(Estherville)--Veteran’s Day ceremonies were held around the area today(Wednesday)to honor all those who have served in the military. Iowa Lakes Community College hosted its annual Veterans Day Ceremony at Janice K. Lund Performing Arts Center on the Estherville Campus. The featured speaker was Sergeant Doug Zemler, a U.S. Army veteran and the longtime Electrical Technology Program Coordinator at Iowa Lakes.

Zemler served for 12 years in the Army, Army Reserve and National Guard.

He says Veterans Day is about honoring all those who have served both past and present.

Zemler says Veterans Day is also about recognizing the family behind the uniform.

The ceremony also included a special presentation to honor Gene Twait who served 4 years at Chanute Air Force Base in Illinois from 1957 to 1961 and has been a strong supporter of the Veterans’ program at Iowa Lakes.

(Estherville)--The Estherville Fire Department responded to two separate residential fire reports on Sunday and Monday, both involving homes that had filled with smoke. Estherville Fire Chief Travis Sheridan says both incidents caused only minor damage.

At approximately 5:20 a.m. Sunday, the Estherville Fire Department was paged to a local residence for a report of smoke inside the home. Sheridan says when fire officers arrived on scene, they found the occupant safely outside the residence speaking with law enforcement. Upon entering the home, officers discovered smoldering debris on the kitchen stove. The remaining debris was extinguished using water from the resident's kitchen sink.

Firefighters arrived shortly afterward and began ventilating the home to remove the smoke.

Crews also conducted overhaul operations on the exterior of the residence and removed the kitchen exhaust fan to inspect for possible fire extension into the wall.

Firefighters remained on scene for approximately 45 minutes.

The Estherville Fire Department was assisted by the Emmet County Dispatch Center, Estherville Police Department, Emmet County Sheriff's Office, and Estherville Ambulance Service.

Then shortly before 12:40 p.m. Monday, the Estherville Fire Department was paged to another local residence for a report of smoke throughout the home.

When fire officers arrived on scene, they observed light smoke coming from the front door. Upon entering the residence, officers discovered a pile of clothing smoldering in the laundry room. Officers immediately removed the smoldering materials from the home and extinguished them with water outside.

Firefighters arrived shortly afterward and began ventilating the residence to remove the smoke. The cause of the fire was determined to be improperly discarded smoking materials.

The Estherville Fire Department remained on scene four about 4 and a half hours conducting an investigation and ensuring the fire had not extended into other areas of the residence.

The Estherville Fire Department was assisted by the Estherville Police Department, Estherville Ambulance Service, Estherville Electrical Department, Black Hills Energy, Wallingford Fire Department, and Iowa State Fire Marshal Division.

(Estherville)—The annual banquet and awards ceremony of the Estherville Area Chamber of Commerce, Excel Estherville and Estherville Area Growth Partnership was held Tuesday night at the Estherville Elks Lodge. The evening was highlighted by the presentation of the 2026 Chamber awards including two lifetime achievement awards. One of the awards was presented to Steve Danielson whose business, Steve’s Sales and Service, celebrated 50 years in business earlier this year. Danielson is the longtime director of the NW Iowa Concert Band and has volunteered for many activities in the community.

The second lifetime achievement award was presented posthumously to Jason Bendixen who passed away in August. Bendixen worked at Jacobsen-Westergard and Associates for 17 years, before opening Sun City Tanning Salon. Bendixen was a member of the Estherville Sweet Corn Days Committee, Estherville Ambassadors, and was a past board member for the Estherville Chamber of Commerce. His widow Sara Bendixen accepted the award.

The business of the year is Duitsman Plumbing and Heating which is also celebrating 50 years in business. The company was started by Keith and Bernadette Duitsman and is now run by their son Dan and his wife Cari.

The entrepreneur of the year award was presented to Lizz Decker and Martha Greenwald, the owners of the Collective in downtown Estherville. Greenwald says she and Decker each started their own businesses before coming together to open the Collective.

The Collective is a creative business, event space and photography studio. Decker says it was exciting to win the award.

The evening also included a review of the past year by Chamber Director Lexie Ruter and the introduction of the 2026-27 Lead the Ville Class.

