Stories from Friday, March 18, 2016

Pictured here are 11 students who were recently inducted into the Ridge View High School chapter of the National Honor Society. (Front) Alex Pickhinke, Hallie Mentzer, Madisen Grieme, Harlee Wagoner, Jenna Wiese; (back) Josie Beckman, Grace Boyle, Amanda Bruns, Cole Degen, Reuben De La O, Sidney Johnson...

The Vernal Equinox, the start of spring, begins at 11:30 p.m. CDT, Saturday, March 19, according to the Sanford Museum and Planetarium. The equinox begins on March 20 in the eastern time zone and time zones east of that.

A long-standing tradition of the Cherokee School District will be eliminated next year as a result of the calendar for the 2016/17 school year approved by the Cherokee School Board at the March 14 meeting. The week-long spring break is being eliminated from the calendar in order to have an earlier end of the school year...

Clark Voge claimed the 34th of 65 top prizes of $30,000 available in the lottery's "Bonus Crossword" scratch game. He said he had won smaller prizes before on the tickets, but this was by far the largest amount he has won. Voge, an employee at the HyVee Distribution Center, said when he returned to Sparky's the next morning he received congratulatory messages. He said he plans to save a majority of his winnings...

They brought out the cake and cookies at the Cherokee Fareway store Thursday to honor 'Moosie' Benson, retiring after 21 years at the store. After a brief getaway to the 50th state with husband Chuck "C.B." Benson, though, Moosie will begin a new chapter of her life as the new Clubhouse Manager at the Aurelia Golf Course...

The Chronicle Times' 9th Annual Great Easter Egg Hunt began on Monday, March 14 and runs to Friday, March 25 or until eggs are found. A Golden Egg and Silver Egg are hidden within the Cherokee city limits (excluding private property). Humorous clues in this year's contest will be featured in the Chronicle Times and at participating retailers...

March 17 - Martha Sokolowski of Cherokee March 18 - Kevin McKinney of Storm Lake

AURELIA - Several visitors were present at Monday's monthly joint meeting of the Alta and Aurelia School Boards, where a decision was made to extend whole-grade sharing to the fifth grade. Currently, the two districts whole-grade share grades 6-12, with a middle school (grades 6-8) in Aurelia and a high school (grades 9-12) in Alta...

At a meeting of the Board of Directors of the Sioux Valley Hospital association held Monday evening a the city hall, the plans for the new hospital submitted by architect Arnold of Sioux City were approved. The work of preparing the specifications is now under way, and officials hope to have everything in readiness so that bids may be called within the next three weeks...

Frequently, an editor will look over a bylined news article and make minor adjustments -- correcting typos, trimming unneeded verbiage, fixing grammar and creating better flow. On rare occasions, an editor may ask the reporter for a rewrite to correct factual errors or lack of clarity...

The Republican strategy of refusing to consider President Obama's Supreme Court nominee is ethically questionable and even more tactically questionable. Obama has nominated Merrick Garland, described as a 63-year-old centrist appellate judge. Garland is well-regarded by members of both parties and would likely earn quick confirmation if this were not an election year, and a particularly toxic election year at that...

SIOUX CENTER - Competing in their first track meet of the season on Monday March 14th, the Marcus-Meriden-Cleghorn girls captured first place in two individaual events and two relays at the War Eagle Conference indoor meet, held on the Dordt College track...

This past weekend three Cherokee Special Olympic athletes competed at the state Mid-winter tournament in the basketball skills category. Third grader Caleb Buenger earned a 6th place ribbon in the 8-11 division, fifth grader Kurtice Rollefson brought home a second place silver medal from the 12-14 division, and sixth grader Mary Kozora earned a 5th place ribbon in the 12-14 division...

Two area coaches were recently selected as Regional or Sub state Coach of the Year by the Iowa Basketball Coaches Association. Cherokee Washington's Heath Hagberg was selected as Coach of the Year in Class 3A Girls Basketball for Region 2, and South O'Brien's Kiley Yates was selected as Coach of the Year in Class 1A Boys Basketball.Substate 1...