Home Design

Old classroom becomes new home (01/12/10)
Lois Beck is excited about her new home in a Spencer historical landmark. Eager to move Friday afternoon into her brand new apartment in the former Spencer Middle School building, she's already splurged on a new television set to accentuate the space's open floor plan. She's also purchased a Christmas tree, which she plans to proudly display in her dwelling's large set of windows next holiday season. Beck will formally claim the space as her own when her Candlewick and Copenhagen Christmas plates, and the cup and saucer collection started years ago by her mother-in-law are placed in her daughter's former classroom. Cheryl Hurst, Beck's daughter, taught English in the same room that has now been remodeled into her mother's apartment. ...

Steinkamp, Barnett taking the work out of gardening (12/22/09)
Tyler Steinkamp has enjoyed gardening and producing vegetables since second grade. Michael Barnett, who grew up with not a lot of conducive gardening space available, realized last summer while helping his friend pick produce from his yard that he also truly enjoyed the hobby. The two Spencer High School alumni, now South Dakota State University (SDSU) students, have co-partnered to form Personalized Produce LLC. The aim of their business venture is to allow Spencer residents the fruits (or vegetables) of their labor this upcoming growing season. ...

Hospice: 'There is help available' (11/14/09)
Ron Ricketts' cancer started in his lungs, but has metastasized to his brain and into his bones. He was told following a biopsy earlier this year, "There's nothing we can do to help, so you'd be better off just leaving it alone."

William Lieb's sculpture, "Letting Go: A New Reality" (10/20/09)
Spencer's newest piece of public art was set in place over the weekend, overlooking the Little Sioux River and the Grand Avenue bridge, from along the bike paths in East Leach Park. William Lieb's sculpture "Letting Go: A New Reality," paid for by the Spencer Alliance for a Creative Ecnonomy (SPACE) and funded in part by a Renaissance Initiative Grant from the city of Spencer, is part of the 'Sketch Kids' series. ...

Halloween Comes Early (10/08/09)
Children ages 12 and under are encouraged to grab their Halloween costumes and candy bags for a special early night of trick or treating at Scharnberg Park from 6-8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 10. Participants are encouraged to begin at the park's shelter house and make their way through the decorated campground, collecting treats and perhaps some treats from the guests. ...

Parker Historical Society to gain downtown presence (10/02/09)
It seems very appropriate that a business with long ties to the Spencer community has helped to pave the way to a new home for a local organization dedicated to preserving the county's history. A purchase agreement was signed this week between the Parker Historical Society and the owners of Johnston Automotive, which will allow the society to move its offices and exhibition area to the company's Grand Avenue location...

Artists invite public to tour ART sites (10/02/09)
Work by Brad Travis, like the pieces on display at Arts on Grand will be on display at his Artisans Road Trip exhibit in Spirit Lake. The upcoming Artisans Road Trip (ART) is an opportunity for public to see working artists' studios that are located in Spencer and throughout the Corridor region. ...

Labor of love results in win (09/19/09)
A garment sewn with love earned its creator the top prize, Best Overall, in the Textile Division of the Creative Living Center of the Clay County Fair. Cindy McGranahan, who's daytime job is director of the Parker Historical Society of Clay County, took the honor with a wedding dress, designed and sewn for her son's fiancé...

Back Porch Vintage offering whimsical occasional sales (09/15/09)
Sisters Renae Rosenberg and Kay Rose purchased the quaint, yellow house with a porch entry last winter. "We knew it had a lot of potential with a great location close to downtown Grand Avenue in Spencer," Rosenberg said of their newly-opened business located at 9 E. Second St...

Spencer's second religious liberty draft policy (09/10/09)
Any discussion of the place of religion in public education must be grounded in the principle of religious liberty, or freedom of conscience, particularly as embodied in this nation's First Amendment to the Constitution, which states that: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or...

