Children

Spencer police charge area man with abuse, possession (12/29/09)
Spencer Police officers were forced to kick in a door and taser 19-year-old Terrell Ramon Alfaro after responding to a call in the 2100 block of 10th Avenue East at 3:37 a.m. on Dec. 24. The entry led to multiple charges include domestic abuse and possession of marijuana with intent to deliver among others...

Rembrandt man face vehicular homicide charge (09/05/09)
Felony charges, including vehicular homicide, have been filed against a Rembrandt man involved in a head-on collision earlier this summer. Troopers from the Iowa State Patrol and deputies from the Buena Vista County Sheriff's Department took 39-year-old Matthew Wrather into custody on Thursday. He was booked into the Buena Vista County Jail on charges of felony homicide by motor vehicle, felony serious injury by motor vehicle and felony child endangerment resulting in death...

Sex offender classification under way (07/16/09)
Technology specialists are reviewing the profiles of about 5,000 Iowans on the state's sex offender registry as part of a new law that attempts to more closely monitor the most dangerous offenders. James Saunders, assistant director for the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation said work is well under way and could be completed in about a month. Beginning July 1, people with a sexual offense in their history were to be classified into three tiers...

Cybercrime unit searches Spencer, Storm Lake homes (05/28/09)
State and federal agents went to three areas homes - two in Spencer and one in Storm Lake - Tuesday after suspicious Internet traffic was detected by authorities. Investigators used Internet Protocol (IP) addresses to trace suspicion of child exploitation to specific computers. Agents then executed the first of three search warrants at about 8 a.m. Tuesday at 1342 S. Grand Plaza Dr., in Spencer. A second search, at 906 Second Ave. SE, was completed just before noon...

School resource officer on council agenda (04/04/09)
Spencer City Council members will consider a plan to sustain the local school resource officer program as part of its meeting Monday night. The request, from Spencer Police Chief Mark Lawson, is on the agenda for the council's regular meeting, which begins at 6:30 p.m. at Spencer City Hall. A finance and personnel meeting begins at 5:30 p.m...

The family that plays together... (04/01/09)
Spencer Middle School students and their parents enjoyed an evening together Tuesday at the Student/Parent Interactive Night. Dinner was served followed by games of action and skill. Pierce Jensen (above) shows off his dance moves during a Name That Tune contest, pitting the parents against the kids. Rachael Getting and Olivia Baxter share a laugh after missing the return in a game of Super Volleyball against their elders...

Spencer teen faces drug distribution charge (04/01/09)
Police charged a 15-year-old Spencer male with possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver after they suspect he was trying to sell pills in the area of the Spencer High School parking lot. The charge could carry an enhanced penalty because the alleged crime took place within 1,000 feet of a school. Officers made the arrest at 10:54 a.m. Friday in the 800 block of East Third Street...

Learn to walk before you jump (03/31/09)
Third and fourth grade students at Fairview (top), Lincoln, Johnson and Sacred Heart elementary schools in Spencer began changing the local culture Monday as they took part in a program aimed at increasing exercise levels. The eight-week program, which will continue through May 22 and is funded in part through a grant from the Department of Transportation, will have students either walking outside or inside their school buildings during their Monday, Wednesday and Friday lunch breaks. ...

Students to learn to start own business (03/27/09)
Entrepreneurship is on the rise as the Iowa Lakes Corridor Development Corporation has expanded its entrepreneurial efforts to include students in grades 7-9. A week-long Entrepreneurship Academy will be held July 27-31 at the Spencer Campus of Iowa Lakes Community College...

Spencer students participate in 'Kick Butts Day' activity (03/26/09)
Students across Iowa rallied against tobacco Wednesday as they joined thousands of young people nationwide for the 14th annual Kick Butts Day, sponsored by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. The specially designated day raised awareness about continued tobacco marketing to kids and the need for Congress to crack down on such practices. ...

School board acts on contract terminations, adopts 2009-10 budget (03/25/09)
Spencer school board members adopted the $19.3 million certified 2009-10 budget presented to them Tuesday. It is based on a 4 percent allowable growth rate and sets the overarching statutory and taxing rate limits for next school year. With some board discussion about changing the Instructional Support Levy (ISL) state income surtax from the current 4 percent to a 5 percent surtax rate next year, specifically with David Schlichtemeier's concerns about making such a move, the board approved a 5 percent ISL rate.. ...

Author/Illustrator coming to Spencer (03/24/09)
Children's author and illustrator Lisa Campbell Ernst will be visiting Spencer elementary schools on March 31. Besides entertaining students, her programs at Johnson, Lincoln and Fairview schools will be designed for parents and community members interested in early childhood education...