(Estherville)--The Emmet County Board of Supervisors Tuesday heard a presentation on data centers from Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative President and CEO Ryan Craig. Craig says several companies have expressed an interest in developing data center projects in Iowa Lakes eight county service territory. Craig says the proposals are for projects 25 megawatts or less in size.

Craig says the trend in the industry is toward building smaller size data centers.

He says extensive studies would be required for any proposed data center.

Craig also offered advice for Emmet County in dealing with data centers.

In August, the Emmet County Board of Supervisors approved a one year moratorium on data center projects.

In other business, the board approved the canvass for the November general election. A total of 3,677 ballots were cast for a voter turnout of slightly more than 59-percent. That compares to about 50.9 percent in the last midterm election in 2022. Election Deputy Roxanne Budach says voter turnout was high due in part to the North Union School Bond Issue. A total 2,514 people voted at the polls on election day and 1,163 absentee ballots were accepted for counting. Nine provisional ballots were cast and four were rejected.

(Graettinger)--Two people are facing drug charges after a disturbance report Monday morning in Graettinger.

The Palo Alto County Sheriff’s Office says the disturbance was reported shortly before 9:55 am at 307 South Cameron Ave. After an investigation, deputies arrested 37-year-old Baley Dietrich and 18-year-old Landen Dietrich both of Graettinger on charges of 1st Offense Possession of a Controlled Substance-Marijuana and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

Baley and Landen were both booked into the Palo Alto County Jail to await their initial appearances in front of a magistrate.

(Spencer)--Seasons Center for Behavioral Health has announced that Autumn’s Center will officially reopen on Monday, November 23rd with staff beginning to see clients at the center that day. The reopening marks an important milestone for the organization and the children, young adults, and families it serves.

Autumn’s Center, which provides specialized mental health services for children and young adults, has been closed for over two years following significant flood damage. Seasons Center officials say after months of planning, rebuilding, and hard work, the center is ready to welcome clients back into a space designed to support healing, growth, and brighter futures.

Officials say the reopening represents more than the return of a building. It is a renewed opportunity to provide a welcoming, supportive environment where children and young adults can receive the behavioral health services they need while families find guidance, encouragement, and hope.

(Sioux Rapids)--Hometown Pride communities in northwest Iowa are invited to attend a meeting this Thursday, November 12th, at 6:00 p.m. at the Sioux Rapids American Legion to learn about opportunities to strengthen their downtown business districts and encourage economic growth.

'Ten Essentials for Downtowns' will be presented by downtown professionals Jim Engle and Jim Thompson from the Iowa Economic Development Authority. Attendees will hear practical ideas and success stories, and learn of grant opportunities that help strengthen Iowa downtowns.

The event is being hosted by the Hometown Pride communities of Albert City, Alta, Aurelia, Lake Park, Lakeside, Marathon, Royal, Sioux Rapids and Storm Lake.

Business owners, community leaders, local officials, and residents are encouraged to attend.

(Estherville)--Four citizens from Emmet County met last Thursday in Estherville to conduct a post-election audit of the votes cast in the Wallingford Precinct during the November 3^rd  General Election.

Two days earlier, the Iowa Secretary of State’s Office randomly selected one precinct from each county in the state to be the subject of the audit. The audit team hand counted the votes cast for the office of U. S. Senator and Treasurer of State. The team’s hand counted results were then compared to those reported by the ballot tabulator results tape generated by the Wallingford ballot scanner.

Emmet County Auditor and Commissioner of Elections Heidi M. Goebel reported that the results matched exactly, and stated that this is the outcome all voters and election officials should expect, and should strengthen the confidence Emmet County voters have in the integrity of the election process. Extensive testing of the ballot tabulators is conducted by the Auditor’s Office in advance of every election to assure that the tabulators are accurately recording the votes from the paper ballots.

(Emmetsburg)--An Emmetsburg daycare provider has been sentenced to prison for the 2023 death of an infant in her care.

A Palo Alto County Judge Monday sentenced 31-year-old Hannah Priest to an indeterminate sentence of up to 50 years in prison for one count of child endangerment resulting in death.

