Stories from Wednesday, November 29, 2017

Two Spencer High School music students were recently selected to perform in the 2018 Northwest Iowa Honor Orchestra Festival scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 25, in the B.J. Haan Auditorium on the campus of Dordt College in Sioux Center. The festival ensembles consist of a middle school string orchestra and a high school symphony orchestra. Catherine Glackin, daughter of Dale and Deborah Glackin, will perform on flute and Emma Schwarck, daughter of Kurt and Julie Schwarck, will be performing on oboe. The conductor for the high school symphony orchestra festival will be Dr. Peter Folliard of Augustana University in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Membership in the string sections of these groups is by audition from area school orchestra programs. Wind players for the high school ensemble are selected from the membership of the 2018 NWIBA District Honor Band. (Photo submitted)

Members of the Spencer Strutters dance team will join squads from around the state at the Iowa State Dance Team Championships Thursday and Friday at the Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines. There will be more than 5,000 participants representing 260 high school dance teams and color guards, along with 24 Iowa college dance teams taking part. The Strutters will be competing in Class XI pom, Class VII hip-hop and large school hoopla. The Spencer team is comprised of captain Caitlyn Holm, Zandra Zahrt, Rowan Whitaker, Mady Freeman, Destiny Long, Amber Kubat, Kaylee Hansen and Jasmin Beal. Megan Whitaker is the head coach with Kaylene Mortensen and Cassie Zimmerman serving as assistant coaches. Doors open for spectators at 7 a.m. with competition getting underway at 8 a.m. Awards ceremonies both evenings will begin at 8:30 p.m. There are no advance ticket sales. Tickets are $10 or $18 for a two-day pass. Judging will be done on appearance, choreography, execution, technique and general effect/showmanship. In addition to dance skills, teams will also be recognized for academics, community service and sportsmanship. (Photo submitted)

For Spencer High School sophomore Jakob Revega the reason for his participation in debate can be summed up concisely, "I like to argue. It is pretty fun. I like to be right." Revega and his partner, Grace Hamilton, earned first place at the Heelan Crusader Debate Tournament in Public Forum division. The tournament was Hamilton's first debate and Revega's second outing...

The Spencer Community School District will offer early retirement to 21 teachers at the conclusion of the current school year. Early retirement would include a $50,000 payout over five years. "We have annually offered an early retirement opportunity for certified staff," Spencer Community Schools Superintendent Terry Hemann said. ...

For 11 years, area crafters and bakers have been working to supply items for a worthy cause. The annual Shayla Bee Craft and Bake Sale continues to be a strong fundraiser for the local organization which offers financial and personal support to families throughout the region by serving children with severe health challenges. The sale begins Friday at 9 a.m. Doors will remain open until 7 p.m. Weekend hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and from noon to 2 p.m. Sunday...

Residents in Iowa's 4th Congressional District can expect to see progress on this year's farm bill in the near future, U.S. Rep. Steve King said during a brief visit with area news organizations on Nov. 21. "We've been just incrementally moving forward on that along the way," the Kiron Republican said. "You can expect that in the first quarter of next year, we'll introduce the House version of the base bill. Then we'll set about scheduling a markup in committee and a chance to go to the floor."...

The U.S. Small Business Administration and Small Business Development Centers Iowa will be hosting a free one-hour workshop at 10:30 a.m. Friday at America’s SBDC Iowa at Iowa Lakes Community College in Spencer. “Government contracting and counseling will be a major focus,” Director of SBA Jane Armstrong said. ...

A Spencer church youth group and a local junior class organization, associated with the Chamber of Commerce, have projects planned to help remember Lane Frederick and his family this holiday season. Frederick, a student at Spencer High School, was injured during an alleged altercation involving a classmate after school on Oct. 19, is currently participating in rehabilitation services in Omaha, Nebraska...

SIOUX RAPIDS — Estherville Lincoln Central paid Sioux Central a visit Tuesday night and spoiled the Rebels season opener 53-42 with the help of a 23 point third quarter. “This game really came down to rebounding and our inability to keep them off the glass,” Sioux Central boys basketball coach Stephen Tjaden said. “On that same note, we were not able to get any second chance points. We have to be a more physical team if we want to have success this season.”...

Spencer’s boys welcomed Newell-Fonda to the Field house Tuesday night for each team’s season opener. Playing without projected starter Michael Storey, who may be out until the Christmas break with back issues, the Tigers showed off their depth, getting solid minutes from 10 different players led by double digit scoring efforts from Brady Kluender (17), Colin Slattery (16), Michael Slattery (11) and Chase Hough (11)...

FORT DODGE — Fort Dodge High School hosted Spencer’s boys swim squad for the team’s first official dual action of the season Tuesday night. The Tigers came up on the shallow end of things, falling to Carroll 65-29 and the hosting Dodgers 68-26. Freshman Ethan Heiter had a strong showing for the purple and gold, placing second in the 100-yard backstroke in 59.25 seconds and third in the 100-yard butterfly in 1:02.43 in addition to a second place finish in the 200-yard freestyle relay with Jacob Dixon, Jon Nissen and Connor Tigges in 1:49.97.. ...

