(Estherville)--No one was injured in a house fire this(Friday) morning on the west side of Estherville.

Estherville Fire Chief Travis Sheridan says shortly before 7:50 am, the Estherville Fire Department responded to a rental home at 626 West 6^th Avenue North.

Sheridan says he was the first to arrive on scene and found smoke coming from a bedroom window that was cracked open. He says firefighters entered the home and found heavy smoke coming from behind a bedroom door. Firefighters exited the house and fought the fire from a defensive position. They were able to knock down  the fire in about 20 minutes.

Sheridan says the lone occupant of the home escaped before firefighters arrived on scene. He says the bedroom was heavily damaged and there was smoke damage throughout the rest of the home.

Sheridan says the cause of the fire is believed to be electrical in nature.

Firefighters were on scene for about an hour and a half.

Assistance was provided by the Estherville Police Department, Wallingford Fire Department and the Red Cross.

(Spencer)--The Iowa Lakes Corridor Development Corporation hosted a proclamation signing Thursday to kick off Manufacturing Month in the Corridor Region. Several local mayors and county supervisors participated in the proclamation signing from across the region. October 2026 was proclaimed as Manufacturing Month in Buena Vista, Clay and Dickinson counties as well as the cities of Alta, Lake Park and Spencer.

Manufacturing Day is recognized on the first Friday each October. It is an initiative of The Manufacturing Institute with the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association as a founding partner. It’s meant to inspire the next generation to start careers in manufacturing through a series of events scheduled in October each year.

According to the corridor region’s 2025 Laborshed Analysis from Iowa Workforce

Development, the manufacturing industry employs 11.4% of individuals in the Corridor’s Laborshed area. It is the 3rd largest industry in the Corridor region after Retail and Healthcare.

(West Bend)--Two people were injured in a two vehicle accident Monday afternoon near West Bend.

The Palo Alto County Sheriff’s Office says the accident happened around 2:55 pm at the intersection of 535^th Avenue and 475^th St. After an investigation, it was determined that a 2006 Buick Lacrosse driven by a 17-year-old juvenile, was westbound on 475th St. The juvenile was using an electronic communication device and looked up as he was approaching 535th Ave. A 2005 Toyota Corolla, driven by 27-year-old Kaighcy Jo Origer of West Bend, was westbound ahead of the LaCrosse, and was slowing down to turn north onto 535th  Avenue. The Lacrosse was unable to stop in time and rear-ended the Corolla, sending it rolling into the ditch, before coming to rest on all four tires.

Origer and a 7 month old baby were transported by ambulance with non-life threatening injuries.

Damage was estimated at $8,000 for the Buick and $10,000 for the Corolla. The 17-year-old was issued a citation for Use of Electronic Communication Device.

The Palo Alto County Sheriff's Office was assisted on scene by the Iowa State Patrol, West Bend Fire and Ambulance, Wickman's Towing, and West Bend Ford.

(Estherville)--A rendering plant south of Estherville has entered into a consent order with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources for repeated discharge violations of its wastewater treatment agreement with the city of Estherville. 

The order requires Central Bi-Products to pay a $10,000 administrative penalty. The DNR says within 30 days of the Order’s effective date, Central Bi-Products shall either decide to comply with the terms of the treatment agreement, or negotiate higher treatment agreement limits with the City of Estherville. If the Central Bi-Products facility requires pretreatment upgrades, then Central Bi-Products must submit a construction schedule for approval.

The order also says within 90 days, Central Bi-Products will provide the DNR with the conclusions reached by the professional engineer investigating the source of the discharge. Central Bi-Products will also include a schedule for correcting any deficiencies.

(Estherville)--Iowa native and Emmy® Award-winning performer Shaun Johnson visited  Estherville on Thursday to work with ELC high school students ahead of his concert at Iowa Lakes Community College later this month. Johnson says he worked with choir students in the morning and jazz choir students in the afternoon.