Briefs 3-14-09 (03/14/09)
A bird house workshop will be held at 1 p.m. today at Lost Island Nature Center, north of Ruthven. To build a wren house, just bring a hammer. Call (712) 837-4866 for more information. --- A bake sale will be held today at the Southpark Mall. The groups will be: "People to People Ambassador Program" for Devan McCord Fund Raiser and DreamTeam...

Patrick: The woman behind the productions (03/14/09)
Nancy Patrick is what you'd call a true artist. She's not only trained vocally, she's taken piano, organ, saxophone and dance lessons. Even so, she comes by her artistic, creative ways naturally. Patrick, the eighth of 13 children born to the late Sylvester Joseph "S.J." and NaDyne Patrick, was raised to value family, church and education. The native of Mapleton still holds those priorities near and dear today...

Clay Central-Everly students to present Disney's "Beauty and the Beast" (03/14/09)
The Everly school gymnasium promises to transform into a make-believe world filled with whimsy and romance this week when Clay Central-Everly High School students perform Disney's "Beauty and the Beast." With close to 70 CCE students involved in the production -- and many community members also stepping forward to assist with the love story featuring Belle (Jacque Ginger ) and Beast (Kasey Kunzmann) -- Director Nancy Patrick guarantees the big show will delight young and young-at-heart alike...

Briefs 3-13-09 (03/13/09)
A soup and pie fundraiser will be held from 5-8 p.m. tonight at DaySpring Assembly of God Church, 1410 W. 18th St., Spencer. Chef Dr. Darrel Forslund will be serving home-style chicken noodle soup, "27 Spice" chili, and an international selection: Mongolian hot pot soup. Many...

Positively Spencer Youth to host Irish gig (03/12/09)
The ground isn't green yet, but that will be the color of choice for a lot of high school students Saturday night. Positively Spencer Youth is hosting a St. Patrick's Day weekend dance beginning at 9 p.m. Saturday at the ballroom of the Clay County Regional Events Center...

Briefs 3-12-09 (03/12/09)
Spencer City Councilman George Kruger will host a Ward 1 meeting at 7 p.m. tonight at the Spencer Public Library. Bob Fagen, Spencer's city manager, will be the featured guest speaker. --- Spencer Hospital will be holding classes for individuals considered to have "pre-diabetes" -- those with blood sugar levels higher than normal, but not yet high enough to be considered a diabetic. ...

Spencer schools proposing to not change 2009-10 tax asking (03/11/09)
Spencer school board members have previewed preliminary budget numbers for next school year and scheduled a 5:30 p.m. public hearing on Tuesday, March 24 for residents to offer their feedback on the certified budget proposed for 2009-10. A second public hearing is set for the same time and date in regard to a budget amendment proposed for this year in the categories of instruction, total support services, non-instructional programs and total other expenditures...

Newhouse: From student to ILCC's new CEO (03/07/09)
Valerie Newhouse will mark her first day as Iowa Lakes Community College's president on Tuesday, Feb. 17. The 50-year-old woman will be the college's seventh CEO. But unlike her predecessors, Newhouse, a native of West Bend, has strong roots throughout ILCC's five-county area. ...

Quinn grateful for generosity of Iowans (03/04/09)
Jennifer Quinn is one grateful native of Spencer, Iowa. She asked for help in getting her second-grade students at Leadership Preparatory Charter School in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn to see a Broadway production of "The Lion King" this June...

Beaver named new children's librarian (03/04/09)
Sarah Beth (Fuchsen) Beaver has been named the new youth services librarian at Spencer Public Library. Monday, March 23 will mark her first official day on job. The 27-year-old daughter of Tom and Marianne Fuchsen, Spencer, is a 2000 Spencer High School alumna who also graduated from the University of South Dakota at Vermillion. Beaver is currently working to complete her master's degree in library science online from the University of Wisconsin in Milwaukee this December...

Spencer to roll out new district motto (03/03/09)
Spencer school officials plan to unveil a new motto at the start of next school year. A majority of the 1,214 people casting votes on the matter selected "Learning Today...Leading Tomorrow" as the district's new maxim. Focus groups consisting of businesses, students, parents and school staff reviewed 19 potential district mottos this fall. Spencer school board members narrowed the list down to four on Nov. 24...

Six teens will vie for Miss Shamrock Sunday (03/03/09)
The 2009 Miss Shamrock Pageant will be held at 7 p.m., Sunday, March 8 at Corrigan Hall in Emmetsburg. There are six contestants in the pageant. Competition in the Miss Shamrock Pageant includes an interview with the panel of judges, introduction in casual wear, talent performance, formal wear and an on-stage question...

