Congratulations were extended to the Spirit Lake High School Jazz Choir on earning Division I (superior) ratings Monday Feb. 6 from all three judges at state competition sponsored by the Iowa High School Music Association.

Rep. John Wills (R-Spirit Lake) and Sen. David Johnson (I-Ocheyedan) recently met with members of the Spirit Lake FFA Chapter. The group was visiting the Capitol to talk with legislators as a part of the Iowa FFA Legislative Symposium.

Dickinson County will host a seed treatment continuing instruction course (CIC) for commercial pesticide applicators, Wednesday, Feb. 22. The program will be shown at locations across Iowa through the Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Pesticide Safety Education Program (PSEP).

Recently Rep. John Wills (R-Spirit Lake) met with members of the Iowa Great Lakes Board of Realtors. The group was visiting the Capitol to talk with legislators about home savings account legislation. Pictured with Wills are Amy Maris of Okoboji, Jodi Tusa More of Spirit Lake and Katie Slater of Okoboji.

The state fire marshal's office continued its work Tuesday to determine the cause of a weekend house fire in rural Lake Park.
The fire was reported at about 11 a.m. Saturday at 1822 110th Street in rural Dickinson County. The location is about 1 mile west of the Diamond Lake Wildlife Management Area near unincorporated Montgomery.

A J-term, 10-day trip to Haiti became a perspective-altering experience for five Spirit Lake High School students and their eight traveling companions.

The Iowa Great Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce will be hosting its second Legislative Forum from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday Feb. 18, p.m. in the Pomerantz Hall of the Pearson Lakes Art Center.
Invited guests include state Sen. David Johnson, Senate District 1 from Ocheyedan, state Rep. John Wills, House District 1 from Spirit Lake and state Rep. Megan Jones, House District 2 from rural Sioux Rapids. The public is encouraged to attend.

The Fostoria Fire Department responded to a small grass fire at the 3100 mile marker on Highway 71 Friday. The cause of the fire is undetermined, though firemen on site said they believe a discarded cigarette may have been the cause. The flames were extinguished then shoveled over to eliminate any sparks or cinders. One of the responder on site said it is unusual to see a fire surrounded by snow. He said the snow helped contain the flames.

Jon and Amy Stover of Spirit Lake announce the engagement and approaching marriage of their daughter, Emily Ann, to Brandon Duane De Cook, son of Mike and Robin De Cook of Pleasantville.
The couple is planning a July 22 wedding at the First Presbyterian Church in Spirit Lake.

Dickinson County will offer the commercial ag weed, insect and plant disease management continuing instruction course (CIC) for commercial pesticide applicators Tuesday, Feb. 14.
The program will be shown at locations across Iowa through the Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Pesticide Safety Education Program (PSEP).

Dickinson County will send a strong contingent on to the district wrestling tournaments this weekend, as 18 area wrestlers placed in the top two at sectional tournaments in Manson and Orange City.
**Titans earn team title at Manson
With three champions and seven qualifiers, Graettinger-Terril/Ruthven-Ayrshire walked away with the overall team title at the Class 1A sectional meeting Manson on Saturday.

Harris-Lake Park held off a fourth-quarter scoring surge by Okoboji to earn a one-point win Thursday night in a Dickinson Count boys hoops showdown.
With four Harris-Lake Park players either on the bench with injuries or fouled out, the Pioneers took advantage, reeling off 31 points in the quarter before missing at the buzzer.

In a Lakes Conference boys basketball showdown Friday night, sixth-ranked (3A) Spirit Lake clawed its way past Le Mars in overtime.
The Indians, bolstered by a boisterous student section, rallied from two down in the fourth quarter to force overtime before pulling ahead for the 69-67 victory.

Spirit Lake struggled out of the gates Friday night and could never gain back any ground in a 63-38 loss to 12th-ranked (4A) Le Mars in Lakes Conference girls basketball action.
The Indians scored just four points in the opening stanza, as the Bulldogs built a 12-4 lead through one quarter.
Le Mars added to its lead in the second quarter, outscoring the Indians 23-11 to take a 45-15 lead into the locker room at halftime.

The Graettinger-Terril/Ruthven-Ayrshire girls basketball team dropped a third straight game on Monday, this time to the visiting Kingsley-Pierson Panthers.
The Titans, who entered the game with a 14-5 overall record, were coming off of consecutive losses for the first time all season, as they'd just dropped two to Newell-Fonda and Sioux Central the week earlier.