Stories from Friday, March 11, 2016

Based on information posted by the Iowa Office of the State Medical Examiner, the autopsy performed on the body of deceased Spencer Tiger wrestler Austin Roberts, on Dec. 22, 2015, by Dr. Michele Catellier, has "determined the cause of death to be sudden cardiac death due to (probable congenital) cardiac valve deformities in the setting of acute cortisol deficiency due to benign hypothalamic lipoma."...

Clay County Sheriff Randy Krukow teamed up with The Easter Bunny Foundation on Wednesday to share with others the excitement and wonderment that only a personal visit with the Easter Bunny can bring. Krukow and the Easter Bunny hopped their way through Spencer Hospital, bringing smiles to the faces of patients, both young and old. The Easter Bunny Foundation is a nonprofit organization based in Florida which teams up with sheriff departments across the nation to visit hospitalized children at Easter-time. The foundation provides plush toy bunnies or coloring books and crayons to each child visited. Krukow says the purpose of the organization is to bring smiles to the children and families they visit as well as to highlight the positive role of the sheriffs and deputies who serve the people of their community. (Photos submitted)

In continuing with the master plan designed in the early 2000s, according to Spencer Parks Director Delray Bredehoeft, expansion projects are planned for several of Spencer's neighborhood parks over the next several years. This year's plan includes a shelter house, plaza area and half-court basketball court at Deerfield Park...

Two construction projects ― one located on Third Avenue East between 11th Street and 13th Street and the other located both on West Seventh Street between Sixth Avenue and Ninth Avenue and on West Fifth Street between Sixth Avenue and Ninth Avenue ― will continue this spring and likely complete this summer, according to Brian Schmidt, a project engineer with Kruse, Cate and Nelson, P.C...

The application deadline of Monday, March 14, is fast approaching for candidates to compete for the title of Clay County Fair Queen. The winner, to be crowned Sunday, April 3, will reign over this year's Clay County Fair and will also compete for the State Fair Queen title. The crowning will take place at the Spencer Community Theatre...

STORM LAKE -- Asked about the transgender community in Storm Lake, Angus Pollock offers a slight, wry smile. "You," he answered, "are looking at it." The Storm Lake man shared his experience in transitioning from a woman to a man in semirural Iowa, in an intimate conversation with Buena Vista University students called, "Walk in My Shoes."...

Palo Alto County Extension and Outreach and Clay County Extension and Outreach are both hosting informational meetings on Tuesday, March 15, regarding wind turbine contracts several area landowners have been presented with recently. Roger McEowen, professor of agricultural law and taxation at Washburn University Law and tax director, Midwest region, Agribusiness and Cooperatives, CliftonLarsonAllen in West Des Moines will speak to landowners regarding the legal issues associated with the wind energy contracts. ...

AREA -- An armed robbery at Barb's Corner bar and restaurant in Everly along U.S. Highway 71 resulted in a short pursuit into Dickinson County and subsequent self-inflicted gun shot a short time later Friday afternoon. The Clay County Sheriff's Office was advised of the armed robbery at 1290 Highway 18. ...

DES MOINES -- Test results conclusively identified two large canines shot this winter in Osceola County and Van Buren County as wolves, likely originating from the Great Lakes population in Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin. The samples were tested at the University of California-Davis...

Archery hunting for whitetail deer is how my love for birds got started. Sitting in a tree stand from sun up till sun down waiting on a deer to come by could and does at time become boring. The first bird that started my love for birds was the black-capped chickadee. It landed on my arrow less than 18 inches in front of my face. I had no idea what it was and as soon as I got home I looked it up in an old bird book...

Winter's grip on the landscape will end sometime soon. Ice caps on local area lakes are starting to recede and open water is not far off. Iowans are experiencing an early spring this year and thinking about a nice green lawn may not hasten winter's demise, but it certainly won't hurt. It might help to carry you through those overcast, snowy days...

"Kenue Park, derived from an Indian name for War Eagle, is comprised of 40 acres of giant oaks and native grasses. It was previously used as pasture land for the County Care Facility Farm. When the farm ceased operation, the Dickinson County Conservation Board received a management agreement from the Dickinson County Board of Supervisors and began construction of a park on the tract," so reads an article concerning the history of this area park...

This is one of those times of the year that I really get antsy ... ice is still holding on (barely), waterfowl are pushing the snowline, open water walleye is only a day trip away and we're at the end of the outdoor shows. The colder temperatures the first week of March actually firmed up the shorelines and gave us at least another weak of ice fishing. This past weekend anglers were all over the lakes -- West Okoboji, East Okoboji and Big Spirit -- kind of like a last fling...

