Stories from Wednesday, August 9, 2017

Brad W. Utesch, age 63, passed away on Friday, August 04, 2017 at his home in rural Washta.  A funeral service will be held on Wednesday, August 09, 2017 at 10:30 a.m. at the Grace United Methodist Church of Correctionville, with Pastor Ron Rice officiating, and burial will be at the Good Hope Cemetery in rural Correctionville. ...

Lester Hicks of Spencer, 79, passed away at his home in Spencer, Iowa on Thursday, August 3, 2017. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. on Wednesday August 9th at Grace United Methodist Church in Spencer, with Pastor Paul Frederiksen officiating, and interment will be in Waterman Cemetery in Sutherland. Funeral arrangements are by Warner Funeral Home in Spencer, and condolences may be sent to www.warnerfuneralhome,com...

Friday’s Chamber Coffee will be hosted by the Pioneer Plant at their productilon location (5311 Highway 7, Aurelia). The plant will then be hosting an Open House at that location from 10 a.m. - 1 p.m., with tours starting at 10 a.m. and lunch served from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m...

This past Monday was my birthday. I am now a quarter of a century old. That reality hasn’t quite set in yet, but I’m sure I’ll start having that existential crisis soon. For now, I will enjoy favorite birthday past-times. I spend time with my family, eat some amazing burgers at my favorite restaurant, and, the best part of all, go to the movies. ...

The Food and Drug Administration is responsible for overseeing the safety of new drugs provided by the multi-billion dollar pharmaceutical industry. According to GlobalData statistics, each of 22 companies had more than $10 billion in revenue during 2014 (not all of these are American based companies)...

Samantha Erickson of Cherokee is happy to announce the birth of her son on August 2, 2017. Rueben Slater Cortez was born at 1:30 a.m., and he weighed 8 lbs. 2 oz. and measured 19 inches long. Rueben was welcomed home by his big brother, Bensley. Grandparents include Dan Erickson of Cherokee, April Jones of Illinois, Evelyn Llanos, and Maria Cortez...

Justin and Valerie Georg of Ida Grove welcomed their third child, a boy, on August 2, 2017. Brody John Georg was born at 11:40 a.m., and he weighed 7 lb. 9 oz. and measured 20 inches long. Brody was welcomed home by his big brother, Tyler, and his big sister, Laney. Grandoarents are Steve and Lynette Tiefenthaler and Jon and Torri Georg...

The Cherokee County Board of Supervisors approved the placement of a permanent sign near the recently completed Cherokee County Veterans Freedom Rock outside the Cherokee County Courthouse. Steve Reinert of the VFW, which spearheaded the project to get the Cherokee County Veterans Freedom Rock placed and painted primarily through privately raised funds, addressed the supervisors at the Tuesday meeting...

Cherokee’s ongoing process of acquiring and demolishing the identified FEMA properties in the City is progressing, with seven Railroad Creek flood-plain properties remaining on the list. According to City Hall, structures (houses) on those affected properties have all been acquired and will be demolished in the next few weeks. The last property structure demolished to date was at 241 E. Main St...

Registration took place this week for all grades in the Cherokee School District at the Cherokee Middle School.

Municipal elections will take place on Nov. 7 in towns across Iowa. The filing period is Aug. 28 to Sept. 21 so there won’t be any filing until Aug. 28, but nomination petitions are available through city clerks and the county auditor’s office. Diane Cargin, Cherokee City Clerk, said some interest has been expressed in elective city offices but it will not be known who will be on the ballot until the filing deadline is over. ...

AURELIA - There will be two open seats on both the Alta and Aurelia school boards this year, and the following candidates have filed for the Sept. 12 election: In Alta, incumbent Gigi Nelson and Jon Turnquist will be on the ballot, while voters in the Aurelia School District will have two incumbents, Dan Winterhof and Jennifer Kaskey, on their ballot...

Cherokee Washingtomn High graduate (Class of 2013) Stetson Dagel has paid his dues, and today ranks as one of the leading offensive linemen for the booming University of South Dakota Coyotes football program. One of five team captains as selected by his peers in his current senior season, the 6-5, 280-pound Dagel leads an acclaimed contingent of Coyotes into their relatively new Division 1 competition as a two-year varsity regular, starting all 11 Coyote games as a redshirt junior last season...

STORM LAKE - Lanny Grigsby, Buena Vista College Class of 1960 and associate professor emeritus of mathematics, passed away on Aug. 3, 2017 in Pipestone, Minnesota. A student, coach and professor, Grigsby was a steadfast and respected presence on campus...

The 15th annual Cherokee Athletic Booster Club Golf Tournament is scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 19, at the Cherokee Golf Course. There is a noon shotgun start for the 4-person Best Shot Tournament, with a meal provided by Vern’s Sweet Spot Grill, a new dining experience at the Golf Course. Many prizes also will be awarded during the festivities...

The 3rd Annual Brightside Lounge Charity Golf Tourney will be held at the Cherokee Golf Course on Saturday, Aug. 26. This annual golf tourney is a charity fund raiser, with all proceeds earmarked for the four charities selected this year: The Wounded Warrior Project; Needy Children’s Auction; Faith, Hope and Charity in Storm Lake and The Puppy Jake Foundation, which provides puppies to veterans with PTSD...

August 25 - Storm Lake Septemebr 1 - Okoboji, Milford September 8 - at Pocahontas Area/L-M September 15 - at Sioux Center September 22 - MOC-Floyd Valley September 29 - Boyden-Hull/Rock Valley October 6 - at Central Lyon, Rock Rapids...