New 3-D printer spurs school, industry partnering (07/28/09)
The addition of a 3-D prototype printer in the Spencer High School (SHS) Tech Ed building is benefiting area industries, while at the same time teaching SHS students marketable skills. Students will be allowed to use it for the first time this upcoming school year. Representatives of Cycle Country, Tecton Industries, Eaton Corp. and Maurer Manufacturing were notified of the Dimension BST1200es printer's arrival in late May. They've been utilizing it ever since.

Peterson artist paints her lifelong passion (07/25/09)
Barb McGee has been drawing them from the time she could hold a pencil. But it wasn't until she turned 13, opened the pages of "Quarter Horse Journal" and saw the beautiful painted equines by Darol Dickinson and the late Orren Mixer that her fate was sealed. ..

Briefs 7/21/09 (07/21/09)
The annual Clay County 4-H Achievement Day will be held on Tuesday, July 21 in the 4-H Auditorium on the Clay County Fairgrounds. The event will begin at 8 a.m. and end about 5 p.m. Achievement Day is a mini-fair for Clay County 4-Hers. Due to the fact that our county youth are in school during the Clay County Fair, this event provides an opportunity for 4-H members to bring their project exhibit work to be judged. ...

Terril home project taking shape (07/18/09)
A home repair and rebuilding ministry aimed at assisting lower-income Clay and Dickinson County families has officially taken off. The work currently being accomplished on a Terril home -- the first project house in need of major repairs approved by local Fuller Center for Housing (FCH) partner board members -- began occurring in May...

Elliott to open Mainstreet Market schedule (07/16/09)
Mainstreet Market is returning to the Clay County courthouse square July 16 for the first of five Thursday evenings of live entertainment, fresh produce, art and food. Chad Elliott will perform on the opening night. Now in its fifth year, Mainstreet Market takes place Thursdays from 5 to 8 p.m. On July 23, it will move downtown for Crazy Days, but the following week it will return to the courthouse square, 215 W. 4th St., Spencer...

Westview Memorial Park master plan approved (06/11/09)
A master plan was approved for Spencer's only arboretum-style park by Spencer Park Board members this week. The plan for Westview Memorial Park, which was presented by local landscape architect Matt Matthiesen and Karl Van Cura of Midwest Design Group in Sioux City, carried a detailed phasing of the enhancements it proposes, as well as a rough $899,046 cost estimate tied to their realization...

Moving day approaches for 'Gary's on the River' project (06/11/09)
The story looked like it was going to end in 1993 for a 111-year-old church along East Fifth Street. That's when a declining, local congregation at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church made the difficult decision to merge with St. Alban's and its Episcopal church congregation in Spirit Lake. Pews were empty, stained glass was dusty; only the local church's signature ivy returned for 16 years...

Fair's Floriculture Department taking reservations (05/29/09)
The Clay County Fair's Floriculture Department is in full bloom and preparing for the 2009 fair, Sept.12 -- 20. Reservations are now being taken for the Saturday Design and Exhibition Table classes and Wednesday Design classes during the fair. As in past years, the Floriculture Department will be continually changing throughout the length of the fair. Exhibits can be found on the north end of the Creative Living Center. The first weekend of the fair will showcase the Gladiolus, with entries being accepted that Saturday until 10:30 a.m. Roses, Arboreal, Annuals and Perennials will be entered beginning at 6:30 p.m. on Sunday night and will be displayed through Wednesday. The Container-grown Plants, Open Class Artistic Arrangements and Collages will be accepted after 6 p.m. on Wednesday and will be displayed throughout Thursday and Friday. Dahlias will round-out the fair with entries being accepted at 6 p.m. Friday, Sept. 19 and will be display until the end of the fair on Sunday. Entries for the design classes do not have to be grown by the exhibitor, but horticulture classes must be grown and entered by the same exhibitor. Although there are currently no specified youth classes, the department welcomes young people to enroll their projects into the open class categories. Beginner entrants or those not interested in making a floral design are encouraged to enter in the Artistic Crafts class. Lots in the class include decorated packages, a corsage or contrived flower ornaments. Exhibitors are welcome to enter their Artistic Crafts at the fair after 6 p.m. on Wednesday and no reservation is needed. The exhibits for this class must include a plant material. Judging will be continual throughout the fair, as the different classes are on display. Judges for the Clay County Fair are accredited by the National Federation of Garden Club, Inc. Exhibits will be on display in the Creative Living Center throughout the entire fair. Any questions regarding the Floriculture Department may be directed to Twila Henning at 262-1447 or Lola Campney at 262-7437. Premium books may be picked up at the Clay County Fair office or accessed online at www.claycountyfair.com. * For additional information visit www.claycountyfair.com or call 712-262-4740.

