The Dickinson County Board of Supervisors considered improvement options for Drainage District 19 (DD19) during their Tuesday, Sept. 17 meeting — ultimately, the board gave direction to ISG engineers Spencer Pech and Rachael Millage to look into costs for repairs.

"We want to make sure that what we're doing benefits you," Millage told landowners during the informational meeting. "It's your drainage district."

A new curriculum is rolling out this year at Spirit Lake Elementary School (SLES). Principal Jessica Vancura says the school's new Wonders curriculum is "what the teachers have been asking for, and what the students need."

The goal of the new curriculum is stated by the school district to be increase the effectiveness of staff members and offer them additional tools to meet the needs of district students.

On Monday, Sept. 9, a vehicle lost control and collided with the gas pumps at the Phillips 66 gas station in Spirit Lake. The driver is reported to have been suffering from a medical condition at the time when they lost control. No injuries were reported.

The Spirit Lake Police Department assisted on the scene.

The Northwest Iowa Corridor Habitat for Humanity came together Sunday, Sept. 15 to host a community blessing for their twin home project on Jackson Avenue in Spirit Lake.

This has been a highly anticipated occasion for local Habitat for Humanity affiliates, with executive director Joseph Bjornstad saying it was "a blessing to see everybody come together."

The Spirit Lake Noon Kiwanis Club held a brief ribbon cutting ceremony for Kiwanis Park  last Thursday, Sept. 12, to celebrate recent replacements to old equipment. Kiwanis Club president Alissa Holtz says that some of the playground's equipment had been showing its age, and so the city wanted to get that replaced to help out the community.

Owen Primavera was recognized for his 52 years of service to the City of Okoboji Board of Adjustment on Tuesday, Sept. 10. Many of those years, Primavera served as chairman of the board.

Join Milford Memorial Library for our weekly Building Bookworms Storytime at 10:30 a.m. Mondays. Take a look below for our themes. All materials and services are provided by the library free to participants. All kids and their adults are welcome to stay after storytime and mingle. For more information contact the library or check out our Facebook page.

• 10:30 a.m. Sept. 23 — Big and Little

• 10:30 a.m. Sept. 30 — Building Bookworms on the Go @ Little Sioux Orchard

Did someone say book sale? Yes!

At the Spirit Lake Public Library, we have a book sale that never ends. If we are open, we are having a book sale.

The materials that we have for sale generally come from two sources: items that we have weeded from our collection and items that have been donated to the library.

Aimee Nicole Eaton, age 52, of Spirit Lake was arrested on the charge of public intoxication at approximately 10:04 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 12 on County Road 86 near Spirit Lake.

Kari Heimdal at Okoboji Elementary School took a trip to her family farm in Milford as part of her Power of Plants curriculum — a grand total of 100 fourth-graders joined Heimdal to learn about gardening, bee keeping, pollination, journaling and more.

The Spirit Lake Community School District is kicking off a fundraiser to build a new playground for the elementary school.

"We are striving to update the playground surface and equipment to create a vibrant, fun-filled playground that is accessible to all students," read a press release from the school. "Plans currently include resurfacing to an all-inclusive surface, adding new play structures as well as retaining the current newer structures which are still in good condition."

Everett Titterington, a Milford local who perished during the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor, was buried 10:45 a.m. Monday, Sept. 9 at the Riverside National Cemetary, Riverside, California.

The 18th annual Ily Putt Golf Tournament will be held Saturday, Sept. 14 at Indian Hills Golf Course in Spirit Lake.

Every year, 100 percent of funds raised at the tournament are donated; half to the Ronald McDonald House of Rochester, and the other half to a local recipient. This year's recipient is Elias Chambers.

Performing singer/songwriter, Carol Montag, will present "An Evening with Carol Montag," a free concert at the Lakeshore Center in Okoboji from 7-8:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 22.

A local collaboration of organizations has come together again to give women with outdoor interests the opportunity to learn new skills and have a good time.

Fall Women in Nature Day (WIND) will occur from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. Sept. 21, with concurrent sessions to choose from. From paddling to learning about prairie plants and forests, there is something new to enjoy during this event.