Aircraft Parts Manufacturing

Clay County collector, retrofitter farms with 'working antiques' (10/03/08)
When Lindell "Pete" Petersen began combining Monday night, he was excited to also initiate the process of familiarizing himself with a new implement. The Clay County farmer, who had traded his combine in two months ago, was recently told his former piece of equipment is now harvesting crops in Mexico...

Ambassadors visit JT Toads (10/02/08)
Jim and Loretta Schooley welcomed the Spencer Ambassadors to their new business, JT Toads at 521 Grand Ave. Jim said the business has a goal to provide the best coffee beans that Iowa has to offer. The business is a micro-roaster, importing beans from around the world, using all organic beans, free from flavoring or chemicals. ...

Briefs 10-2-08 (10/02/08)
Join us at MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) from 9-11 a.m. today at Hope Reformed Church in the Fellowship Hall. This year's theme "Adventure" will be featured at the meeting. Come find out what it is all about. There will be an abundance of fun and fellowship, with food and drinks provided by the Steering Committee...

ILCC students aid in data collection (09/11/08)
Fairgoers will be able to offer their opinions on just how good the Clay County Fair is when they complete a survey at the fair this year. Iowa Lakes Community College, the Clay County Fair and the Clay County Auditor's office will be cooperating for the 11th year in a row to survey fairgoers about their opinions...

Iowa Lakes Corridor announces success attracting new residents (09/11/08)
One late night back in May, Aaron Schulz, former resident of Lakeville, Minn., sent an e-mail to Shaun Arneson, vice president with Iowa Lakes Corridor Development Corporation inquiring about jobs here in the region. The next morning, his resume was sent to more than 70 employers. By the end of the day, Aaron had two job interviews scheduled...

Competitive markets group to host fair event (09/11/08)
A shrinking number of seed companies has some lawmakers and industry groups concerned about escalating costs in the seed industry. State Rep. Marcie Frevert of Emmetsburg is one of the hosts for an event titled "Taking it Back: Bringing Fairness and Competition Back to the Seed Industry for Our Farmers."...

ISU Extension Connections at the Clay County Fair (09/05/08)
The public is invited to make an ISU Extension Connection during the 2008 Clay County Fair, Sept. 6-14. Visit the Ag Learning Center (Stub's Stable Building) just west of the small animal barn and connect with ISU Extension staff from northwest Iowa. ISU Extension Field Specialist and County Directors will be on hand to share information, answer questions, and visit with you about what ISU Extension can do for you...

BatschStein Salsa to add zest to fair (09/04/08)
Iowa's "fine home-made" BatschStein Salsa is now a limited liability corporation. Company founders Ethan Batschelet, 18, and Tyler Steinkamp, 20, began making their Clay County-based concoction when they amassed an extra-bountiful harvest of vegetables in 2006. Today's fine-tuned BatschStein Salsa recipe comes in mild, medium, hot and "super nova" varieties. The duo estimate they've prepared 600 pint jars of salsa between this spring and late summer...

Farm expo planned at Iowa Lakes Community College Farm Lab (09/04/08)
The Farm Lab of Iowa Lakes Community College will host its annual Farm Field Day and Expo on Thursday, Sept. 4. All area residents, as well as past alumni of Iowa Lakes, are invited to tour the Palo Alto Corn and Soybean Growers Association plot, various agricultural exhibits and the Farm Laboratory starting at 4:30 p.m...

ISU Extension Connections at the Clay County Fair (09/02/08)
The public is invited to make an ISU Extension Connection during the 2008 Clay County Fair, Sept. 6-14. Visit the Ag Learning Center (Stub's Stable Building) just west of the small animal barn and connect with ISU Extension staff from northwest Iowa. ISU Extension Field Specialist and County Directors will be on hand to share information, answer questions, and visit with you about what ISU Extension can do for you...

OCM to host event at Clay County Fair (08/29/08)
LINCOLN, Neb. -- The Organization for Competitive Markets (OCM) is sponsoring a major event to raise awareness about concentration of market power in the seed industry and the impacts on rural Iowa. The event, "Taking It Back: Bringing Fairness and Competition Back to the Seed Industry for Our Farmers," will be held from 6-8 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 11, in the 4H building at the Clay County fairgrounds in Spencer...

Briefs 8-29-08 (08/29/08)
A retirement coffee for Elmer Williams, city of Spencer street superintendent, will take place from 2-4 p.m. today in council chambers at City Hall. --- The Photography Department will be accepting entries from 12-7 p.m. today and from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 30. The photography department is now located just east of the Pork Producers Chop Shop and directly south of the outdoor horse arena. Pre-registration is encouraged...

