(Arnolds Park)--Two men from Sioux Falls are facing charges after an incident this past summer at Bridge’s Bay Resort in Arnolds Park.

According to online court records, 41-year-old Jason Madsen and 32-year-old Jordan Cruse have both been charged with 1st degree burglary, a class B felony.

Madsen and Cruse are accused of unlawfully entering a vacation cabin at Bridges Bay on August 20^th . The two men are alleged to have intentionally and recklessly inflicted bodily injury on several occupants in the cabin.

Madsen and Cruse were arrested early last week on warrants and have since been released from the Dickinson County Jail after posting bonds of $10,000 each. Preliminary hearings for both men are set for December 11th.

(Spencer)--The holiday season in downtown Spencer will kick-off Monday evening with the annual Grand Meander and Tuba Christmas. Spencer Main Street Director Nancy Naeve says Grand Meander will run from 5 to 7 pm.

Naeve says Santa will also be making an appearance.

She says the evening will also feature familiar Christmas songs brought to life through the Tuba.

Again, the concert will be held at 6:30 pm at Occassions

(Okoboji)--Cheerleader nominations open today for the 44th University of Okoboji Winter Games. Blain Andera with the Iowa Great Lakes Chamber of Commerce outlines what it takes to be a winter games cheerleader.

Andera says nominations are being accepted until the end of the year.

Andera explains how you can make a nomination.

Andera says sign-up is underway for most winter games events. He says winter games apparel is also available for purchase

The 44^th U of O Winter Games are scheduled for January 25th-28^th. For a complete schedule of events, again go to uofowintergames.com.

(Okoboji)--The Crop Advantage series presented by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach is returning to Northwest Iowa next month.  One of the meetings will be held on January 23rd at the Arrowwood Resort and Conference Center in Okoboji, according to ISU Extension Field Agronomist Gentry Sorenson.

Meetings will also be held on January 3^rd in Sheldon and January 4^th in Storm Lake. Sorenson says program topics are tailored for each location.

He says there will be breakout sessions in the afternoon.

Sorenson says at the end of the day he will be teaching a private pesticide applicator continuing instruction course. The Okoboji meeting is one of 12 being held across the state during the month of January. Sorenson says you can register online at cropadvantage.com.

(Estherville)--The Estherville Area Chamber of Commerce has an opening on the Chamber Board starting in 2024.

 The Chamber Board meets on the 3rd Tuesday of every month at 8am and is responsible for the goal setting and direction of the Chamber. Terms are for 3 years and there is a two term limit.

Anyone interested should contact Chamber Director Lexie Ruter by phone at 712-362-3541 or sending an email to: echamberdirector@gmail.com.

(Armstrong)--The Armstrong Betterment Club will be holding a Christmas Lighting Contest again this year.

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The judging will take place on Sunday, December 17^th. Judges will be escorted around town by an ABC member and  will make their selections for 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd place.

The winners will receive Armstrong bucks.

(Jackson, MN)--LaCanne Family Celebration of Life Center of Jackson and Windom have announced plans to acquire Osterberg Funeral Home of Jackson and Lakefield.

Owners Joel and Shannon LaCanne told the Jackson County Pilot they anticipate the transaction to be finalized on December 22nd. A spokesperson for Osterberg Funeral Home confirmed the impending transaction.

The LaCannes opened their first funeral home in Windom in 2004 and expanded to Jackson in July 2022. The LaCannes plan to operate the existing Osterberg Funeral Home in Lakefield. John Osterberg purchased the former Sathe Funeral Home in Jackson in 2000 and the former Hansen Funeral Homes in Lakefield in 2009.

(Spencer)--Two Spencer residents have embarked on a project to honor nearly two dozen people buried decades ago in unmarked graves. The graves are in an area of Riverside Cemetery in Spencer called Potter’s Field where unknown or indigent people were buried between 1922 and 1954. Bob Rose, who was the long-time director of Spencer’s Chamber of Commerce, and retired Clay County Deputy Sheriff Mark Harleman are heading up the project.

