News

WEST DES MOINES — Rod Meendering, CPA and manager with Wither Stave & Co LLP in Spencer, received the Iowa Society of CPAs Public Service Award during the virtual 2021 Annual Meeting on May 7. The award recognizes an Iowa CPA who has exhibited a distinguished record of personal commitment to community, charitable, civic and public service activities and enhanced the professional image of CPAs. ...

Joshua and Whitney Smith are no strangers to northwest Iowa, having grown up in Spencer. But in recent years, they have spent more time on another continent with their growing family of young children. The two area missionaries in Uganda, assisting with the operation of a children’s home while spreading the love and story of Jesus Christ...

A combination of music, scripture readings and faith messages were shared at Wednesday’s Concert of Prayer hosted by Faith Lutheran Church in north Spencer. The senior class was invited to the event, designed to provide a pre-graduation blessing over the students with traditional baccalaureate services cancelled. ...

After a delayed, outdoor graduation ceremony for Spencer High School students last year at Dale Norton Field, commencement will move back indoors to the Spencer field house for a 2:30 p.m. start Sunday. The 134th Annual Spencer High School Commencement will feature 137 seniors, including a total of 45 graduates with distinction, 11 graduates with excellence and 25 honor graduates...

During Tuesday’s special Spencer Community Schools Board of Education meeting, board member Dean Mechler followed up the approval of a Spencer Education Association settlement which afforded teachers a $300 payment of appreciation on top of the rest of the package, with a motion to approve the $300 bonus to all members of the district’s paid staff and administration. The motion passed unanimously...

The Run for the Son is back and will be held at 9 a.m. on Saturday, May 15. The fun-focused 5K is open to all; walkers and noncompetitive runners are welcome and encouraged to participate. A 10K option is also available. All proceeds benefit Sacred Heart Catholic School, so join for a great morning of exercise and find your happy pace...

Clay County Courthouse under construction would be late 1900 or early 1901.

On May 10, at approximately 6 p.m., the Spencer Police Department responded to an incident at the Spencer High School parking lot. When officers arrived it was reported that a pickup truck drove through the parking lot at a high rate of speed, and was confronted by a citizen in the lot. ...

Peter Hoehnle, an Amana native and author, will discuss Iowa’s Communal Utopias, via Zoom on May 20 from 6-7 p.m. The Hoover Presidential Foundation and the Spencer Public Library invites the public to a free live Zoom webinar with Hoehnle to discuss the different attempts by Iowans to create their own form of utopia. ...

Spencer Community Schools announced and recognized this year’s retirees from the district. This year’s retirees include: Mike Conway, maintenance director, 20 years; Brenda Griffin, first grade teacher, 31 years; Lisa Elliott, second grade teacher, 30 years; Diane Feezor, bus driver, 14 years; JoAnne McCullough, elementary special Ed teacher, 36 years; Tori Storm, middle school special education teacher, 35 years; and Judy Van Dyke, bus driver, nine years. ...

Skylar Nemmers — Bennie E. Kardell Memorial Scholarship Carly Izard — Business/Engineering Scholarship from Tecton Industries Inc. Kaylee Hansen, Zach Schoelerman, Shayler VanGelder — Clay County Cattlemen Association Scholarship Kaylee Hansen, Kirsten Small and Shayler Van Gelder — Clay County Farm Bureau...

DES MOINES — Spencer High School seniors Carly Izard and Zachary Schoelerman were joined by Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds and Lt. Gov. Adam Gregg, as the two students were recognized by Reynolds and Gregg for outstanding academic achievement at the 19th Annual Governor's Scholar Recognition Ceremony, April 25, at HyVee Hall in Des Moines. ...

Staff and volunteers working with Clay County Extension and Outreach conducted an outdoor Energy STEM Bash at Lincoln School Tuesday. Met with perfect weather, the event allowed Lincoln fourth graders at the local elementary to learn about and participate in experiments associated with paper circuits by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, hydroelectricity and hydro power by SMU, kinetic energy by Clay County Farm Bureau, solar energy by BVU, fermentation in a bag by FS Growmark and wind energy by Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative. ...

