Water Quality

'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...

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. ...

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. ...

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.

Pollution clouded Iowa early this weekend (02/09/10)
What is fine particulate pollution? According to Todd Russell -- an air monitor for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources -- it is made up of tiny particles as a result of combustion from industrial plants, vehicles and even wood-burning stoves. How tiny?...

DNR specialists explain stream assessments (02/04/10)
What is in the water? Iowa Department of Natural Resources environmental specialists Chris Spoelstra and John Warren have personally evaluated many of Iowa's streams and Lee Wagner has written National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permits for entities discharging into those streams...

Work on old SMS building progressing (11/03/09)
While lots of progress has been made at the old Spencer Middle School building, the general contractor acknowledges that all involved in the renovation project are entering a crunch time now. Demolition began in October 2008, reconstruction commenced in late January and tenants are expected to be able to move into apartments on the building's second and third floors by mid-January 2010. ...

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...

Ribbon cutting Tuesday for newest Clay County green facility (09/26/09)
With the assistance of Iowa Lakes Resource Conservation and Development, J&G Regional Services, Inc. and its owners, Julie and Gary Hoefling, will host a ribbon cutting ceremony at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 29. The event celebrates J&G Regional Services, Inc., located at 1601 35th Ave. W. in Spencer, the newest green facility in Clay County...

Less E. coli in Little Sioux: Grant, loan to help treat Sioux Rapids wastewater (07/24/09)
Sioux Rapids is among 15 Iowa communities to receive more than $24 million in federal recovery funds under the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The city received a $225,000 Community Development Block Grant and a $227,422 low-interest loan to improve the quality of treated wastewater going from Sioux Rapids into the Little Sioux River...

Board to ready for 2009-10 school year Tuesday (07/18/09)
The Spencer Community Schools Board of Education will convene its monthly meeting at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 21, in the board room of the central administrative offices, located at 23 E. Seventh St. Approval of consent items, including minutes from the June 30 and July 8 board meetings, bills, a teacher employment and sharing agreement for a 2009-10 swimming program with the Spencer Family YMCA for $3,740 if the district provides school year busing for the YMCA or for $5,280 if it doesn't, and personnel recommendations will then be sought.. ...

Cleaning the Little Sioux: Wal-Mart employees, volunteers sweep river for junk (05/30/09)
If you're going to plan a cleanup project, why not plan it on a beautiful day and include canoes and a river as two of your key tools. Starting from two different points, Wal-Mart employees from the Spencer and Storm Lake stores worked together to help cleanup one of northwest Iowa's main waterways. ...

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...

DNR Issues first annual Environmental Report Card (05/08/09)
DES MOINES -- Iowans are making great strides to improve their state's natural resources, but they still have some homework to do, according to the state's first Environmental Report Card, released recently by the Department of Natural Resources. The DNR graded the health of the state's natural resources in eight subject areas. ...

Agenda set for Clay County Wings and Wetlands (05/07/09)
The 15th Annual Wings and Wetlands weekend is scheduled for Saturday and Sunday May 9-10, 2009. Explore our unique "Prairie Pothole" region of Northwest Iowa and celebrate National Wetlands Month. Six counties in Northwest Iowa will be offering a great selection of programs and activities for people of all ages and interests. ...

Wings & Wetlands activities slated for May 9-10 (04/22/09)
The annual Trumpeter Swan release at Lost Island Marsh will kick off the Wings & Wetlands festivities at Lost Island Huston Park scheduled for May 9-10. The swan release is scheduled to take place at 11 a.m., and will be followed by a full day of actvities hosted by the Palo Alto County Conservation Board, Conservatiton Foundation and Soil & Water Conservation District...

County to move on well head protection (04/09/09)
A meeting with Spencer Municipal Utilities reps, Leon Rodas, Steve Pick and Don Baxter during Monday's Clay County Board of Supervisors meeting prompted the county's governing officials to address well head protection for common water sources currently outside the city's protection guidelines...

Council signs off on projects, resource officer (04/08/09)
The effort to re-establish a school resource officer in the Spencer School District took another step forward Monday night. The Spencer City Council authorized police chief Mark Lawson to apply for a grant to fund the position of a school resource officer in Spencer for three years. ...

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. ...

Off to Washington, D.C.: Economic development effort takes flight (03/26/09)
The quest for better roads and sewer systems begins with support from members of Congress. A delegation led by the Iowa Lakes Corridor Development Corporation is in Washington, D.C. to get that support this week. Twelve community leaders have set up a series of meetings with Iowa's representatives in the nation's capital. ...

City budget on council's agenda (02/13/09)
The Spencer City Council will address the 2009/10 city budget at Monday's 6:30 p.m. session, with the intention of setting a public hearing for March 2. "You have to balance the need for basic core services with quality of life issues that set Spencer apart from other communities...There are several challenges facing the city. ...

