Stories from Friday, May 30, 2008

It's an undeniable fact - it hurts to lose a loved one. A continuing program in Okoboji is hoping to help those struggling find support, strength and peace. GriefShare, a biblically based support group seminar, is returning to the Lakes area this summer...

All area women are invited to the "Let's Have Flowers" prayer connection at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, June 4 in the home of Bonnie Neisess, Treasure Village on Highway 86. It is a time of sharing and supporting each other with prayer and fellowship. Okoboji Women's Connection is a part of Stonecroft Ministries...

CHICAGO (AP) -- Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama said Thursday that he was "deeply disappointed" by a supporter's sermon at his church that mocked Hillary Rodham Clinton. The Rev. Michael Pfleger, a Chicago activist, also apologized for last Sunday's sermon at Obama's church, in which he said Clinton's eyes welled with tears before the New Hampshire primary because she felt "entitled" to the Democratic nomination and because "there's a black man stealing my show."...

Spencer graduate Kasey McDaniel, a 2003 Iowa High School state champion in the 100-meter hurdles, is one of 11 athletes from the University of Mississippi women's track and field team who will compete Friday in the two-day NCAA Mideast Regional hosted by the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville...

Wes Christensen scattered five hits and struck out six in a complete-game shutout and Clay Central-Everly won for the third time this season Wednesday, beating Sioux Center 4-0 in non-conference play. "Wes did a great job. He was spotting the ball very well," Clay Central-Everly head coach Mike Elbert said. "B.J. Brugman called a real good game. Wes just stayed within himself and he did a real good job of moving the pitches around. He kept them off balanced."...

Sioux Central picked up its third win of the season Wednesday at home, scoring eight runs over the final two innings to blank Battle Creek-Ida Grove 10-0. Brooke Scharn faced just three batters over the minimum, giving up one hit and walking two in the complete game win. She struck out eight and retired the side in order three times...

Emily Wassom picked up a victory in her first state singles match Thursday in Decorah on the campus of Luther College, but at the end of the day both Spencer state qualifiers, Hannah Maertens and Wassom, were on the outside looking in after each dropped out of the tournament with a pair of losses...

All they wanted was a shot at state. They finally got it, and they're doing something with it. Spencer stayed alive in the Class 1A Iowa Boys State Soccer Tournament, avenging one of its two losses and winning its first-ever state tournament game Thursday with a 2-0 first-round victory over No. 10 Decorah at James W. Cownie Soccer Park in Des Moines...

WASHINGTON -- The Democratic presidential race is heading into a fractious end game as supporters of Hillary Rodham Clinton mobilize for a protest Saturday to demand that the party count two outlawed primaries that favored her. Supporters, to include Rep. ...

IOWA CITY (AP) -- Former Iowa football player Cedric Everson turned himself in and appeared in court Thursday on a charge he sexually assaulted a woman at a university dorm. Everson is one of two former players facing charges in connection with the alleged assault at Hillcrest Hall on Oct. 14, 2007...

The Clay County Pork Producers recently awarded eight high school seniors with scholarships totaling $4,200. These scholarships, which are awarded at the beginning of the second semester of college, were awarded to: Heather Clark, the daughter of Steve and Jolene Clark of Hartley. She is a graduate of Clay Central/Everly (CCE) High School and plans to attend the University of Northern Iowa and major in biology...

register for fall football Two final opportunities to register for the MYFL Spencer Youth Football League will take place tonight from 7-9 p.m. and Saturday from 1-3 p.m. at League Director Randy Cauthron's home, 207 35th Ave. W. These will be the last two opportunities to get equipment sized and register before jerseys are ordered and the league fee increases by $50. ...

Leota "Babe" Newgard, 86, of Webb, passed away Monday, May 26, 2008, at Spencer Municipal Hospital in Spencer. Funeral services will be held Saturday, May 31, 2008, at the United Pentecostal Church in Marathon. Rev. Ivor Reuter will officiate the 10:30 a.m. service. Burial will be in Garfield Cemetery near Webb...

A 10:30 a.m. memorial service for Robert Langfeldt, 58, of Colorado Springs, Colo., formerly of Spencer, will be held Monday, June 2, 2008, at Warner Chapel in Spencer. Burial will be at East Side Cemetery in Estherville at a later date. Mr. Langfeldt passed away Tuesday, May 27, 2008, at his home in Colorado Springs. Warner Funeral Home of Spencer is in charge of arrangements...

Funeral services for JoElla Mack, 92, of Spencer, will be held Tuesday, June 10, at Aspen Grove Cemetery in Burlington, Iowa. The Rev. Marshall Jackman will officiate the 10 a.m. service. JoElla Mack passed away Wednesday, May 28, 2008, at Longhouse Residence in Spencer...

Funeral services for Paul Wittrock, 73, of Sutherland, will be held Tuesday, June 3, 2008, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Sutherland. Rev. Tim Hogan will officiate the 1:30 p.m. service. Burial will be at Waterman Cemetery in Sutherland. Mr. Wittrock passed away Wednesday, May 28, 2008, at his home in Sutherland...

DES MOINES (AP) -- As such events go, the cavernous Hy-Vee Hall is an unusual choice for the installation of a new bishop. But for Richard E. Pates, Des Moines' newest bishop, the atypical site was a logical selection. It was a small step -- his first step as the Des Moines diocese's ninth bishop -- to try and broaden the reach of the Catholic Church's message...

Spencer Middle School students who participated in the RSVP Student Service Project were recently recognized for their volunteer contributions to the community. Forty seventh and eighth graders contributed over 500 hours to non-profit organizations and public agencies during out-of-school time over the past school year...

Seventeen Central Academy students observed a life accomplishment during a graduation celebration which took place Thursday evening in the Spencer school district's central administrative offices. Central Academy Instructor Anne Roberts opened the evening's proceedings with the story of a pancreatic cancer survivor who had been given six months to live, but recently marked his ninth month battling the disease...

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...