Performing Arts

Spaghetti supper, service and quilt auction benefit LCS music students (03/17/10)
Le Mars Community School Music Boosters will hold its annual Spaghetti Supper and Auction Friday, March 19. The spaghetti supper will be served from 5-7 p.m. in the Le Mars Community High School cafeteria. On the menu is spaghetti with choice of sauce: red with meat or without, and alfredo, along with lettuce salad, garlic bread, ice cream and beverages...

LCMS students bring musical 'Honk! Jr.' to Le Mars stage (03/10/10)
The Le Mars Community Middle School Vocal Department will present "Honk" Junior," at 7:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday in the Middle School Auditorium under the direction of Nancy Ewing. "Honk! Junior" is a contemporary, comic adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen's "The Ugly Duckling."...

Gehlen student removed from school after e-threat (03/04/10)
An 18-year-old Gehlen Catholic Schools student who allegedly authored a message threatening other Gehlen students was removed from the school immediately Thursday. The student, an 18-year-old female, sent the alleged message via an electronic communication, according to the Le Mars Police...

Apartments officially on national historic register (03/04/10)
A building which first was home to a hospital and is now apartments is Le Mars' newest listing on the National Register of Historic Places. Floyd Valley Apartments, at 110 Sixth Ave. N.E. has been named to the National Register of Historic Places. That confirmation was made Feb. 3, 2010, according to Iris Hemmingson, president of the Le Mars Historic Preservation Commission...

Man takes grandson's plight to heart in 226-mile horse trek (03/03/10)
A man who's been servicing business phone and Internet lines in Le Mars for years is turning time back to the Pony Express. Steve Van Vliet, a Frontier Communications employee, is planning a 10-day, 226-mile horseback ride halfway across Iowa at the end of March to raise awareness and money for children and adults with special needs...

Auditions for 'The Hallelujah Girls' are next week (03/03/10)
Six women and two men are needed in the next Le Mars Community Theater's side-splitting comedy. Auditions for the "The Hallelujah Girls," are next week from 7-8:30 p.m. Monday, March 8 and Tuesday, March 9 at the Postal Playhouse. "The Hallelujah Girls" will run two weekends with a total of seven performances: Friday, April 23 through Sunday, April 25 and Thursday, April 29 through Sunday, May 2...

LCS Winter concert set for Tuesday (03/01/10)
The High School Vocal Music Department will present its annual Winter Concert in the Middle School Auditorium Tuesday. It will begin at 7:30 p.m. Admission is $4 for adults and $3 for students and will be collected at the door. In addition, passes will be honored...

Work could begin in August on new Hinton elementary school (02/25/10)
Plans for Hinton Community School District's new pre-kindergarten through third grade elementary school are on track. "We would hope physical construction of the building would begin sometime in August with an eye for it being completed a year from then in August 2011," said Larry Williams, Hinton's interim superintendent...

LCHS dance exhibition Friday (02/24/10)
Dozens of dancers will light up the floor in the Le Mars Community Schools Dance Exhibition Friday. The exhibition will be held at the Le Mars Community High School Gymnasium. The show will include performances of the LCS dance team's dances from this year, a co-ed dance with boys from the high school, solos performed at the state solo contest, and dances from four other teams...

Basketball on the big screen: Local students play in new movie (02/23/10)
On Thursday, Skyler Higgins suited up for a Remsen St. Mary's district basketball game. On Friday, the RSM senior was shooting hoops on the big screen. "Winning Favor," a movie that captures the story of two Orange City teams and includes a cast of local ball players like Higgins, opened Friday for a two-week run at the Orange City movie theater...

Actor's ghost takes the stage in 'I Hate Hamlet' (02/18/10)
Hollywood actor John Barrymore was known as "one of the greatest" to play Hamlet in the 1920s. Barrymore's ghost will return Friday with the opening of the Le Mars Community Theater's production of "I Hate Hamlet." Actor Andy Linn, of Pierson, has taken on Barrymore's persona which he says is different than delivering lines in a more modern style...

Merrill residents apprehensive on proposed Kissinger closure (02/18/10)
Final decision time is nearing on the question of whether to close Kissinger Elementary School in Merrill. The Le Mars Community Schools Board is holding a special meeting 7 p.m. tonight (Thursday) for public input and comments regarding proposed budget cuts, which include shuttering the Merrill elementary...

