Weather

Did you cover your plants? (10/02/08)
Sensitive plants likely took their first hit Thursday morning in Spencer. The National Weather Service in Sioux Falls, S.D., was concerned enough about conditions to issue a frost advisory for portions of northwest Iowa including Spencer, Spirit Lake and Storm Lake...

Rainy night makes way for clear skies at fair (09/12/08)
As predicted, thunderstorms rolled through the area during the overnight hours between Wednesday's and Thursday's fair operating hours. About the time the gates opened, the rain slowed to a stop and, by mid-morning, the clouds were breaking and the sun was shining. ...

Parkersburg tornado survivors to attend Clay County Fair (09/03/08)
It will be easy to spot the 50 people from Parkersburg who attend this Saturday's opening day of the 2008 Clay County Fair. They'll be wearing this black accessory. Paul Daniels, who has managed the U.S. Cellular stores in Spencer and Storm Lake since October, thinks the busload of tornado survivors Spencer resident Ted Cate is lining up to attend the celebrated annual event are in need of the getaway. ...

Thrivent calls on county groups to help with tornado relief effort (07/16/08)
The Clay County Thrivent Financial for Lutherans Chapter is challenging the communities and the congregations of Clay County to help those with lost homes and property near the tornado-ravaged vicinity of Parkersburg. Thrivent will leverage any community donations with supplemental funding. All funds raised will stay in Iowa to be used by Lutheran Disaster Relief to help the families who are still trying to piece their lives back together after the storm...

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...

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...

The Parkersburg tornado:Former Royal woman's family starts again (05/30/08)
Home can't be home again until a structural engineer says it's OK to go back in. The family's show cattle are a source of pride -- and more than half of them are lost Dirt and water have likely ruined the furniture. The garage is gone. The in-laws, a mile away, lost their home completely...