Local veterans pay patriotism forward (02/28/09)
Spencer veterans Norman Bensene, Bob Faulkender and Ken Heimgartner, from left, along with LeRoy Spears, not pictured, participated in an exhibition for area students Friday afternoon on the proper way to fold the U.S. flag. This marks the fourth year that members of the American Legion Glen Pedersen Post No. ...

Pipe bomb found during warrant check (02/28/09)
Time and the judicial process will have to determine the accuracy of a novelty T-shirt worn by Alexander Larson as he was photographed during processing at the Clay County Jail. For now, the 19-year-old Spencer man -- who in his mug shot sports a T-shirt that features a definition of the word "loser" -- faces some fairly serious charges...

District patrons asked for help (02/28/09)
Spencer school board members have voted to reduce up to $741,812 from next year's budget. Right before they did so, though, board member Ed VerSteeg apologized to the area residents who had gathered in the standing-room-only conference room Thursday night. By that point, board members had listened to well over two hours of public comments...

Board makes final budget decision (02/27/09)
With a few tears shed, a handful of harsh words exchanged and plenty of emotional public input, Spencer school board members voted to keep nine items above the cut line for 2009-10 Thursday night. At a cost of $348,176, these included an elementary classroom teacher, a vocational agriculture instructor and FFA sponsor position, the debate program, the mock trial and boys swimming programs, a high school social studies instructor, two middle school basketball coaches' salaries, a $103,593 package tied to full-time benefits for 15 teacher and library associates, and Activities Director Roger Johnson's position.. ...

Norgaard at Shaky Tree tonight (02/26/09)
Amber Norgaard will be performing at Shaky Tree Coffeehouse at 7:30 p.m, tonight,. with a $5 suggested donation. Norgaard currently makes her home in Tuscon, Ariz., where she is a singer/songwriter. The rock performer, described as the love child of Sarah McLachlan, Natalie Merchant and Melissa Etheridge is a former Iowa farm girl. Her song, "Rectify," was selected for the Women of Rock compilation CD...

Getting ready for a trip to the 'Well' (02/26/09)
The Spencer Tigers will open girls state tournament play at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines Tuesday, March 3 against No. 8 Pella or No. 9 Knoxville. Game time is set for 8 p.m. -- the final 3A game of the day. Pella, the defending state runner-up to Sioux City Heelan, is making its third straight trip to the state tournament. The Tigers are making their second back-to-back appearance since 2002-03...

Spencer administration to take hit in 2009-10 budget cuts (02/25/09)
As Spencer school board members readjusted potential items and positions they plan to reduce next school year to keep the district's general fund balance in the black during a work session held last night, two people's positions -- a maintenance person and the activities director role -- and a portion of a third person's were dropped below the cut line. The moves, which followed feedback received during a public hearing held Saturday, would put potential reductions at the $700,000 mark...

The moral of the story is ... (02/24/09)
As the Spencer High School students enrolled in Michele Dirkx's Creative Writing class huddled in Fairview's hallway near the elementary school building's office Monday morning prior to reading the children's stories they'd written and illustrated, they were instructed by their teacher to do four things:...

Budget cuts concern district patrons (02/24/09)
Members of the Spencer School Board now have two hours of feedback to consider as they re-stack the priorities for another difficult round of budget cuts. Spencer School District Superintendent Greg Ebeling said the district needs to reduce its budget by about $700,000 due, mostly, to continued enrollment declines. He and the Spencer School Board identified 34 areas for potential reduction in a list handed out to district patrons at a public hearing Saturday morning...

Families work to save activities (02/24/09)
Youth music programs, the local Future Farmers of America chapter, the boys swim team, debate and mock trial were identified in a list of reductions as the Spencer School District tries to shave about $700,000 from the 2009-10 budget. The district held a public hearing Saturday that drew students and their families in an effort to keep their activities off the chopping block...

Board suggests residents pay for some transportation (02/21/09)
Spencer school board members threw a late twist in their 2009-10 budget-cutting discussions Thursday night as they moved to reduce discretionary in-town busing and turn it into a pay-for situation. The very last motion made during the evening work session -- approved 3-2, with Todd Korbitz and Marti Bomgaars dissenting, -- moved the $25,127 discretionary transportation item below the proposed cut line...

