Natural Disasters

Notice to proceed at Lower Gar set for Sunday, task force expects little local impact (03/20/10)

'Where's the flood?' (03/19/10)
On Wednesday, Governor Chet Culver signed a disaster declaration for the Army Corps of Engineers to provide assistance in Dickinson County. Thursday morning, representatives from the Corps' Omaha office were on site at Lower Gar, just northeast of Milford, meeting with potential contractors and local utility providers as a group of very unhappy Lower Gar area residents and Milford Mayor Don Lamb looked on...

Semi collision blocks beltway (03/18/10)
A collision involving a pair of semi trucks at the intersection of B24 and M50 on Spencer's east beltway limited traffic for approximately two hours Wednesday afternoon on the busy bypass. Details were limited at press time Wednesday evening, but according to responders on the scene, a Schuster semi cab out of LeMars was hauling a Bomgaars trailer, traveling west on B-24 toward Spencer when he crossed in front of the UPS semi truck after properly stopping at the intersection. ...

Spencer project included in D.C. delegations (03/18/10)
Fifteen delegates. Eight projects. Four counties. Two days. Those numbers paint the picture of recent delegations between representatives of the Iowa Lakes Corridor Region and their representatives in Washington, D.C., last Thursday and Friday. The delegates representing Buena Vista, Clay, Dickinson and Emmet counties advocated for overall support as well as an estimated $10.4 million in assistance for eight projects. ...

RIVERS ON THE RISE - Little Sioux projected to reach 14.6 feet by Friday (03/16/10)
The Little Sioux River is exhibiting the effects (above and below) of a combination of rain and snow melt in recent days as it floods the bike trails and West Leach Park near the Grand Avenue bridge in downtown Spencer. A flood warning was issued shortly after noon on Sunday. ...

Corridor delegates meet with Washington representation (03/13/10)
Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) meets with delegates from the Iowa Great Lakes Corridor of Opportunity including Spencer City Manager Bob Fagen (seated to Harkin's left). The senator discussed upgrading Highway 86 during the Corridor's annual visit. The group also met with Sen. ...

Rain increases flood concerns (03/11/10)
Flood concerns in Clay County have been well-documented. With more than .7 inch since Saturday and about an inch of rain expected through Sunday, those concerns are expected to elevate, just as the rivers rise. "We have forecasts that are sending some rivers to moderate and even major flooding," National Weather Service Meteorologist Aubry Wilkins said...

Three teens injured in Monday's accident (03/11/10)
Despite crinkled cars, none of the teens involved in a collision Monday afternoon received life-threatening injuries. The accident happened at 3:37 p.m. when a 1992 Jeep driven by Nicholas Dischler collided into the 1996 Ford Taurus driven by Raymond Foerster. Dischler was westbound on E. Park St. when Foerster, headed southbound on Eighth Ave. E., failed to yield the right of way...

Blaze destroys Crescent Electric building (03/09/10)
Spencer volunteer firefighters were on the scene of a fire Saturday for 10 hours, but were unable to save the Crescent Electric building at 419 E. First St. The building and its contents are considered a total loss, with damages that could exceed $2 million...

City, county officials launch task force (03/05/10)
As the sun shines and the snow melts, not only are water levels in area rivers and streams expected to rise, but flood concerns will be rising, as well. To alleviate some of those concerns, Spencer and Clay County officials have formed the 2010 Flood Outlook Task Force...

Locals participate in 'Many Hands for Haiti' mission trip (03/04/10)
Six local residents are determined to provide hope and encouragement to residents of a country devastated by an earthquake on Jan. 12. While this trip is the fifth for Christi Gabhart, it marks the second to Haiti for Karmen Brown and Dawn Vanden Berg. The March 3 - 12 journey is the first for fellow Spencer residents Paul Rekow, Heather Brown and Sharon Berkenpas as local mission volunteers. ...

Everly native safe in Chile (03/04/10)
At 3:30 Saturday morning, Martha Thomas was awakened by her host brother and rushed to the strongest door frame in the house, where she huddled with her Chilean host family. Shortly after she joined them, the house shook violently, knocking pictures and other possessions to the floor...

City council approves refinancing bond (03/02/10)
A high bond rating has allowed the city of Spencer to entertain eight different refinancing bond offers from 15 different underwriters.

Milford man dies in two car accident (02/25/10)
A Tuesday afternoon accident claimed the life of a Milford man and injured another in the 2900 block of Highway Blvd. in Spencer. Twenty-nine-year-old Jacob Ralph, of Milford, was traveling southbound on Highway Blvd. when, according to the Spencer Police Department report, apparently lost control of his vehicle, crossed the center line and struck an oncoming vehicle -- driven by 31-year-old Kevin Schley, also of Milford...

