News

With new historic street signs now lining North Grand Avenue from Ninth Street to 17th Street, the Grand Avenue Improvement Corporation, a local 501(c)(3), end a major five-year project. The nonprofit’s board met Friday to get an up close look at the new signage and board president Mike Carlson said they are grateful for the community’s support, including the city street department’s efforts installing the new signage, which was completed in late May. ...

When school resumes this fall in Spencer it may look a little bit different than it did in the fall of 2019. Things have changed a bit in the last 12 months, particularly after safety precautions associated with the potential spread of COVID-19 prompted schools across the state, and nation, to close the doors to in-person learning...

SIOUX RAPIDS — The fallout from a social media post will mean two weeks’ suspension without pay for Sioux Rapids Police Chief Tim Porter as well as sensitivity training for the chief and the entire Sioux Rapids City Council.

Hansen’s Clothing is nearing its 118th anniversary since first being established in Spencer and the business’ new ownership group — consisting of Logan Wood, Aaron Techen, John Hass and Josh Nelson — have big plans to continue its legacy of providing fine clothing to customers far and wide across the globe. One of those plans will be to remodel and reopen its physical location at 519 Grand Ave...

SIOUX RAPIDS — Sioux Central Schools are turning to their families for input as local leaders try to determine what school will look like in the fall under lingering COVID-19 concerns. The district posted an online survey on Wednesday — asking families how comfortable they would be to send children to school starting Aug. ...

A 1990 Buick Century collided with the exterior of The Hen House shortly before 6:30 a.m. Monday causing an estimated $8,000 in damages to the property. Nicholas Gregory Wendt, 35, of Spencer, was northbound on Grand Avenue in the Buick, and attempted to make a left hand turn onto West Fourth Street. Due to a malfunction in the brakes, Wendt was unable to slow down enough to safely make the turn and struck the southwest corner of the downtown building...

In the open air of the Clay County Courthouse lawn, family, friends and coworkers from Clay County gathered to honor Kim Wilson for years of service to the county. Today is her last day serving as the director of Clay County Community Services, a role she first took on 22 years ago and which has also seen her represent Clay County and the region through an incredibly diverse number of roles, committees and boards during her career...

In the mid-1930s, my parents, A.A. Adams (Vete) and Grace, purchased a farm 12 miles south of Spencer across Highway 71 from the Ditton place, "Goat Hill.” I heard about the possibility of bulldozing the old Goat Hill house. It occurred to me that perhaps I could be the last living person to have known the old man who lived there, Jesse Ditton. ...

Twenty-one teenagers and young adults were cited after Spirit Lake Police responded to a drinking party at a rental storage facility in Orleans. The bust took place at about 1:48 a.m. in the early morning hours of Saturday, June 20, according to court records. The storage unit was located near the intersection of First Street and Wedeking Drive...

WASHINGTON — Agricultural producers who have not yet enrolled in the Agriculture Risk Coverage or Price Loss Coverage programs for 2020 must do so by June 30. Although program elections for the 2020 crop year remain the same as elections made for 2019, all producers need to contact their local USDA Farm Service Agency office to sign a 2020 enrollment contract. ...

DES MOINES — AARP Iowa is outraged. Everyone should be. A recent article from Capitol Dispatch reported an Iowa nursing home allowed employees with COVID-19 symptoms to continue working, potentially leading to 11 resident deaths and 95% of the residents testing positive for the coronavirus. ...

ESTHERVILLE — The Iowa Lakes Community College Board of Trustees met on June 16, at the SERT Facility on the Estherville campus. During Tuesday's meeting, Iowa Lakes Community College President Valerie Newhouse presented a thorough plan for review of the anticipated 2020-21 school year...

The Spencer School Board deliberated on a resolution ordering an election “on the question of continuing to levy and voter approved Physical Plant and Equipment Property Tax” during their meeting Tuesday evening. Spencer Superintendent Terry Hemann said the current voted Physical Plant and Equipment Levy is due to expire in 2022. The levy can be used by districts for a variety of purposes including purchase and improvement of grounds; construction of buildings or repairs, among many others...