Priest was charged on September 1st, 2023 with the death of 23-month-old Sebastian Jespersen.

On January 19th of that year EMT’s responded to an Emmetsburg residence for a report of an unresponsive child. The child was transported to Palo Alto County Hospital and then to a hospital in Des Moines where he was pronounced dead five days later.

An investigation by the Iowa DCI and the State Medical Examiner’s Office revealed that the child died of head trauma consistent with inflicted injuries.

Priest initially pleaded not guilty to the charge but she changed the plea to guilty last month. She will be eligible for parole.

(Jackson, MN)--Plans are being developed for a recreational trail from Jackson to Fairmont. Minnesota. Luke Ewald with the Jackson County Trails committee says they were awarded a planning grant earlier this year from the Minnesota Department of Transportation. Ewald says work on the plan should be completed in the next month or two.

Ewald says only grant money would be used to pay for the project.

He says the first phase of the project would be about five miles from Jackson to Alpha.

Ewald says rail lines are still being used from Sherburn to Fairmont so they would need to find alternative routes. A survey was conducted online to receive public input on the project. Ewald says more than 300 people filled out the survey. He says about 90-percent of respondents were supportive of the project.

Ewald says about two-thirds of respondents said they would use the trail for bicycling. For more information visit the Friends of the Jackson County Trails Facebook page.

(Estherville)--Northwest Iowa RSVP is looking for volunteers in Clay, Dickinson, Emmet, Kossuth and Palo Alto Counties to participate in Pen Pal programs with local elementary students during the spring of 2027. Megan Spurgin is the RSVP Director for Emmet County.

This is the 40^th year for the Pen Pal program. Spurgin says the program benefits both students and the RSVP volunteers.

RSVP is a volunteer program for ages 55 and over. Spurgin explains how to sign-up for the Pen Pal program

Iowa Lakes Community College has sponsored Northwest Iowa RSVP since 1977. Again the phone number to call is 712-362-7929.

(Fairmont, MN)--A new addition to the Martin County Veterans Memorial in Fairmont is expected to arrive by Veterans Day.

The memorial’s Compassion and Valor statues feature a female nurse tending to a wounded soldier. The statues have been in the works for some time and are expected to be installed soon, completing the original vision for the memorial, which was dedicated in May of 2024.

Officials say donations, including support from the Anderson Sneed Foundation, have covered the statue’s cost of more than 100-thousand dollars.

Last month, 24 additional veterans’ names were added to the memorial, with five more names already collected for a planned addition next spring.

(Sherburn, MN)--A Sherburn man was injured in a single vehicle accident early this(Monday) morning in Martin County.

The Minnesota State Patrol says the accident occurred shortly after 2:10 am at the intersection of Highway 4 and 60^th Avenue, west of Sherburn.

The patrol says a 2025 Nissan Altima driven by 61-year-old Manuel Trevino was eastbound on Highway 4 when it left the roadway at 60th Avenue and crashed into a guardrail.

Trevino was taken to Mayo Clinic Hospital in Fairmont with non-life threatening injuries.

The Martin County Sheriff’s Office and Sherburn Ambulance assisted at the scene.

(Des Moines)--Two area Republican lawmakers have been re-elected to leadership positions in the Iowa House.

Representative John Wills of Spirit Lake was re-elected Friday by his House Republican colleagues as Speaker Pro Tem for the 92nd General Assembly. Wills was first elected Pro Tem in 2019. Wills will be serving his seventh term in the Iowa House.

Representative Henry Stone of Forest City was re-elected as Majority Whip. Stone was first elected Whip in 2022. This will be Stone's fourth term in the Iowa House. 

(Spencer)--The Iowa Lakes Corridor Development Corporation is now accepting nominations for the 16th Annual Business Recognition Luncheon to be held January 27th, 2027. This ceremony thanks the businesses and individuals in our region for stimulating the region through job creation, investment and fostering quality of life throughout Corridor communities.

Nominations are open for four awards to be given during the luncheon: Small Business Excellence, fewer than 30 employees, Large Business Excellence, 30 or more employees, Entrepreneur of the Year and Young Professional of the Year. Businesses and individuals may be nominated for various reasons including contribution to the local economy, recent expansion, new product or service, customer service, management practices and community involvement.