Gas line rupture cause of General Traffic Control fire Saturday (02/18/10)
A joint investigation between the Spencer Fire-Rescue Department and the Iowa State Fire Marshals office has ruled the Saturday fire at General Traffic Control in south Spencer as accidental. No intentional sources for the fire were determined, instead the investigators discovered the fire was located in a furnace room in the south office area of the the building. ...

Firefighters battle blaze in midst of winter storm (02/16/10)
Snow began falling early and really picked up in the evening Saturday as firefighters from the Spencer and Royal volunteer fire departments battled a commercial fire at General Traffic Controls, south of Spencer along Highway 71 -- spending approximately six hours on site and using 15,000 gallons of water to get the blaze under control...

Ruthven man victim of fatal crash (02/11/10)
Brian Hoover, 32, of Ruthven, died as the result of a collision with a semi one-half mile south of Graettinger early Tuesday morning. At 6:15 a.m., Hoover was traveling southbound on Highway 4 in his 2007 Ford Focus when a 2007 Freightliner operated by Scott Spillers, 45, of Adel, collided into the driver's side of his vehicle...

Spencer YMCA evacuated due to gas leak (02/06/10)
The Spencer Fire and Rescue Department was dispatched Friday afternoon to the Spencer Family YMCA for a gas leak on the roof. According to Brian Kretz, operation supervisor for the local Black Hills Energy office, the weight of a combination of snow and ice on the roof resulted in a fitting to break on the fuel line. ...

Woman killed in semi-car crash (02/05/10)
Deborah Weideman, 18, of Estherville, was the victim of a fatal accident four miles north of the intersection of Highways 4 and 18 Thursday morning. Weideman was driving northbound on Highway 4 when she lost control of her vehicle and crossed the center line. Her vehicle was struck by a semi with a grain trailer driven by Todd Travis, 45, of Mallard, forcing both vehicles into the east ditch...

Winter weather pounds the pavement (01/28/10)
Sick of Old Man Winter's pestering ways? Grand Avenue and the other Spencer streets are. Not only does winter's freeze-thaw cycle make roads slicker for drivers, but it is also responsible for another nuisance for those drivers: potholes. "That freeze-thaw cycle is the worst on streets," Spencer Public Works Director Mark White explained. "Water will leak into crevices or cracks and freeze and pop pavement out."...

Heilstedt pleads guilty to 2008 arson charge (01/21/10)
On Tuesday, during a scheduled hearing, Brenda Lee Heilstedt of Spencer, withdrew her not guilty plea with regards to arson charges stemming from a fire that broke out at a home she owned on Sunday, Dec. 28, 2008; and pled guilty to arson in the second degree, a Class C felony...

SMU, fire departments suggest digging out (12/31/09)
Due to large amounts of snow received in the Spencer area over the holiday weekend, Spencer Municipal Utilities would like to remind customers to dig out their electric and water meters. Likewise, Dave Schipper with the state fire marshal's and the Spencer Fire Department reminded residents who have fire hydrants near their property to try and make them accessible as well -- a measure that will save crucial time in case of a fire on the block...

A storm to remember (12/29/09)
The 2 feet of snow accompanied by ice and wind which buried northwest Iowa residents over the extended Christmas holiday weekend caused havoc for many area families. But despite the problems which reared their ugly heads, those impacted worked together to remove snow, handle power outages and help dig each other out. ...

Snow emergency issued, holiday travel discouraged (12/24/09)
The second winter storm to hit Spencer this month is looking like a grinch for those who had Christmas travel plans. "We're asking you to be aware of this as holiday plans begin to unfold," said meteorologist Todd Heitkamp who issued a storm update through streaming video on the National Weather Service Web site in Sioux Falls, S.D. "Travel will be impossible and not recommended across much of the Upper Midwest this holiday season."...

Major storm could threaten Christmas travel (12/22/09)
"The storm probably couldn't come at a worse time," said Greg Harmon, the meteorologist-in-charge at the National Weather Service in Sioux Falls, S.D. His agency already has a winter storm watch in place or all of the northwest Iowa counties it serves, including the Spencer, Spirit Lake and Storm Lake areas...

Gas Leak fears empty Wal-Mart (12/15/09)
Don't blame a door-busting deal for the mid-morning commotion at the Spencer Wal-Mart Superstore over the weekend. The big box retailer had to be evacuated in the heart of the holiday shopping season Saturday. Wal-Mart staff became concerned about an odor near the west entrance, or grocery area of the store. The smell was similar to the kind of odor associated with a natural gas leak.

