Stories from Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Statewide coverage Monday, surrounding a letter issued in March, raised some eyebrows about school budget deficits. The Okoboji School District received one of 60 Iowa Department of Education letters regarding a perceived trend toward negative unspent balances. The form letter was cited in news coverage Monday from Des Moines...

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. ...

As Spencer high school and middle school students commence the 2008-09 school year on Tuesday, Aug. 19, they'll be greeted by a handful of new teachers, including Nicole Stauffer and Amy Metcalf. Elementary students, who'll mark a day of parent-teacher conferences that day, will meet up with new teachers Stephanie Anderson, Teresa Goehring, Brian Sand, John Hansel and Laura Van Otterloo in their respective classrooms on Aug. 20th...

An agreement was signed Monday by Iowa Lakes Community College and Buena Vista University administration that ensures an easier academic transition for students at Iowa Lakes. During the formal ceremony on the Estherville campus of Iowa Lakes, the presidents of both institutions spoke of the value of the official Bachelor of Applied Studies program agreement...

DES MOINES -- There's a silver lining to all the rain that's been falling in Iowa. It's ensured job security for those guys who waterproof basements. Just ask John Hall, the owner of Des Moines-based American Perfection Waterproofing Co. who has been in the business for 26 years. He's booked through April 2009...

On Crazy Days in Spencer, anything is possible. For instance, this six foot chicken that escaped from Kentucky Fried Chicken took time out to pose with this spring car located in front of the store before making a break for it. The car was in front of the store to generate attention as part of the Crazy Days events in town. ...

CEDAR RAPIDS (AP) -- Mental health professionals in flood-damaged areas are beginning to see the psychological toll last month's disaster is having on residents. They're seeing more cases of stress and insomnia, but warn that more mental health problems may not surface for many more months...

Funeral services for Mrs. Elva Barglof, 71, of Spencer, will take place at 10:30 a.m., Wednesday, July 30, 2008, at Warner Chapel in Spencer. Jason Oleson will officiate the service. There will be no visitation. Elva passed away Sunday, July 27, 2008, at Spencer Hospital...

Funeral services for Mrs. Evelyn Tuel, 94, of Spencer, will be held at 10:30 a.m., Wednesday, July 30, 2008, at United Methodist Church of Terril. Rev. Dave L. Kruse will officiate the service. Visitation will begin at 12 p.m. today with the family present from 6-8 p.m. at the Warner Funeral Home in Spencer...

Services are pending for Mrs. Leona Zaiser, 90, of Hartley, who passed away Monday, July 28, 2008, at Community Memorial Health Center in Hartley. Warner Funeral Home of Hartley is in charge of arrangements.

Jack D. Mankle, 81, of Arnolds Park, passed away Sunday, July 27, 2008, at the Lake Park Care Center. A funeral service will be held at 2 p.m., Thursday, July 31, 2008, at the Schuchert Funeral Home. There will be one hour of visitation held prior to the service. Burial will be at the Milford Cemetery...

Funeral services for Shirley Thorsten, 63, of Spencer, were held Monday, July 28, 2008, at Grace United Methodist Church in Spencer. Rev. Paul Hansen officiated the 10 a.m. service. Burial took place at Riverside Cemetery in Spencer. Mrs. Thortsen passed away Thursday, July 24, 2008, at Avera McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls, S.D...

The American Red Cross Blood Drive will be held at Hope Reformed Church, 919 N. Grand Ave. on Tuesday, July 29 from 11-5 p.m. Ice cream sundaes will be served and all who come to donate can register to win one of two $25 gas cards to be given away each day...

POSTVILLE (AP) -- Members of the Postville community begged a visiting congressional delegation to do whatever they can to stop federal immigration raids, saying that a recent enforcement effort here had scarred this modest city and torn families apart...

Jeff VanWesten with Clay Mutual Insurance Association presented Jarod Olson, fire fighter for the Royal Fire Department, a check towards the purchase of a new fire truck.

By Russ Mitchell Daily Reporter Staff It's up to the voters one last time. Shawn Mayer, a 21-year-old from May City, avoided the elimination as "Nashville Star" named its three finalists in the NBC country music competition series. Mayer led off the show and is joined in the Aug. ...

For so many area families, the coming week is a pretty special one. Sons fly home, fathers hit the putting green, and everyone takes part in the Northwest Amateur golf tournament, teeing off on Thursday at the Spencer Golf and Country Club. The Northwest Am, while one of the longest-running and most respected amateur tournaments in the state, has such a familial feel. And, that's because families, generation after generation, form a backbone of the tournament...

By Chuck Schoffner Associated Press DES MOINES -- When the opportunities arose, Davenport Assumption capitalized and Cherokee didn't. That's why Assumption is a state champion -- again. Jake Kent constantly pitched out of trouble and Assumption beat Cherokee 4-2 Saturday to win the Class 2A state championship, its third title in the last five years and eighth overall...

Local all-conference softball teams were recently released with nine areas players earning recognition on the Lakes Conference and Cornbelt Conference teams. Spencer put five players on the All-Lakes Conference list with four seniors and one sophomore receiving accolades. Clay Central-Everly and Ruthven-Ayrshire combined to land four athletes on the All-Cornbelt Conference list...

Area all-conference baseball lists were recently released with 16 local players earning mention on the Lakes Conference and Cornbelt Conference teams. Spencer put five combined players on the All-Lakes Conference list; Clay Central-Everly and Ruthven-Ayrshire combined to land 11 athletes on the All-Cornbelt Conference team...

DES MOINES (AP) -- No matter what you call 'em, those kids in Kossuth County sure can play some ball. North Sentral Kossuth got solid pitching from Shaun McGuire and scored four times in the second inning in beating Gilbertville Don Bosco 6-1 Saturday to win the Class 1A state championship...

NEW YORK -- Oil prices rose Monday, approaching $125 a barrel after militants sabotaged two oil pipelines in Nigeria and Iran claimed that it had doubled the size of its nuclear program but signaled a willingness to work with the U.S. Light, sweet crude for September delivery rose $1.47 to settle at $124.73 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange, after earlier rising as high as $125.22 a barrel...

NEW YORK -- General Motors Corp. said Monday it will cut shifts at plants in Ohio and Louisiana, eliminating 1,760 jobs, as part of the automaker's previously announced plan to reduce vehicle production due to weak demand for trucks and sport utility vehicles...

Brad Price, president of ROC Management/Godfather's Pizza, recently made a stop in Spencer to honor two special employees: Nate Conlon and Jim Borst. These two employees were recognized for their customer service, hard work and dedication to their customers and Godfather's Pizza. ...