Too many turnovers and wasted possessions limited the Indians offensive output early on Tuesday night, as the Spirit Lake girls basketball team fell 62-49 to Spencer at home.
The Indians battled back in the second and third quarters, eventually making it a one-score game, but they just couldn't climb there way out of the early hole.

The cold water raised some cold, hard cash Saturday at the University of Okoboji Winter Games. Event sponsor Okoboji Harley-Davidson said 115 jumpers found an opening in the ice on West Lake Okoboji. The plunge has become a signature event at the State Pier. A full gallery of photos can also be found {http://www.dickinsoncountynews.com/gallery/2017wintergames here at dickinsoncountynews.com}.

"South of Sideways," the third book in the Zander series has hit the book shelves. Author and East Lake Okoboji resident Jeff Zwagerman likes to winter in Sanibel, Florida.
No matter where he hangs his seasonal hat, Zwagerman continues to put "pen to paper" or, in all actuality, fingers to keyboard. The retired superintendent of schools at Sibley-Ocheyedan put his former English, speech and theatre teaching skills to work when he ceased his 9-to-5 job.

A Dickinson County Sheriff's Office deputy says slush on county road A34 may have contributed on a rollover crash Monday morning.
Jared Griffith was westbound on the county road near 270th Avenue east of Milford at about 11:33 a.m. That's when his 2010 Chevy Cobalt left the roadway and flipped onto the driver's side in the north ditch. Terril Ambulance, Milford Fire, Rescue and Extraction Unit as well as Lakes Regional Healthcare ambulance responded to the scene.

A day after filing for a continuance of his client's pretrial conference, on Tuesday, Defense Attorney Aaron Hamrock, of West Des Moines, representing former DaySpring Assembly of God pastor and resigned Spencer Dream Center director Kevin Grimes, filed a motion for change of venue from Clay County District Court.
Grimes is currently scheduled to stand trial at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 21.

The defense attorney for Lee Christensen has formally notified the court that the Estherville teenager will appeal his second-degree murder conviction.
An Emmet County jury handed down the guilty verdict on July 1 and Christensen is currently being held at the Anamosa State Penitentiary, where he will be required to serve 85 percent of a 50-year prison sentence.

Jason Grinnen has a mission in mind. He wants the residents and visitors to help the local food pantry shore up to meet its huge demand.
"The UDMO Food Pantry services over 1,800 families and over 3,600 individuals so you can see the need for this benefit," Grinnen said.
The local realtor and musician sees this as a critical time for the food pantry.

Rep. John Wills (R- Spirit Lake) recently met with members of the American Legion of Iowa. The group was visiting the Capitol to talk with legislators about veterans issues during Veterans Day on The Hill. Pictured here are James Kessler (Lake Park), Jim Kearney (Mills County), Bernie Wissink (Sheldon), Brian Kessler (Lake Park) and Rep. Wills.

Mr. and Mrs. Phillip Hibma of Harris announce the engagement of their daughter, Amanda Hibma, to Sean Kondrath, son of Andy and Lori Kondrath of Spirit Lake.
Hibma, graduate of Iowa Lakes Community College, is an Internet Marketing Specialist at Goal Kick Sporting Goods in Spencer. Mr. Kondrath graduated from Iowa Lakes Community College and works at Okoboji GM Toyota in Spirit Lake.
The wedding will be held in May of this year.

Come to Milford Memorial Library on from 5:30-7:30 p.m.Wednesday, Jan. 25, for Community Game Night. Come by yourself or bring some friends. Play games provided or bring your own.

Congratulations to the Spirit Lake High School Jazz Band on earning first place in Class 3A at the Iowa Lakes Jazz Competition on Jan. 17. This was the band's first public performance of the season. The band performed at the Iowa High School Music Association's State Jazz Band Contest at 9:10 p.m. Monday in the Sami Center for Performing Arts (not pictured: Matthew Fuelberth).

Spirit Lake Park stormed into Spencer and secured a second straight Lakes Conference dual championship Thursday night, as the Indians topped the Tigers 43-24 on the road.

**LaRue picks up 100th career win
The Okoboji wrestling team split its final home dual of the season Thursday, as the Pioneers topped Rock Valley/Boyden-Hull 42-39 and fell to MOC-Floyd Valley 51-30 in Milford.

Without seniors Jordan Kyle and Cale Hellinga in the lineup Friday night, Harris-Lake Park focused on defense in a 53-26 pounding of winless Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn.
Juniors Keegan Carpenter and Zach Heikens shouldered most of the load, as the duo combined for 29 points and 12 rebounds in the win.

The Spirit Lake girls and boys basketball teams split a Lakes Conference road doubleheader with Cherokee on Monday. The girls fell 78-38 to the fourth-ranked Braves, and the 10th-ranked boys boys won 62-26.
In the girls' contest, Spirit Lake fell behind 14-10 after one quarter and trailed 45-25 at the half. The Braves continued to pour it on in the second half, outscoring the Indians 21-4 in the third quarter and 12-9 in the fourth to seal the 40-point win.