They aren't quite experts yet, according to Spirit Lake Chamber Director Regina Reed, but she and a committee of downtown business people are heading into the third week of the new Makers Market on Hill.

The Spirit Lake Noon Kiwanis Club was recently presented six Spirit Lake seniors with $500 scholarships for their service and hours of volunteer work. The scholarships were awarded to Caleb Frostestad, Ivan Zheng, Caleb Vanderweide, Erikka Duhn, Catherine Straus and Justyn Hamm. The local kiwanians were pleased to see young leaders making a difference in their communities, and club members said they were eager to see what the future has in store for the students.

Members of the Iowa Great Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce visited Okoboji Wellness Clinic in Spirit Lake last week to cut a ceremonial ribbon with the clinic staff. Chamber CEO Blain Andera welcomed the business as a president's member of the chamber, which he said is one of the upper tiers of membership. Dr.

Iowa Department of Natural Resources fisheries biologists have investigated recent reports of dead bluegill and crappie in the Iowa Great Lakes.

These natural fish kills are a common occurrence at a number of lakes each spring during spawning season. There is little danger to the overall population of bluegill or crappie. Iowa lakes can support thousands of panfish per acre of water.

All young adults in grades four through 12 are invited to bring their imaginations to Milford Memorial Library on Wednesday, June 14, for Bad Art Day. They will be letting loose, creating artwork from 10:30 a.m. to noon and not worrying about what it looks like. This is a free program and registration is encouraged.

We hope everyone enjoyed the Kick Off Celebration movie last week. Thank you for all of the food donations for local families in need. Now that summer reading programs have officially started, make sure to stop by your local library to gather all of the necessary summer materials. Keep in mind that in addition to the joint library programs, each library has their own programming and summer incentives.

The Iowa Rock 'n Roll Music Association recently announced enrollment for the 2023 Iowa Rocks Talent Contest began as of June 1.

The Iowa Lakes Community College Music Department will be hosting the 42nd annual Reggie Schive Jazz Camp June 12-15, with six concerts featuring The Headliners, camp participants, jazz camp staff and camp alums.

The Reggie Schive Jazz Camp is the longest-running jazz education camp in the United States. Campers entering seventh grade and older will spend five days learning from world-renowned professional jazz musicians and educators.

The 2023 Headliners include:

ILCC releases spring 2023 Honors Lists

Up to 60,000 miles of carbon dioxide pipeline must be installed in the United States to help eliminate the greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, according to a federal engineer.

Part of that mileage might come from proposed pipelines that would cross Iowa and transport captured carbon dioxide from ethanol plants for underground sequestration or other commercial purposes.

Community members turned out across Dickinson County to honor and recognize the sacrifices made by veterans near and far. Several Memorial Day programs were held Monday throughout the Lakes Area.

SPIRIT LAKE

The Native American musical group Brule´ took the stage Sunday night in Preservation Plaza. The group's performance was part of the Live at the Lakes concert series and drew thousands of spectators to Arnolds Park that night. Brule´ is now in its 20th season, according to the group's website. Organizers said the group was founded by Paul LaRoche, and their performances blend rock elements with native beats, dances and other theatrical elements. (Photo by Dave Petrick)

Early work could set project on road to success, DOT says

The detour signs and bright orange traffic cones along Highway 71 are on a sort of summer vacation now that the first phase of repaving U.S. Highway 71 is complete.

A group of area homeowners has filed notice of an appeal, after unsuccessfully petitioning for a court to void a county permit for an RV park east of Milford.

Several area organizations recently received grants from the Iowa Great Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce to support water quality and angling in the Lakes Area.

The funds are generated as part of the chamber's annual Walleye Weekend fishing tournament. The grant program debuted in 2022 — the tournament's 40th year — and applications for this year's grants closed May 5 — the day before the 2023 tournament officially began.