Funding was provided by the ELC Patrons of the Fine Arts Cultural Enrichment Grant. Johnson will return to Estherville on October 25th to perform Shaun Sings Country -’90s Edition as part of the Estherville Performing Arts Series.

Johnson was asked why 90s country is so popular.

The concert will be on Sunday, October 25th from 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm at the Janice K. Lund Performing Arts Center. Tickets for Shaun Johnson Sings Country-‘90s Edition can be purchased by going to lowalakes.edu/performing arts.

(Sioux Center)--Agricultural lenders, consultants, farm financial advisors and producers are invited to attend the 2026 Siouxland Agricultural Lender’s Seminar on Thursday, October 29th at the Terrace View Event Center in Sioux Center. Fred Hall, ISU Extension and Outreach Dairy Specialist, says this is the 7^th year for the event.

Hall says the topics for the seminar are chosen in part based on a survey of the previous year’s attendees.

He outlines some of the other topics that will be covered during the conference.

Other topics include non-traditional ag partners, a farm bill update and a dairy market outlook. Hall explains how to pre-register for the conference.

The deadline to pre-register is October 23^rd. For more information contact Fred Hall at 712-737-4230.

(Mankato, MN)--An Elmore woman was injured in a two vehicle accident Wednesday afternoon in Blue Earth County.

The Minnesota State Patrol says the accident happened shortly after 4:25 pm at the intersection of Highway 60 and Highway 169.

The patrol says a 2014 Chevrolet Traverse driven by 34-year-old Stacia Coonradt of Elmore was eastbound on Highway 60 and a 2023 Nissan Altima driven by 71-year-old Gary Strong of Eagle Lake was southbound on Highway 169 when the two vehicles collided in the intersection.

Coonradt was taken to Mayo Clinic Hospital in Mankato with non-life threatening injuries. Strong was not injured.

(Spirit Lake)--Lakes Regional Healthcare in Spirit Lake will soon begin construction on a new Emergency Department. A public groundbreaking ceremony is being planned for early November. LRH President and CEO Jason Harrington says the current facility no longer accommodates the growth in patient volumes.

Harrington says the expansion project will double the capacity of the ER.

He says the project is being built in two phases.

Site work will begin early this month. The total project cost is estimated at $20 million. Harrington says they are in the midst of a capital campaign to pay for a portion of the project.

The LRH Foundation has secured almost $2 million in gifts and pledges to date. LRH will remain fully open throughout construction and all services will continue as usual. Patient and visitor parking will remain the same.

(Graettinger)--The Graettinger-Terril and Ruthven-Ayrshire school districts will be exploring the possibility of whole grade sharing to address the budget woes facing the two districts. GTRA Interim Superintendent Jeff Dicks says the issue was discussed by both boards during their September meetings.

Dicks says both the Graettinger-Terril and Ruthven-Ayrshire school districts overspent their budgets in the last fiscal year.

In addition to saving money, Dicks says there would be some other benefits to whole grade sharing.

Dicks says both boards will meet on October 21^st to approve the intent to enter into a whole grade sharing agreement.

Dicks made his comments on the GTRA Superintendent Spotlight Program which can be heard every Wednesday at 5:45 pm on KILR FM 95.9.

(Arnolds Park)--The Arnolds Park Public Library will be holding their annual fall festival on Sunday, October 11^th from 2 to 5 pm at Wildcat Stadium. Library Director Kara Rice says this is the 5^th year for the event.

Rice says the Fall Festival will feature several other events.

Admission is free. For more information, visit the Arnolds Park Library Facebook page.

(Algona)--The Algona Fire Department is encouraging all households to participate in Operation EDITH on Thursday, October 8 at 6 p.m.

Operation EDITH, or Exit Drills In The Home, is a safety activity for all ages in the household to participate. Held annually in October during National Fire Prevention Week, Operation EDITH provides a time to practice how to exit the home safely during a fire. Algona Fire Department trucks will be driving through town as residents practice their home’s safety plan.

To learn more, contact the Algona Fire Department at 515-295-3642 or follow the department on Facebook.