Stories from Sunday, April 21, 2019

Former Compass Pointe therapist finds new home in GACO For mental health and substance abuse therapist Ryan Jensen, offering his expertise to those in need is a personal mission which started as he moved past his only battles with addiction. Jensen is looking to continue to pay forward the help he received...

A pair of local organizations hosted family friendly Easter-themed events in Spencer Saturday. (DIRECTION) The Spencer Jaycees welcomed area children and parents to its annual Easter egg hunt at Goal Kick Indoor Soccer Arena. Children ages one to 11 gathered eggs for the opportunity to receive prizes. (DIRECTION) Foundation Church hosted a new program, "Rise Up with Jesus," for children 3 years old to fifth grade. Children participated in events such as a blindfolded tour into Jesus' tomb meant to engage the senses and an Easter egg hunt (DIRECTION).

Human trafficking speaker to present to Spencer PTO Shared Hope International volunteer ambassador Kim Smith wants to educate parents on how to keep their children safe and smart online. Smith will offer tips to area parents as part of a program on domestic minor human trafficking awareness from 5:30-7 p.m. Monday, April 22, at the Spencer Schools Administration Building...

5 longtime firefighters retire from Spencer Fire Department The Spencer Fire Department fire house was packed Thursday night to celebrate and thank five Spencer firefighters who were retiring. Combined, the quintet’s service to the community of Spencer totals 142 years. Firefighters Jiggs Jorgensen, Gary Johannsen, Jeff Huckfelt, Todd Huckfelt and Terry Peterson all said they enjoyed serving the community and the camaraderie of firefighting...

(DIRECTION) Smoke blanketed the area surrounding the Clay County Fairgrounds Livestock Pavilion Sunday evening after a truck, housed inside the pavilion, caught fire. The Spencer Fire Department, Spencer Police Department and Spencer Hospital responded to the scene at approximately 8:45 p.m. No injuries have been reported at this time. Clay County Fair officials said they would release an official statement regarding the fire Monday. “The guys that forced entry on the corner noticed a natural truck fire, they couldn’t see it at first,” Spencer Fire Chief John Conyn said. “(They) suppressed it the rest of the way, forced the hood and had a fire in the cab as well. Just imagine having a truck fire in a garage but the garage is 300 (feet) by 700 (feet) so the smoke had everywhere to go and, if it wasn’t for the sprinkler system we would still be fighting a fire. The sprinkler system saved the structure very much.” (DIRECTION) Firefighters inspect a truck housed inside of the pavilion’s north side which appeared to have been damaged by fire. (DIRECTION) After the fire was extinguished, crews continued working to help ventilate the area and to catch up on much needed fresh air and water. Three SFD fire engines, one ladder truck and a rescue vehicle responded to the fire, which included more than a dozen firefighters on scene.

Spencer Municipal Utility’s renewable energy goal was increased by the SMU Board of Trustees during their most recent meeting after it was revealed that the utility is expecting to participate in a planned wind farm being built in the state of Kansas...

Arnold Motor Supply has signed on as the primary sponsor of Afton Swanson and her NHRA Top Dragster for the 2019 season. Swanson, who is originally from Goldfield, will be running a full season to contend for the NHRA Top Dragster National Championship thanks to the support from Arnold Motor Supply...

Schnetzer and DeVlaeminck place high On April 6, 11 of the 21 Graettinger-Terill/Ruthven-Ayrshire Bulls Eyes shooting team members took part in the first meet of the season at the East Forks Isaak Walton Range in Algona. There were 184 athletes representing 11 area teams at this meet. The Bulls Eyes squads did not place in the top three but were only about 10 targets short of placing...

The Spencer YDC Competition Dance Team wrapped its competitive season with the Symposium Talent Contest in Fort Dodge the weekend of April 12-14. All entries placed. The classic small group jazz group of (left to right) Lauren Koenig, Isabelle Young, Zarah Zahrt and Aaliyah VanAmpting received first in category and costume award for the day. Other results for the Spencer YDC including the following. The senior jazz trio of Faith Klatt, Leila Kollash and Mady Johnson received first and the high point award. The Senior jazz small group received first in category and second overall as well as second in category and fourth overall. The select jazz duo performed by VanAmpting and Zahrt placed second in its category and fourth overall. The select jazz solo performed by Zahrt received second in category.

What a difference a year can make! April 26 to April 2 … that’s the difference from 2018 to 2019 when the Rotary car plunged through the ice in Smith’s Bay. Most recently from Nebraska to the Dakotas to Minnesota to Iowa, we all had some form of winter weather. We dodged the heavy snow, but we did get in on some pretty bad rain, sleet and ice making for a lot of power outages. Once again, our emergency crews did an unbelievable job of helping keep things as normal of possible...

Many walleye anglers consider early spring to be their favorite time of year to chase their favorite fish. Rivers across walleye country, and many lakes and reservoirs in the same region, are seeing lots of anglers after walleyes. There are some states or areas where walleye season is closed, but there are plenty of places where we can get after walleyes right now. ...

