Stories from Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Memorial services for Mrs. Sue Monklein Wodka, 48, of Plano, Texas, formerly of Spencer, will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 19, 2011, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Spencer. Burial will take place at Grant Township Cemetery in rural Pocahontas. Mrs. Wodka passed away Feb. 13, 2011, at her home in Plano...

Most of us have been riveted by the scenes of destruction caused by the Japanese earthquake and subsequent tsunami. Thousands are confirmed dead, with thousands more missing. Our hearts go out to the people of Japan. While they begin the heartbreaking process of cleaning up, amidst countless aftershocks, they warily look to the north of their country, at nuclear power plants on the edge of meltdowns...

Funeral services for Mr. Joe Miller, 80, of Spencer, will be held at 2 p.m. Warner Chapel in Spencer. Rev. Tonna Parsons will officiate the service. Visitation will take place one hour prior to the services at the Warner Chapel in Spencer. Interment will take place at North Lawn Memorial Park in Spencer. A military flag presentation will be conducted by Glen Pedersen Post 1 - American Legion of Spencer, following the services at the funeral home...

Local agri-business professionals served up breakfast at the annual Ag Breakfast Tuesday, March 15, at Legends Events and Social Center in Spencer. Omelets prepared to order will be served to area business people and those in the community supporting the agriculture industry. The public is welcome.

Crews work Monday afternoon to demolish the South Clay school building in Gillett Grove. The school district dissolved following the 2009-10 school year. Nira Rusk, who taught at the school for 22 years, watched and took photos of the proceedings with her husband Bob and daughter Melanie Lekwa. "It's hard to watch, but I wouldn't want it to go without being here," she said.