Stories from Friday, July 27, 2012

Both Christopher Nolan and Christian Bale have made it painfully clear, they're done with Batman. Which, if you're a fan of the character, makes the closing credits of "The Dark Knight Rises" very sad indeed. The two have given movie fans one of the most powerful trilogies in film complete with three separate stories and a wealth of characters that evoked a wide range of emotions...

"The Book of Tomorrow," by Cecelia Ahern. William Morrow, 310 pp. $14.99 Sixteen-year-old Tamara Goodwin has just lost her father. A successful developer with properties around the world, Tamara spent her life in the highest lap of luxury -- "we spent our summers in our villa in Marbella, Christmas in our Verbier chalet, and Easter at the New York Ritz." -- until she and her mother realize that, like the man of their house, the fortune they had relied on was also gone...

Iowa has officially become the fifth state eligible for services from the Farm Rescue program. Founder Bill Gross was in Spencer Thursday morning, conducting a press conference with local sponsors, to explain the program and make area farmers aware of the services his group of volunteers provide...

Faith Staedtler, 4, Gabby Staedtler, 6, and Kendra Lowe, 6, enjoy the final day of the Spencer Summer Playground program at the Spencer Family Aquatic Center. The special final day, coordinated and operated by the Spencer Family Y, included two hours enjoying the water followed by a family picnic in the park. More than 200 kids were served by the program community-wide, as local youth were involved in supervised activities at parks in Spencer. (Photo by Randy M. Cauthron)

The Rumbles, a band with great history, will be the featured entertainment Saturday, July 28, at Preservation Plaza in Arnolds Park. Music will begin at 7:30 p.m. and is free to the public thanks to sponsorship from Northwest Bank. The Rumbles are a rock and roll band which began in Council Bluffs as a high school garage band. Forty-two years later they are still playing. Over the years, the band has gone through many member changes, yet the talent stays the same. The band consists of four members who play a wide variety of music from hits by the Black Eyed Peas to Chicago. The Rumbles have been one of the most popular bands in the Midwest and continue to have fun everywhere they go.

Merchants had their items on the sidewalks in front of their stores early Thursday morning as the Spencer Chamber of Commerce began its three-day Crazy Days celebration in town. Downtown businesses took advantage of the opportunity to market their items in the open sun and shoppers took advantage. Thursday night, the public was treated to Thanks With Franks, a way for the retailers and service providers to say thanks to the local base by serving up opportunities. Offering a health option as well, Blue Zones Demonstration Site volunteers served fruit kabobs as well. Crazy Days continue through Saturday. A few blocks over, the second week of Mainstreet Market, at Clay County Courthouse square, continued with a vendors selling fresh produce, food and artisans works. (Photos by Randy M. Cauthron)

If an energy shortage occurs in northern Iowa, Spencer Municipal Utilities is ready. In 1970, SMU purchased two Pratt & Whitney jet engines that power a GE turbine. Though the equipment is 42 years old, it has not been used very often. Its most recent use, prior to its test Thursday morning, was for maintenance purposes last week...

The U.S. House moved its version of the farm bill out of committee. According to committee chairs Lucas and Peterson, the bill labeled FARRM, "Repeals or consolidates more than 100 programs, eliminates direct payments, streamlines and reforms commodity policy that saves taxpayers more than $14 billion, consolidates 23 conservation programs into 13, which improves program delivery to producers and saves taxpayers more than $6 billion and provides regulatory relief, to mitigate burdens that farmers, ranchers, and rural communities face. ...

Rain is an interesting subject in the Bible. It is a subject that is tied very closely to prayer and to people coming back to God. In James 5:15-18 it says, "And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. ...

It's a brand new show in honor of Treasure Village's 40th anniversary season. Little Mermaid, Treasure Village's version of the famous fairy tale, is the story of Sabrina, a mermaid, who dreams of seeing the world above the sea when she turns 18. Problems begin when she falls in love with a prince she rescues. Lively and fun songs help tell the tale. All ages will enjoy this story...