Clay County Growers annual field day (08/29/08)
Following a steak dinner, the 2008 Clay County Growers' "field day" featured Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey, Iowa State University College of Agriculture Dean Dr. Wendy Wintersteen, Dr. Palle Pedersen, an ISU soybean specialist, plot manager Dave Hessman and Paul Kassel, an ISU Extension area agronomist, as speakers Thursday evening in the Clay County Regional Events Center. ...

Briefs 8-19-08 (08/19/08)
The Iowa Great Lakes Region Antique Automobile Club will be on display through Sunday, Aug. 24 at the Southpark Mall in south Spencer. Car enthusiasts and history buffs will enjoy this display. On Aug. 24 The Hands of Harmony Swinging Seniors will be entertaining us at 2:30 p.m. Come enjoy the display and entertainment...

VeraSun to fire up Hartley plant (08/16/08)
VeraSun Energy Corp. on Thursday announced the startup of its 110 million gallon per year ethanol biorefinery near Hartley. The Hartley plant is the 13th VeraSun biorefinery in operation. The opening pushed the company's annual production capacity to more than 1.3 billion gallons. "We are pleased to bring our Hartley ethanol biorefinery into production," said VeraSun CEO Don Endres, in a statement. "It is one of the largest and most efficient facilities in the nation...

Milford woman wins Iowa Lottery promotion (08/13/08)
DES MOINES -- A northwest Iowa woman drove away from the Iowa State Fair in a new, 2008 four-wheel drive Chevy Tahoe Hybrid®, the grand-prize in the Iowa Lottery's "Set of Wheels" promotion. Nancy Fear of Milford was selected as the grand-prize winner in the promotion drawing Thursday on the Susan Knapp Amphitheater stage at the Iowa State Fairgrounds. Fear said she was excited to share the news with her adult children...

Briefs 8-13-08 (08/13/08)
St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Hartley, is sponsoring a community-wide benefit for the family of Jan Hall to help defray medical bills incurred during Jan's battle with illness. The free-will dinner and auction will be held at the Hartley Community Center on Thursday, Aug. ...

Briefs 8-12-08 (08/12/08)
Losing a loved one is indescribable to someone who has not felt the loss of death. Hospice of Northwest Iowa's professional team understands the tragedy of losing a loved one and they identify with the difficult decisions and emotions that the person left behind faces. To help people cope with the death of a loved one, Hospice of Northwest Iowa is offering an 8-week Understanding Grief Support Group. The group will meet each Wednesday evening through Sept. 24 from 6:30-8 p.m...

Car enthusiasts showcase beauties (08/12/08)
The Old Iron Company's 30th Annual Micro-Mini Nationals celebration brought hundreds of drivers and passengers of classic, custom, street rods and muscle cars to Spencer and Arnolds Park this past weekend. Over 200 registrants from Iowa, Minnesota, Illinois, Wisconsin, Missouri, Kansas and Arizona arrived in Spencer Friday night for a kickoff party and car show, where this gray 1937 Chevrolet owned by John Vetter of Ames and this red 1957 Chevrolet owned by Jim and Paulette Tuton of Spencer were displayed. ...

Chicago theater unites four Spencer grads (08/12/08)
In what seem to have been several "fated" coincidences, four Spencer High School graduates, all of whom were bitten locally by the theater bug, have connected in Chicago. Known for its intimate "storefront" theaters that seat between 30 and 100 people, Josh Odor, Ben Fuchsen, Aaron DeYoung and Eric Van Tassell can all testify to the inner workings of the "The Windy City's" theaters...

Pilot walks away from 'gear up landing' (08/12/08)
The pilot of a 1960 Beachcraft Bonanza walked away from the scene of a plant crash at the Spirit Lake Airport, located in Okoboji, Sunday night at approximately 7:30 p.m. Arnolds Park/Okoboji Fire and Rescue was dispatched to the airport at approximately 7:36 p.m. for an airplane that had crashed upon landing. Upon arrival of the department, it was determined that pilot, Bill McGinn of Council Bluff's, the only person on board the plane at the time of the accident, was not injured...

Briefs 8-06-08 (08/06/08)
Losing a loved one is indescribable to someone who has not felt the loss of death. Hospice of Northwest Iowa's professional team understands the tragedy of losing a loved one and they identify with the difficult decisions and emotions that the person left behind faces. To help people cope with the death of a loved one, Hospice of Northwest Iowa is offering an 8-week Understanding Grief Support Group. The group will meet each Wednesday evening through Sept. 24 from 6:30-8 p.m...