Your lawn is a buffer. It captures, stores and breaks chemicals down. It keeps them from running off into the local watershed. A sound conservation practice at home is to aerate your lawn. Aeration will help your lawn continue to act as a buffer. As lawns age, soil compaction often results. Compaction reduces the pore space within the soil that would normally hold air. This results in poor nutrient uptake and reduced water infiltration. Poor water infiltration results in excessive runoff...

DES MOINES — Channel catfish move close to shore and are eager to bite in many lakes and the large reservoirs across Iowa just after the ice is gone. The bite starts sooner in the southern Iowa impoundment since they lose ice a week or two before northern Iowa natural lakes...

DES MOINES — As Iowans start to thaw out from a brutal winter, paddlers and other boaters are itching to hit the water. While some river levels have dropped, others remain high and unsafe. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources recommends that paddlers wait for warmer weather to let the water temperatures rise slowly. It could be several weeks before water temperatures are ideal and safe...

STORM LAKE — The Storm Lake Police Department arrested the victim of two separate 2017 and 2018 violent crimes after he allegedly pointed a gun at people outside Walmart, following what police say was an altercation involving illegal drugs. Christian Eberle, 21, of Laurens, allegedly pointed a 9 mm semi-automatic weapon with an attached green laser sight. Police were called to respond to the incident shortly after 1 a.m. Wednesday...

Longtime community member Bob Rose recently read the book, "Casey at the Bat," to second grade students at Fairview Elementary. As part of the program, students received baseball-shaped cookies.

Spencer FFA Chapter will host its annual banquet at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at Spencer High School. To RSVP contact nreiman2020@spencerschools.org or Kaitlyn Essick at 712-584-5600. --- Clay Central-Everly Community School District would like to invite all perspective preschool and kindergarten students and their parents to round-up for the 2019-20 school year. ...

EMMETSBURG — The Board of Trustees of Iowa Lakes Community College gathered in Emmetsburg Tuesday, April 16, for the regularly scheduled monthly meeting and learned about the boat and watercraft mechanics program, formerly known as marine service technology...

Ty Schoelerman of rural Everly was chosen as the Star in Agri-science in FFA Stars Over Iowa competition during the 91st State FFA Leadership Conference held in Ames on April 15-16. Schoelerman's three research projects were completed during the last five years and involved raising and managing sheep and cattle and 388 research hours. His project was selected from 725 Iowa degree candidates. Accompanying him on stage (left to right) Spencer High School Principal Elli Wiemers, Clay Central-Everly FFA Chapter Advisor Betsy Schoelerman, Spencer FFA Chapter Advisor Jason Holt, Schoelerman and his parents, Dr. Jim and Denice Schoelerman.

Sunday, I celebrated Easter with an amazing morning Mass with family, then ventured to Holstein to enjoy an Easter meal with my wife’s side of the family. Several of them live in Holstein so it just makes for a convenient location to get together. As a family we laughed, shared stories, enjoyed a great meal comprised of dishes brought by everyone and basically we fellowshipped. ...

Regardless of whether you take the story of Easter literally, figuratively or don't believe it at all, the holiday is a celebration of what was once thought impossible. More than that, it created a fork in the road. It's a crux at which members of the human race either choose to believe in the biblical account of Christ's resurrection and do their best to live accordingly, or deny it happened and live as they desire. ...

Funeral services for Beverly Beving, 94, of Spencer, will be conducted at 2 p.m. Wednesday, April 24, 2019, at Warner Chapel in Spencer. Rev. Paul Frederiksen will officiate the service. Visitation will begin at 5 p.m. Tuesday with the family present from 5-7 p.m. at the Warner Funeral Home in Spencer...

Funeral services for Dorothy Huberg, 103, of Royal, will be conducted at 10:30 a.m. Monday, April 22, 2019, at Bethlehem Lutheran Church of Royal. Rev. Mark Wilms will officiate the service. Visitation will be conducted one hour prior to the funeral service...

Funeral services for Dr. Thomas Jacob Milleman, 78, of Glen Ellyn, Illinois, formerly of Spencer, will be conducted at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, April 23, 2019, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Spencer. Rev. Tim Hogan will officiate the service. Visitation will conducted one hour prior to the funeral services...

Ellsworth Schut, 91, of Sioux Center, died Thursday, April 18, 2019, at the Royale Meadows Care Center in Sioux Center. Memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Monday, April 22, 2019, at the First Reformed Church of Sioux Center with Rev. Roger Voskuil officiating...

This week the House passed a framework for autonomous vehicles in Iowa. SF 302 outlines the parameters for the operation of autonomous vehicles including insurance requirements and accident liability. Autonomous vehicles must follow existing traffic laws and will be regulated by the Department of Transportation...

The trials of a working poor family on the verge of homelessness ALTA -- First, the bank tried to lock them out. Then, the Buena Vista Sheriff's Office knocked on their door. Turns out, their landlord of three years hadn't been paying the mortgage, even as she collected the rent checks...