March 2026

Mary Ann Johnson, 83 of Bode, passed away Friday, March 20, 2026, at West Bend Health and Rehab in West Bend. Funeral service was held on Wednesday, March 25, 2026, at St. Olaf Lutheran Church in Bode. Service was live streamed via Lentz Funeral Home’s website. Interment took place at St. Olaf Lutheran Cemetery in Bode. Services have been entrusted to Lentz Funeral Home of Algona. Online condolences may be left at www.lentzfuneralhome.com.
Mary Ann Johnson, the daughter of Magne and Gladys (Harvey) Bjorklund, was born on Jan. 23, 1943 in Eagle Grove. Mary Ann was baptized on April 4, 1943 and confirmed on Oct. 27, 1957 at Lake Lutheran church in Renwick. She attended school in Goldfield and graduated with the class of 1961.

Humboldt won four events and claimed the team title of their own indoor track meet inside the Nielsen Family Fieldhouse at the Humboldt Recreation Center on Friday, March 20.

The Wildcats totaled 128.5 points to outdistance runner-up Southeast Valley at 112.5. Forest City was third at 72.5, followed by Manson-NW with 61.5, Eagle Grove with 39, Algona with 38, Clear Lake 17, Algona Garrigan 14 and Pocahontas Area with 12.

Humboldt won the 4x200 relay in 1:36.48. The relay consisted of Cash Mcintire, Jackson Flaherty, Chase Flaherty and Valley Davis.

Carter Reed won the high jump with a leap of 5-8 and Chase Flaherty took the 400-meter dash in 55.05 seconds. Jackson Flaherty won the 200-meters in 24.42 seconds.

The 60-meter shuttle hurdle relay took second in 37.03 seconds. It was made up of Luke DeWinter, Dane Clark, Brady Roth and Valley Davis. Cash McIntire was also second in the 60-meter dash in 7.6 seconds.

Iowa Lakes baseball team returns to field with sweep of Mesabi Range

By DAVID SWARTZ
Estherville News
MINNEAPOLIS – The Iowa Lakes Community College baseball team returned to the diamond Friday, March 13, sweeping Minnesota North College Mesabi Range 16-5 and 9-1 in a doubleheader played at U.S. Bank Stadium.

The games marked the Lakers’ first action since a Feb. 12 bus accident involving the team. The bus was carrying 33 members of the program when it crashed, claiming the life of player Carter “Tater” Johnson.

Prior Friday’s doubleheader, head coach Chris Witzke, a former Humboldt High baseball standout, reflected on the day of the accident.

“Oh, my memories of the day are fairly hazy,” Witzke said. “Obviously I got a pretty good concussion out of the whole ordeal. You don’t remember everything word for word. You remember things that you’re told, more or less. I just remember feeling heartbroken.”

Ava Fischer, who etched her name in Humboldt girls' basketball history, was recently named first-team All-North Central Conference.

Teammate Jada VanDeWalle, a junior, was selected to the third-team. Fischer and VanDeWalle helped Humboldt compile a 9-13 overall won-loss record this past season. The Wildcats were 4-10 and fifth in the NCC standings.

Fischer was one of three unanimous first-team selections. She is joined by Clear Lake sophomore Jacelyn Ainley and Iowa Falls-Alden sophomore Elody England. Other first-team picks include Algona junior Hayden McLaughlin, Fort Dodge St. Edmond junior Chloe Palmer and Algona freshman Katie Limbaugh.

Second-team selections include Clear Lake senior Ashleigh Amble, Algona junior Bella Jo Dunning, Webster City sophomore Evie Davis, Iowa Falls-Alden junior Izzy Janssen, Hampton-Dumont-CAL sophomore MacKenzy Valley and St. Edmond freshman Eden Horn.