Harleman says the grave marker is 40 inches high, 30 inches wide and eight inches deep and there’ll be two three-foot benches on either side of it. The price tag for the memorial is just over 11-thousand dollars and the two men are raising money to cover the cost.

To make a donation, contact Riverside Cemetery at 712-580-7250.

(from Radio Iowa)

(Bancroft)--The community of Bancroft will celebrate the Christmas season with Holidazzle this Saturday, December 2^nd at the Main Street Pub. Bancroft City Director Crysti Neuman says this is the 7^th year for the event.

Neuman says there will be raffle drawings from 8:30 to 2:30.

She says proceeds from Holidazzle will go towards improvements to the Bancroft City Pool.

For more information visit the Bancroft, Iowa Facebook page.

(Graettinger)--Teachers and staff with the GTRA School Districts along with local law enforcement participated in an ALICE training this week in Graettinger. GTRA Superintendent Marshal Lewis.

Lewis explains the purpose of ALICE training.

He says the best part of ALICE training is that it’s not passive.

Lewis says students did not participate in the training.

Lewis says a decision hasn’t been made on whether students will be involved in a future training.

(Algona)--An Algona man created an unforgettable Thanksgiving memory after scratching off a $100,000 lottery prize.

63-year-old Allen Walker of Algona won the ninth top prize in the Iowa Lottery's "$100,000 Mega Crossword" scratch game. Walker bought his ticket last Wednesday at the Hy-Vee, located at 1500 Highway 169 North in Algona.

Walker claimed his prize Monday at the lottery's Mason City regional office. He said he plans to invest his winnings.

(Milford)--A Milford man was sent to the hospital after a car-semi accident Tuesday afternoon in Dickinson County.

The Dickinson County Sheriff’s Office says the accident happened shortly before 1 p.m. in the 1600 block of Highway 86. Deputies say 50-year-old Samuel Deppa of Ottawa, Kansas was driving a semi tractor-trailer northbound on Highway 86 and 64-year-old Walter Frank of Milford was southbound driving a Pontiac Vibe. Frank crossed the center line striking the front driver's side tire of the semi. The Pontiac came to rest on the west side of the highway with the semi leaving the road and ending up in a field.

Frank was transported by ambulance to Lakes Regional Healthcare with non-incapacitating injuries. Deppa was not injured.

The Dickinson County Sheriff’s Office was assisted on scene by the Spirit Lake, Milford and Arnold’s Park Police Departments, Iowa State Patrol, Iowa DNR, Spirit Lake First Responders and Lakes Regional Healthcare Ambulance.

(Estherville)--The Estherville Fire Department Monday night responded to a structure fire south of Estherville.

Fire Chief Travis Sheridan says the fire was reported shortly after 11:20 p.m. at 3846 190th Street. Sheridan says when firefighters arrived on scene, they found an outbuilding that was fully involved in flames.

Firefighters were on scene for a little over two hours. The cause of the fire is undetermined at this time.

The Estherville Fire Department was assisted by Wallingford Fire Department, Gruver Fire Department, Iowa Lakes Electric Co-op and Emmet County Sheriff's Department.

(Estherville)--ISU Extension and Outreach in Emmet County is starting a new 4-H Club. Emmet and Dickinson County Adult Program Coordinator Sue Boettcher says the club will be for youth interested in activities not related to livestock or agriculture.

Boettcher says an informational meeting will be held on Wednesday, December 6^th.

On another topic, Boettcher says a Parkinson’s Support Group meeting is coming up on Tuesday, December 5^th in Spirit Lake.

Boettcher made her comments on the Emmet County Extension Program which can be heard every Tuesday at 9:06 a.m. on KILR FM 95.9.

(Spencer)--The Iowa Lakes Corridor Development Corporation has announced Cory Hepola as the speaker for the 13th Annual Business Recognition Luncheon to be held in January.