The business or individual must be located in one of the Corridor counties: Buena Vista, Clay, Dickinson or Emmet.

A person can submit a nomination for any for-profit business, entrepreneur or young professional in any of the four categories. Businesses and individuals may nominate themselves. Multiple nominations are accepted.

Nominations will be reviewed and judged by a selection committee consisting of business owners and community leaders throughout the region. If you would like make a nomination visit lakescorridor.com/awards to download nomination forms and see a list of past winners.

All nominations are due by Friday, December 18th at 4 p.m. For further information, contact the Corridor at 712.264.3474.

(Estherville)--The forecast for today is for sunshine and above normal temperatures but winter weather is just around the corner. Estherville Lincoln Central Superintendent Andy Armstead says students, parents and interested community members can sign-up for JMC Messenger to stay up to date on cancellations and other weather related announcements.

Armstead says there are a lot of factors in determining when to call off school.

He says they also take precautions to protect kids from the cold when school is in session.

Armstead also reminds parents to dress their kids for the weather.

Armstead made his comments on the ELC Superintendent Spotlight program which can be heard every Saturday at 8:45 am on KILR FM 95.9.

(Estherville)--Veterans banners that have hung for the past two summers at the Estherville VFW can now be picked-up by their respective families. Emmet County Veterans Affairs Director Casee Ross has details.

Contact the Estherville VFW at 712-362-5126.

(Estherville)--An Estherville man is facing a felony drug charge for allegedly selling THC vapes to a juvenile near the Dolliver City Park.

According to Emmet County Court Records, 18-year-old Angel Castro is charged with distributing drugs to a minor, a class C felony,

The criminal complaint filed by the Emmet County Sheriff’s Office says Castro reportedly sold a THC vape to juvenile at around 4 pm on October 28^th in Dolliver. In an interview with deputies, the juvenile said they had purchased THC vapes from the defendant on multiple occasions. An investigation of the juvenile’s Snapchat account showed the defendant had sent multiple pictures of THC vapes to the juvenile.

Castro was taken into custody on a warrant and later released on a $20,000 cash only bond.

A preliminary hearing for Castro is scheduled for 4 pm on November 9^th in Emmet County District Court.

(Spirit Lake)--Iowans will have divided government for at least the next two years. While Democrats won the governor’s race on Tuesday, Republicans still hold majorities in the House and Senate. Incumbent 5^th District State Senator Dave Rowley of Spirit Lake was one of the Republicans winning re-election. Rowley defeated No Party candidate Rachel Gravert by a margin of 75 to 25 percent. Rowley says the poor showing by Republicans overall on Tuesday was due to several factors.

Rowley says he’s confident Republicans can work with incoming Democrat Governor Rob Sand.

Rowley says he thinks Republicans will also be able to advance their agenda.

Democrats gained 11 seats in the House but the GOP will still have a 56-44 majority. Republicans lost only one seat in the Senate and will have an edge of 32 to 18. Rowley was diagnosed with tonsil cancer in February. He announced last month he was cancer free.

(Spencer)--Spencer Economic Development Corporation is in talks with a developer about the potential for a new housing development in Spencer. SEDC hosted Iowa-based housing developer Kading in July to showcase Spencer’s housing opportunities, workforce needs, and ongoing development efforts. SEDC President Jason Warren.

Each year, Kading selects five communities to include in its Hometown Tours program to learn more about the community, housing needs, and opportunities. SEDC applied for and was selected to participate in the program’s third year. Warren says Kading has developments underway in two other Northwest Iowa communities.

Warren says discussions with Kading will continue.

Kading is a family-owned Iowa development, construction, and property management company headquartered in Urbandale. Kading manages more than 2,700 leasable housing units across Iowa and continues to expand in communities where housing shortages impact workforce growth and economic stability.

(Spencer)--The Clay County Fair Association is seeking eligible candidates to join its Board of Directors and encourages interested community members to join the organization. The Fair Association's Annual Meeting and Board of Directors election will be held on February 23rd, 2027.

