Stories from Thursday, April 26, 2012

Northwest Bank announced Tuesday morning that the financial institution has entered into an agreement with Bank of America to purchase their consumer branch locations in Spencer, Algona, Fort Dodge and Estherville. The purchase is expected to be complete in August, pending regulatory approval...

Tom Manley has proven that you don't have to travel too far from home to have a big impact on the world you live in. He did cross over county lines, from O'Brien to Clay, to make his living and raise a family, but at heart, Tom Manley represents the best of small town values; of looking out for your neighbor, doing what you can to make life better for others, and being a cheerful giver...

Iowa Public Television's Dan Wardell impersonates a giraffe during his Reading Road Trip stop at Spencer Public Library Wednesday afternoon. Wardell got youngsters and grownups moving while reading "Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type" and "Rumble in the Jungle." (Photo by Gabe Licht)

"Ring of Fire: The Music of Johnny Cash" takes the SCT stage for three weekends of performances, as the final 2011-12 main stage production from April 27 to May 12. The tunes of the "Man in Black" ignite the stage in the SCT premiere of Ring of Fire. Experience the music of legendary Johnny Cash in this revue that features more than three dozen of the singer's best-loved songs to describe the journey of a man in search of his soul...

Spencer district principals gathered at Tuesday night's board meeting to talk about bullying across the school system. This topic came up once again after the tragic situation at South O'Brien Community High School. The classrooms at each of the schools practice Steps to Success and Steps to Respect, research-based programs intended to break through attitudes and barriers among the students, as well as to teach friendship skills throughout the school...

Mary Tuttle, 66, succumbed to injuries suffered in a tragic accident near her home in Las Vegas, N.M. on Feb. 21, 2012. After graduating from Spencer High School in 1964, Mary entered the University of Iowa, where she received her BA degree in Art. During her years at the university, Mary's interest in making pottery blossomed, and soon after graduation she began a two-year apprenticeship with Gail Christenson, a well-known potter and teacher in Minneapolis...

Funeral services for Mrs. Elsie Oveson, 96, of Spencer, will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, April 27, 2012, at First Congregational Church in Spencer, with Rev. Thomas Van Tassell officiating. Public gathering with the family present will be from 4:30-6:30 p.m. Thursday at the Warner Funeral Home in Spencer...

Our choice for Citizen of the Year for 2011 in Tom Manley. Tom is a lifelong resident of the area growing up on a farm south of Hartley. Tom and Karen moved to Spencer in the early seventies when Tom was an Insurance Salesman for Woodman Insurance Co. of Omaha. After several years in the Insurance business Tom entered the world of banking as a marketing specialist. Tom is currently the Promotions and Marketing Director of Community State Bank...

Some of northwest Iowa's best track athletes showcased at the Cherokee Relays Tuesday night. MOC-Floyd Valley and Western Christian battled Spencer on the girls side, and the Tigers squared off against MOC and Unity Christian for the boys. The girls finished second to MOC-FV by four points, and the boys took third...

Both Spencer soccer teams routed West Sioux on Tuesday afternoon, with the boys winning 14-0 and the girls, 10-0. Goals came early and often in both games as both teams remain undefeated heading into Thursday's match with rival Spirit Lake Park-Okoboji...

Senior Jared Schoelerman dominated the competition by claiming four individual wins and setting two meet records as the Clay Central-Everly boys track team won the Clint Stille Relays in Emmetsburg Tuesday. Schoelerman, who will compete at the Drake Relays on Friday in the high jump and 110 hurdles, won the open 400 (52.75) and high jump (6-08), and set new meet records in the 110 hurdles (15.18) and 400 hurdles (57.90)...

Spencer's John Labernik claimed medalist honors with a round of 37 Tuesday afternoon at Spencer Golf and Country Club and Spencer's Amber Hanson won for the girls at Okoboji View Golf Course with a 45. Spencer's boys team won the double dual with Le Mars and Spirit Lake, edging the Indians by two strokes. Spirit Lake's Corey Potter was runner-up with a 39...

Roman Dale Heinrichs, the son of Roman and Erma "Jean" (Jarnigan) Heinrichs, was born July 2, 1957, in Spencer. He spent his childhood years in Spencer, graduating from Spencer High School in 1975. Roman resided in Spencer, where he worked at SuperValu for 28 years. ...

First Congregation Church of Spencer hosted its annual May Day celebration Wednesday morning, serving coffee, offering a variety of goodies and selling baked goods and May baskets. A large number of visitors filtered through the church's hallway and gathering area. (Photos by Randy M. Cauthron)

A 25-year-old Milford man is being held on a $100,000 bond awaiting trial on a Class C felony charge of conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine. His attorney Michael Johnson filed a motion for bond reduction on April 13. "The bond, as it now stands, is excessive, in violation of the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution of the United States," Johnson wrote in his motion. ...

Funeral services for Mrs. Lucille Ollinger, 90, of Spencer, will be held at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, April 26, 2012, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Spencer. Rev. William Schreiber will officiate the service. Burial will be at North Lawn Memorial Park in Spencer...

The Spencer Ambassadors got a sneak preview of the new Iowa Lakes Corridor offices a few hours before the local economic development operation welcomed visitors to its open house and hosted Business After Hours. Kathy Evert, president of Iowa Lakes Corridor, told the Ambassadors the entity is celebrating its 20th year. She shared her appreciation for Spencer Municipal Utilities who has allowed the Corridor to occupy the new spaces on the southwest corner of its new operations center. Evert said the Corridor had outgrown its space as it continues to serve Buena Vista, Clay, Dickinson and Emmet counties. She said the Corridor is laying some big foundation blocks for the future. The Iowa Lakes Corridor - a private non-profit - relies heavily on private and corporate donations to fund its projects and programs. (Photo by Randy M. Cauthron)

Gary Gates and Carla Gates of Spencer are proud to announce the engagement of their daughter, Katie Gates, to Dean Bush, son of Paul and Mary Bush of Ann Arbor, Mich. Katie is a 2002 graduate of Spencer High School and a 2006 graduate of Luther College in Decorah. ...

Mr. and Mrs. Lance Selzer, of Spencer, and Mr. and Mrs. James Prickett Jr., of Leesburg, Va. are pleased to announce the engagement of their children Nicole M. Selzer and James I. Prickett III, of West Des Moines. Nicole, of West Des Moines, has a BS in Education from Southwest Minnesota State University, and is employed as a second grade teacher at Clive Elementary in West Des Moines...