Museum plans 'Spring Preview of Authors (02/16/10)
"Spring Preview of Authors" will put the spotlight on Kingsley during the Plymouth County Historical Museum's first 2010 program Sunday, Feb. 21. The book signing and program will begin at 2 p.m. in the museum's Music Room on the main floor. Doors to the museum will be open from 1-5 p.m...

Earth-friendly ECO Center may be finished within year (02/15/10)
The architect for the planned Education Conservation Opportunities (ECO) Center at Hillview Park near Hinton is getting down to the nuts and bolts. With ground-breaking slated for late spring, representatives from M Plus Architects are telling the Plymouth County Conservation Department it could be using the building for meetings, education and other purposes as soon as Jan. 1, 2011...

Local jazz bands qualify for Iowa Jazz Championships (02/12/10)
Jazz bands at Le Mars Community High School and Gehlen Catholic High School qualified for the Iowa Jazz Championships April 13 in Des Moines. Both placed second in their respective classes at the NW Iowa District Jazz Competition in Sioux City Feb. 3. LCS will compete in Class 3A and Gehlen Catholic in Class 1A...

Arts Center hosts tattoo, body piercing artists (02/05/10)
About 20 square feet of skin covers the average human body. And nearly every inch is the perfect canvas for the artists now on display at Le Mars Arts Center. This is the first time the Arts Center has displayed any type of body art. The exhibit includes about 60 drawings, paintings and graphic art pieces from five Sioux City body artists: George Owings, Tim McKenny, Rob Hill, Richard Jenkins and Emily Evans...

LCS hosts State Large Group Speech Contest Saturday (02/03/10)
Le Mars Community Schools will host the 2010 State Large Group Speech Contest this Saturday. Nearly 450 groups from 82 schools will be competing, according to Sherri Permeswaran, LCS language arts teacher and speech coach who also serves as contest manager for event...

From biomedical engineering to watercolors: Artist's journey winds its way to Le Mars (01/26/10)
A teacher told Jean Weiner she was born to paint. This affirmation came not during the Le Mars woman's high school career or even her college or graduate studies. It came after Weiner was in her early forties, had worked successfully in biomedical engineering, had two children and had battled a rare form of cancer...

Winter predictions: Plenty of snow, ice ahead (01/25/10)
"Some say the world will end in fire, Some say in ice..." Le Mars readers of Robert Frost's famous poem might lean toward the latter with the latest bout of freezing rain, ice and blowing snow glazing the region. The predictions for February and March weather seem to pile on more evidence...

Practice, practice, practice for LCS large group speech students (01/21/10)
The winter weather has not been kind to Le Mars Community High School's large group speech students. "Given the number of times we've had to cancel for weather, I feel the kids have come through wonderfully, stepping up and practicing outside of our time together," large group speech coach Erin Ohrlund explained...

Adults play BINGO, win prizes for library reading challenge (01/21/10)
BINGO: that's the name of the game for the second annual Adult Winter Reading Challenge, which begins Monday, Jan. 25 at the Le Mars Public Library. The challenge, which ends on March 28, is open to ages 18 and older. "We wanted to provide a challenge for people during the winter; we wanted to have them do something they don't normally do," said Sue Kroesche, Director of the Le Mars Public Library...

Kingsley author to share at cowboy poetry event (01/19/10)
A Kingsley man will be taking the stage at a free cowboy poetry and western music event at the Stockyard Heritage Days in Sioux City. Rich Krosch, of Kingsley, author and retired teacher, will be sharing some of his cowboy poetry at 7 p.m. Thursday in the Tyson Events Center/Gateway arena...

Pratt wins Ice Cream Days logo contest (01/19/10)
This year's Ice Cream Days logo winner is Gehlen Catholic freshman, Catherine Pratt. Catherine, the oldest daughter of Kevin and Ruth Pratt, of Le Mars, wanted to create a design for this year's logo of ice cream products other than cones or cups. She chose ice cream novelties...

Le Mars Area Dialysis plans Valentine's Day Dance (01/18/10)
Get ready for music and fun at the Le Mars Area Dialysis Services Third Annual Valentine's Day Dance set for Saturday, Feb. 13, at the Le Mars Convention Center upper level from 7:30 to 11:30 p.m. "The Magnificent Board of Directors" return this year as the featured entertainment...