With the recent resignation of Ryan Odor from his position as executive director at Arts on Grand, the Grand Avenue hub for the arts in Spencer, the local nonprofit was charged with finding a new lead. Enter Tara Brown. “Tara’s been on the board and when we interviewed her, she was filled with exciting new ideas and creative new ways to move Arts on Grand into the future,” Arts on Grand Board President Barbara Workman said. “We were literally blown away.”...

During the Spencer Hospital Board of Trustees monthly meeting Thursday morning, the board heard from Spencer Hospital President Bill Bumgarner who delivered an update regarding COVID-19 in the region. The hospital president said the current approach related to the global pandemic continues to be to maintain caution...

Spencer and Clay County have a lot of talented youth. This talent was shown in all of the wonderfully colored forms that were returned to the Spencer Chamber of Commerce office as entries to be judged in the Spencer Together — Coloring Contest. First Place — Meghan Van Drunen...

For years, the Spencer Daybreakers Kiwanis have partnered with Spencer High School athletic coaches to host a fish fry each March with funds designated to assist Spencer School activities. Canceled due to COVID-19, the Daybreakers will instead host a hamburger and fries drive-by meal from the K-Cafe on the Clay County Fairgrounds from 4:30-7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, July 1...

Voters turned out in what Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate called record numbers for the June 3 primary, but local lawmakers wonder if his campaign to promote absentee voting may have exposed some gaps in the election process. Pate encouraged the public to vote absentee in the primary, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and extended the absentee voting period to 40 days before the election...

DES MOINES — Nick Wagner, a member of the Iowa Utilities Board since 2013, has been named vice president, Colorado Regulatory Affairs & Policy, with Black Hills Energy, a position at the utility company’s offices in Denver. Wagner will transition to his new role in July 2020. ...

The Iowa Lakes Corridor Development Corporation welcomes summer office and events assistant Mia Simpson to their team. Simpson will be a senior at Spencer High School this fall. She is involved in cross country, National Honor Society, student council, Key Club and volunteers with the Spencer Community School Foundation. ...

It appears as though fireworks in the driveway will be the highlight of this July 4 celebration thanks to COVID-19 health concerns. The tradition of patriotic music, burgers and watermelon, flags, a salute to area veterans in East Leach Park and a fireworks spectacular over the fairgrounds to end the evening has been put on hold by the Fourth of July Committee...

A statement released Tuesday afternoon from Sioux Rapids Mayor Jim Wise and the City Council indicated the governmental body would be investigating a Facebook post which is alleged to have been generated by Sioux Rapids Police Chief Tim Porter. The Daily Reporter received multiple screen captures of Potter's alleged post. ...

Since 2000, Jade Beehler has helped ensure students at Spencer high School remain focused on their educational goals as the schools assistant principal. For the past 10 months, Beehler surrendered his title and returned to school himself — focused on his own educational pursuits...

Before the sun had a chance to shine on the city of Spencer’s downtown district last Monday, Brock Storm — the Spencer High School alumnus and full-time artist — was clad in black and had made peace with the fact that his newest project could land him in serious trouble. ...

The Spencer Committee of the Whole met Monday night to discuss a $35,000 proposal from Carlson Dettmann Consulting which entails the firm assisting in the recruitment of a new city planning director by interviewing applicants, conducting reference checks, defining the position and determining a recruitment strategy while also working with the city regarding employee development, human resource program development and among other deliverables outlined by the proposal, assisting the city “in deciding how to assign human resource management responsibilities” which could include establishing a part- or full-time HR position should the city decide to pursue such an option.. ...