Members of the Spencer Modern Woodmen of America Chapter 737 came together and showed their appreciation for the areas hard-working teachers. The event was held from 4-5:30 p.m. Thursday, May 6, at Candice Getting’s Modern Woodmen office at 309 Grand Ave...

After three years of serving as city manager for Spencer, Amanda Mack accepted the congratulations, well wishes and words of appreciation from the city’s elected officials after they officially accepted her letter of resignation during a special Spencer City Council meeting Monday night...

Monday afternoon, Clay County Conservation Naturalist Bri Blom presented staff and students at Sacred Heart Catholic Elementary with the Sylvan Runkel Environmental Education Award on behalf of the Clay County Conservation Board and Iowa Association for Naturalists. The honor recognized the Spencer school’s Bee Cause Project dating back to 2019...

For Jim and Julie Vermeer, a chance encounter with an art form led to a fun, new hobby for the pair. Then their interest in crafting art glass grew to become a consuming passion. That meant years of study, classes and practice to master the art form. It then evolved into a thriving business crafting fine works of art in glass. The couple traveled to juried art shows throughout the region for years, before deciding their business needed a home outside their Humboldt residence...

Spencer area residents are encouraged to take the call should it arrive between 5:30-7 p.m. Thursday as the Spencer Family Y Strong Community volunteers will be conducting its second annual Phone-A-Thon. With a goal of $25,000 in one night, Spencer Family YMCA CEO and President Nathan Prenzlow indicated donations will help the YMCA make a difference for youth and families in the community...

Four different individuals were taken into custody on multiple drug-related charges following three separate car stops starting Friday and continuing through Sunday. The final arrest followed a pursuit which began in Spencer and culminated in Sioux Rapids...

Sheriffa Jones was welcomed as a new member of the Spencer Hy-Noon Kiwanis by club President Kelsie Baccam recently. The Hy-Noon Kiwanis meet Mondays at noon at the Clay County Regional Events Center. The Iowa Chapter BP Spencer of the National TTT Society was recognized with a Certificate of Honor for sharing the ideals of the National TTT Society for 70 years. ...

A SafeWise survey shows that only 62% of Americans worry about the pandemic on a daily basis. But the level of concern varies widely from state to state. Iowa had 10,543 cases per 100,00 people, earning it rank of 8 in case ranking while percentage of population that worries daily sits at 60%, the 29th highest ranking...

More than half of Clay County residents age 18 and older have completed or initiated COVID-19 vaccination while positivity rates in Clay and most of the surrounding counties have fallen to under 5%. Clay County’s rate sits at 1.8% with only five new cases reported in the past week, bringing the total to 2,255 with no new hospitalizations at Spencer Hospital. ...

DES MOINES — State Treasurer Michael Fitzgerald and College Savings Iowa are celebrating 529 Day by hosting a $529 giveaway in Clay County. In addition, one grand prize winner will receive a $1,529 College Savings Iowa contribution that will be drawn from all entrants across the state...

Spencer High School seniors participated in the annual end of school year activity, Senior Ditch Day, Friday. Conducted at East Leach Park, West Leach Park and the golf course, graduates participated in a variety of activities including golf, painting, tie dye, disc golf, fishing, yoga and dodgeball. They were also treated to lunch in the park as they await graduation this Sunday...

A trip to the Iowa State FFA Convention in Ames on April 18-20 was a fruitful one for members of the Spencer FFA Chapter. Several members participated in the convention, and one member brought home the highest state honor a member can receive. Zach Schoelerman, a senior at Spencer High School, earned his Iowa Degree, took first place in sheep production proficiency, and was named Iowa’s Star in Agriculture Production...