Recently we talked about selecting the appropriate jig when you want to catch walleyes. Crankbaits are another tool that will catch a wide variety of fish under lots of different conditions. However, there's more to it than just tying on a crankbait and casting or trolling it. Here are some things to keep in mind when you go to the tackle shop to stock a box with crankbaits...

Iowa Lakes Community College Business Professionals of America club members returned home once again this year with honors captured at the annual State Leadership Conference. State competitions were held Feb. 23 and Feb. 24 at Des Moines Area Community College in Ankeny and the Holiday Inn & Suites in Des Moines. More than 100 students from eight community colleges participated...

Iowa Great Lakes Lutheran School, serving children in Spencer and the surrounding area, enjoyed Lutheran Schools Week. In addition to allowing Austin Jorgensen to take over the reigns as Principal of the Day, students traveled to Longhouse-Northshire where they sang to residents on Friday over the noon hour. (Photo submitted)

Northwest Iowa Realty agents were named as top agents for 2015, earning Kim Bates, Dawn Heaton, Eve Freeman and Brad Pierson recognition as a leader for the Iowa Realty statewide network. The team at Northwest Iowa Realty received their achievement awards based on personal sales volume. ...

Earlier this month Dave Petrick, photography instructor and owner of Dave Petrick Photography, accompanied two students to the Professional Photographers of Iowa Competition in Des Moines, where he was recognized for his print work. "I have been entering competition for quite a few years and have won various ribbons," Petrick said. ...

St. Patrick's Day has become one of the deadliest holidays due to the number of drunk drivers on the roadways. That's why the Iowa Department of Public Safety's Governor's Traffic Safety Bureau warns Iowans to not drink and drive this St. Patrick's Day...

Eminent domain (ED)-- "The right or power of the state to take or control private property for public use." Does this mean that ONLY government can use that power? It seems pretty straightforward! But (there's always one) the 2006 Iowa Legislature decided to abdicate that responsibility with new legislation that authorized the Iowa Utilities Board (three-person board appointed by the governor) to determine if a business would qualify as a "utility." And, once they receive a "franchise" designation, they can initiate condemnation procedures against private property owners with the blessing of Iowa law!. ...

HF 2406 changes the date of regular school elections for local school districts, merged areas and area education agency boards to the same date as municipal elections. The purpose of this is to increase voter turn out and to save some money. In 2015, Spencer Community Schools had a 1.4 percent voter turn out for the Sept. ...

Just some fun facts as we approach St. Patrick's Day. Of course we all know in this area if you want to get your "green" on, it's best to snatch up your pot of gold, grab your shillelagh and head over to Emmetsburg where they love to let celebrate with the best of Irish traditions...

DES MOINES -- Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate applauded the Iowa Legislature and Gov. Terry Branstad for making it easier for Iowa's overseas military members and citizens to vote and ensure their votes are counted. The legislation, House File 2147, passed both chambers of the legislature unanimously and was signed into law by Branstad Thursday morning...

STORM LAKE -- The Bikers Against Child Abuse are rumbling into the Storm Lake area with a new chapter just organized as the result of two years of preparation. The group is dedicated to taking a stand against all forms of child abuse -- physical, sexual and emotional...

STORM LAKE -- "If you have this opportunity before you, you should do it. Become a citizen, and learn the language," advised Jose Ibarra, a Storm Lake resident who passed the citizenship test to become a proud, official American. "It means a lot to me," he says...

EMMETSBURG -- In February, a group of women in agriculture gathered at Iowa Lakes Community College to network and to hear the featured speaker, FarmHer, Marji Guyler-Alaniz, at the Rural Women of North Iowa Event. Guyler-Alaniz started the presentation with how she came up with the idea for FarmHer. She then shared pictures of women who are actively involved in agriculture and how she uses the pictures to change the perception society has of women in agriculture. (Photos submitted)

I wrote roughly 3,500 words about two people far more interesting than myself today, so I'll go ahead and keep this week's offering brief. For starters, I hope you take the time to read the stories about Nick Wright and Don Martindale. I don't know if they're written as well as they deserve, but I know both of them are worthy of a few minutes of your time...

No one coaches basketball quite like Don Martindale. Some put in the necessary offseason work, evaluating players and finding situations for them to succeed. Some create camps and facilitate traveling play apart from the school season. Some can't help but dump emotion out on the floor from the bench during a game. ...