Stories from Friday, September 4, 2015

For the third consecutive year, Iowa Workforce Development will partner with Ag Partners as part of the Migrant and Seasonal Farm Worker Program. IWD will assist in a safety orientation on Sept. 8 for the 24 migrant workers from Texas who will be working with Ag Partners for the next three months during the grain-handling season...

With the registration deadline rapidly approaching, Wednesday, Sept. 9, those interested in taking part in the Spencer Chamber of Commerce's Junior Leadership Spencer course are reminded to submit their applications for enrollment. Junior Leadership Spencer was developed by the Spencer Chamber of Commerce in partnership with Iowa Lakes Community College, based on the curriculum provided to adult participants in the Leadership Spencer effort. ...

In official terms, the Clay County Fair operates for nine days in September, this year from Sept. 12-20. But unknown to much of the general public is the "secret week" of the fair, the week of preparation before the fair's opening day. Friday, Sept. 4...

OKOBOJI -- Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday as voters in the Okoboji School District consider a tax levy proposal to finance a new middle school in Milford. Residents can vote at the Milford Community Building (806 N. Ave.) on the day of the election...

When it comes to life after high school graduation, many students will pursue a four-year college degree in preparation for a job. That decision of where to attend is a big one. In the past, a large factor in the pursuit of a four-year degree has been high school grades. ...

REMBRANDT ― By the end of September, Rembrandt Enterprises, an egg-laying operation in Rembrandt, will complete the decontamination process of its facilities after testing positive for H5N2, or avian influenza, at the end of April. "We are expecting to have the quarantine the USDA put us under lifted by the end of October after we pass inspections," Jonathan Spurway, Rembrandt Enterprises' vice president of marketing and optimization, said. ...

Jeana Goosmann, CEO and managing partner at Goosmann Law Firm, was accepted into the Advisory Board of the American Bankruptcy Institute (ABI). The American Bankruptcy Institute is the nation's largest association of bankruptcy attorneys, bankers, judges, professors, and accountants. ...

DES MOINES -- Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey recognized Century and Heritage Farm families during a ceremony at the Iowa State Fair again this year. A pair of Terril farms and an Ayrshire property were among those recognized. To qualify, a family must have owned at least 40 acres for 100 years or more in the case of Century Farms, and 150 years or more for a Heritage Farm...

DES MOINES -- The 2015 Iowa State Fair, conducted in Des Moines from Aug. 13-23, found many 4-H youth from Clay County competing in 4-H static exhibit and communication events. Clay County 4-Hers represented Clay County well, sending 45 human sciences exhibits to the Iowa State Fair and receiving 26 blue ribbons, 17 reds, and two whites...

Ida and O'Brien counties in Iowa will be home to two new MidAmerican Energy Company wind farms, the company announced Thursday. MidAmerican Energy plans to begin construction in the spring of 2016 on the new Ida Grove and O'Brien wind farms, which will add up to 552 megawatts of wind generation capacity. The project is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2016...

ALTA -- It's amazing what you can fit in one of those little school backpacks. Good thing compassion doesn't require much space. A year ago, Alta-Aurelia schools started a backpack program to provide a little extra help for families who need it. On Fridays, participating students get a little something extra packed into their schoolbags -- enough food for a meal on Friday night and two meals each for Saturday and Sunday...

Clay County Sheriff's deputies discovered approximately $500 in damage to a corn field in the 2900 mile of 190th Avenue. The damage was reported at 9 a.m. Aug. 7 and involved a vehicle traveling north on 190th Avenue before entering the west ditch and continuing 150 feet into the cornfield before proceeding to back out causing another 100 feet of damage to the corn crop...

Paul Daniels and Kevin Brown, representing the Spencer Jaycees, presented Iowa State University Extension Clay County representatives Bonnie Dalager, Jo Engel, Amy Forrette and Jean Johnson with a donation to sponsor the kindergarten and first-grade 4-H Clover Kids after school program in Spencer for the 2015-16 school year. The Iowa 4-H Clover Kids program is a research-based educational program that, in Clay County, focuses on STEM topics -- science, technology, engineering and math. In Spencer, Clover Kids has been held on the early-out Wednesdays since early 2013. Youth this year in the class sponsored by the Spencer Jaycees will learn about fruits and vegetables, butterflies, kitchen science, airplanes and rockets, and do a Lego team activity. This program is free for participants and there are a limited number of openings remaining for youth to sign up for either the kindergarten to first-grade class or the second- to third-grade class. To register or for more information about supporting 4-H Clover Kids, call 262-2264.