After an extensive remodel and expansion, the doors at Farmers Trust and Savings Bank reopened to the public this week. Thursday the staff hosted the Spencer Chamber Ambassadors before welcoming the public for an open house Thursday afternoon. “We haven’t done anything for our customers with the pandemic for over a year,” Farmers Bank and Trust President and CEO Mike Bryan said. “It’s nice for the customers to see what the building looks like.”...

A joint effort between Seasons Center and Grand Avenue Community Outreach is the newest demonstration of a collaborative approach to dealing with the region’s ongoing battle with food insecurity. Last week, wheels rolled on the Mobile Wellness Unit’s RV food distribution effort...

Following a pair of bid openings conducted by Clay County Engineer William Radenberg Tuesday morning, the Clay County Board of Supervisors made two awards on independent projects totaling more than $1.5 million. Graves Construction, of Spencer, received the award for the Lost Island Bridge Project with the low bid of $956,402.15; and Beck Excavating, of Spirit Lake, got the county’s culvert work with a low bid of $579,346...

Wednesday evening, Spencer Mayor Kevin Robinson signed a mayoral proclamation for 2021 Flagfest and Spencer’s Sesquicentennial Celebration. The proclamation acknowledged this is the 37th anniversary of Flagfest and Spencer's Sesquicentennial — or 150th — anniversary on June 11-13 which was started by volunteer leaders of the community who saw a need for us to honor our country, our heritage and our place in the world; and opportune time for area residents to renew their patriotism and history. ...

Photo and information courtesy of Clay County Heritage Center Inside the Fraiser Theater in the 1930s (AOG/ Bee Hive).

About 270 participants took part in Spencer Main Street’s inaugural Roc n’ Guac event, held in honor of Cinco De Mayo on Wednesday. Participants received a commemorative margarita glass and a passport which allowed them to visit 10 different downtown businesses for a drink and snack with a Mexican flair. ...

The Clay County Convention and Visitor’s Bureau Committee announced three grants that have been awarded in support of upcoming events in Clay County. The Black Knights Car Club has been awarded $2,500 in support of the 13th Annual Airport Drags to be held at the Spencer Airport on Sept. 26...

Members from the Hy-Noon, Daybreakers and After 5 Kiwanis clubs delivered the weekend’s peanut butter and jelly bounty to Upper Des Moines food pantry. More than 1,700 pounds were collected from generous customer donations at Fareway, Hy-Vee and Walmart locations in Spencer during a three-hour window Saturday...

SPIRIT LAKE — A 21-year-old patrolman was hired by the Spirit Lake Police Department in 1987 and decided to stay, spending more than three decades serving the city. Come June 30, Spirit Lake Police Chief Jeff Hanson will retire from the department — 34 years to the month from when he began...

May is School Board Recognition Month, sponsored by the Iowa Association of School Boards, to celebrate the contributions of board members to Iowa public education. This year’s theme is “School Boards: Leading Through Uncharted Waters.” Spencer Community Schools is celebrating the work of its school board, who have maintained their commitment to students, schools, and communities while facing challenges and making decisions they never could have anticipated when they were elected...

Seth McCaulley, with the Spencer Rotary, presented Shayler Van Gelder with her Rotary Student of the Month certificate for April. She plans to attend Northwestern College in Orange City this fall and will be busy this summer and fair week serving as the Clay County Fair Queen runner-up...

STORM LAKE — Buena Vista University and the Clay Central-Everly Community School District have entered a strategic partnership that is anticipated to benefit both organizations and the communities they serve. Under the agreement, employees of the Clay Central-Everly Schools, as well as their spouses and dependents, may receive grant funding to lower the overall cost of education while enrolled in classes at BVU’s Storm Lake campus. ...

Iowa Lakes Community College and Purdue University Global formalized a new partnership by signing a credit transfer agreement to provide Iowa Lakes students an opportunity to reach educational goals through coordinated transfer options. The articulation agreement, signed on March 10, continues for five years with the potential for renewal...

