October 2018

Sun
14
Oct

Humboldt girls rally past Lynx to finish as NCC co-champions!


Humboldt's volleyball team, North Central Conference co-champions, front row (l-r): Jori Hajek, Mady Lange, Carlie Thompson, Claire Varangkounh and Kendal Clark. Middle row: Addie Birdsell, Kenzie McCartan, Jayda Hoefer, Hailey Clendenen, Emily Zaugg and Kyah Arnold. Back row: coach Kathi Beach, Macy Becker, Lily Groat, Deni McDaniel, Trinity Helmer, Kennedi Cran, Arielle Naeve, Ashlyn Clark, coach Brenda Larsen and head coach Justin McDaniel. Photo courtesy Justin McDaniel.

The Humboldt High volleyball team rallied from a 2-0 deficit to Webster City to post a five-set victory over the Lynx on Oct. 11 in the Humboldt gym. The victory in the Wildcats' regular season finale gave Humboldt an overall record of 28-4 and a 6-1 mark in the North Central Conference, tying Iowa Falls-Alden and Clarion-Goldfield-Dows for the league championship!

Webster City won sets one (25-21) and two (26-24) before Humboldt rallied to win the remaining sets by scores of 25-22, 25-18 and 15-13.

Humboldt will now move into post-season tournament play this week when they host Greene County of Jefferson on Wednesday, Oct. 17 in a 7 p.m. match. The winner will face Roland-Story or Southeast Valley on Oct. 23 in Humboldt in a Class 3A Region 3 semifinal round match.

See full story in the Humboldt Independent Newspaper. Subscribe today for print/digital access by selecting the link on this page to get started!

Fri
12
Oct

Carroll rallies past Humboldt, 27-24


Humboldt senior quarterback Joey Busse outruns a Carroll defender in the Wildcats' 27-24 loss at home to the Tigers on Friday, Oct. 12. The loss knocked Humboldt out of the Class 3A playoff picture. The Wildcats host Perry in their regular season finale on Oct. 19. Independent photo by Phil Monson.

Humboldt's hopes of qualifying for the Class 3A playoffs fell short in a heartbreaking, 27-24 loss at home to Carroll Friday night (Oct. 12) in District 2 football.

The Tigers' Draven Williamson scored on a one-yard run with 6:28 left in the game to put Carroll on top for good. The victory moved Carroll to 5-3 overall, 4-0 and alone in first place in the district standings. Humboldt fell to 3-5 overall, 2-2 in district play.

Lucas Volf scored on a three-yard run early in the second quarter and Joey Busse passed 20 yards to Jackson Fischer midway through the third quarter. Volf kicked a 25-yard field goal late in the third quarter to give Humboldt a 17-7 lead. Jamison Heinz returned a kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown early in the fourth quarter to give Humboldt a short-lived 24-21 lead. Humboldt scored on a 70-yard pass play in the final minute of the game, but the score was called back on a holding penalty.

Thu
11
Oct

Wildcats sweep NCC cross country titles!


Humboldt swept the team titles in the North Central Conference Cross Country meet held in Iowa Falls on Oct. 11. The winning girls squad, top, from left: Kirstyn Beaman, Isabella Luu, Madeleine Ruzicka, Bryce Gidel, Elizabeth Hildreth, Brett Harklau and Kallie Nilles. Bottom photo, from left: Eric Wittrock, Nolan Jergens, Noah Helmer, Joe Kunert, Quinton Orr, Calvin Carlson and Devon Coon. Independent photos by Phil Monson.

Humboldt's girls and boys both won team titles in the North Central Conference Cross Country meet held Thursday at Iowa Falls. The girls finished with 44 team points to outdistance runner-up Fort Dodge St. Edmond which had 65. The boys totaled 34 points to easily surpass runner-up Clear Lake which had 67.

Humboldt's girls and boys took top honors in their races. Bryce Gidel was the overall winner in the girls race to lead Humboldt. She finished first in 18:26. Quinton Orr was second and Joe Kunert third to spark the Humboldt boys in winning their team crown. Orr ran 16:00.78 and Kunert finished in 16:15.02.

The Wildcats will now focus on the state qualifying meet to be held Oct. 18 at Spencer. The top three teams and the top 15 individuals in the meet at Spencer will advance to the state meet in Fort Dodge on Oct. 27.

Thu
11
Oct

Pumpkins and Ponies cancelled


The inordinate amount of rain this summer and early fall has forced the cancellation of a popular seasonal event, Pumpkins and Ponies. The event is held every October at the SpringVale Farm located on Lone Tree Road, southeast of Dakota City. Five inches of rain early this week caused already saturated ground to become even wetter, forcing the cancellation of the Oct. 13-14 event, according to organizers Bob and Lonnie Larson. Humboldt Independent file photo.