Hepola is a 3-time Emmy Award Winning TV Anchor and Documentarian. Led by his mission to unite rural and urban America, Hepola recently won an Emmy Award as the creator and host of the popular docuseries, “Rural By Choice,” which serves to break down the popular misconceptions of the rural lifestyle. Currently he serves as the Vice President of Communications, Growth, & Strategy at The Brookshire Company.

While Hepola is in the region for the Business Recognition Luncheon, he will also be working with a production team to film an episode on the Iowa Lakes Corridor Region in The Brookshire Company’s new documentary series called “My Town.”

The Business Recognition Luncheon will be held at the Clay County Regional Events Center on January 31st from 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. RSVP for the event at www.lakescorridor.com/luncheon by Monday, January 15th.

(Garner)--A man accused of killing his estranged wife in Hancock County is now scheduled to stand trial in January.

56-year-old Roger Crews Jr., of Lake Mills, has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder in the death of 56-year-old Karen Crews of Woden.

Law enforcement says the body of Karen Crews was found the morning of October 28th at 633 Way Avenue in Woden.  Roger Crews was arrested that evening in Freeborn County, Minnesota.  Investigators say Karen and Roger were separated and living apart.

The trial of Roger Crews is set to start on January 24, 2024, in Hancock County District Court.

(Swea City)--Two people are facing drug charges after a traffic stop Saturday evening east of Swea City.

The Kossuth County Sheriff’s Office says shortly before 8 pm, Deputies conducted the stop near the intersection of Highway 9 and Highway 169. During the investigation, the Sheriff’s Office K9 Thor alerted as to the presence of narcotics inside the vehicle, giving Officers probable cause to conduct a search.

As a result of the search, Deputies arrested 48-year-old James Benson of Fairmont on multiple charges including Possession of a Controlled Substance with Intent to Deliver over 5 grams,  a Class B Felony, Unlawful Possession of Prescription Drugs, Possession of an Offensive Weapon while Participating in a Drug Violation, Failure to Affix a Drug Tax Stamp and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

Deputies also arrested 54-year-old Sherri Gillis of Swea City on charges of Possession of a Controlled Substance-3^rd or subsequent offense, Class D Felony and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

Gillis and Benson were booked into the Kossuth County Jail to await an initial court appearance.

(Fairmont, Minn,)--A Martin County Sheriff’s deputy was honored by the Minnesota Towards Zero Deaths for his work to save lives through traffic safety.

K9 Deputy Luis Figueroa received the prestigious TZD Education Star Award last week in Rochester.

Figueroa has facilitated traffic safety education at the local high schools through mock crashes and presentations on distracted and impaired driving. He is the Martin County Safe Roads Coalition Coordinator and local TZD law enforcement contact. 

(Bancroft)--A Bancroft man is facing multiple charges following two separate incidents over the weekend.

The Kossuth County Sheriff’s Office says at around 8:40 pm Saturday, Deputies assisted the Bancroft Police Department with an incident in the 500 block of East Ramsey Street. According to a news release, a person had possibly been accidentally shot with a pellet gun, and during the course of the investigation, officers were confronted by a subject who appeared to be heavily intoxicated. Deputies arrested 41-year-old Beau Berge of Bancroft on a charge of public intoxication.

Officers then traveled to Kossuth Regional Health Center in Algona, where they interviewed the victim of an alleged assault earlier in the day near Lone Rock. It was reported to law enforcement that the victim had attempted to stop the suspect from driving while intoxicated with a child in the vehicle and was allegedly stabbed with a pocketknife.

After an investigation, Deputies filed two additional charges against Berge: Willful Injury Causing Serious Injury, a Class C Felony and Assault Causing Serious Injury, Class D Felony. Berge was booked into the Kossuth County Jail to await an initial court appearance.

(Milford)--Okoboji Middle School has been named one of the top 10 middle schools in the state of Iowa by US News and World Report. Middle School Principal Ryan Cunningham says Okoboji  was ranked 10^th out of 700 middle schools in Iowa.

Cunningham explains how the rankings are determined.

He says Okoboji scored above 97-percent.

Cunningham says the high ranking can help attract students to Okoboji Middle School.

For information on the rankings, visit usnews.com.