Volunteer help, financial donations being sought for new clubhouse (05/22/09)
Just as the new clubhouse being built on the Spencer Municipal Golf Course nears fruition, the course's superintendent is requesting assistance in order to complete the project's finishing touches. Anticipating contractors will be done with their work on the clubhouse in early July, plans are for the building to open for business by the first part of August...

Fundraiser tops $13,000 for Arts on Grand (05/05/09)
Martin Arthur, executive director of Arts on Grand, shows Arts on Grand Telethon host Jill Barr miniature replicas of the new piece of artwork that has been chosen as part of a contest for a new piece of art for Spencer. Multiple artists submitted ideas for the project, and William Lieb's sculpture "Letting Go" will be the first public work of art commissioned by SPACE. ...

ART -- a pART of all of us (05/02/09)
Spencer artists Anthony Vodraska and Anita Gilbert have donated a limited-edition fine art print to the Spencer Area Arts Council to be used as a special premium in this year's telethon for Arts on Grand. The telethon will be held live on the Spencer Channel (SMU Cable Channel 3) from 1-5 p.m. Sunday, May 3. This year's theme is "ART--a pART of all of us."...

SPACE announces public art winner (05/02/09)
The Spencer Alliance for a Creative Economy (SPACE) has selected a winner in the first SPACE Public Work of Art Project. The purpose of the project was to commission a public work of art in Spencer from an area artist. A total of seven entries were submitted by five artists. ...

Ver Steeg turns over construction reins (04/25/09)
Ed Ver Steeg recently placed ownership of his construction company's assets in the apt hands of Mark and Cindi Hinton. Circumstances are what prompted the 36-year-old Spencer man, who'd spent the last nine years running his namesake, to let his friends assume responsibility of the charge he loved. Circumstances such as family, job loss, legal issues and perceived growth. Another determining factor was trust. All parties involved in the business transaction are confident their friends, as well as the area at large, will benefit from Ver Steeg Construction becoming Crown Inc.

ART -- a pART of all of us (04/24/09)
Arts on Grand is asking the community to call in during their second annual telethon held live on the Spencer Channel (SMU Cable Channel 3) from 1-5 p.m., Sunday, May 3. The telethon is a fundraiser and membership drive dubbed "ART--a pART of all of us," and is aimed at raising $15,000 for operational funds for Arts on Grand...

Board commits $1.5 million for capital projects (04/07/09)
Spencer school board members committed $1.5 million in physical plant and equipment levy (PPEL), city and state sales tax revenues for 31 capital projects over fiscal year 2009, which ends June 30, and fiscal year 2010 Monday night. As Superintendent Greg Ebeling noted Spencer is one of a few districts in the state to have city sales tax revenues to draw funding from, he also indicated the district took out an approximately $2.4 million loan against this specific source of funding to pay for the Energy Service Group facility improvements it has undertaken districtwide over the last few years. ...

Westview neighbors like park the way it is (04/03/09)
Neighbors of Westview Memorial Park -- Spencer's only arboretum-style park -- firmly expressed that they like their park the way it currently is, they want to keep it a "passive" park, but they'd like to add to or enhance what it currently displays during a meeting held Thursday night...

