Stories from Friday, April 25, 2008

Toad's Coffee Roasting Outlet is the latest addition to Spencer's business district and its owners are promising unique coffee flavors through some carefully-created specialty blends. Owners Jim and Letty Schooley opened the store late last week. The coffee roasting business is located at 521 Grand Avenue...

A former Estherville man could get a new trial -- or a prison sentence for kidnapping, conspiracy and second-degree murder today. Juan Humberto Castillo-Alvarez is scheduled to appear for a 10 a.m. sentencing hearing at the Clay County Courthouse in Spencer. He was convicted for his role in the disappearance and death of Gregory Sky Erickson, an area teenager who was abducted from Spencer on June 6, 1997...

(Final of a Four-Part Series) Three Spencer High School (SHS) seniors have enlisted and chosen to uphold the values held by U.S. Air Force airmen: "Integrity first; service before self; and excellence in all we do." D.J. Krogh, Robert Allison and Kynison Cauthron are among the nation's 2008 high school graduates who will aim "Above All."...

-Performer made 2007 appearance in Spencer- Local and Associated Press reports

TobyMac won artist of the year and Casting Crowns singer Mark Hall collected four trophies at Wednesday's 39th annual Dove Awards, which celebrate the best in gospel music.

"Are you kidding? This is crazy, man. ...

Lutheran World Relief Rummage Sale Bethany Lutheran Church will host a rummage sale to benefit Lutheran World Relief from 4-7 p.m. tonight and from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Saturday. The event will take place in the basement dining room. LCT's 'Plaza Suite' to debut in April...

Dr. Donald Conlon, 74, of Iowa City, formerly of Spencer, passed away Monday, April 21, 2008, at home. A memorial mass will be held Saturday, April 26, 2008, at the Newman Catholic Student Center. The Rev. Ed Fitzpatrick will officiate the 10:30 a.m. service...

Funeral services will be held at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 26, 2008, at the United Methodist Church of Sutherland for Clare Triplet, 77, of Sutherland. He passed away Wednesday, April 23, 2008, at the Sutherland Care Center. Visitation will be at 2 p.m. Friday, April 25 at Warner Funeral Home in Sutherland. The family will be present from 6 - 7:30 p.m. Friday evening...

Private funeral services for Martha Walton, 87, of Spencer, will be held Monday, April 28, 2008, with burial in North Lawn Memorial Park, Spencer. She passed away on Thursday, April 24, 2008, at Northshire Residence in Spencer. The Warner Funeral Home of Spencer is in charge of arrangements...

SAN ANGELO, Texas -- Dozens of mothers from a polygamist retreat were bused away from their children Thursday, their legal efforts to stay united rejected as Texas officials sort out their massive custody case. Two buses took the women from the San Angelo Coliseum, where they had been temporarily housed with their children. Texas officials were preparing to move the last of more than 400 children to group homes, shelters and residences, some hundreds of miles away, over the next few days...

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- A 16-year-old boy is accused of plotting an attack on his high school, officials said Thursday, alleging that he discussed plans by e-mail with another person to carry out simultaneous "Columbine-like mass murders" in two states on Sept. 11, 2008...

By Jeff Hasselmann Sports Editor Spirit Lake/Okoboji tightened its stranglehold on the Lakes Conference Thursday at the Westside Racquet Club, winning all but one singles match to trump the Tigers in a shortened match for the second time this season...

LAURENS -- The Ruthven-Ayrshire boys golf team came up 13 strokes shy of a win Thursday at Laurens Golf and Country Club, shooting a 206 to finish 12 strokes behind Laurens-Marathon. The Chargers used three scores in the 40s to trump the Raiders with a 194 final...

The Spencer/Emmetsburg girls blanked Storm Lake for the second time this season and the Tigers pitched their fourth shutout of the year Thursday at Dale Norton Field, flooding the Tornadoes with two hat tricks worth of goals in a 6-0 win. "I was really proud of their spirit and their energy tonight in the midst of this week, and in the rain," said Spencer/Emmetsburg head coach Tom Van Tassell. "They were ready to go."...