Grade school students discover culture through music (01/15/10)
Thursday, Le Mars Community Schools elementary students listened to Lauren Pelon, of Red Wing, Minn., as she played a variety of musical sounds from many countries and cultures. Pelon's collection ranges from the ancient bone flute, gemshorn and lyre to a modern electric wind instrument and vocal processor...

Riding the air waves: Boehm connects to the world through radio (01/13/10)
It doesn't look like a hub of international communication. But that's exactly what Donald and Harriet Boehm's cozy green house, tucked into the quiet streets of Merrill, is. Don has spoken with people from every state in the nation and on all seven continents...

Horse tales: Krosch goes from riding to writing (01/06/10)
Driving by Rich Krosch's farm, people might have noticed what looked like a zebra grazing in the pasture. They weren't too far from the truth. Krosch's son Scott wanted to be chosen for the reality TV show "Survivor: Africa." In an effort to get noticed on his video application, Scott borrowed a white mare and painted the horse striped with livestock paint to look like its wild African cousin...

LCS board OKs eight resignations (12/31/09)
The resignations of seven Le Mars Community School District teachers and one administrator, were approved by the Le Mars Community School Board of Education at their Monday meeting. They will leave the district with a total of 207 years of service to education...

Chamber, Museum offer New Year's Eve entertainment (12/29/09)
Two New Year's Eve events will offer area residents an opportunity to ring in the new year and also raise money for comunity projects and the preservation of the area's history. New this year is the Le Mars Chamber of Commerce New Year's Eve Dance at the Le Mars Convention Center upper level...

The Mighty Nish guarantees to keep dancers on their feet (12/28/09)
Thursday, Le Mars will bring in the new year to the sound of rock 'n roll with guitars, drums and an accordion. That's right, an accordion. Hailing from Harlan, Iowa, the Mighty Nish Band will be playing its show from 9 p.m., New Year's Eve, to 1 a.m., New Year's Day for the Le Mars Chamber of Commerce New Year's day celebration...

Museum ball tickets now on sale (12/23/09)
Tickets are now on sale at Lally's East Side Restaurant in Le Mars for "New York! New York!," a New Year's Eve Ball sponsored annually in "Old Central" gym by the Plymouth County Historical Museum in Le Mars. Tickets also can be purchased at the museum during open hours, every day from 1-5 p.m. except Mondays. Tickets are available at the door on the night of the dance...

Try out for "I Hate Hamlet" comedy next week (12/21/09)
Auditions for the Le Mars Community Theater's production of "I Hate Hamlet" are next week. Tryouts are from 7-8:30 p.m. Monday and Tuesday, Dec. 28 and 29 at the Postal Playhouse, 105 First St. N.E., Le Mars. Three women and three men are needed for the cast, and no preparation is needed prior to auditions...

A story of dots and dashes: Navy radioman's story began with Morse code (12/11/09)
When Tom Leaverton was a boy, he and his friend used to follow that friend's older brother-in-law -- a telegrapher -- around and watch him send Morse code messages. When he gave the boys each a telegraph key, Leaverton and his buddy strung a wire down the one-block alley between their houses in Sioux City and tried their hand at Morse code...

Le Mars Chamber plans New Year's Eve dance (12/11/09)
Live music, dancing, snacks, noisemakers and fun -- that's what awaits the people attending the Le Mars Chamber of Commerce New Year's Eve Dance. The Main Street Organizational Committee will be hosting a New Year's Eve dance Thursday, Dec. 31, in the upper level of the Le Mars Convention Center...

Westfield filmmaker's Christmas work debuts (12/10/09)
A movie that involved dozens of volunteers, scenery in four U.S. states and Scotland, 120 bible verses and a herd of sheep near Westfield is hitting screens across the nation. Westfield native Josh Martyn, director of the film, has finished his work on "The Greatest Gift Ever."...

Museum plans New Year's ball (12/10/09)
"New York! New York!" once again will be the theme for the New Year's Eve Ball at the Plymouth County Historical Museum Thursday, Dec. 31, in Le Mars. This year's ball is being billed as a family event. The evening will include a children's movie in the Music Room for those wishing to bring children or grandchildren...

Change from basketball to baritone a blessing, Embree says (12/08/09)
"I am so very grateful for the life I have been able to have. I am indeed one really lucky man," says singer Marc Embree. "I could not have imagined, not in my most extravagant dreams the great experiences and extraordinary people that have touched my life."...

