Stories from Tuesday, October 29, 2013

A common theme in a lot of the Clover Corner has been citizenship and leadership. I have highlighted achievements of county youth and programs. I would now like to challenge 4-H youth in grades 10-12 to take those leadership and citizenship skills to the next level...

Edith Hansen is a true force of nature. This 98-year-old woman, who has resided in The Highlands since October 1998, has an unflappable memory. She is honest, feisty, and 100 percent Irish. Hansen's positive outlook on life and cheery attitude are catchy. "Kid," the pet name she calls others, is appreciated...

Funeral services for Mr. Harold Carlson, 84 of Spencer, formerly of Storm Lake, will be conducted at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2013 at First English Lutheran Church in Spencer. Rev. Paul Kaldahl will officiate the service. Visitation will be conducted beginning 4 p.m. Tuesday with the family present from 5-7 p.m. at Warner Funeral Home...

Funeral services for Dr. Carl Robert Kitchen, 96 of Sierra Vista, Ariz., will be conducted at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2013 at Warner Chapel in Spencer, Iowa. Father William Schreiber will officiate the service. Visitation with the family will be conducted beginning 5 p.m. Monday evening at the funeral home...

Bernadette Sanderson, age 87, of Ruthven passed away Oct. 23, 2013 at the Ruthven Care Center in Ruthven, Iowa. A family service will be held at the Union Cemetery in Groton, S.D. at a later date. Bernadette Eugenia (Barondau) Sanderson was born Sept. ...

Funeral services for Mrs. Suzanne Edington, 73 of Spencer, will be conducted at 10:30 a.m. Friday, Nov. 1, 2013 at First Congregational Church in Spencer. Rev. Wendy Van Tassell will officiate the service. Visitation will be conducted beginning 12 noon Wednesday, with the family present from 6-8 p.m. at Warner Funeral Home in Spencer...

Services are pending for Mrs. Jackie Sorensen, 76 of Spencer, who passed away Sunday, Oct. 27, 2013 at St. Luke Lutheran Home in Spencer. Warner Funeral Home of Spencer is in charge of arrangements.

The Duck Dynasty Boys, Sam and Kael Brandt with their dog Viper (above), took first place in the Best Costume for 13-year old or younger division at the annual Pet Costume Contest Saturday afternoon at the Southpark Mall. George Hess, the beach bum, owned by Megan Hess, took top honors in the adult division. The Best Trick belonged to Paris the dog, belonging to Hannah Schiltz of Spencer. Organizers raised $250 for People 4 Pets by registrations and donor box, plus more than 300 pounds of pet food was donated by local businesses for People 4 Pets. (Above) Lane Frederick and Tonto, and Lane's sister Erin and Patcher were among the competitors. (Below) Kenzie Schnetzer, of Ruthven, put on the wolf mask and brought along Little Red Riding Hood. (Photos by Randy M. Cauthron)

The Morris (Mo) D. Kelley Award was presented by Spencer Community Schools Activities Director Dave Brown (right) to Spencer High School football announcer Larry Untiet (left). The award, given by the Iowa Athletic Association, honors individuals for their role as public address announcers at school activities in their community. This award is named in honor of Morris D. Kelley, who for 30 years was the voice of the Iowa High School Athletic Association. Untiet, who has called Tiger football for 39 years, was named the 2013 recipient of the Mo Kelly award. In addition to PA announcing, Unitiet is also the Speech and Drama director at the high school. (Photo by Michael Fischer)

After a tour of the Reynolds Elementary school building, the Historic Preservation Commission has sent a letter to the Spencer School district asking that the building be restored. "I was very surprised with how good the condition of the building was," Sheriffa Jones, chairperson of the Historic Preservation Commission, said. "I was prepared for far worse, from the warnings to wear grubby clothes and a mask."...

Nicole Holtz, 26, Sanborn: OWI first,Failure to secure child, Neglect of a minor Thomas Carney, 24, Spencer: Possession of controlled substance, Possession of drug paraphernalia, Disorderly conduct Houston Selzer, 19, Spencer: Disorderly conduct, Public intoxication...

Family and friends with connections to the Longhouse/Northshire skilled care facility turned out in large numbers to help administration, staff and residents celebrate the facility's 50th anniversary last week. "Fifty years is a big deal," Tim Christy, the facility's current administrator, said. "Fifty years of taking care of a lot of people. Fifty years of being a mainstay in the community."...

The Spencer Tigers will head out on the road for the first round of the playoffs for the third-consecutive year when they face Lewis Central Wednesday night, Oct. 30, in Council Bluffs. Spencer (7-2) is used to the position and has even thrived on it in the the past two years...

Spencer's volleyball team won the Class 4A Region 1 opener Monday night, Oct. 28, at the Spencer Field House against Storm Lake, 3-0, to advance to the semifinals against Le Mars. The Lady Tigers battled the winless Tornadoes before dismissing them in straight sets and improved to 7-30 on the season. Storm Lake finishes 0-27...

The Sioux Central Rebels clinched the No. 4-seed with a 36-0 win in the regular season and will be matched up with Class 1A-District 1 champs, South O'Brien. The Wolverines have only lost once this season (8-1), back on Sept. 13 versus Gehlen Catholic, and feature one of the best running backs in 1A: Zach Nieman...

　 Clay County Fair manager unveiled the 2017 Centennial Vision initiative to a packed ballroom at the Clay County Regional Events Center during the Clay County Fair Annual Meeting Monday night. "Dream big," was Parsons' message to the membership and volunteer body from the fair as he discussed the multi-million dollar, three-phase plan; as well as a membership drive and volunteer recruitment effort...

Crime stories make for compelling reading. Online traffic statistics prove it locally - folks do like to read about crimes. The popularity of shows like "Law and Order" and the "NCIS" franchise prove it out as well. And, I'll admit I find myself perusing the national and local news for stories of nefarious criminals. I've noticed in the past week a disturbing trend in crime headlines - crimes involving animals...

The Top Ten teams in the Associated Press final Iowa high school football polls of the 2013 season with first-place votes in parentheses and won-loss record, total points and position last week at right: Others receiving votes: Iowa City High 6, Southeast Polk 2, Sioux City East 1, Cedar Rapids Washington 1...

(Note: Match-ups appear as they do on the bracket with the first two games' winners playing each other, and the third and fourth games listed playing each other.) CLASS 3A Le Mars (3-6) at Harlan (8-1) ADM, Adel (4-5) at Carroll (7-2) Creston (6-3) at Bishop Heelan (9-0)...

Sioux Central Volleyball - 2A Regional 2nd rd. at Pocahontas Area - 7 p.m. - Pocahontas Clay Central-Everly Volleyball - 1A Regional 2nd rd. at Harris-Lake Park - 7 p.m. - Lake Park Okoboji Volleyball - 2A Regional 2nd rd. vs. North Union - 7 p.m. - Milford...

Country music legend Loretta Lynn postpones Iowa shows after a grueling Canadian tour. Lynn's rep states Lynn started feeling poorly midway through her three week tour. "Loretta is a pro and wants to give her fans the best show possible. She felt she physically was unable to do that. Lynn is taking some much needed time off and being treated for exhaustion, she hopes that everyone will understand and is rescheduling her Iowa shows."

Only three days remain to participate in Spencer Hospital's silent auction to support Women's Health Services and the fight against breast cancer. Prospective bidders have until Oct. 31 to view and enter a bid for a one-of-a-kind refurbished rocking chair located in the Spencer Hospital lobby. The unique piece of furniture was donated to the auction by the Salvage Sisters of Laurens, Cindy Hoppe-Drefke and Susie Mayou...