The Spencer Daybreakers Kiwanis collected for its annual toy drive and last week delivered the toys to Upper Des Moines for children in need this holiday season. This was originally started by Duaine Holck and Keith Bress and has become an annual tradition for the club. (Photo submitted)

Crop Insurance Discount Program open

DES MOINES — Gov. Kim Reynolds and Department of Public Safety Commissioner Stephan Bayens honored heroic citizens and first responders at the 2024 Sullivan Brothers’ Award of Valor and Governor’s Lifesaving Awards ceremony held this morning in the Iowa Capitol Rotunda.

Evan Scheck, of Spencer, and Joseph Salmon, of Spirit Lake, were among seven people receiving including three officers from Oelwein, as well as individuals from Adel and Waterloo.

Spencer Hospital employees are embracing the spirit of the season by adopting 15 senior citizens as part of the Upper Des Moines Opportunity and Elderbridge Santa for Seniors program. This heartwarming initiative is just one example of how hospital staff give back to the community throughout the year, embodying a common trait of “Caring Beyond the Hospital Walls.”

Rides, northwest Iowa’s regional public transportation service, is taking steps to diversify its revenue stream as grant funding and local tax dollars have become more challenging to secure.

The Iowa Lakes Corridor Development Corporation has launched a new program to bring people who grew up in the four-county region but left to seek training or education elsewhere back to their roots.

Blend "I Want to Know What Love Is" and "Urgent" with stouts, ales and lagers and you'll have the recipe for a memorable summer night at the Roof Garden in Arnolds Park.

The Festival of Lessons and Carols presented, on Dec. 3, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, by the Spencer Messiah Board, will be replayed on Spencer Municipal Utilities on Sunday, Dec. 22, at 6:30 p.m.; Monday, Dec. 23, at 1 p.m.; Tuesday, Dec. 24, at 9 p.m.; Wednesday, Dec. 25, at 5:30 p.m.; and Thursday, Dec. 26, at 10 a.m. (Photo by Allison Oyler)

The Clay County Conservation Board has selected Woodruff Construction to serve as the construction manager at risk for the new learning center project at Oneota Park in Spencer.

According to Will Horsley, director of the Clay County Conservation Board, the board decided at its December meeting to choose the local construction firm over the five other companies, some from out of state, that had submitted proposals.

The Spencer Chamber Foundation will offer a one-day Emotional Intelligence in Leadership training session. The teaching is scheduled from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Dec. 18, at Iowa Lakes Community College, Room 108A-B. This course is designed for leaders at all levels who aim to cultivate leadership that is intentional, inspiring and rooted in emotional intelligence.

• The Clay County Sheriff’s office was called to an accident at 10 p.m., Dec. 10, 2000 Chevy S10, driven by an Everly 15-year-old male, who was northbound in the 3500 mile of 240th Avenue, when he lost control due to icy road condition. The S10 flipped in the road coming to rest on its driver’s side. The driver was taken to the Spencer Hospital emergency room to be checked out, but no injuries supported.

The Spencer School Board team was awarded the prestigious Team Achievement Award through the Iowa Association of School Boards Annual Board Awards program. Only 46 board teams in the entire state earned this award. To qualify for this award, the majority of the board earned Individual Achievement Awards.

IASB Board President Jesse Howard commended the Spencer School Board and superintendent team for their hard work.

Nov. 23, six Spencer High School students performed in Hilton Coliseum for the 78th Annual All-State Festival. These students were selected after auditions in late October.

FRESHMEN

The Spencer Chamber Ambassadors visited Boyd & Sailer Dental Associates on Tuesday to welcome Dr. Shanee Haberman and her dental assistant, Jenna Mart. Haberman moved to Spencer with her husband after graduating from the University of Iowa College of Dentistry and started at Boyd & Sailer in July 2024. Mart also started in July after graduating from Southeast Technical College in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.