Wahpeton home a total loss after weekend fire (12/15/09)
A home on West Lake has been deemed a complete loss following a fire on Sunday evening. Milford firefighters were called to 1000 West Street in Wahpeton shortly after 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 13 for a report of smoke in the residence and a possible chimney fire...

Deer firearm season opens Saturday (12/04/09)
The first round of shotgun-season deer hunters will be heading into Iowa's wooded areas at sunrise Saturday morning. This year's two seasons -- scheduled Dec. 5-9 and Dec. 12-20 -- are expected to once again attract a large crowd. ...

Crash near Moneta injures four (12/01/09)
Crash investigators are still looking into a head-on collision in western Clay County, which sent four people to the hospital Monday morning. The Clay County Sheriff's Office received a report of a two-car traffic crash in the 3500 mile of 100th Avenue, just north of unincorporated Moneta at about 10:20 a.m...

Crash near Dickens injures four (11/24/09)
Four young adults have been treated and released after a single-car crash early Tuesday morning in northeast Clay County. At about 1:30 a.m., the Clay County Sheriff's Office received a report of a single vehicle accident involving injuries in the 3400 mile of 315th Avenue in eastern Clay County, which is about three miles east as a mile north of Dickens...

Tractor, two cars collide on bridge (11/17/09)
Three drivers were injured, but recovering after a collision involving farm equipment and oncoming traffic Friday evening. Clay County deputies say 20-year-old Seth Small, of Royal, was westbound at about 9:51 p.m. Friday and attempting to get a 1994 International Harvester Tractor across the Little Sioux Bridge in the 2500 block of Highway 18...

Cast a vote for local 'Every 15 Minutes' video (11/06/09)
A local video dramatizing the dangers of drinking and driving has been named one of 13 top entries in a national contest. The just over 31-minute video, which was produced by Spencer Municipal Utilities staff this past spring, features Clay Central-Everly students and other area representatives who'd been involved in a local drunk driving accident, as well as ensuing court and funeral scenarios. ...

Plea agreement reached in Spencer arson case (11/06/09)
Judge Patrick Carr has scheduled a Jan. 19 hearing to consider a guilty plea from a Spencer woman accused of arson 11 months ago. Brenda Lee Heilstedt is expected to plead guilty to a charge of second-degree arson, a Class C felony, as part of the agreement struck by attorneys...

NTSB issues report on fatal crash near Sanborn (11/03/09)
Federal aviation officials say it may take about 60 days for the National Transportation Safety Board to finalize the cause of a small plane crash June 23 in a corn field near Sanborn. The crash killed all three Wisconsin men on board and a factual report released Oct. 28 by the NTSB suggests the single-engine Piper was low on fuel. Ted Lopatkiewicz, an NTSB spokesman, said the board will use the factual report to issue a determination of probable cause...

Attendees request full REAP funding (10/08/09)
Residents from the nine-county area gathered in Spencer this week to voice their individual thoughts on how Iowa's REAP (Resource Enhancement and Protection) program might be made better. The 49 people who gathered at Tuesday night's assembly in the Clay County Regional Events Center unanimously expressed a desire for the program to receive full funding, allowing it to more fully enhance and protect Iowa's natural and cultural resources...

Whittemore man's last act may have saved others (09/29/09)
The driver of a semi transporting fuel may have spared others from harm by pulling his rig off well-traveled U.S. Highway 18 near Spencer during a medical emergency. Dana Aaron Lee, of Whittemore, was pronounced dead upon arrival at Spencer Hospital. His truck was found, with the motor running, in a ditch less than three miles east of the city at about 3:35 a.m. Saturday. Traffic investigators ruled out a crash impact as the cause of Lee's death...

Pheasants Forever banquet announced (09/26/09)
Plans are now under way for the annual Clay County Pheasants Forever Banquet, according to Jim Kitterman, chapter president. The fundraising event will take place at the Clay County Events Center in Spencer on Saturday, Oct. 3. Pheasants Forever is a tax-exempt, nonprofit conservation organization whose goal is to improve upland wildlife habitat and populations...

Lost at sea -- Kendall Carver's crusade (09/12/09)
The days of business cards and power-point presentations were supposed to be in the past for 72-year-old Kendall Carver, a member of the Spencer High School class of 1954. He retired to Phoenix 15 years ago after a successful career as an insurance executive in New York City. It's the stage of life when hobbies, grandchildren and travel should replace the appointment book...