Join the Spencer Fine Arts Boosters and IGL Teleconnect for a tailgate preceding the Tigers' Oct. 2 game against Le Mars. A burger/hot dog, chips, bar and a drink can all be purchased for just $6. Interested patrons are also encouraged to become a Spencer FAB member at the tailgate or by going to the Spencer Fine Arts Boosters page on Facebook...

Just under a year ago I wrote a column titled, "Not so Good-ell." You can look it up if you like at spencerdailyreporter.com. (While you're there you should probably buy a subscription or buy up some photos or just click refresh 50 times on the home page. These are all good ideas.)...

MANSON -- Sioux Central and Graettinger-Terril/Ruthven-Ayshire traveled to Cougar territory Thursday night for a Twin Lakes Conference quadrangular, featuring Southeast Valley as well as the hosting Manson Northwest Webster Cougars. The Rebels bounced back to sweep the Jaguars after Manson handed out a three-set defeat...

Kick off homecoming week 2015 and boost your Tiger spirit with the second annual color run on Monday, Sept. 7, at 6 p.m. The event starts and ends at Spencer High School, using the Spencer recreation trails. Runners and walkers are welcome. This is a family friendly event where the focus is on fun, not time. ...

So Friday, my wife and I sported blue, as did many other Americans as a show of solidarity and support for law enforcement nationwide. Obviously, I'm aware not all law enforcement is outfitted in blue as both our Clay County Sheriff's deputies, Spencer Police officers and Iowa State Patrol all wear colors other than blue ... but in this case, it is definitely the spirit of the law rather than the letter of the law that counts...

by Bill Kersting Thanks to the Parker Historical Society, baseball in Spencer has been much more in the public focus. Their season long exhibit of Spencer's and Clay County's storied baseball past has drawn rave reviews. Spencer's two-time state champion Tigers and the tradition rich Spencer Cardinals semipro teams have brought many a fan out to the old ball park, for nearly a century. They represented the region well, and provided clean, family friendly entertainment to a wide range of folks...

A 2007 Kenworth semitruck and flatbed lost the load it was hauling last Saturday afternoon while avoiding a vehicle that pulled into the roadway in front on it. Loren Meyer, 43, of Ruthven, was eastbound in the Kenworth on 340th Street approaching the intersection with 180th Avenue when an unidentified vehicle, which had stopped at the south stop sign, entered the intersection...

STORM LAKE -- A #UniteIowa forum on immigration brought out some 400 people to Buena Vista University's Anderson Auditorium Saturday to listen to a spirited panel discussion and hear a pair of presidential candidates speak. Despite the divisive powder keg that is the issue, the discussion remained calm and civil...

EMMETSBURG -- It would have taken a literal truck for the E-Hawks to break through Spencer's defensive line Friday night at Duane Twait Field and prevent the Tigers' from winning their third straight over their Highway 18 rival as the beef up front unofficially held an Emmetsburg offense that racked up 372 yards a week ago to just 116 hash marks in a 27-0 shut out...

CEDAR RAPIDS -- The Iowa Lakes volleyball team was back in action Friday night as they traveled to Cedar Rapids to take on Wartburg JV and Marshalltown Community College. In the first match of the night, the Lakers defeated Wartburg JV by set scores of 25-10, 25-10 and 26-24. ...

ROYAL -- A strong core of returning talent was too much for Clay Central-Everly to handle Friday night as Ar-We-Va hung 54 points on the Mavericks in a shutout. "We were not the same team that played last week against Kingsley-Pierson. The kids were not mentally in the game from the beginning," CC-E football coach Dan Heissel said. "We took a couple steps backward and had a couple injuries, so we're going to have to have some freshmen start stepping up into varsity roles."...

The Tailtwisters are the Athletic Booster Club of the Tigers for all students in grades seven to 12. Memberships in the Tailtwisters are needed to help support all of the Tiger athletic programs, and they start as low as $25. Become a 2015 member by Sept. ...