Executive Changes

Cycle Country chairman resigns amidst allegations of misappropriated funds (01/12/10)
Cycle Country Accessories Corp. announced Friday that it uncovered a misappropriation of funds by its Chairman of the Board of Directors L. G. (Bob) Hancher, Jr. The discovery occurred in connection with the audit of the company's financial statements for the period ending Sept. ...

Governor appoints Clay County native IDED director (12/29/09)
DES MOINES -- Governor Chet Culver continued his efforts to reorganize state government by making two new appointments for key government positions. In addition, the Governor took further steps to streamline state government by moving a key housing program from the Department of Economic Development to the Iowa Finance Authority...

Board members, legislators mull over upcoming legislative session (12/17/09)
Spencer school board members have received predictions, as well as advance warnings, from three area legislators in regard to what challenges the district's coffers and local taxpayers' wallets may expect in response to Iowa's budget shortfall and across-the-board cuts ordered by the governor. During a nighttime work session held this week, Sen. David Johnson, Reps. Royd Chambers and Mike May told the locally-elected representatives that the upcoming legislative session will probably be a "compressed situation" that will be "all about budget and very little about policy." ...

Group advancing Silver Lake improvements (10/09/09)
Although there are four Silver Lakes in Iowa -- in Dickinson, Worth, Delaware and Palo Alto counties -- a group interested in the 640-acre body of water in Palo Alto County formally organized this week, with intentions of making more improvements around their recently-developed lake. The group met until the late hours of Monday night, deciding it's time to incorporate as a nonprofit organization in order to see this goal through...

Spencer among 'Great Place' grant recipients (08/08/09)
Gov. Chet Culver and Lt. Gov. Patty Judge recently announced funding for a pair of local projects as part of the five-year-old Iowa Great Places program. The city will receive $85,000 for a Spencer Community Theatre remodeling and expansion effort. Another $80,000 grant will go toward boulevard and bridge enhancements along the Grand Avenue corridor...

County, former employee settle federal lawsuit (03/05/09)
A former Clay County employee will receive a $105,000 settlement from the county's insurance provider to settle a dispute over her 2007 dismissal. Sally L. Becker, a former employee in the Clay County Treasurer's and Recorder's offices, filed a wrongful termination lawsuit against the county on Dec. 27, 2007, at the U.S. District Courthouse in Sioux City...

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.. ...

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...

Spencer graduate to run state recovery agency (02/10/09)
Gov. Chet Culver announced Thursday that Major General Ron Dardis, the retiring commander of the Iowa National Guard, will serve as Executive Director of the Rebuild Iowa Office effective February 9. Dardis was raised in the Spencer-Ruthven area and graduated from Spencer in 1961. His mother, Zerena, still lives in Spencer...

STATE'S ISAC BOARD SWORN IN (02/07/09)
Gary Anderson, Appanoose County Sheriff, was elected to serve as the 2009 President of the Iowa State Association of Counties (ISAC) Board of Directors during the ISAC Fall School of Instruction. Anderson's term as President began on Jan. 1, 2009. Iowa State Senator Paul McKinley (Senate District 36) swore in Anderson and other members of the ISAC Board of Directors during the association's January board meeting in Des Moines...

Residents to start tackling school budget cuts Monday (01/17/09)
The 25 "additional" budget packages being offered for consideration by community residents at 7 p.m. Monday night (See "2009-10 Spencer School Additional Budget Packages" on Page 2) total a potential $823,000 worth of staff positions and programs which could be trimmed from Spencer school district's 2009-10 budget...

Superintendent urges watch on collective bargaining discussion, legislative action (12/26/08)
Spencer school board members have been alerted to speculations that state legislators may once again try to pass a new collective bargaining law, among others, in 2009. As Superintendent Greg Ebeling informed them of this recently, he also encouraged board members to contact area legislators and state legislative leaders in regard to the proposed changes, many of which were outlined during the Iowa Association of School Boards annual convention, held in mid-November in Des Moines...

Amis inducted into Iowa Fair Hall of Fame (12/17/08)
The Board of Directors of the Association of Iowa Fairs inducted Everett Amis of Greenville in Clay County into the Association of Iowa Fair's "Hall of Fame". The honor was presented to the Everett at the Awards Banquet during the Association's 2008 Conference and Annual Meeting, which was held Dec. 5-7 at the Airport Holiday Inn in Des Moines...

Kirschbaum ready to embrace new opportunity (12/12/08)
Bob Kirschbaum, who's also known as Mr. K, isn't viewing Dec. 23 as an end or a goodbye. Instead, the retiring Spencer Assistant Elementary Principal sees it as an opportunity. "People have talked about me retiring and I say, 'I'm really not retiring. I'm graduating from the schools and now going out to the real world and getting a job,'" he said with a smile while seated in his office at Lincoln Elementary this week...

Spencer JCPenney honored with national award (06/04/08)
A local store and its manager have been recognized as being one of the national company's "best-performing teams." Al Phillips, store manager of JCPenney at Southpark Mall in Spencer, was recently presented with the Chairman's Award, the company's highest honor for performance excellence, by Myron "Mike" Ullman III, JCPenney chairman and CEO...

TRIFECTA! (03/20/08)
-Local KFC namedthe 'Best of the Best' for third straight year- The KFCŽ Restaurant at 913 S. Grand Ave. in Spencer has been named "Best of the Best" in KFC operations and customer service. The award-winning restaurant is managed by Bryan Sebastian and Amy Beck...

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