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Spencer Police implement new Facebook page

In an effort to inform the public more quickly, the Spencer Police Department has begun to utilize social media. Since November, the police department has been testing its new Facebook page.
Those who like the Spencer Police Department's page will receive public service announcements, media releases, Spencer Police Association news, and police department events.

Celebrating Chalstrom
Christmas tree drop-off points announced

Drop-off points have been designated for Christmas trees and greenery donated for the 2015 University of Okoboji Winter Games annual "Burning of the Greens." These trailers are in place for those dismantling their trees.
Trailers and trailer moving services have been generously donated by Polaris Industries. Trailers will be parked at the Dickinson County Fairgrounds near the Community Building in Spirit Lake, and the Arnolds Park Amusement Park parking lot.

Margaret Gould

Funeral services for Margaret Gould, 88, of Spencer, will be conducted at 1 p.m. Friday, Jan 2, 2015, at First Baptist Church in Spencer. Rev. Matthew Winslow and Rev. Jeff McDowel will officiate the service.
Visitation will be conducted beginning one hour prior to the service at First Baptist Church.
Burial will be conducted at Riverside Cemetery in Spencer.
Gould passed away Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2014, at Boone County Hospital in Boone.

John Smith

Funeral services for John Smith, 92, of Spencer, will be conducted at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 3, 2015, at First English Lutheran Church in Spencer. Rev. Paul Kaldahl will officiate the service.
Visitation will be conducted beginning one hour prior to the service at First English Lutheran Church in Spencer.
Burial will be conducted at Riverside Cemetery in Spencer.

Dawn Seeley

Funeral services for Dawn Seeley, 55, of Spencer, will be conducted at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 3, 2015, at Hope Reformed Church in Spencer. Rev. Russell Muilenburg will officiate the service.
Visitation will be conducted beginning 4 p.m. Friday, with the family present from 5-8 p.m., at Hope Reformed Church.
Burial will be conducted at Riverside Cemetery in Spencer.
Seeley passed away Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2014, at Spencer Hospital.

Joe Rydstrom

Joe Rydstrom, 70, of Marathon, died Saturday, Dec. 27, 2014, in Marathon. Funeral services were held Wednesday, Dec. 31, at the United Methodist Church in Marathon. Burial followed in the Poland Township Cemetery in Marathon. Visitation took place Tuesday, Dec. 30, from 4-7 p.m. and family was present from 5-7 p.m. at the United Methodist Church in Marathon.
Leslie Joe Rydstrom was born April 9, 1944, in Sioux Rapids, the son of Lester and Bessie (Foreman) Rydstrom.

James Girard

Another proud and brave Marine is on his final journey home to our Lord. James F. Girard, who passed away Nov. 11, 2014, was born in a winter storm in Spencer, on Dec. 24, 1945, to Allen and Peggy Girard. He was raised in Camden, New Jersey, for 12 years before coming back to God's country in Iowa. He graduated from Royal High School in 1964 with a total of 16 classmates.

Earl Curry Jr.

Services for Earl Curry Jr., 89, of Spencer, will be conducted at 1 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 4, 2015, at Oneota Park in Spencer.
Curry passed away Monday, Dec. 29, 2014, at his home in Spencer.

Bernice Bowers

Services are pending for Bernice Bowers, 98, of Spencer, who passed away Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2014, at St. Luke Lutheran Home in Spencer.
Warner Funeral Home of Spencer is in charge of arrangements.

CommStock Report

Cuba is not a democracy yet we have normal diplomatic relations with a number of non-democratic countries and some of them such as Egypt are far more oppressive in terms of killing protestors and detaining opposition than Cuba. Cuban dictators, the Castros, are aging and there are signs that things are changing in Cuba. Workers can now be employed in the private sector and are now allowed to own some property.

CommStock Report
Randy's Review: 'Into the Woods'

**Not a kiddos fairy tale
Fantastically cast and beautifully scored, the Disney adaptation of Stephen Sondheim's popular musical "Into the Woods" is a lot of fun but is by no means a children's fairy tale.

Reggae, rock and ethnic Chinese music

ORANGE CITY -- It's a music and cultural exchange. Shanren, from ethnic minority groups of the mountains of Yunnan and Guizhou provinces in southwest China, will be in the Orange City area Jan. 12-16, performing and conducting workshops.
The public concert is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 16, at the Unity Christian Knight Center, part of the Orange City Arts Council's Beyond Onstage series. Note that the concert date has been changed from Jan. 17 to Jan. 16.

Music Review: 'Sucker'

**Charli XCX
I wasn't expecting to be impressed by Charli XCX's latest album, "Sucker." There aren't a whole lot of new releases this time of year, and she's a name I'd at least heard of before.

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