Stories from Saturday, September 27, 2008

By Kris Todd Daily Reporter Staff When Spencer school board members slashed approximately $1.1 million from the 2008-09 school year budget, they introduced a new manner of instruction for Spencer students. The long-distance alternative has been received very well, in turn, by Spencer High School (SHS) students and staff alike...

OXFORD, Miss. -- Barack Obama accused presidential rival John McCain of supporting Bush administration policies that produced the current economic crisis Friday night in their first debate of the campaign for the White House. Both men readily agreed Congress must act soon to prevent millions of Americans from losing their jobs and homes...

U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin on Thursday cautioned Congress against being "stampeded" into a massive bailout of the nation's financial system. His concerns came as an Iowa legislative leader said he was worried that a severe economic downturn could hurt a state budget already under pressure...

He's caught 90 career passes. He's racked up more than 1,200 yards. He's visited the end zone 17 times as a wide receiver. But, Trevor Tiefenthaler's days of catching passes are over -- in high school, anyway. After three years as a starting wide receiver for Sioux Central, Tiefenthaler has moved under center for his senior season, a move necessitated by his speed and play-making ability...

With an endowment of more than $3 million, the Okoboji Foundation makes a tremendous impact on the Iowa Great Lakes Area. To date, grants of more than $2.1 million have been awarded to more than 50 local non-profit organizations in support of over 100 projects. A recent recipient of $100,000 of the Okoboji Foundation's bounty is the Spirit Lake Protective Association...

Spencer Hospital Community Health Services will offer comprehensive wellness screenings to the public from 6-8 a.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 7 in the lower level of the hospital. The fee for the screening is $65. Screening includes a laboratory blood screen for diabetes, anemia, immunity, heart, liver and kidney function tests; body composition analysis, blood pressure; pulse check and for women a heel bone mineral density screening for $65. ...

U.S. Repre-sentative Steve King, representing Iowa's Fifth District in the United States Congress, will be in Spencer for a 12 p.m. meeting with the Spencer Rotary Club and other service organizations at the Clay County Regional Events Center. Among the topics that King will be discussing, the $700 billion bailout legislation...

In a low-scoring game, Okoboji thought they had the opportunity they needed as time dwindled away in the fourth quarter. But a fourth-down pass inside the Indian 20-yard line fell to the ground and Pocahontas Area/Pomeroy-Palmer escaped with a 9-7 win Friday in Milford...

Calling it a game he won't "get over personally for a long, long time," Sioux Central Head Coach Jeff Tiefenthaler lamented his team's triple overtime loss to South O'Brien Friday night at Sioux Rapids, 15-14. "It was an unbelievable loss…We dominated the first half but it was penalty after penalty."...

Clay Central-Everly rolled up 261 yards rushing and made an early case for a playoff berth with a 26-15 homecoming stunner over Class A No. 4 Newell-Fonda Friday night. "Hopefully this propels us," Maverick coach Kevin Fahnlander said. "We know we can play even better, hopefully. As a team, it points us in the right direction and it is a big win against a ranked team and a good, quality team."...

The Spencer Tiger defense locked down the Estherville-Lincoln Central offense, allowing just 129 total yards, while putting up 21 first half points against the highly regarded Midget defense. The combined effort led to the 21-0 shutout victory in Spencer Friday night...