DES MOINES — COVID-19 vaccine doses for infants and toddlers are due to arrive in Iowa this week after federal regulators approved their use last weekend, according to the Iowa Department of Public Health.

Children older than 6 months and younger than 5 years are now eligible for the vaccines.

BOOKED INTO CLAY COUNTY JAIL

Spencer Hospital was recently awarded accreditation by the Center for Improvement in Healthcare Quality, a national accreditation organization sanctioned by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

The recognition reflects the hospital’s commitment to care practices and standards that are consistent with patient safety and quality care outcomes.

A custom meat business will soon be on its way to Spencer, with the Spencer City Council approving the sale of city property to Brian Bland of Custom Cut Meats during their meeting on Monday. The sale of Lot 5 of the Green Industrial Center to Bland for $20,000 was discussed by city officials in a committee meeting before its approval in the formal council session.

The Iowa Lakes Community College board of trustees met Tuesday afternoon on the Spencer campus for its regularly scheduled board meeting.

Jolene Rogers, executive director of community and business relations, began Tuesday's meeting by introducing Mary Faber, director of the Spencer campus. Faber welcomed the board to campus and introduced several Spencer campus employees.

After a recent board vote, the Shayla Bee road show headed out to Ruthven Wednesday night to welcome its 226th Shayla Bee Family. David Geiger and Ashley Hix are the parents of 2-month-old Bexley. Bexley has been diagnosed with Down syndrome, has a heart condition as well aw lung and feeding issues. She spent close to two months in the NICU before getting to go home.

State Bank, Fareway and SMU hosted Tuesday afternoon’s Business After Hours at the Grand Avenue Fountain green space near the Veterans Memorial. Local Spencer Chamber members networked and socialized in the well-attended, once-a-year outdoor setting on a warm evening, enjoying food and refreshments. (Photos by Celia Brocker)

MILFORD — The 38th annual University of Okoboji Cycling Classic Campus Bike Ride will be held at 9 a.m. Saturday in Florence Park in Milford. The Boy Scouts will serve their world-famous pancake breakfast from 7-9 a.m. Riders may choose from a 25-, 50- or 100-mile bike ride through the Iowa Great Lakes area. Registration at Florence Park in Milford will be held Friday from 7-9 p.m. and Saturday from 7-9 a.m.

Okoboji Summer Theatre discount booklets are available at a cost of $140 at Liberty National Bank (Okoboji), Northwest Banks (Spirit Lake, Arnolds Park, Milford), Pearson Lakes Art Center (Okoboji), Arts on Grand (Spencer) or by emailing ostavoucherbooklet@gmail.com. Each booklet includes eight vouchers, redeemable toward four musicals and three non-musicals.

EMMETSBURG — Iowa Lakes Community College has selected Kyle Norris to fill the executive dean position on the Emmetsburg campus following an extensive search and interview process. Norris will begin his new role at Iowa Lakes on July 11, following board approval.

STORM LAKE — Two Buena Vista University students who completed the landmark Undergraduate Rural Medicine Education and Development program in May relate how excited they are for a future in treating others thanks to their experiences.

Sacred Heart Catholic Daughter members Monica Johannsen and Marilyn Bock presented a check for $500 to Lindy Hornby, her children Reegan and Cooper, and Kiwanis representative Kelly McCarty for the Dolly Parton's Imagination Library. As a speech pathologist, Hornby started the process to bring this program to Spencer to bring books into the homes of children from birth to age 5. The Imaginary Library will send each child an age specific book each month until the age of 5 years.

The Spencer Chamber Executive Director Sheriffa Jones and the board announced the hire of new office and finance coordinator Maggie Ostrum. Ostrum has worked for more than 10 years in public service and tourism, most recently, as a tour guide and office associate at Okoboji Classic Cars. Ostrum will bring her experiences in communication, public relations, office management and marketing to the Spencer Chamber to continue to foster relationships with visitors, residents and businesses.

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is offering a program to teach skills needed to hunt, field dress and cook mourning doves to individuals who have little to no dove hunting experience.

The July 14 workshop will feature a two-hour virtual knowledge and skills building sessions with instructors that will teach the basics.

Iowa joined other Midwestern states, and researchers in Canada and Central and South America to create a network of radio receiver stations to learn more about the long-distance migration patterns of birds, bats and insects.

The Motus Wildlife Tracking System, motus being the Latin word for movement, began in 2013 by Birds Canada near Toronto. Motus is a system of coordinated automated radio telemetry station used to track long-distance movements of small animals.