CCE looking to trim 2009-10 budget (02/21/09)
Clay Central-Everly school board members officially heard from Superintendent Monte Montgomery this week that they'll need to trim approximately $100,000 from next year's budget. "We are going to have a smaller budget than we had this year, and this year's was smaller than last year," Montgomery told them in regard to CCE's projected 2009-10 budget figures...

School board to act on 2009-10 reductions next week (02/21/09)
The Spencer Community Schools Board of Education will convene a special meeting at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 24 to make adjustments to potential 2009-10 budget reduction packages following feedback received during a 10 a.m. public hearing on the matter today...

Singing the praises of George Washington Carver (02/21/09)
Opera Iowa performed before for third through sixth grade students attending Spencer schools Friday morning at the old high school auditorium. The collective performers told the story: "A Dream Fulfilled - The Saga of George Washington Carver," detailing the rise, in Iowa, of one of the first men to break the color barrier. ...

Board continues budget discussions, preparations for Saturday hearing (02/20/09)
Due to the late conclusion of Thursday night's Spencer school board meeting, check out a review of what occurred during this work session in Saturday's Daily Reporter. During this meeting, the board reviewed the "additional" budget packages being considered for 2009-10 reduction, input received on each, and then created an initial ranking of them. ...

Opera Iowa offers student, adult performances today (02/20/09)
Opera Iowa is in Spencer today, offering multiple performances for area students, during the day, then again at 7:30 p.m. tonight. The student performance of "A Dream Fulfilled" will begin at 10 a.m. The Opera Iowa participants will provide a clinic -- "What's My Aria" -- beginning at 1:40 p.m., for high school; and 1:46 p.m. and 2:29 p.m. - dealing with singers and vocal styles -- for the middle school students...

Trustees name Newhouse new college president (02/19/09)
Less than a week after former President Dr. Harold Prior tendered his resignation to the The Iowa Lakes Community College Board of Trustees in a specialy scheduled meeting, the board members named a new college President at its regularly scheduled meeting Tuesday afternoon...

Spencer Hospital campaign yields results (02/19/09)
"Words cannot explain, what this will mean to my father," Christine Mehan shared as she gazes upon the pile of gifts that were left by hospital employees and area citizens. Her father, Gary Knoer, one of Spencer Hospital's emergency department's nurses, will be the hand on the other side of the world which will help pass the many school supplies donated to benefit Afghanistan children. ...

School board considering $1.09 million for potential reduction (02/18/09)
As Spencer school board members prepare to enter a work session focused on potential budget cuts associated with next year's budget Thursday night, they added to the paperwork and insights they've compiled to date with additional input garnered last night from local residents who've volunteered to serve on a budget reduction input committee (BRIC)...

CCE students advance to State Science + Technology Fair of Iowa (02/18/09)
Did you know that of the different types of music, classical music stimulates plant growth best? Another fact: Wood shavings and leaves combust better than cattle manure and bean meal. Forty-three Clay Central-Everly (CCE) seventh and eighth grade students showcased research projects such as these they've been working on since the start of second semester Tuesday afternoon in an annual science fair held in the Royal gym. ...

UDMO Head Start earns national accreditation (02/17/09)
Upper Des Moines Opportunity's Clay County Head Start Birth to Five program is among the first early childhood program to earn accreditation from the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) -- the nation's leading organization of early childhood professionals. ...

Bishop names Olberding interim superintendent of Catholic Schools (02/14/09)
The Most Reverend R. Walker Nickless, bishop of the Diocese of Sioux City recently announced the appointment of Spencer's Ron Olberding as interim superintendent of Catholic Schools. Olberding has been principal at Sacred Heart Elementary School in Spencer since 1991, and principal at Pocahontas Elementary School since 2007. ...

Area superintendents respond to lawmaker's proposed school mergers (02/11/09)
An Iowa lawmaker wants to speed up the consolidation of school districts in the state. State Sen. Matt McCoy, a Democrat from Des Moines, says he will introduce a bill to force about two-thirds of Iowa's districts to merge. He wants to target districts with fewer than 750 students, and free up tens of millions of dollars in administrative costs that could be spent on teachers and students...

Area search under way for 'Kids Against Hunger' volunteers (02/10/09)
Area volunteers are being sought to take part in a March 7 event that'll not only be fun, but is guaranteed to fill the heart. The service project anticipated to be filled with fellowship will have interested individuals and groups signing up to package meals for Kids Against Hunger...

CCE students: Have business, will sell product (02/07/09)
Clay Central/Everly students in Liz Kardell's Introduction to Business class are learning what it takes to run a business from the ground up. They're evaluating and re-evaluating every decision they make, as well as staying accountable to one another...

Vienna Boys Choir to Perform in Spencer (02/07/09)

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