According to the Iowa Department of Public Health, total positive cases of COVID-19 in Clay County rose past 100 Friday, with the current total at 106 as of Monday night. State reported data shows like Clay, Dickinson County is also continuing to experience an upward trend in positive cases having reached a total of 207 positive cases so far and that Buena Vista County, currently having the fourth largest total positive cases of COVID-19 in the state at 1,669, is trending down in positive cases for the first time since May.. ...

As summer has come into full effect, motorists have likely noticed the newest addition to south Spencer’s skyline, Spencer Municipal Utilities’ new water tower. Work on the structure started in the fall of 2019 after the existing water tower, located next to it, sustained structural damage from ice during the winter of 2017-18...

Despite the cancellation of the Iowa Sate Fair, Clay County Extension is moving forward with plans for both its annual Achievement Day and Communication Fair youth events. For the Achievement Fair, 4-H families will drop off their exhibits to the 4-H Building on the Clay County Fairgrounds on July 20. Communication Fair will be conducted July 22...

After nearly four decades of helping Spencer-area men look their best, local barbers Art Johnson and Don Hartzell decided it was time to sweep up the trimmings and put away their scissors for a final time. Rather than reopening the doors at First Avenue Hair Care when Iowa’s COVID-19 restrictions were lifted, the two men ended a partnership which has served multiple generations in the area...

WASHINGTON — Agricultural producers who have not yet enrolled in the Agriculture Risk Coverage or Price Loss Coverage programs for 2020 must do so by June 30. Although program elections for the 2020 crop year remain the same as elections made for 2019, all producers need to contact their local USDA Farm Service Agency office to sign a 2020 enrollment contract. ...

Elderbridge Agency on Aging and Grand Avenue Community Kitchen have partnered together offering hot meals every Monday, Thursday and Saturday evening from 5-7 p.m. The meals are provided by drive-thru at Grand Avenue Community Kitchen and also home delivery is available. Contact Grand Avenue Community Kitchen for delivery at 580-4732. Freewill donations accepted and appreciated...

During their meeting Tuesday morning the Clay County Board of Supervisors approved a motion “to instruct our legal counsel to ask (District Court) Judge (Charles) Borth to reconsider his opinion regarding (Drainage District) 37.” Tuesday’s action by the board of supervisors follows Borth’s ruling granting plaintiffs and DD 37 landowners Robert Swan and David Wyatt’s motion for summary judgment and also ordering an election of private trustees for the district “without further delay” earlier this month.. ...

A federal jury may have a chance to determine a Milford man's connection to pipe bombs, drugs, an arsenal of rifles, an explosive arrow and a fatal truck crash in eastern Iowa at the start of the year. The grand jury on June 9 charged 35-year-old Darrell Sorey with:...

SPIRIT LAKE — The Iowa Governor's Office in coordination with Lakes Regional Healthcare and Dickinson County Emergency Management confirmed plans Thursday for a Test Iowa location in Spirit Lake. The drive-thru clinic will open at noon Monday, June 22, and then be open from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. every weekday beginning Tuesday, June 23. LRH officials say any Iowa resident will be able to receive a COVID-19 test at no cost, regardless of symptoms or potential exposure to the virus...

While its season was initially in doubt due to COVID-19, the city of Spencer announced Wednesday that the Spencer Family Aquatic Center will open at its normal hours of operation, weekdays from noon to 8 p.m., starting on July 1. Spencer Recreation Director Jared Elbert said there will be some safety guidelines in place due to the ongoing pandemic...

The SPACE Board has announced it will not conduct the first two planned weeks of Mainstreet Market as a result of the current COVID-19 numbers locally. The group will host its first outdoor gathering on Thursday, July 30, with additional dates scheduled for Aug. ...

Local health officials are extending condolences and urging caution after Dickinson County confirmed its first death related to COVID-19 on Monday. The patient was a male over the age of 80, according to information from Dickinson County Public Health...

The Clay County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday deliberated on changing the size of the county Planning and Zoning Commission from a board of seven to a board of five. Clay County EMS Director Tammy McKeever explained a change was needed due to the effects of legislative action...