Autocross competition in Spencer this Saturday (08/05/08)
Needing some speed? Spectators and drivers alike are invited to watch and participate in the University of Okoboji Corvette Club's autocross competition being held this Saturday at the Spencer airport. Speeds are expected to reach up to 80 mph. Corvettes, modified cars and automobiles of any make or model will race, rain or shine...

Soybean producers invited to Everly event (08/05/08)
Interested farmers from Crop District 1 in northwest Iowa are invited to hear from two Iowa State University (ISU) experts at a special event sponsored by the Iowa Soybean Association (ISA) and the Iowa Pork Producers Association on August 19. The event, which is part of ISA's All in a Day's Work program, will feature ISU Climatologist Elwynn Taylor talking about crop weather in 2008 and beyond and Professor of Economics Dermot Hayes on balancing food and fuel and the prospects for pork exports...

Briefs 8-02-08 (08/04/08)
The American Legion Hall in north Spencer will be hosting an omelet breakfast from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 3. Enjoy omelets, homemade cinnamon rolls, coffee, juice and milk. Open to the public. Free will offering. --- The Spencer Area Farmers Market will be held every Wednesday and Saturday, from 7:30 a.m. to 12 p.m., in the Southpark Mall parking lot. Come see the homegrown, fresh produce for sale...

Briefs 7-31-08 (07/31/08)
Registrations for the Spencer 3-6 grade teams, part of the Midwest Youth Football League, will only be accepted until tonight. A final registration will take place at Scharnbrg Park's shelter house from 6-8 p.m. tonight. At that time, late registrations who haven't had their sizes taken yet will be fitted. ...

Rare Boeing 40C crashed in Oregon in 1928 (07/26/08)
By Jim Camden Spokesman-Review staff writer When the big Boeing biplane lifts off from Felts Field this afternoon, its open cockpit and wood-paneled passenger cabin will carry the history of American aviation back into the skies. It will fly again after nearly 70 years on a mountainside, a few years in a horse trailer, and nine years in a hangar at Felts, where some 61 volunteers spent about 18,000 hours meticulously restoring it to life...

Firecracker 50 debuts at Clay County Speedway (07/10/08)
Chad Simpson made his own fireworks as he drove the World Dirt Racing League win at Clay County Speedway. Simpson would lead all fifty laps despite a series of caution flags that kept the field close. Chad Simpson (Mount Vernon, IA) started on the outside front row and had the lead as he and pole-sitter Denny Eckrich came off of turn two. Simpson rode the top shelf to the win all night...

Jack and the Beanstalk opens July 8 (07/09/08)
In this age-old story, Jack and his mother are struggling as prices and taxes rise. During Jack's search for help he climbs an enormous beanstalk and discovers a giant's world! Jack must rescue the singing harp and goose that lays golden eggs before the giant discovers him...

Curiel's art-inspired vision building area's skill sets (07/01/08)
Louis "Tony" Curiel was mentored by several "substantial and influential people" during his student days at Rio Hondo Community College in California. The noted neon-glass blowing craftsman is returning that favor today at the Curiel/Reynolds School of Visual Arts...

Northwest Bank Relay Riders generate $20,000 (06/23/08)
Northwest Bank Executive Vice President, Greg Post, and Spencer Market President, Dean Jacobsen raised over $20,000 by completing their pledged 150 mile bike ride from Estherville to Fort Dodge in 11 hours and 55 minutes. One flat tire, and a hot sun couldn't deter the Northwest Bank team from completing the commitment they made to Relay For Life. ...

Meet Your Neighbor: Chef Overbeck 'can't foresee doing anything else' (06/06/08)
Josh Overbeck answers to "Josh," "Joshua" if his mother says it, and "Chef." The 25-year-old has spent more than half his lifetime working in kitchens, fine-tuning his culinary skills. "I've been in kitchens pretty much all of my life," said the Northwood native who moved to Dickinson County four years ago. "I started as a dishwasher, moved up to a fry cook, then to a line cook, and have been running my own kitchen."...

Four arrests made in local vandalism (06/05/08)
Four arrests have been made at the conclusion of a joint investigation by the Spencer and Sioux Rapids police departments, following up on reports of several vandalism incidents where vehicle tires and windows were damaged between May 7-15. A subsequent investigation led to criminal mischief first degree charges - a class C felony -- being filed against four indivduals who are believed responsible for damaging over $13,000 in property in Spencer...

