Sept/Oct 2021

My name is Kylie Sebert. I’m a native of Spirit Lake and just recently moved back to Des Moines! I have Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing, with an emphasis in fiction, and now hope to begin a novel writing career. You can find me on Instagram and Facebook as @notsotwentysomething. As with most…

Ron Knutson’s Experience With Nuclear Testing For a year of Ron Knutson’s life, he lived on a mile-long island in the Pacific with 10,000 other people. They rarely could leave and looked forward to their nightly movies, Saturday’s steak dinners, and Thursday’s Prime Rib meals at the connecting Parry Island. It was 1958 and the…

Hank Hall Showcases “What If” at the Pearson Lakes Art Center A cute little Beagle dog named “Taffy” was the inspiration for Hank Hall’s initial artistic interests. These pencil drawings led to an art degree and 34 years of sharing his art passion to students in three Iowa school districts. Retired from teaching since 2005,…

When you push your body to the limit, more is lost than just fluids. Other times, the body isn’t 100% and requires assistance in overcoming a deficiency. IV hydration therapy is a minimally invasive treatment that administers combinations of electrolyte packed IV fluids directly into the bloodstream, replenishing lost nutrients and electrolytes instantly. Drip Okoboji…

At a young age, Berkley Bedell was often found exploring the waters surrounding the Iowa Great Lakes. His story is the heart of the American Dream—humble beginnings and unexpected success. Growing up in Spirit Lake during the Great Depression, as a young teenager, Berkley acquired his first tastes of fishing and hunting more out of…

Known for their specialized craft beer and family-friendly atmosphere, West O Beer’s tasting room has been the place to be this summer. Averaging over 1,000 customers a weekend, the West Okoboji location has 14 options on tap ranging from light to dark, fruity to bitter. West O also distributes six to eight canned options at…

371 Miles on Foot from Montrose to Spirit Lake in Search of the Iowa Dragoons   On June 8, 1835, the 1st Iowa Dragoons embarked on an expedition for the United States Army to explore Iowa. The commander, Stephen Kearney, previously led a group from the Missouri River near Omaha to the site of Fort…

Byers Compete at 2021 Pinto World Championship Show Growing up on the family farm, mares and foals were a part of daily life. Karen’s love for horses grew as she helped with chores and showed them in arenas like at the Clay County Fair. “I grew up in the Royal area and my parents raised…