Stories from Thursday, December 15, 2011

Donald Zieman sat emotionless as District 3 Associate Judge Charles Borth read the jury's verdicts: Guilty on three counts of prostitution and two counts of disseminating or exhibiting obscene material to a minor. The two-day trial concluded following about four hours of deliberation Wednesday morning and afternoon in the Clay County Courthouse...

Christmas shows filled the Clay County Regional Events Center on back-to-back nights, with the Oak Ridge Boys taking the stage Tuesday and Family Force 5 rocking out with Manafest and Hawk Nelson Wednesday. Oak Ridge Boys' Richard Sterban (above) asks the crowd of 1,300 to sing "Oom poppa oom poppa mow mow," during Elvira before the band switched to Christmas music. (above) Joshua "Fatty" Olds, of Family Force 5, takes a break from his guitar to serenade the crowd of about 350 during "The 2011 Christmas Pageant." (Photos by Gabe Licht)

The U.S. Postal Service on Tuesday agreed to delay the closing of 252 mail processing centers and 3,700 local post offices until mid-May. Among the local post offices saved from scheduled closure, those serving Fostoria and Rembrandt. Fostoria received a Final Determination to Close on Nov. 7...

After approving a fiscal year 2012-13 operation budget during their Nov. 8 meeting, Spencer Park Board members did the same with a five-year capital improvement projects request presented to them Tuesday night. Both will now be considered by Spencer City Council members as they advance through the upcoming fiscal year's budgeting process...

Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.), Republican Presidential candidate, has announced information about her scheduled visit to Spencer Saturday. Bachmann will meet with the public at 9 a.m. at the Spencer Hy-Vee Deli meeting room. She is scheduled to be at Hey Good Cookies! in Spirit Lake at 10 a.m...

This column was supposed to be about attending the first full-cast presidential debate in Sioux City, which would also have been my first presidential debate. But, after learning non-Fox News media is sequestered in a "filing room" to watch the debate on a screen, I decided I could watch the debate on TV from home much easier...

Roland Ostwald, 89, of Algona, and formerly of Whittemore, died on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2011, at the Kossuth Regional Health Center in Algona. Memorial services will be 2 p.m. Saturday Dec. 17, 2011, at the Water's Edge Nature Center on Smith Lake north of Algona. Military rites will be conducted by the Seely-Walsh American Legion Post No. 425 of Whittemore. Visitation will be after the service until 5 p.m. Saturday, at the Water's Edge Nature Center...

Services for Orven Sandy Salton will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 17, 2011, at Zion Lutheran Church in Ruthven. Visitation will be held from 4-8 p.m. Friday, at Zion Lutheran Church in Ruthven. Interment will be at North Lawn Cemetery in Spencer...

Funeral services for Mr. Kenneth Stewart, 44, of Marathon, will be held at 1 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 15, 2011, at Warner Funeral Home in Spencer. Rev. Tonna Parsons will officiate the service. Burial will take place at Liberty Cemetery in Greenville. Mr. Stewart passed away Sunday, Dec. 11, 2011, in Greenville...

Funeral services for Mr. Kenneth Syndergaard, 82, of Peterson, will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 15, 2011, at First Congregational Church in Peterson. Rev. Steve DeGangi will officiate the service. Burial will be at Oakland Cemetery in Peterson...

Funeral services for Melvin D. Williams will be held Friday, Dec. 16, 2011, at 11 a.m., at Grace Lutheran Church in Spirit Lake, Ia. Visitation will be held Thursday, Dec. 15, 2011, after 4 p.m. with the family present from 5-7 p.m. at the Turner Jenness Funeral Home in Spirit Lake. Mr. Williams passed away Dec. 12, 2011, at Bergan Mercy Hospital in Omaha, Neb. at 71 years of age...

Following a rollover accident at 9:18 p.m. Sunday, James Max Martinez was charged for opening while intoxicated, first offense; failure to maintain control; failure to have a valid driver's license; failure to prove security against liability; failure to wear and maintain safety belt; and operation without registration...

The Spencer Ambassadors visited Rhonda Helm, Farm Bureau Financial Services agent, at her new office, 12 E. Fifth St., as she begins to work on her own. Helm began working with Farm Bureau Financial Services providing health, life, home and auto insurance, as well investment opportunities, in May 2007. She opened up her independent office on Nov. 1. Helm told the Ambassadors she just wanted to venture out on her own. (Photo by Randy M. Cauthron)

Arlene Lee and Darin Enderton were united in marriage June 4, 2011, at Fertile Church of Christ in Fertile, by Pastors Rob Perry and Nate Slabach. Arlene is the daughter of LaVerne and Susanna Lee, of Fertile. Darin is the son of Jerry and Rosalee Enderton, of Webb...