Elementary artists sought for AOG Dewey project (03/24/09)
Dewey Readmore Books, the library cat, has been a part of childhood trips to the Spencer Public Library for many years. Coordinators at Arts on Grand are hoping to have the children of Spencer and elsewhere create their own artwork to honor the memorable cat...

Property valuations can lead to questions (03/13/09)
While national statistics show otherwise, properties in Clay County and indeed throughout the state of Iowa have seen increases in value over the past two years. That contradiction could cause some extra headaches over this year for county officials charged with valuing your home or businesses for tax purposes. The public perception and the market realities can be very different...

Spencer Park Board OK's Matthiesen to lead next master plan process (03/10/09)
Local landscape architect Matt Matthiesen was selected by Spencer Park Board members Tuesday night to facilitate and create a master plan for West View Memorial Park. Matthiesen was one of three architectural firms offering a proposal for the work surrounding the five-acre park adjacent to Johnson Elementary School in west central Spencer...

New exhibits open at Parker Museum (03/07/09)
Parker Museum will be hosting an opening reception, from 1-4 p.m., Sunday, March 15 for two new exhibits: "Reliving the 1920s in Clay County" and "Photography by Art Bates" created by Assistant Director Holly Kellogg. The exhibits opened March 4 and will be in place through Nov. 30, 2009...

Cherish Center volunteers making a difference (02/24/09)
Volunteers are key to the success of any community program, and that includes the building of Cherish Center in north Milford. Pictured above are just some of the people from Dickinson, Clay, Emmet, and Osceola counties who have been volunteering to do the sheetrocking of the 7,500 square feet building which will house the offices of Cherish Center and Thee Garage Sale. ...

Spencer native donates Dewey sculpture to library (02/13/09)

Board discusses park plan, grant application (02/12/09)
Spencer Park Board members contemplated the creation of a new master plan for Westview Memorial Park, agreed to apply for a SAFTEA-LU grant for trail enhancement work on the Spencer West Beltway project and were told about Grand Avenue enhancement project updates during a meeting held Tuesday night in city hall...

Northwest Iowa Home Show begins today (01/16/09)
The 6th Annual Northwest Iowa Home Show returns to the Clay County Regional Events Center tonight and will continue through the weekend. The free event offers a variety of exhibits and seminars showcasing the latest in home landscaping, building and remodeling products and services...

SCT reprises hit show 'Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story' (01/10/09)
Spencer Community Theatre has been invited to reprise the hit musical "Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story," as part of the Winter Dance Party festivities celebrating the life and music of Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and the Big Bopper. "Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story" premiered at SCT in February 2008 to sold-out houses and an extended run. ...

Northwest Iowa Home Show set for Jan. 16-18 (12/23/08)
The 6th Annual Northwest Iowa Home Show returns to the Clay County Regional Events Center Jan. 16-18, 2009. Enjoy free admission and a variety of exhibits and seminars showcasing the latest in home landscaping, building and remodeling products and services...

Artslive People Project returns Jan. 24 (12/18/08)
Filmmaker Chad Branham will design this year's Artslive's People Project on Saturday, Jan. 24 on the ice in Miller's Bay at Iowa Lakeside Laboratory. This ephemeral art project will line people up on the ice in the shape of a giant 100 foot dragonfly. This design will take over 225 people to complete. Once everyone is in place the dragonfly will be photographed from an airplane by Judy Hemphill...

'Renaissance' light fixture displayed at AOG (12/12/08)
At a place called Arts on Grand, you might expect a creative solution when a light fixture goes on the fritz. Some sockets wouldn't work and the front foyer needed replacement lighting. The end result, a locally-designed creation by Holly Kellogg, was on display Thursday night...

12/11/08 Briefs (12/11/08)

Holiday dangers for your pets (12/06/08)
As fun as the holiday season is for people, it can be highly dangerous for pets if proper precautions are not taken. Each year during the holidays, thousands of pets are seriously injured or become very ill. With the hustle and bustle of activity with the planning, shopping, cooking, baking, rushing to parties and hosting get-togethers that four-legged friends often take a back seat to holiday fun...