City completes EPA, billboard negotiations (01/20/09)
The city of Spencer cleared a major hurdle in negotiations to separate its storm water from the sewer system as part of Monday's Spencer City Council meeting. The vote to approve an Environmental Protection Agency administrative order to eliminate combined sewer overflows capped negotiations that began in late 2007...

Little Sioux River on impaired waters list (12/24/08)
Nearly 200 rivers, lakes and streams, including two major rivers in Clay County, have been added to Iowa's list of impaired water bodies since 2006, state environmental officials said earlier this month. Bacteria levels in the Little Sioux River and Ocheyedan River placed both waterways on the impaired list, according to Jeff Berckes of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources...

Expect changes at Spencer Family Aquatic Center in 2009 (12/11/08)
In the Spencer Park Board members' review of two Spencer Park and Recreation Department proposed budgets -- the 2009-10 operation budget and the 2010-14 capital improvement plan (CIP) -- Spencer Park and Recreation Director Delray Bredehoeft outlined two very different plans this week. While the operation budget's 3 percent growth model is what other city departments have been assigned, the CIP has been deemed "a pretty aggressive" five-year plan...

Iowa Lakes RC&D adds Osceola, O'Brien counties (11/25/08)
Des Moines -- Iowa Lakes Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D) is adding Osceola and O'Brien Counties to its existing five northwest Iowa counties. Iowa Lakes RC&D is one of 17 councils in Iowa that works to create jobs, protect the environment and improve the quality of life in rural communities...

Liberalized fishing allowed at Dan Green Slough (11/01/08)
Members of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources have relaxed some rules as it continues to drain a Clay County slough. Dan Green Slough is about 4 miles east of Langdon along county road B17. Over the next two years, conservation officials plan to drain water from the area. The process will allow wetland vegetation to get a start in the mud flats. It will also eliminate rough fish, which contribute to murky conditions...

'Safe Routes to School' study underway (08/22/08)
Public reaction to recommendations to occur Sept. 17-18

ILCC's Estherville campus points to environmental studies (08/21/08)
The Iowa Lakes Community College Board of Trustees convened Tuesday on the Estherville campus and learned about the long-time success of the Environmental Studies program. Professor Gary Phillips was introduced to the trustees by Executive Dean Mary Larscheid of the Estherville campus...

Council approves breed-less animal ordinance (08/19/08)
After lengthy discussions at two previous city council sessions, followed by a meeting with Dr. Tom Beall of Homestead Small Animal Practice, Monday night the Spencer City Council passed the final filing of an amended amendment dealing with unrestrained vicious animals in public...

Iowa Lakes Regional Water included (08/16/08)
U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley on Friday announced a $4.2 million loan to Spencer-based Iowa Lakes Regional Water. It was was part of a $22.5 million grant and loan package for Iowa from the United States Department of Agriculture through the Water and Environmental program...

City of Spencer safe routes to school program (08/14/08)
The City Council of Spencer is committed to enabling and encouraging children, including those with disabilities, to walk and bicycle to school. They aspire to make walking and bicycling to school safe and more appealing, and to facilitate the planning and development and implementation of projects that will improve safety, and reduce traffic, fuel consumption and air pollution in the vicinity of schools...

Briefs 8-12-08 (08/12/08)
Losing a loved one is indescribable to someone who has not felt the loss of death. Hospice of Northwest Iowa's professional team understands the tragedy of losing a loved one and they identify with the difficult decisions and emotions that the person left behind faces. To help people cope with the death of a loved one, Hospice of Northwest Iowa is offering an 8-week Understanding Grief Support Group. The group will meet each Wednesday evening through Sept. 24 from 6:30-8 p.m...

Harkin 'dismayed' by McCain's Paris Hilton ad (08/08/08)
By Russ Mitchell Daily Reporter Staff Large infrastructure projects and energy cost concerns were part of the discussion as U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin held a "Moving Iowa Forward" caf� stop Thursday morning at the Family Table Restaurant in Spencer. Along with local concerns, he also talked about national politics as the national nominating conventions approach for the major parties...

King among lawmakers refusing to accept vacation (08/06/08)
Congressman Steve King didn't get to visit the wheelhouse of the Storm Lake dredging boat on Monday as planned. Instead, the western Iowa U.S. Representative raced back to Washington to join about 24 other Republican House members in an unprecedented efffort to guide a vote on a comprehensive energy bill through treacherous waters...