Robert “Bob” and Lonnie Larson, owners of SpringVale Farm, 2603 Lone Tree Road, are saddened to announce that the annual Pumpkins and Ponies event has been cancelled, due to the extremely wet grounds.
“Starting Monday night and throughout the day Tuesday we had another five inches of rain,” Lonnie Larson reported.
She said the ground was so saturated before that there were few places to park on the property and areas around the farmstead are too soft for a lot of activity.
L. Larson said there were a lot of hurdles the weather threw up. “We’re very disappointed that we needed to reach that decision (to cancel), but we feel it’s the right thing under the circumstances.”
The couple was really looking forward to this year’s event, as tremendous crowds the past few years made for the necessity of adding an extra day. The event was to be held Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 13-14, before weather changed the plans.

Thu
11
Oct

BREAKING NEWS: Humboldt pain care provider found dead


Greg Pekkala, a pain care management health professional who has served the Humboldt community for several years, was found dead in his rural Hamilton County home Tuesday morning by law enforcement authorities. An autopsy has been ordered. No word has been received on funeral services for the 59-year-old Webster City man.

By KENT THOMPSON
Hamilton County authorities with assistance from the Iowa Department of Criminal Investigation are investigating a suspicious death that involves a health care professional who has practiced in the Humboldt area for several years.
Tuesday, Oct. 9, at 9:18 a.m., the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office was called to 724 Kendall Young Road east of Webster City for a welfare check.
Upon arrival, authorities found a deceased male subject. The man was identitfied as Gregory Allen Pekkala, 59, of Webster City.
Authorities have not said if they believe foul play was involved. The body has been sent to the state medical examiner’s office in Ankeny for an autopsy. The area around Pekkala’s rural Hamilton County home was marked with crime scene tape. However, Hamilton County authorities say there is no reason to believe there is a threat to other citizens in the community.

Thu
11
Oct

HCMH time capsule reveals handwritten scroll


HCMH CEO Michelle Sleiter (left) and Director of Community Relations Mardi Ratzlaff (right) hold on to a long scroll of names of hospital foundation donors from 50 years ago. Humboldt Independent photo.

By KENT THOMPSON
In the process of reconstruction, construction workers and members of the Humboldt County Memorial Hospital (HCMH) maintenance staff unearthed something that the hospital administration did not know existed, a 1969-70 era time capsule.
Sealed in a brazed rectangular cooper box were three issues of the Humboldt Republican and Independent, including the July 25, 1970 special edition, signifying the grand opening and open house celebration of HCMH. There were also two Humboldt Reminders, a 1921 silver dollar, a hospital foundation flyer and a hospital promotional piece about the new building.
Hospital Board of Trustee members at the time were Joe Dodgen, Elden Collins, Jack Campbell, Les Mealiff, Earl Clabaugh and Jean Kleve.
Perhaps most unique of the items in the copper box is a scroll of writing papers, affixed together, with the handwritten names of 2,200 people who contributed to the hospital’s building fund 50 years ago.

Thu
11
Oct

Children's mental health is a growing concern


Prairie Lakes AEA Administrator Jeff Herzberg is part of a 23-member state task force whose charge is to come up with a plan for a mental health system to treat children with mental health needs in the state. Humboldt Independent photo.

By KENT THOMPSON
Children’s mental health is becoming an increasing societal concern. Finding ways to assist children is a point of emphasis among parents, school administrators, teachers, health care providers and politicians.
Last April, Prairie Lakes Area Education Agency (AEA) Chief Administrator and Gilmore City-Bradgate School Superintendent Jeff Herzberg was one of 23 people named to a task force by Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds to research and come up with a recommendation to the Iowa Legislature to create a mental health system for children in the state of Iowa.
On Monday, Herzberg visited the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors to get some of their thoughts on mental health services for children.
“We’ve had two meetings and will be having two more, with the express purpose of making a recommendation to the Legislature,” Herzberg said.
He said the target group would be from birth to either age 18 or 26.

Wed
10
Oct

Humboldt girls clinch NCC volleyball title!


Arielle Naeve receives serve for the Wildcats in their home victory over Fort Dodge St. Edmond on Oct. 4. Independent photo.

The Humboldt volleyball team overcame a scrappy Webster City squad Thursday night to finish in a three-way tie for the North Central Conference championship!
Humboldt rallied from a 2-1 deficit and won the fifth set 15-13 to defeat the Lynx. The victory improved Humboldt to 6-1 in the NCC, 28-4 overall. Humboldt shares the league title with Iowa Falls-Alden and Clarion-Goldfield-Dows who also finished 6-1. The victory ended the regular season for Humboldt with post-season tournament play coming up next week.

WILDCATS SWEEP BISHOP GARRIGAN
The No. 14 ranked (Class 3A) Humboldt volleyball team pushed its season record to 27-4 overall by sweeping Algona Bishop Garrigan in three sets Tuesday night in Algona.

The Wildcats won by scores of 25-9, 25-15 and 25-19.

Humboldt will host Greene County of Jefferson on Oct. 17 in a first round Class 3A Region 3 match at 7 p.m.

Wed
10
Oct

KEVIN D. MAY

KEVIN D. MAY, 52, Humboldt, died at the Humboldt Care Center North, Monday morning, Oct. 8, 2018. Those wishing to send online condolences can send them to www.masonlindhart.com and we will see that it gets to the family. Be sure to put the deceased’s name in the sub-ject line.

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