Remsen native propels Osmond to the top (12/01/09)
"Hamster, we did it!" That's the text message Donny Osmond sent Remsen native Adam Gentz after taking home the Dancing with the Stars trophy Nov. 24. Gentz, Osmond's personal trainer, had been working with the singer for three months in Las Vegas to build the strength, agility and endurance to dance his way to the top in the TV competition...

Local fitness business owners get building into shape (11/27/09)
Getting fit doesn't always have to mean jogging. That's the idea behind the two new fitness businesses opening up in a building on Business Highway 75. In The Rhythmz Health and Fitness and Raise the Bar Fitness began business this month in a building that was formerly home to Bomgaars and later Dollar General, just south of the Le Mars Truck Stop...

Family brings new life to former church (11/25/09)
The former St. Catherine Church in Westfield has a new calling -- to become a family's home. In September, Chris and Joni Vondrak purchased the former Catholic church and along with their children Emily, 14, Joe, 10, Frankie, 9, and Molly, 6, are working to make it into a home...

Storming the stage: Behind the scenes with Crimson and Black (11/13/09)
Spotlights flare up. Energy hums. Color flashes. Crimson and Black takes the stage -- and once again sweeps the audience to its feet, roaring with approval. This is the Le Mars Community High School show choir, which has built regional fame on hours of sweat and singing...

Courthouse annex building ready for architect's cost estimate (11/12/09)
The Plymouth County Supervisors are ready to send a floor plan for a proposed courthouse annex building to architects to receive cost estimates on the design. The supervisors' consensus Tuesday came after further review of the changes they have made to the layout of the proposed annex building the past few weeks...

LCS actors draw from experience in 'I Remember Mama' (11/10/09)
The year is 1910. In the spotlight is a Norwegian immigrant family, just scraping by in America. But the Hansons are not your average family. Before the curtain falls on Le Mars Community School's fall play "I Remember Mama," the audience will get tangled in the family's wayward family tree...

Play brings Helmers back to the stage (11/05/09)
Marilyn Helmers began acting in Le Mars Community Theatre productions 30 years ago. "In the early years there was hardly a play I wasn't in," said Helmers, who moved to Le Mars in 1959. That was before a medical condition sidelined her performances a few years ago...

Quilters cut and stitch for wounded military personnel (10/06/09)
A one-time quilt project turned into a bit more for Becky Wiersma and a group of quilters from the Le Mars area. In May, 30 quilt tops were shown as part of the Red, White and Blue Challenge's American Hero Quilts project. Wiersma had heard of the project, which provides quilts for injured soldiers at Fort Lewis' Madigan Medical Hospital in Washington state and other military hospitals, from quilting friends on the Internet...

Horn blowing earns student honor of being Marine musician (10/05/09)
Kris Ohrlund began playing the tuba eight years ago. In September that choice paid off when the Le Mars Community High School senior's musical talent earned him a seat playing with the U.S. Marine Corps Band. "They play all over the world," Ohrlund said. "They play for the President, for basic training graduations and the National Anthem at professional games."...

Men will strap on women's shoes to create awareness (09/25/09)
Nearly 30 local men will step into women's fancy red heels next month to raise Domestic Violence awareness as they "Walk a Mile in Her Shoes." These male volunteers will be showing off their footwear while emphasizing the importance of men being more involved in stopping violence against women at the Oct. 10 event...

Families' chalk drawings color downtown Le Mars (09/21/09)
Moms, dads, children, sisters, brothers, grandparents having fun together -- that's what the Le Mars Chalk Art Festival was all about. Families, like the Murphys, were already hard at work Saturday morning, the first day of the weekend festival. "Grandma had a fun idea for us to come down and draw," Mia Tardive said of her mom. "We do a lot of things together as a family."...

Chalk Art Festival this weekend (09/18/09)
The Le Mars Chalk Art Festival will take to the streets for the first time this weekend. Starting at 10 a.m. Saturday and running through Sunday, artists from Le Mars to as far away as Ohio will be chalking up the streets and sidewalks of downtown Le Mars and more...

Le Mars ready for chalk artists this weekend (09/17/09)
Le Mars is gearing up for its first Chalk Art Festival this weekend and conditions seem just right for success. The weather forecast promises sunny weather with only slight chances for rain late Sunday night. Several vendors and restaurants will provide a variety of foods for people to enjoy during the festival...

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