Thirty years ago, Michele Keller Rogger moved from Switzerland to Spencer as an German exchange teacher. Earlier this week, she returned to the community and reminisced about her time as a Spencer Tiger.

Rogger was just 24 years old when she first moved to Spencer. She never anticipated moving to northwest Iowa until Evelyn Bress, a teacher with Spencer schools, came into her life.

Lutheran Services in Iowa received two grants from Care Connections of Northern Iowa. One grant, in the amount of $35,000, will be used to improve office facilities resulting in a safer, more accessible, and therapeutic office for clients and staff. The other grant, in the amount of $57,745.12, will allow LSI to provide Behavioral Health Intervention Services to youth who previously could not receive services.

The 2023 Clay County Fair Queen Kamdyn Van Gelder is headed to the Iowa State Fair to compete for the crown.

The 17-year-old Spencer High School senior was presented with a $100 gas card by H&N Chevrolet Buick on Thursday to support travel costs to Des Moines and back.

Van Gelder gave many thanks to H&N for supporting her and her longtime passion for the fair.

It’s a great time to begin sifting through all the photos you have taken this year and enter them in one of the many photography competitions at the 2023 Clay County Fair powered by SMU, Sept. 9-17.

“We are very excited to see what photos people have taken and are submitting this year in 2023,” said Dana Metcalf, superintendent of the photography department. “The photos from the new classes are always so fun to look at!”

Fans of history or baseball — or both — might be interested in the speaking program at the Spencer Public Library this week. Author, speaker and conservative politician Craig Bishop will be at the library on Wednesday at 6 p.m. to discuss baseball player Billy Sunday.

Spencer’s BeMobile Verizon location took part in the organization’s 10th Annual Backpack Giveaway event last week. From Aug. 1-4, the store offered free backpacks with school supplies all day for families to pick up.

Backpack donations are done throughout all of BeMobile’s 68 stores, and the Spencer location donated approximately 100 backpacks.

Sunday afternoon, a two-vehicle accident involving a pair of Spencer teens, resulted in possible injuries to a 45-year-old passenger in one of the cars.

North Dakota’s Public Service Commission threw a major roadblock in the path of Summit Carbon Solutions’ Midwest Carbon Express on Friday, Aug. 4, when it voted unanimously to deny the company’s hazardous CO2 pipeline permit. According to PSC chair, Randy Christmann, Summit “failed to meet its burden of proof to show that the location, construction, operation and maintenance will produce minimal adverse effects on the environment and on the citizen of North Dakota.”

Though summer break is not over yet, the Spencer Community Theatre is embracing the fun of learning in its upcoming show. Partnered with the Deegan Children's Theatre, SCT will be putting on “Schoolhouse Rock Live! Jr.” for its youth production this summer. Performances will be on Aug. 3-5 at 7:30 p.m. and Aug. 6 at 2 p.m.

Chamber Executive Director Sheriffa Jones noted after the local Crazy Days success last weekend, Spencer area and statewide shoppers will have one more opportunity to save as this weekend’s tax-free event targets those returning to the classroom. “Tax-free weekend is a great weekend for families to get a head start on back to school shopping without paying state and local sales tax,” she said. “As we all know every dollar saved counts and helps families.

BOOKED INTO CLAY COUNTY JAIL

Last Thursday, area fire responders traveled to one of Rembrandt Food’s operational facilities to battle a large blaze. Spencer fire sent one truck, joining more than 10 area departments on scene to combat a fire which resulted in the destruction of one of five pullet barns at Rembrandt's offsite pullet farm. According to a spokesperson from the Spencer Fire Department, they stayed on scene for more than four hours in a support role.

The board of directors at Spencer Community Theatre officially accepted the resignation of Executive Director Liz McNea on July 27. SCT is currently seeking an interim executive director and full-time executive director.

Board President Steve Deutsch issued a statement: “SCT and the board would like to express their gratitude to Liz for her many years of dedicated service. Thank you, On behalf of the board, Deutsch wished her luck on the journey ahead.

U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, stopped in Spencer, as part of his annual 99-County Tour, Thursday, for a Q&A with employees of Godbersen Metal Works. Grassley toured the facility and answered questions from workers that spanned from international politics to the local impacts of inflation.

Spencer Hospital received a visit from U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra, R-Hull, on Thursday afternoon. The representative toured the University Iowa Hospital Child Clinic in the hospital facility to learn about the provided services and discuss children’s health care.