In 1926, radium was a miracle cure, Madame Curie (Mikalah Prickett), an international celebrity, and luminous watches the latest rage — until the girls who painted them began to fall ill with a mysterious disease. Inspired by a true story, “Radium Girls” traces the efforts of Grace Fryer (Sophie Munson), a dial painter, as she fights for her day in court.

The Iowa Mortgage Association announced several mortgage professionals from Northwest Bank were accepted into the IMA’s 2023 President’s Club and Winner’s Circle. Locals include Jason Warren into the President’s Club. The President’s Club and Winner’s Circle is an ongoing recognition program to recognize outstanding mortgage loan production in Iowa. Spirit Lake’s Angie Peterson was selected for the Winner’s Circle.

Developing true American “spirit” with Iowa corn, Spencer native Terry Cook and Mark Gus Scott hope veterans programs will benefit from the sale of their American Premium Vodka.

Citing the ever-growing divide between Democrats and Republicans, the two men hope one brand is making strides to bring the country back together, one drink at a time. American Premium Vodka is launching its new brand in Iowa and in doing so, hope to pay tribute to U.S. military veterans.

Working with local marketing agency F8 Creative, the Spencer Chamber of Commerce has published a pair of new promotional videos aimed at attracting visitors and potentially recruiting new residents to the area.

Sunday, Hope Church in Spencer will transform its auditorium gathering area into a large fundraising site for Sara Schmidt, of Spencer. From 4:30-6:30 p.m., a benefit meal and live auction will also include a live performance by local band, “She’s With Us,” in an effort to generate additional funding toward her growing medical expenses.

The undertaking is being organized by Schmidt’s longtime friend and relative Marlana Tewes.

MILFORD — Wednesday, just after 4:30 p.m., Milford Police Department were dispatched to the 3200 block of U.S. Highway 71 in Milford, responding to a personal injury accident.

Spencer Main Street hosted national downtown revitalization leadership from Main Street America to help strengthen the local Main Street program. Main Street America is a national organization that seeks to revitalize downtowns through preservation-based economic development, and this visit is part of a partnership with Main Street Iowa. Jackie Swihart, program officer for Revitalization Services, visited Spencer on Tuesday.

The Spencer City Council is set to make some big and expensive decisions during its regular meeting on Monday, April 15.

A Minneapolis, Minnesota, man pleaded not guilty on April 10 to forging checks and stealing more than $5,000 from a Spencer business.

ESTHERVILE — The Northwest Iowa Concert Band, directed by Rich Nicklay, and the Northwest Iowa Jazz Band, directed by Scott Benjamin, will present their spring concert, Monday, April 15, 7:30 p.m. at the Estherville VFW, 314 South First St. The VFW will be serving a beef or pork basket meal, starting at 6 p.m. and will remain available throughout the concert.

Farming remains a reliable profit center for Spencer’s Northwest Iowa Regional Airport.

The airport board’s regular meeting for April included a presentation from Brent Swart of Cotton and Graves Farm Management on the crop rotation and financial performance of farming operations at the airport property. Swart outlined the typical crop rotation of soybeans, alfalfa hay and grass hay across the roughly 644-acre property.

Spencer Elementary School fourth grade students and teachers traveled to Des Moines recently to tour the State Capitol, where they posed for a picture with local state Rep. Megan Jones (above). “It is always so great to see kids and faces from back home,” Jones said. “There were a ton of students. Thanks for sending them down.” The students and teachers also visited the Science Center. The field trip was sponsored by Spencer Community School Foundation. (Photo submitted)

On April 5, Sioux Central FFA traveled to Brookings, South Dakota, to participate in Little International at South Dakota State University. Twenty-seven FFA members and an advisor went along on this trip. All students that went along got to participate in career exploration whether it was trying something they have never done before or one that they have participated in the past.

Five outstanding Iowa Lakes Community College students were honored at the Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Awards Banquet in Des Moines, for exceptional academic achievements, intellectual rigor, leadership and civic growth. Mariah Geistfeld, Haily Green, Audree Reinhardt, Andres Felipe Rodriguez Martinez and Hunter Thilges were nominated to join the prestigious 2024 PTK Honor Society All-Iowa Academic Team.

Marion "Mike" Menning, former state senator from Minnesota, and former Rock Valley resident, announced the release of the second book in his “Ambassadors of Jesus” trilogy. The book, “Maturing As Ambassadors of Jesus” will be available to the public in just over two weeks.

The second part of his autobiography, like the first book, is divided into sections, with questions of reflections and pondering at the end of each section.