A familiar Spencer golf tournament is being brought back as a fundraiser for the first time in years this week. The Spencer Municipal Golf Course will host its Chili Open tournament this Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Chili Open was always used as a fundraiser for the golf course in the past, Director of Golf Operations Brian Mohr said. It stopped being a fundraiser after a new clubhouse was built and opened in 2009.

Candidates for Clay County’s city and school board elections were released Friday following Thursday afternoon’s filing deadline.

Three will compete for two Spencer at large school board positions with current board member Brea Schmidt and fellow incumbent Philip J. Bieber facing a challenge from former longtime board member Dean Mechler.

MILFORD — Iowa State University Extension and Outreach will host the second annual Northwest Iowa Parkinson’s Disease Conference on Thursday, Oct. 26, from noon to 5 p.m. at the Lakeshore Center at Okoboji in Milford.

The 2023-24 Spencer High School named King Dalton Flikkena and Queen Tyriana Vail (center) Wednesday evening during coronation ceremonies in the Larry Untiet Auditorium in Spencer High School. The entire royal court include (left to right) Adrian Castillo, Weston Johnson, Ross Carlson, Jaxon Heffner, King Flikkema, Queen Vail, Alicia Graettinger, Emma Fassbender, Julia Gastelum and Sadie Kahley. A special homecoming section is inserted in today’s Daily Reporter. (Photo by Celia Brocker)

Several trees were planted in several Spencer locations this Thursday thanks to a team of Farmers Bank and city of Spencer employees. A partnership between the city, Farmers Bank and Del’s Garden Center will see 100 trees planted in town over the next two years.

The city has recently had to remove several decaying ash trees due to the arrival of the emerald ash borer in the area. The larva was first found in the area last December, and was identified in Spencer last March.

The Spencer School Board plans to have a meeting with Iowa legislators who represent their district next week to discuss goals for the 2024 Legislative Session. Reps. Megan Jones and John Wills, and Sen. Dave Rowley are all scheduled to attend the meeting.

AMES — The Conservation Learning Group, a think tank based at Iowa State University Extension and Outreach and dedicated to addressing conservation and environmental challenges, has published its Water Issues in Iowa report and associated infographic. The report provides insights and priorities expressed by Iowans regarding water quality across the state and tracks changes in perceptions of water quality issues among Iowans over the past 15 years.

Homes from Habitat for Humanity may be coming to Spencer in the next few years. City Manager Dan Gifford informed the Spencer City Council on Monday the nonprofit is looking to build houses in two city lots.

With the help of the Spencer Chamber Ambassadors, the ribbon was cut on the new location for Centers Against Abuse and Sexual Assault on Wednesday. Now located at 521 S. Grand Ave. with signs proudly displaying CAASA’s logo, the organization is visible on the main road through town.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — James “Jim” Dover a seasoned health care executive with more than 30 years of experience serving in leadership positions across a wide array of hospital and health systems, has been named the next president and chief executive officer of Avera Health, one of the largest not-for-profit rural health care systems in the Midwest. His first day with Avera will be Oct. 23.

Spencer’s movie theater located in the Southpark Mall is looking to expand its space and services. A plan was revealed to the Spencer City Council on Monday for the Southpark 7 — owned by Fridley Theatres — to add amenities to its theater.

Plans to bring a speculative building into the south part of town were given the go-ahead from the city on Monday. The Spencer City Council agreed to financially support a spec building in the South Technical Park in a 5-1 vote.

Celebrate survivors, honor loved ones who have lost their breast cancer battle, support those who are currently undergoing cancer care and join in helping bring attention to the importance of increasing awareness of breast cancer screenings and treatment by participating in the 2023 Breast Cancer Awareness Walk on Sunday, Oct. 1, at 4 p.m., at Spencer Hospital.

Clay County is considering how it might bring economic development to the area. During its regular Tuesday meeting, the Clay County Board of Supervisors had a conversation about how the county can support economic growth in the future.

Spencer’s Romanzo A. Coates Questers Club recently recognized and honored Lenix Thiesen, an eighth grade student at Spencer Middle School, with the 4-H Preservation and Restoration Award during the 2023 Clay County Fair. The award is similar to an existing Quester’s state-level award presented during the Iowa State Fair each year.