SPIRIT LAKE — The Iowa Great Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce's annual Walleye Weekend tournament coincided with some of the week's highest temperatures Saturday. A relatively dry spring left waterlines low along many a shore, and anglers could walk across the spillway on the southern edge of Big Spirit Lake without getting their shoes wet. ...

WASHINGTON — Reps. Randy Feenstra, R-Iowa, and Conor Lamb, D-Pa., along with original cosponsors Reps. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, R-Iowa, and Abigail Spanberger, D-Va., introduced a bipartisan bill — the Rural Area Opioid Prevention Pilot Program Act — which aims to reduce opioid overdose deaths and provide alternatives to incarceration by implementing pilot response programs in rural communities...

The Spencer Chamber Ambassadors visited with Vanessa Moore, owner and operator of Vertical Marketing + Design in Spencer. Moore began the business about a year ago in her home and works with clients in a wide range of marketing, graphic design and social media management functions. In addition, she offers photography and custom print and marketing material creation. Moore recently completed marketing materials for the Spencer Sesquicentennial celebration...

After a yearlong renovation connecting the former Spencer City Hall with the former Farmers Bank location, staff was ready to open the doors on Thursday for the Spencer Chamber Ambassadors and the public. Midstates Builders of Spencer was the general contractor for the project, which doubled the size of the facility. ...

Midstates Builders Inc. announced the promotion of John Curran to vice president and general manager of the company effective June 1. Curran joined Midstates Builders in June 2018 as operations manager. During the past three years he has demonstrated his dedication, work ethic, loyalty and team attitude towards improving the company...

OKOBOJI — Officials with Okoboji Summer Theatre recently raised the curtain on this year's lineup of performances for the local playhouse. The theater's 2020 season was called off due to the COVID-19 pandemic — a first in 62 years. That year's roster was to feature seven performances new to the Okoboji playhouse before the decision was made to dim the lights on the 2020 performances. ...

ARNOLDS PARK — Local band She’s With Us will perform live at the Farmers Market in the Park, Arnolds Park Amusement Park, Saturday, May 29, 9 a.m. to noon. Beginning in the fall of 2014, She’s With Us started with powerhouse lead vocalist and all around female force of nature Iesha Toft placing some calls to friends old and new. ...

The Clay County Fair announced Tracy Lawrence and Mark Chesnutt as part of the SRG Concert Series in the Sleep Number Grandstand at the 2021 Clay County Fair powered by SMU on Monday, Sept. 13, at 7:30 p.m. Lawrence is one of country music’s truest traditionalists. ...

SPIRIT LAKE — Members of several different agencies worked together Monday afternoon as they responded to a single-vehicle rollover near Cutty's Okoboji Resort west of Spirit Lake. The Dickinson County Sheriff's Office said the page came in at 4:07 p.m. that day. Sheriff Greg Baloun was unable to confirm the current condition of the driver — 44-year-old Eric Peterson of Spencer. "He had a pulse in the ambulance," Baloun said. "We know that." ...

In the end, it was family ties that pulled Spencer City Manager Amanda Mack away from the position she’s held in Spencer since 2017, to the same role in Watertown, South Dakota. Mack was announced Friday evening as the selection to become the new city manager for that community...

After a year’s hiatus due to COVID-19, the Clay County Fair is set to open its gates this September to welcome fairgoers for nine days of fun. Reigning over the fair will be the new 2021 Clay County Fair Queen Gabbi Carpenter, who was crowned Sunday night in a program held at the Clay County Regional Events Center...

Area native Michael Seeley is not only a dedicated member of the U.S. Armed Forces, but he is also a published author who is currently putting the finishing touches on his sixth book, the third in a trilogy, from his current home in Washington. “I’m currently finishing ‘The Uprising,’ the conclusion to the trilogy,” which the author admitted is long overdue...