Stories from Thursday, October 9, 2014

Wendy Pose and Katie Hughes poured Be Flirty Pink Moscato for visitors to Arts on Grand during the Spencer Main Street Annual Wine Stroll Thursday evening. Spencer's wine lovers came out to sample over twenty different types of wines at various local businesses during the event. (Photo by Hanna Russmann)

Why do robbers rob banks? Because that's where the money is at. Why do scam artists target seniors and retirees? Because that is where the money is at. An informational session with the Iowa Fraud Fighters was conducted at the Clay County Regional Events Center Thursday. The Iowa Fraud Fighters were developed by the Iowa Insurance Division to educate senior investors on how to detect fraud and "shield savings" from scammers...

Spencer's SCT Playhouse will launch its 55th anniversary season with an interactive audience experience, "Bingo! The Winning Musical." With seven scheduled performances, including two Sunday matinees, the show debuts tonight at 7:30 p.m. The small cast will pack laughs and live music into a story of friendship and a dark history associated with those passionate about the popular gaming contest...

15.9 percent -- 48,966,000 people 21.6 percent -- 15,898,000 children 12.6 percent -- 181,810 people 19.2 percent -- 66,480 children 11.9 percent -- 1,980 people 19.2 percent -- 730 children --- In Clay County, the Food Bank of Iowa relies on the Spencer Dream Center and Upper Des Moines Opportunity to assist in its distribution of food to the hungry. But the Des Moines-based food center is looking to expand its reach into northwest Iowa...

Northwest Iowa's Artisans Road Trip will be conducted this weekend -- from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. The Artisans Road Trip is the public's opportunity to visit artists where they work and exhibit. ART travelers can visit countryside studios overlooking scenic valleys, in picturesque towns, or even lakeside locations. ...

Parker Historical Society of Clay County will be hosting an Oktoberfest from 4-8 p.m. Sunday at the stables on the Clay County Fairgrounds. The evening will feature the music of Malek's Fishermen Band from Garner, along with beer, brats and more in the grand tradition of Oktoberfest. The event is open to the public and all funds raised go to support the museum...

The Thrifty Drug Best of the Best Award is presented to a pharmacy that is truly the best in all areas of pharmacy operations, patient services, and care. The winner of this award is Spencer No. 42, Amy Fitch, and KaLana Crawford, store manager and team accepted the award.

Corn and soybean prices have fallen below the cost of production. How long will corn and soybean prices stay there? ... the answer is, as long as it takes until producers and end-users respond to the market signals of low prices. They say that the cure for low prices is low prices but below the cost of production corn/soybean prices were sustained for a number of years in the 1980s and 1990s...

Funeral services for Mark Campney, 90, of Spencer, will be conducted at 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 11, 2014 at Grace United Methodist Church in Spencer. Rev. Kay Hooper will officiate the service. Visitation will be conducted beginning at 2 p.m. Friday, with the family present from 5-7 p.m. at Warner Funeral Home in Spencer...

Arts on Grand, in partnership, with Carey's Electronics will bring 'Films for the Cinematically Challenged!' back beginning next Monday. The public is invited to take in free foreign films on Monday evenings at 7 p.m., beginning Oct 13, above Carey's Electronics...

The Iowa Lakes Volleyball team was in action Wednesday night as they took on Iowa Central Community College for their annual Pink Out Match. The Lakers came out on top with a sweep of the Tritons. The set scores were 25-19, 25-22 and 25-23. Iowa Lakes was led by Rachel Sanow with 32 assists and 10 digs. ...

CC-E and GT/RA have never met as such, being dropped into the same 8-man district for the first time this season. The Mavs and Titans played drastically different opponents last week as GT/RA hosted winless Remsen-Union for homecoming which they won decisively at 63-20. CC-E traveled to Marcus to take on the now-No. 8-ranked Marcus-Meriden Cleghorn Eagles, falling 59-8. MMC is the only team to knock off the Titans this year by a score of 45-30 in week three in Graettinger...

The Rebels and Jays get their first cracks at each other in the new district alignment this year. The Rebels squandered a 28-12 halftime lead to a one-win Akron-Westfield team, falling 46-40 due to an inability to control the Westerners air attack in the second half as well as some crucial mistakes with the football. ...

Spencer scored 28 straight points in the first half to take a 28-6 lead over Denison-Schleswig at the break in a game they won easily, 35-18. The Monarchs entered that game with just one win to their name, and that's exactly how they ended last season. ...

Funeral services for Evelyn Roberts, 90, of Spencer, will be conducted at 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 11, 2014 at First Congregational Church in Spencer. Rev. Tom Van Tassell will officiate the service. Visitation will begin at noon Friday, with family present from 6-8 p.m., at Warner Funeral Home...

Fort Dodge and Carroll had each already lost to Spencer twice on the year going into Thursday night's double dual at the Spencer Family YMCA. The Tigers did what they were supposed to do in their first home meet of the year, winning eight of 11 events to easily beat both of their opponents...

Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike are fantastic for two hours and 28 minutes in the film adaptation of Gillian Flynn's 2012 novel "Gone Girl." Unfortunately, the movie, for which Flynn also wrote the screenplay is two hours and 29 minutes long. This who-dunnit, he-said, she-said mystery thriller will keep you guessing until the final 60 seconds or so -- then it will leave you puzzled. This is it? Really?...

OKOBOJI -- Grammy Award nominee Rick Brosseau is planning an evening of music 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 23, at the Dickinson County Nature Center in Okoboji. A guitarist and singer, Brosseau will be accompanied by conga player Bob Duncan, and they will present an evening of classical guitar and flamenco music with a little pop and Latin jazz thrown in...

There were plenty of positives Thursday night in the Field House as Spencer invited 2A No. 3-ranked Western Christian to town for their annual pink out night dubbed, "Stay Strong and Tiger On." The Tigers showed flashes of being able to hang with the overpowering Wolfpack despite being swept, and $1,200 was raised in support of cancer awareness...