Four days of holiday activities begin tonight (12/04/08)
Begin the holiday season by attending an Evening Gala Premier at Parker Museum, 300 E. Third St., from 4:30 - 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 4, where you're invited for a first look at 11 holiday-decorated rooms; and wrap up the weekend with the Festival of Choirs on Sunday afternoon at Sacred Heart Catholic Church...

Entrepreneur Guide and 'Made in the Corridor' Guide published (12/03/08)
The Iowa Lakes Corridor Development Corporation has published two new guides aimed to support entrepreneurs in the four-county region of Buena Vista, Clay, Dickinson and Emmet counties. An Entrepreneur's Guide is full of contact names, phone numbers, email addresses, and websites of service providers and resources available in the region and Iowa to assist existing and prospective entrepreneurs...

Festival offers early dose of the Christmas spirit (11/18/08)
The fourth annual Festival of Trees sponsored by the Spencer Regional Healthcare Foundation provided the necessary holiday kick-off atmosphere for the large numbers of families who stopped by to enjoy the collection of decorated Christmas trees, bid on some auction items, and allow the children an opportunity to spend the morning with the Clauses and some local elves. ...

Festival of Trees continues through Saturday (11/13/08)
The fourth annual Festival of Trees sponsored by the Spencer Regional Healthcare Foundation will be held at the Clay County Regional Events Center through Saturday with the Festival's Tour of Homes on Nov. 15. his event provides enjoyable activities for people of all ages, including a "Festival Luncheon," Morning with Santa," "Holiday Tour of Homes" and, of course, opportunities to view many splendidly decorated trees as well as festive tables and holiday displays...

Spencer senior center representatives scrambling to answer: What's next? (11/07/08)
Representatives from the city of Spencer and the Spencer Area Activity Center (SAAC) brainstormed Thursday morning in an ongoing attempt to answer the looming question: What's next for the town's senior center? Last month, SAAC board members voted to close its doors on Dec. 31 if a feasible answer is not reached by then. Senior center board members have calculated the SAAC will have approximately $50,000 left in the center's money market account at that point...

Flags for Freedom at AOG (11/06/08)
"Flags for Freedom" is the photographic exhibit for the month of November at Arts on Grand This exhibit includes 30 photographs, a profusion of flag imagery, taken by Michael Peterson from Hackensack, Minnesota. Some of these photos are part of a photographic collection published in a book, which is available at the Gallery Shop...

2008 Spencer High School Drama Department Fall Production Up the Down Staircase (11/01/08)
Up The Down Staircase describes from the inside what goes on in a large metropolitan high school. With genuine warmth and shrewd comic touches, it shows what happens when a teacher's ideals run smack against the inadequate facilities, the lack of communication, the gobbledygook and pedagese, the trivia in triplicate - all that stands in the way of good teaching...

Spencer artists' studios open (10/01/08)
The upcoming Artisans Road Trip provides a unique opportunity for the art-loving public to see working artists' studios that are located in Spencer. During the weekend of Oct. 4 and 5, 10 Spencer artists open their studios or develop expanded exhibitions to offer a wide variety of new work for viewing and for sale at this special yearly event...

Morrison's works to be featured during ART (09/26/08)
Professional artists will welcome guests into their studios to discover and purchase quality original works during the fifth annual Artisans Road Trip (A.R.T.) on Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 4 & 5, Saturday from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday from12 p.m.-5 p.m. The free tour will include 42 Northwest Iowa Artists representing 8 counties...

New school board members welcomed, former SMS first-floor study approved (09/24/08)
The past service of two one-term Spencer school board members was recognized as two new people took their positions around the board table Tuesday night. In the presentation of the Sept. 9 election abstract for the two at-large board director positions up for grabs, it was reported that Dean Mechler and Les Zobrist received 274 and 210 votes respectively. ...

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