The 2023 baccalaureate service for this year's Spencer High School seniors was held Sunday at Spencer Sacred Heart Parish. Students and their families heard poems and songs of praise dedicated to the graduating class. The baccalaureate was in memory of 2023 classmate Sully McGuire, complete with a rose dedication and prayers of inspiration.

A field day celebrating the state’s improvement in water quality in recent years was held in Spencer Saturday. The Iowa Agriculture Water Alliance and the Iowa Soybean Association collaborated to recognize 10 years of progress in the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy.

Farmers Bank and the city of Spencer are introducing a partnership to help improve the community by planting 100 new trees. With the recent ash borer insect infestation, numerous area trees have been taken down. With this project the city will be able to regrow a new variety of trees in many of the affected areas.

The idea of planting trees in the community came from a brainstorming session among staff members at the bank earlier this year.

U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst visited West O Brewing Friday to join a celebration of Iowa’s water quality progress in the last decade.

The Iowa Lakes Corridor Development Corporation announced Monday that President and Chief Executive Officer Shannon Landauer is resigning from the organization effective June 9.

Books were dropped off outside Spencer Municipal Utilities Friday for the Spencer Rotary Club’s book sale in November. Weather permitting, the drop off will continue on the second Friday of every month until October. (Photos by Celia Brocker)

An upstairs tour of several downtown establishments was held by Spencer Main Street Saturday. Attendees were taught the history of each building and given a preview of the future construction plans. (Photos by Celia Brocker)

Spencer Rotary proudly supports the YMCA's Strong Community Campaign with a $500 donation. Rotary Treasurer Bob Rose presented the check to YMCA Director Nathan Prenzlow. (Photo submitted)

BOOKED INTO CLAY COUNTY JAIL

This week, National Fentanyl Awareness Day, was recognized nationwide, and while it can be found locally, its existence isn’t currently as prominent as methamphetamine, according to Spencer Police Chief Mark Warburton.

The band students of Spencer High School and Spencer Middle School will be holding special performances next Monday and Tuesday. Two pieces commissioned for the two school bands will be performed by the middle school band on Monday at 7:30 p.m. in the middle school and by the high school band at their Spring Awards Concert in the Larry M. Untiet Theatre at 7 p.m.

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Thursday rejected a challenge to a California animal cruelty law that affects the pork industry, ruling that the case was properly dismissed by lower courts. Pork producers had said that the law could force industrywide changes and raise the cost of bacon and other pork products nationwide.

Postal carriers throughout the region will participate in the annual Stamp Out Hunger event, hosted each year on the second Saturday in May. Each year, the U.S. Post Office asks citizens along their route to bag healthy, non-perishable food items and place the bag near the mailbox for carriers to pick up. Items collected will be donated to local food banks. (File photo)

Students of the music department at Spencer High School were recently rewarded for their hard work and efforts this spring. The concert band received Division I ratings from each of their judges and mixed chorus received two Division I ratings and one Division II rating for an overall Division I rating. Treble clef chorus received a Division II rating from each of their judges.

Salaries for the 2023-24 school year were set by the Spencer School Board on Tuesday. In agreement with the Spencer Support Staff, the base wage and increases shall be effective as of July 1 and will remain in effect until June 30, 2026.