Stories from Friday, August 9, 2013

The Spencer Police Department are continuing to search for Brena Steven, 16, of Spencer, who was reported missing on July 29 by her parents. Various sightings of Steven have been reported in the immediate area, so law enforcement believe at this time she is under her own power...

Started in 2009, the annual Inkpaduta Canoe Race has not always met favorable weather conditions. Forecasts suggest Saturday's 10:30 a.m. start time should be met with moderate temperatures and safe river levels. There's a chance for thunderstorms in the forecast, but organizers are preparing the event to take place...

C. Willi Myles was born and raised in Mobile, Ala. He attended St. Cloud University where he majored in theater and later became an assistant coach for both the football and basketball programs. After a brief professional career coaching and traveling around the country, Willi caught the comedy bug. ...

The Dickinson County Trails system continues to expand year after year. The Wahpeton trail - now extending through Gull Point State Park to Edgewood Drive - is the most recent addition. Work also continues on the segments of trail along the east side of Highway 86 near Village West - with a completion date set for the tail end of summer...

Everly Days will kick off Saturday morning with a walk in support of one of its youngest citizens. Friends and neighbors will gather at 7:30 a.m. for the Walk for Team Bradley Bear, in support of Bradley Cassavant, son of Ed and Elissa Cassavant. Bradley, who turned a year old recently, has been battling cancer since diagnosis early in his life...

Lori Baker. Penguin Press, 335 pp. $25.95 I didn't have any idea what to think of this book when I began to read it. The quotes on the cover and in the publicist's sheet were raving about this story. The publicist sent me a link to a romance literature journal, where the reviewer poured her love for this book onto the page. ...

The Civil Wars, indie-folk duo from Nashville that includes Joy Williams and John Paul White, released their self-titled album Tuesday, their second behind "Barton Hollow." This band is talented, mixing folk and rock in a way that they've come to perfect as "their sound."...

On Saturday, Aug. 16, at 7:30 p.m. O.A.R. with Allen Stone will be performing on Preservation Plaza at Arnolds Park. With hits "Shattered," "Heaven," and "Love and Memories," O.A.R is sure to not disappoint. In high school, O.A.R began playing in the basement of drummer Chris Culos and before graduation, accomplished their first album, "The Wanderer." The band took off from there, releasing six studio albums and three live double disc CDs by the end of 2008. ...

The second film in the Percy Jackson series, based on the modern day stories blended with Greek god lore created by novelist Rick Riordan, will appeal to its target audience. I took my two boys, 10 and 8, with me to see "Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters" and they loved it. Mythical creatures mixed with teen stars and plenty of excitement and special effects, what's not to love...

Take two of Hollywood's top leading men, hand them some weaponry, put em' in a bag together, shake it up and what do you have? A pretty entertaining buddy movie set against the world of U.S. corruption and Mexican drug cartels. If you're thinking, "Wow, sounds like it might be violent?" Allow me to reassure you, it is. But it's also well written, with plenty of comedic moments for the spirited Wahlberg and the dry Washington...

The Iowa Rock 'n' Roll Music Association will present the BJ Thomas Rock the Roof Extravaganza Concert on Monday, Sept. 2 at the Sami Bedell Center for the Performing Arts on 612 28th St. in Spirit Lake. Doors open at 3 p.m. and the concert begins at 4 p.m. Tickets may be purchased at The Iowa Rock 'n' Roll Music Museum. Call 712-332-6540 or go to the website iowarocknroll.com

The smooth, rich sounds of multi-Dove Award winning and Grammy nominated trio The Martins can be heard in Arnolds Park Sunday, as the talented musical family comes to the Okoboji Bible & Mission Conference Center. The Martins will share their trademark harmonies at the Okoboji Bible & Mission Conference Center at 7:15 p.m...

CHNG. Can you guess the word I have shortened? It's change. Why shorten it? Well, it seems as though change is a four-letter word to a lot of people. Change is hard for all of us, but there is something that is even more difficult: changing someone else...

This year's summer reading program saw a record number of registrants, according to Spencer Library Executive Director Mandie Roberts at Thursday's board meeting. In total, 811 patrons registered for the annual program. Of those registrants, 44 were infants or toddlers, 144 were teens, 195 were adults and 428 were children...

A 22-year-old Spencer man was arrested early Saturday morning after the 2002 Peterbilt semi tractor he had allegedly stolen struck a home at 130 E. Third St. in Spencer. Hayden Theesfeld, who resides at 108 W. Third St. Unit 1, was taken into custody by Spencer Police and charged on multiple counts after reportedly admitting to running into the home on purpose. ...

A 27-year-old man from Albertville, Minn., was stopped and arrested in the 3300-mile of U.S. Highway 17 at 3:34 a.m. Sunday morning after he was recorded driving 109 mph in a 55 mph zone. The Clay County Sheriff's Office stopped Jeremiah Omwamba and performed a field sobriety test before placing him under arrest for speeding and reckless driving...

Funeral services for Fern Benner, 91, of Storm Lake, formerly of Peterson, will be conducted Saturday, Aug. 10, 2013 at Warner Funeral Home in Peterson. Rev. Irwin Goehring will officiate the service. Visitation will be conducted beginning one hour prior to the services at the funeral home...