Planning a rally? Better check the fire codes (09/11/09)
The commotion of Barack Obama's presidential campaign and the heat generated by the summer's health care town forums has raised some concerns with Spencer Fire Chief Doug Duncan. He brought up the issue of assembly capacities in public buildings at a recent city staff meeting, saying: "We're going to calculate what the occupancy load factor is, which is the number of people, and that's the way it is going to be."...

Head-on collision injures three (09/05/09)
All three occupants were flown from Spencer by emergency helicopter following a head-on collision Friday morning along U.S. Highway 71. Emergency crews were called out at about 11:15 a.m. to the location. Upon arrival, deputies determined a 2003 Jeep, driven by 32-year-old Jacqueline Larson of Milford, was southbound and crossed the center line...

Pilot error cited in aircraft crash (09/04/09)
A National Transportation Safety Board review suggests pilot error was the cause of a crop duster crash in rural Clay County. The crash occurred less than two miles south of Royal on Aug. 3. A call about the plane crash came into the Clay County Communication Center at about 8:30 a.m...

Storm cited as factor in fatal crash (07/11/09)
The Clay County Sheriff's Department said Thursday's stormy weather may have contributed to a fatal, head-on collision one mile west of Ruthven near the Palo Alto County line. The crash claimed 77-year-old Opal Lucille Frerichs of Spencer. Deputies think she was traveling east in a 1991 Corsica. She drifted into the westbound lane and into the path of oncoming traffic along U.S. Highway 18 at 4:20 p.m. Frerichs was pronounced dead at the Palo Alto County Hospital in Emmetsburg...

Briefs 5-23-09 (05/23/09)
Farmers Market is returning with an opening date of May 23. Early season vegetables available. Located in the parking lot of the Southpark Mall. --- Come learn about Global Positioning System (GPS) and the sport of geocaching. GPS units will be used to find hidden treasure at Huston Park. Located at the nature center at 1 p.m. Saturday, May 23. The event is sponsored by the Palo Alto Soil & Water Conservation District and the Palo Alto County Conservation Board...

Six pair of trumpeter swans released in northwest Iowa (05/12/09)
Six pair of trumpeter swans were released Saturday in the heart of Iowa's "prairie pothole" region. The hope of the release is that the swans will imprint on the six sites in northwest Iowa and continue to nest at them in future years. The weekend releases, which were part of a swan restoration project by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources' Clear Lake wildlife unit, occurred in Clay, Dickinson, Emmet, O'Brien, Palo Alto and Kossuth counties...

Arson cases: One delayed, one resolved (05/07/09)
A Pocahontas man who started a fire in the mental heath wing of Spencer Hospital avoided prison time as part of a plea agreement finalized Tuesday at the Clay County Courthouse in Spencer. Jared Lee Reinholdt entered a plea of guilty to third-degree arson and Judge Nancy Whittenburg suspended a two-year sentence as part of an agreement reached with prosecutors...

Hog confinements damaged in Monday afternoon fire (05/06/09)
Insurance adjusters were on the scene Tuesday evening, still trying to assess the loss after an extensive hog confinement fire 24 hours earlier. Five fire departments responded Monday afternoon when a set of occupied hog confinements caught fire south of the junction of A34 and M27, about 10 miles west of Milford. An insurance company agent will have to review the producer's inventory for an official count, but more than 1,000 sows and piglets were lost...

Bond package concludes 2009 session (05/02/09)
The best thing about the 2009 Legislative session? The adjournment, according to the state senator and state representative serving Spencer and the Iowa Great Lakes. "The winners are the Iowa taxpayers because we're now out of session," said Assistant Republican Leader David Johnson. "We can't do any more damage than we already did."...

Sending a solemn message (04/24/09)
The impacts of drinking and driving were brought front and center for Clay Central-Everly High School students Thursday afternoon as they witnessed two friends -- Tasia Nielsen and Mitch Maurer -- "die" before their eyes. Peers and community members had been working behind the scenes over the past month to illustrate the fact that a person is killed in alcohol-related accidents every 15 minutes on U.S. roadways.

Fire causes $25,000 in damage to Mige's in Milford (04/24/09)
Fire has struck another Lake area business as flames continue to break out in area structures and grasslands. On Wednesday evening, Milford firefighters battled a blaze at Mige's Restaurant, formerly Dan'z Restaurant, in south Milford. Damage is estimated at over $25,000...

Every 15 Minutes (04/23/09)
Select students were escorted from their classrooms by the Grim Reaper - one at a time every 15 minutes between 8:45 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. - in a drunk driving scenario that played out before the CC-E students Wednesday. The removals were part of a larger effort to educate the children and community on the danger's of drinking and driving. This collaborative effort between students, parents, the school district and the Clay County Sheriff's Office...

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