SIOUX RAPIDS — Sioux Central’s basketball girls put up 15 points in the opening eight minutes Tuesday night against Estherville Lincoln Central, taking a commanding 15-6 lead. However, the Rebels scored just 15 more points in the game, resulting in a 37-30 defeat...

Fresh off a 72-47 win over Spirit Lake in which they shot 56 percent from the field and 66 percent from 3-point range, Class 1A No. 8-ranked Newell-Fonda entered the Field house Tuesday night, looking to take down another Lakes Conference school. The Mustangs got bumped down to a 48 percent night from the floor, but they left little doubt in a 76-31 win over the Spencer Tigers...

Spencer High School senior and starting softball pitcher Bre Small struggled holding back emotions during her collegiate signing Wednesday at the school. “I’m going to Iowa Central next fall for early childhood education,” a choked up Small said. “I’m going to play softball for these two. They’ve been so nice to me. I’ve wanted to go since last year.”...

STORM LAKE — Besting calculus and physics is tough enough, beating poverty for a student is a whole different challenge. Recently, Storm Lake School District leaders attended the Iowa School Board Convention, which featured a conference on generational poverty. The issue is far from new for the locals, in a community where three out of every four students are from families with income below the level to qualify for free or reduced school lunches...

A Lakefield, Minnesota, man accused of using his smartphone to set up a sexual encounter with a teenager could have his felony conviction removed if he completes probation requirements. Jackson County Attorney Sherry Haley said 48-year-old Gregory Fitzloff reached a plea agreement with prosecutors on Aug. 2 to one count of “electronic solicitation of children to engage in sexual conduct” for using his smartphone to solicit a child to engage in sexual conduct...

Spencer Mayor-elect Kevin Robinson (left) became a member of the Spencer Daybreakers Kiwanis club on Monday, Nov. 27. Duaine Holck (center) and club president Clark Cunningham (right) presented Robinson with a membership certificate during the club’s weekly meeting. The Daybreakers Kiwanis club meets Monday mornings at 6:45 a.m. at the Clay County Fair and Events Center, except the first meeting of each month, which is held at Hy-Vee. (Photo submitted)

Many Hands Market recently presented the Spencer Chapter of Mothers of Preschoolers International with a donation. Many Hands Market supports local charities and nonprofits each month, in addition to supporting their mission in Haiti. Monica Peterson and Gloria Schmillen, from Many Hands Market, presented the donation to Krista Langner, representing MOPS. (Photo submitted)

DES MOINES — The final Iowa Crop Progress and Condition report of the 2017 growing season has been released by the USDA National Agricultural Statistical Service. The report is released weekly from April through November. “Harvest season is now drawing to a close with 96 percent of corn now in the bin. ...

The Holiday Family Adoption Program, a Spencer-area holiday staple, allows generous area families, businesses and service groups to share the holiday spirit and bounty. Thanks to the generosity of area families and businesses, approximately 80 area families will be gifted with items to help make this Christmas season a little bit brighter...

The mistletoe is hung from the ceiling just waiting for unsuspecting passersby to meet under its mischievous holiday spell for an innocent kiss. Irving Berlin's "White Christmas" hangs in the air like an adult lullaby invoking Christmas cheer. Stockings are hung across the mantle waiting to be filled with goodies for nice boys and girls. ...

Despite messages to the contrary in the form of decorations, carols and sales we've experienced at some of our favorite shopping local venues — Christmas actually follows Halloween and Thanksgiving. Now that the two aforementioned holidays are in the rearview mirror for another year, we can deliberately and without regret turn our attention to Christmas...

A funeral service for H. Robert (Bud) Zimmer, 89 of Milford was held Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2017, at First Lutheran Church in West Okoboji. Burial was at Riverside Cemetery in Spencer. Hugh Robert “Bud” Zimmer was born July 11, 1928 in Mason City, Iowa to Hugh and Adelia (Barglof) Zimmer. ...

Funeral services for Wayne Brown, 92, of Peterson, will be conducted at 10:30 a.m. Friday Dec. 1, 2017, at First Congregational Church in Peterson. Rev. James D. Owens will officiate the service. Visitation will be conducted one hour prior to the services at First Congregational Church in Peterson...

REMSEN — Clay Central-Everly’s girls picked up their first win of the season Tuesday night against Remsen St. Mary’s, racking up 23 steals, 13 of which came from Audrey Ruda, in a 50-46 nail biter. “(Ruda was) in my opinion guarding their best player and dominated here as far as steals go,” CC-E girls basketball coach Lester Tessum said. “She was anticipating the ball. She had just a very intense game. One of the best defensive games I’ve ever seen played.”...

SPIRIT LAKE — A Milford man has been booked into the Dickinson County Jail after police suspect he broke into a Spirit Lake residence and had a hunting knife as part of a burglary. Spirit Lake officers charged 24-year-old Clay Anthony Williams with first-degree burglary, a Class B felony and going armed with intent, a Class C felony, for an incident that took place at 1:55 a.m. Monday in the 1000 block of 12th Street in Spirit Lake...