The National League of Cities have released a report outlining the fiscal impact to cities, towns and villages across the country due to the coronavirus pandemic. Using a methodology involving revenue of sales and income taxes, revenue from property taxes, shares of revenue from charges, fees and other revenue as well as unemployment levels, the report’s projection for the state of Iowa equates to a revenue loss for cities, towns and villages in the state of Iowa amounting to 21.1%, equating to a dollar amount of more than $1 billion.. ...

At a June 17, Wednesday afternoon meeting of the Lost Island/Ruthven Betterment Association it was decided to cancel Bully Bullhead Weekend in Ruthven due to those rising positive cases of COVID-19. All activities associated with Bully Bullhead are cancelled. LIRBA stated its first priority is to keep their residents safe. Bully Bullhead Weekend 2021 will be held July 9-11.

ARNOLDS PARK — Historic Arnolds Park officials say they take pride in over 130 years of contributing to the tradition that is Okoboji. But, 2020 has proven to be a challenging year for the amusement park operators due to COVID-19. Arnolds Park Amusement Park, the on-site museums and the Queen II closed temporarily as of Saturday, June 13. Park management consulted with the Historic Arnolds Park Incorporated executive committee to arrive at its June 12 decision...

STORM LAKE — The Buena Vista County Fair is “moving ahead in a very modified fashion,” while about half the state’s county fairs have canceled for the summer, and the Iowa State Fair has called it quits, taking an estimated $30 million loss. “We are excited to announce that the 2020 Buena Vista County Fair will proceed with events, shows, entertainment and vendors,” said Nicol Kleespies, with Iowa State University Extension and 4-H. ...

DES MOINES — Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, Lt. Gov. Adam Gregg and Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig recently announced the Beef Up Iowa program to connect Iowa beef producers with food insecure Iowans. The program is a partnership with the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, Iowa State University and Iowa’s beef producers, and is an initiative of Reynolds’ Feeding Iowans Task Force led by Gregg. ...

While you’re busy filling your landscape with beautiful flowers and scrumptious vegetables, the deer, rabbits and other wildlife are watching and waiting to move in to dine. Don’t lose your beautiful investment to hungry animals. Be proactive in keeping wildlife at bay, so you can grow a beautiful landscape this season...

Cheri Prange, Spencer Women of Today president, presented Amanda Klein, activity director for St. Luke Homes and Services, with a check for $435 toward the activity department.

A Spencer woman has won a $10,000 lottery prize. Marsena Hubbard won the big prize in the Iowa Lottery’s “$100,000 Mega Crossword” scratch game. She purchased her winning ticket at Casey’s, 1304 18th St. in Spirit Lake, and claimed her prize on Friday at the lottery’s Storm Lake regional office. Hubbard won the 19th of 50 prizes of $10,000 in the game...

Details have yet to be hammered out, but Zach Borus, a physician with Lakes Regional Healthcare in Spirit Lake, said Dickinson County may be home to a Test Iowa site as soon as next week. Borus made the announcement Wednesday in one of the hospital's regular video messages to the public. ...

The Clay County Board of Supervisors conducted their canvass this week to make the Clay County results of the June 2 primary election official. Although there were ultimately no surprises, write-in votes did not make a difference to the outcomes in Clay County. County Auditor Marge Pitts said she was pleased with the turnout locally...

DES MOINES — The Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs announced it has awarded more than $1.1 million in 173 grants statewide. This includes $923,372 for emergency relief and another $178,000 in humanities grants to help Iowa cultural organizations rebound from the financial impacts of the coronavirus pandemic...

The latest edition of Spencer Municipal Utilities’ annual Consumer Confidence Report on water quality has been prepared and is being distributed electronically this year at www.smunet.net/2020CCR.pdf rather than mailing directly to customers. The report provides details of drinking water testing conducted during the calendar year 2019. SMU regularly tests over 80 drinking water contaminants, and the 2019 data again shows no violations of EPA rules for water quality...