Stories from Friday, September 2, 2011

If you're looking for a typical Paul Rudd comedy, "Our Idiot Brother" is not it. It's not particularly raunchy or crude - like so many of his films - but instead a lightly humored tale of a grown man whose naive beliefs get him in and out of trouble more times than you would care to count...

Rev. Travis Stevick has lived in a lot of different locations. For the next year at least, he will call Spencer home. Stevick is the new associate pastor at Grace United Methodist Church in Spencer. The Marshalltown High School graduate's longest stay to date anywhere has been the eight years he spent in the Cedar Valley. Part of that time, Stevick was attending the University of Northern Iowa; the last five years were spent pastoring in Hudson...

DES MOINES -- Gov. Branstad, Thursday, released two letters he has sent to United States Postmaster General Patrick R. Donahoe regarding the United States Postal Service's (USPS) plan to close rural post offices and processing centers in Iowa. Gov. Branstad has asked Postmaster General Donahoe to consider numerous options as they seek to overcome financial challenges...

Winner will receive $5,000, compete at state competition

Cycle Country Accessories Corp., of Spencer, is selling its ATV accessories product line to Kolpin Outdoors Inc., of Fox Lake, Wis., for $9.7 million, subject to certain adjustments and contingencies, according to a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Thursday...

Spencer and Joplin, Mo. students have been united by way of care packages containing letters and a collection of donated school and personal supplies. The first three boxes containing five packages from Spencer High School students arrived Wednesday at Joplin High School. ...

Past patients of Hospice of Spencer Hospital are honored with a butterfly release in Spencer Hospital Grand Avenue Park during a Thursday evening celebration of 25 years of hospice in Spencer. Sheryl Thu, former director of hospice and Home Health for Spencer Hospital, read a poem during the release. "A butterfly lights beside us like a sunbeam and, for a brief moment, its glory and beauty belong to our world. But then it flies on again, and though we wish it could have stayed, we feel so lucky to have seen it. Today we celebrate life with the release of butterflies. As it glides away on the autumn breeze, and flutters among the wind-blown leaves, and stops to rest on a flower or two, and takes a drink of the morning dew, we remember that there is life anew. Monarch butterflies are native and will thrive to insure the continuation of their species, keeping memory alive." (Photo by Gabe Licht)