Stories from Friday, February 20, 2009

Cherish Center's second annual Father/Daughter Dance benefit will be held from 7-10 p.m., Feb. 28, at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Milford. It is no secret, a healthy father-daughter relationship is critically important to the emotional health of a young girl and follows her into her adult life. That's why several area "dads" are working to heighten the awareness of this important relationship...

Opera Iowa is in Spencer today, offering multiple performances for area students, during the day, then again at 7:30 p.m. tonight. The student performance of "A Dream Fulfilled" will begin at 10 a.m. The Opera Iowa participants will provide a clinic -- "What's My Aria" -- beginning at 1:40 p.m., for high school; and 1:46 p.m. and 2:29 p.m. - dealing with singers and vocal styles -- for the middle school students...

Three longtime deputies with the Clay County Sheriff's Office have new assignments under Clay County Sheriff Randy Krukow. "It's nice to have experienced officers that you can promote and rely on," he said. Veteran officer Denny Linn of Spencer was recently named the new Clay County Jail administrator. He replaces Brad Hawley, who was promoted to chief deputy in January...

Dozens of area mothers were treated to a morning of pampering Thursday at the Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS) annual Spa Day at Hope Reformed Church in Spencer. Following a breakfast complete with eggs, biscuits and gravy and an iced mocha, the women visited various stations, where they relaxed and enjoyed a variety of services and treatments offered by local businesses and representatives...

CC-E to host George-Little Rock Tuesday

Seniors Max Burgeson, Blake Kliegl and Ryan Wurtz each scored in double figures to lift the Okoboji boys basketball team to 54-41 victory over Dickinson County rival Spirit Lake Thursday in a Class 2A district semifinal showdown in Milford. The talented threesome combined to score all 54 points for the Pioneers with Kliegl tallying a game-high 22 points, followed by Burgeson with 21 and Wurtz with 11. ...

Okoboji wrestlers Dustin Schwaller and Tanner Taylor were both knocked out of the 84th annual Iowa High School State Wrestling Championships one step short of the medals Thursday, each dropping second-round consolation matches at Wells Fargo Arena. Schwaller, a senior who had earned his first tournament win by fall Wednesday, suffered a 45-second pin at the hands of Mount Ayr's Dylan Lame Thursday...

Spencer trio advances to medal rounds

Due to the late conclusion of Thursday night's Spencer school board meeting, check out a review of what occurred during this work session in Saturday's Daily Reporter. During this meeting, the board reviewed the "additional" budget packages being considered for 2009-10 reduction, input received on each, and then created an initial ranking of them. ...