At Spencer High School’s home basketball games, the Spencer Tigerettes have entertained the home and visitor crowds with choreographed routines at halftime. In the intermission during the Fort Dodge matchup, the final week before the holiday break, Emma Marlow fired up the crowd as part of the mid-game break, drawing rave reviews from the appreciative audience. (Photos by Sondra Hookfin)

HARTLEY — Seasons Center received a charitable grant of $6,300 from Valero Benefit for Children thanks to the Valero Texas Open golf tournament and associated events. The funding will be used to support and enhance Seasons’ School-Based Program offered in partnership with the Algona Community School District.

Clay County Tourism is hosting a photo contest, seeking the best photos of Clay County — winter, spring, summer or fall — to be featured in a new Clay County visitors guide to be published in 2023.

“With help from the public, we want to show visitors and locals alike what Clay County is all about,” said Olivia Baxter, tourism coordinator for Clay County Tourism.

Newcomers to the Clay County Board of Supervisors Courtney DeLoss and Allen W. Batschelet were sworn into office Tuesday morning. It was also the last board meeting for outgoing supervisors Burlin Matthews and Dan Skelton.

Spencer Hy-Noon Kiwanis President Randy Cauthron announced the club’s newest “Wow Project” contribution of $7,250 toward Camp Autumn’s musical instrument addition. Season’s Center CEO Dan Reis, also a Hy-Noon member, accepted the club’s gift. (Photo submitted)

For more than a century, Shine Bros. Corp. has served Spencer and the surrounding region under four generations of leadership from the namesake family. As 2022 closes, the business family celebrates 120 years of operation.

Current owner and president Toby Shine, and his daughters, Keven Shine and Eva Shine, are now part of the Shine Bros. Corp. management team, making them the fourth generation to join the family business.

• At No. 4 in our 2022 countdown centers around SHS alum Casey Muessigmann and the two major Iowa music industry awards he was recognized with this year, as well as his ongoing journey in music. The story was originally printed in the Nov. 15 Spencer Reporter.

“Prepare for the worst, and pray for the best.”

• The ongoing saga — which remain unresolved — of the trailer court on the corner of West 18th Street and Fourth Avenue West is the Spencer Reporter’s No. 4 news story. Residents in a trailer park with reported electrical, plumbing and safety issues find themselves searching for new homes as the city opts to turn off power until the park can meet safety standards.

BOOKED INTO CLAY COUNTY JAIL

Spencer Family YMCA Studio Y had the opportunity to dance in the Iowa Great Lakes “Nutcracker.” (Above) Studio Y members participating include (front row) Zoey Konrad, Kathryn Manwarren, (back row) Zarah Zahrt, Faith Klatt and Cherrylenne Hibbing. The collaboration involved local dancers and a professional dance company. American Midwest Ballet hosted auditions for selected parts for local dancers in October.

DES MOINES — Clay County Tourism recently received a $10,000 grant to fund a new initiative, “Destination Clay.”

Destination Clay is a media project with the intent to create interest in Clay County as well as display Clay County's best assets. The project will include professionally sourced videos and photography highlighting Spencer and the natural aspects of Clay County.

The Spencer City Council gave its approval to move ahead with the contract for a reconstruction and sewer separation project on the east side of the city. The project will consist of storm sewer separation, replacing sanitary sewer and pavement replacement in the vicinity of East Fourth Street and East Fifth Street from Sixth Avenue East to 10th Avenue East.

“I’ve lost grandparents, parents, husband and brother,” said Spencer resident and realtor, Barb Workman-Schneider, “nothing prepared me for this.”

• A former Spencer High grad authored a book offering a fictional tale set in WWII based on the relationship of two U.S. Army captains — including his father. In the feature story, which was originally printed in the Jan. 28 Spencer Reporter, author John “J.K.” Hall offered a look at the “story-behind-the-story” which led to him crafting the story.

In a special meeting between Spencer’s City Council and the Clay County Board of Supervisors, city and county officials discussed the Iowa DOT’s plans to modify the intersection of U.S. 18 and U.S. 71, known as the Spencer North Y. The location has been the site of several major collisions including fatalities.