Residential Remodeling

LaBounty picked for community development program (09/18/08)
Doug LaBounty, president of Community Housing Initiatives, Inc., in Spencer, has been selected to participate in the Neighbor-Works Achieving Excellence in Community Development program at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government. LaBounty is one of 47 leaders selected for this Achieving Excellence class -- a prestigious and highly selective training program offered by NeighborWorks America through the Kennedy School of Government...

Local group addresses housing needs (09/04/08)
A group of local residents and community leaders are banding together to help meet the need for affordable housing throughout Clay County. The Clay County Local Housing Trust Fund, Inc., was created to assist low income individuals, families and the elderly through grants and low- or no-interest loans to rehabilitate the county's aging housing stock...

Spike in fire deaths alarms state officials (08/22/08)
State Fire Marshal Jim Kenkel is concerned.

SCT fund drive underway (07/29/08)
SCT board member, John Rahn, calls them "the Godfathers of SCT." And he means that in the best way possible. Everyone else calls them Jack Easter, Stan Schoelerman and Toby Shine. They are three of the original five SCT Trustees who raised the funds to purchase the vacant Spencer Grocer warehouse in 1981 and to transform it into Spencer Community Theatre. ...

Briefs 7-19-08 (07/21/08)
Young people and their families are invited to "Bee" at the library on Tuesday, July 22 at 6:30 p.m. for the "Pockets Full of Fun" program. Join Lisa Laird of Orange City, and her friends from "Pockets Full of Fun" as they learn about some interesting creatures in the insect world. ...

Fire claims Spencer couple's home (07/19/08)
By Russ Mitchell Daily Reporter Staff The Iowa Great Lakes Chapter of the American Red Cross has been contacted to help a Spencer couple who lost their home in a trailer fire Friday afternoon. An officer with the Spencer Police Department spotted smoke and called for assistance at 2:41 p.m. Friday. The officer saw flames as he approached the trailer on lot 4 of the trailer park at 317 West 18th Street...

Briefs 7-18-08 (07/18/08)
The Fifth Annual Cruise In will be held from 6-9 p.m. tonight in the McDonald's parking lot at the Southpark Mall in Spencer. Plaques for the first 75 cars. Registration from 6-7:30 p.m., with awards given at 8:30 p.m. Trophies for the top three "peoples choice." Prizes also. Rain day has been set for Friday, July 25...

Arson fire injures Primghar man (07/18/08)
Authorities say a resident of a group home for adults near Primghar was burned in an arson fire. The Primghar Fire Department was called out at 12:23 a.m. Wednesday to the Pride Group Home, which is at 6059 390th Street and east of Primghar. The fire began in the center part of a storage building. It is believed a liquid accelerant was used to start the fire...

Trustees learn about fire facility (07/16/08)
The Board of Trustees of Iowa Lakes Community College held their monthly meeting Tuesday in Emmetsburg and learned about the recently completed Regional Emergency Response Training Center. Steve Dobbins, Fire, EMS and Health programmer, thanked the advisory committee on this project by offering their insight into the needs of area emergency services personnel...

Fire creates smoky scene near Fostoria (06/20/08)
By Russ Mitchell Daily Reporter Staff The Heikens family is due for a little luck -- the good kind. First came the tornado outbreak of June 2004, which took out a barn on the farm. Another storm, two years later, took down half of their garage. And there's the December burglars who broke into the house a couple of years ago...

Supervisors race features six candidates (05/31/08)
By Russ Mitchell Daily Reporter Staff Republicans have a choice on the ballot as the party tries to find two nominees for a pair of available seats on the Clay County Board of Supervisors. Incumbent Del Brockshus of Spencer is near the end of his fourth term. He has filed to run again...

Council to review budget at city meeting (05/17/08)
By Russ Mitchell Daily Reporter Staff Land transactions, a $1 million loan and a budget amendment are on the agenda when the Spencer City Council meets at 6:30 p.m. Monday in council chambers. State law requires that cities hold a public hearing to take action on amending the budget and City Manager Bob Fagen has asked for a change Monday night...

Attic fire displaces family (04/02/08)
The Mark Lykke family has been displaced following a fire Monday at their home in the 800 block of Fourth Street Southwest in Spencer. Members of the Spencer Fire Department were called at 3:36 p.m. to 824 Fourth Street Southwest. Heavy smoke was coming from the roof as firefighters arrived...