Living History Day to highlight Father's Day events at Parker (06/03/08)
Bring the family to Parker Museum from 1-4 p.m., on Father's Day, June 15 for an afternoon of family fun at Living History Day. The afternoon will feature displays and hands on activities about the Amazing Grain--Corn. Admission to the museum grounds will be $5 for adults and $3 for children 5-12 years, 4 and under are free or a family admission of $15...

2008 Clay County Pork Producers scholarships awarded (05/30/08)
The Clay County Pork Producers recently awarded eight high school seniors with scholarships totaling $4,200. These scholarships, which are awarded at the beginning of the second semester of college, were awarded to: Heather Clark, the daughter of Steve and Jolene Clark of Hartley. She is a graduate of Clay Central/Everly (CCE) High School and plans to attend the University of Northern Iowa and major in biology...

Clay County teens tantalize taste buds with BatschStein Salsa (05/29/08)
Don't even try to get Tyler Steinkamp and Ethan Batschelet to tell you what the secret ingredient in their salsa is. The two 18-year-old Clay County residents won't disclose the special ingredient that gives their Batschstein Salsa (a combination of their Swiss and German names) its special taste...

Briefs 05-17 (05/17/08)
Kid's Fish Day The Upper Great Plains Muskie Club and Spirit Lake Kiwanis will be hosting a Kid's Fish Day from 1-3 p.m., today at the Spirit Lake Hatchery. The event is open to all kids, ages 6 and over. Kids 6-12 need adult supervision. A free afternoon meal of hot dogs, chips and pop is included. Free t-shirts to the first 100 kids registered by 2 p.m. Teaching stations will be set up on the hatchery grounds to present a wide range of fishing principles by area anglers...

Two 'High School Musical' stars to perform at Clay County Fair (05/17/08)
Corbin Bleu a star of Disney's High School Musical and High School Musical 2 and Drew Seeley, who co-starred with Bleu in the High School Musical: The Concert, will be appearing at the Clay County Fair, Sept. 13 -- the final Saturday night of the fair...

County Growers Field planted (05/15/08)
One hundred corn hybrids were planted in the Clay County Growers Field earlier this month. This marks the 21st year for the corn plot. Projects other than the Corn Hybrid evaluation are a Planting Population study and the use of Fungicide on corn. The corn is on land owned by David and Jan Hopkins and farmed by Al Patten...

Airshow features high-flying talent (05/14/08)
Spencer Airshow Coord-inator for 2008, Gayle Brandt, announced the airshow entertainment line-up for the June 15 annual Flight Show and Flight Breakfast. This year's event, which helps conclude the community's Flagfest activities and also falls on Father's Day, will feature high flying performers Chandy Clanton in her Edge 540, Doug Rozendaal with the "Gunfighter" P51 Mustang, and Kyle Franklin in his "Mystery Ship" Waco...

Essick proud to join family farming operation (04/29/08)
(Women in Agriculture: Part One of a Four-Part Series) Stephanie "Steph" (Harves) Essick, who ranks among the nation's female farmers, doesn't view herself as an agricultural anomaly. Like many Midwestern youth, Essick and her older sister grew up on their Clay County farm riding the bean bar, cultivating row crops and hauling bales of hay...

Council authorizes property purchase (04/29/08)
Members of the Spencer City Council on Monday night authorized the sale of a city lot as part of an economic development package. The vote came during a special meeting of the council. General Machine Works owner Eugene Wood would like land to construct a 110- by 85-foot expansion at a site near West Second Street. The company manufactures electric clutches and hydraulic valves for industrial and farming equipment...

Development project on council agenda (04/26/08)
By Russ Mitchell Daily Reporter Staff Members of the Spencer City Council gather for a special meeting at 5:15 p.m. Monday to consider a property sale for the expansion of General Machine Works. Prospective buyer Eugene Wood would like land to construct a 110- by 85-foot expansion at its West Second Street location. General Machine Works manufactures electric clutches and hydraulic values for industrial and farming equipment...

Council green lights sewer study (04/22/08)
A Storm/Sanitary Sewer Evaluation Study was given the go ahead during Monday night's Spencer City Council meeting. The study will serve as the first step in an extensive process designed to help the city comply with an EPA mandate handed down approximately eight months ago, requiring the city to eliminate its combined storm and sanitary sewer systems...

Support staff negotiations under way in district (03/19/08)
By Kris Todd Daily Reporter Staff Negotiations between the Spencer school district and the non-certified support staff union got under way Tuesday afternoon for the 2008-09 school year. Jack Lasiter, a representative for the United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America, presented the union's initial proposal...