Briefs 8-06-08 (08/06/08)
Losing a loved one is indescribable to someone who has not felt the loss of death. Hospice of Northwest Iowa's professional team understands the tragedy of losing a loved one and they identify with the difficult decisions and emotions that the person left behind faces. To help people cope with the death of a loved one, Hospice of Northwest Iowa is offering an 8-week Understanding Grief Support Group. The group will meet each Wednesday evening through Sept. 24 from 6:30-8 p.m...

Anglers Bay dedication celebrates conservation success (07/31/08)
The Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources invite the public to join in the dedication of the state's new Anglers Bay Wildlife Management Area on Saturday morning, Aug. 2. The dedication will be held at the project site on the northeast side of Big Spirit Lake, nestled between Hales Slough to the south and Sandbar Slough to the north...

Spencer site selected for DNR forum (07/31/08)
The Spencer Public Library will be the site for one of six meetings around the state to update area residents about changes to Iowa' water quality policy. The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 5, at the library, which is located at 21 East Third Street. The forum is intended to inform regulated industries and cities about requirements to protect and maintain existing water quality from unnecessary pollution...

Experience Boji Fest Aug. 22-24 (07/24/08)
Partake in nature, water activities, rock walls and conservation with your family at Boji-Fest, Aug. 22-24 in the Great Lakes region of northwest Iowa. Fun-filled and age-appropriate activities are planned for the whole family. On Friday, youth can participate in mini-golf, Frisbee golf, volleyball, mine-digging, gold sifting and more, courtesy of Ranch Okoboji Amusement Park...

City enters into first vicious dog ordinance discussion (07/22/08)
First filing on changes to the "Vicious Animals Ordinance" was unanimously approved at Monday night's Spencer City Council meeting, but not before an extended discussion clarifying just how the changes would be enforced and what animals would be directly impacted...

Briefs 7-10-08 (07/10/08)
Arts on Grand will present Music in the Gallery at 7 p.m. tonight. This week's featured musicians will be Tim and Amanda, and possibly a few special guests. They will perform music for guitar and voice with a country flavor, including covers of songs made famous by such groups as Creedence Clearwater Revival. A $5 donation is requested, with proceeds going to the artists...

Briefs 7-09-08 (07/09/08)
The Spencer Area Farmer's Market will be held every Wednesday and Saturday, from 7:30 a.m. to 12 p.m., in the Southpark Mall parking lot. Come see the homegrown, fresh produce for sale. --- Weekend Program at Lost Island Prairie Wetland Nature Center will feature "Terrific Trees" at 10 a.m. on July 12...

Environmental protection commission to meet July 8 (07/08/08)
DNR will update the Environmental Protection Commission on the status of flooding events in Iowa and summarize its response efforts to the flood at the monthly EPC meeting July 8. They will also discuss how land use practices can contribute to flooding...

Nature photography instruction (06/05/08)
The Northwest Iowa Center for Photography, in conjunction with CR Gallery and Lost Island Lake Prairie Wetlands Nature Center, would like to invite interested photographers to sign up for a day of nature photography instruction to be given by Stan Buman, a nature photographer from Carroll. ...

Spencer council to meet Monday (05/31/08)
By Randy M. Cauthron Managing Editor Monday night's Spencer City Council meeting appears to have some pretty light lifting. When the council convenes at 6:30 p.m. in council chambers at Spencer City Hall, Monday, June 2, it will consider a property sale, the establishment of a library reserve fund, and the retention of Kruse, Cate and Nelson as engineer for a local project, along with multiple items on the agenda...

Beach Monitoring at State parks (05/28/08)
The Iowa DNR began monitoring the water quality at Iowa's 37 state beaches on May 19th and will continue to do so through the month of September. In additon to the state parks being monitored, 60 county-and-city run beaches will begin monitoring water quality as well...

Council holds off on hospital-area project (05/20/08)
Members of the Spencer City Council voted to table action on a storm sewer and paving project near Spencer Hospital as part of its meeting Monday night. The recommendation to table the agenda item came from city officials, who wanted to give hospital leaders a chance to review the bids before they were accepted. The hospital has upgrades that cover about a third of the cost of the project...

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...

Building an eco-savy generation (05/15/08)
Over 200 sixth graders from Spencer, Clay Central-Everly and South Clay schools took part in Wednesday's "Outdoor Classroom" -- a program that has been presented to the Clay County students for over two decades, coordinated by the Clay County Soil & Water Conservation District. ...

Trumpeter swan effort marks 10-year anniversary (05/13/08)
By Russ Mitchell Daily Reporter Staff Ron Andrews and Dave Hoffman of the Iowa Department of Resources have led a long journey back to Iowa for some large white birds. It has taken more than a century to bring trumpeter swans back to Iowa. Much of the damage was done by Iowa's early settlers. Iowa's last historical nesting was recorded at Twin Lakes in 1883...

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