Emerald Ash Borer

Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) has been detected in almost all of Iowa’s 99 counties, including Dickinson County.  The emerald ash borer’s larval stage is responsible for the damage that leads to the death of its host. The larvae’s feeding under the tree bark, eventually damaging the tree’s ability to transport moisture and nutrients from the soil … Read more

East Loch Estates Hearing Update

Re: Lawsuit #1 – Concerned Citizens vs Dickinson County and the Board of Supervisors Lawsuit #2 – Concerned Citizens vs Dickinson County Board of Adjustment and David Kohlhaase, both individually and in his capacity as Zoning Administrator On Friday, July 27th, a consolidated trial will commence in the two actions known as Concerned Citizens of … Read more

Beautification Project Presented

(Okoboji)– Some preliminary plans for the first of what organizers hope will become a three-phase project to beautify and enhance the Highway 71 corridor through the Iowa Great Lakes were unveiled at a public informational meeting Tuesday evening in Okoboji. It’s been dubbed “Imagine Iowa Great Lakes”. The total cost of the first phase, said … Read more

DNR Holds Meeting to Address Improvements Made At Area Campgrounds & Parks

Parks personnel with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources hosted a public informational meeting Thursday evening on various improvements either currently underway or that soon will be getting started at several state parks in the Iowa Great Lakes Area. They include the removal of an existing restroom and replacing it with a new one along … Read more

Dickinson County Supervisors Approve Watershed Agreement

Dickinson County Supervisors County Approve Watershed Agreement Wednesday, November 15, 2017 By Seth Boyes – Staff Writer, Dickinson County News A new water quality organization is making its way onto the agendas of some local governments. An agreement with the Little Sioux Watershed Coalition appeared on the Tuesday agenda of both the Dickinson County Board … Read more

Student Made Sculpture Placed at Junction of Hwys 9/71

Crews on Thursday, November 2 installed a new sculpture welcoming people to the City of Spirit Lake at the intersection of Highways 9 and 71. The stunning welded sculpture was constructed by students in the J-Term program at Spirit Lake High School under the guidance of teacher Brad Travis. What a welcoming sight for residents … Read more

Vision Iowa – Arnolds Park Requests $1-Million Grant

President Bill VanOrsdel and community leaders were in Sioux City to present Vision Iowa with a grant request for their “Restore the Park” campaign. Visit www.arnoldspark.com to learn more about this exciting campaign to restore our park back to its glory days.   #restorethepark #iglapromotes #iglaprotects

Munson: Attorney Chris Green argues final case

Written by  KYLE MUNSON’S IOWA, Des Moines Register Des Moines attorney Brent “Chris” Green has eagerly placed his faith and his fate in the hands of an Iowa jury for decades. He implicitly trusts the collective wisdom and common sense of fellow Iowans. “To me, there’s nothing more intelligent than a jury,” Green enthused. “I love … Read more

Lake Independence turns green; residents sue

Minneapolis Star Tribune – Aug. 21, 2012 10 years after Lake Independence was declared polluted, frustrated lakeshore owners are suing dairy farmer. By mid-summer, Lake Independence is a slimy, gooey mess that grows greener every year, the result of too much fertilizer washing into its waters and jump-starting algae and other aquatic weeds. Frustrated by … Read more

Fisheries biologist receives award

Mike Hawkins, fisheries biologist with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources stationed at Spirit Lake, received the Ace Cory Conservation Award at the annual meeting of the Okoboji Protective Association (OPA) on July 28, at Iowa Lakeside Laboratory. The Ace Cory Conservation Award honors an individual who has contributed substantially to the betterment of the … Read more