Thursday, February 25, 2016, at the Cherokee Regional Medical Center. There will be a public visitation at Greenwood-Schubert Funeral Home in Cherokee on Sunday February 28, 2016, beginning at 1 p.m., with the family present from 2 until 4 p.m. ...

DENISON - The Ridge View boys' stellar basketball season came to a sudden halt here Tuesday night when they lost to Kuemper Caholic of Carroll, 69-52, in a Class 2A District championship game. "It was a tough loss just because of the magnitude of the game and the goals we had," said Rodge View coach Dale Tokheim. ...