Eligible candidates must have been an individual member of the Fair Association for a minimum of one (1) year prior to their election. The deadline to apply to run for the Board of Directors is December 15th, 2026. The Nominating Committee reviews all interested candidates for possible inclusion on the ballot submitted during the Fair Association's Annual Meeting in February.

The Board of Directors plays a critical role in the leadership of the Clay County Fair. Elected Board Members serve three-year terms and help shape the Fair's direction by electing the Executive Committee and approving changes to the Fair Association's By-Laws.

Individuals interested in running for the Board of Directors can access the application at claycountyfair.com/staff-and-board/ or pick up a paper application at the Fair Administrative Office, located inside the Events Center. Submit applications by December 15, 2026.

(Spirit Lake)--Seasons Center for Behavioral Health has been awarded a nearly $1,900 grant from the Dickinson County Endowment Fund to update and enhance the waiting area at its Spirit Lake office.

The project will focus on improving the overall appearance and functionality of the waiting area through updated furnishings, child-friendly features, and a designated calming center. These improvements will help create a space that is welcoming, culturally responsive, and appropriate for individuals of all ages and backgrounds.

Over the past year, Seasons Center's Spirit Lake team has grown to 11 providers offering a variety of services, including mental health therapy, peer support, substance use disorder counseling, specialized family services, crisis response, and care coordination.

(Okoboji)--The Iowa DNR will host a public meeting on Monday, November 16th at 6:00 p.m. to discuss potential lease agreements at four state-owned access points in the Okoboji area. The meeting will take place at the Maser Monarch Lodge located at 2273 170th St in Okoboji. The public is invited and encouraged to attend.

After receiving public feedback about parking and storage of unattended commercial vessels on state-owned shoreline, the DNR has identified four state-owned access points where approved lease applicants can park or moor their vessels during the 2027 recreational season. The proposed locations are: the Highway 9 boat ramp; Templar Park boat ramp; Trigg's boat ramp; and Minnewashta boat ramp.

The lease program will be presented at the meeting with more specifics on the proposed areas along with plans and timelines. Attendees will have the opportunity to provide feedback and ask questions.

(Armstrong)--North Union school officials are evaluating their options after a $12 million dollar bond issue to build a new gym and multipurpose room was defeated in Tuesday’s election. North Union Superintendent Travis Schueller thanked everyone who voted in the election.

Schueller says he was not shocked by the results.

He says the school board will take some time before deciding how to proceed.

Schueller made his comments on the North Union Spotlight program which can be heard every Thursday at 5:45 pm on KILR FM 95.9.

(Estherville)--The Spirit of Harmony chorus will present their annual Fall Show this Saturday beginning at 2 pm at the Janice K. Lund Performing Arts Center on the Estherville Campus of Iowa Lakes Community College. Chorus Director Judy Weipert says the show is titled ‘What’s the Buzz All About?”

The children’s book is ‘Buzzy the Bumblebee’ and Weipert says they got permission from the author to create the show.

Weipert says the show will feature colorful costumes.

Tickets are $15 in advance or $20 at the door. You can purchase advance tickets at Lewis Family Drug in Spirit Lake or contact Judy Weipert at 712-330-5066.

(Estherville)—PathOne will host a community information meeting next week on the potential data center project in Estherville.

The meeting on Thursday, November 12 at the Estherville VFW will cover power, water, noise, jobs, taxes and community benefits, and the project timeline.

Doors will open at 5 p.m. and the presentation will begin at 5:30 p.m.

According to a press release, the meeting is not a city hearing, and nothing will be decided or voted on.

(Emmetsburg)--The third time proved not to be the charm for a bond issue to build a new elementary school in the Emmetsburg Community School District. A $25 million bond issue was approved by 57.4 percent of voters on Tuesday, less than the 60-percent needed for passage. Emmetsburg Superintendent Cory Jenness.

Jenness says while the bond issue failed, the need for more space remains.

He says the school board will likely take a few months to explore their options.

School bond issues were also rejected Tuesday by voters in the Spirit Lake and North Union School Districts. Voters in the Jackson County Central School District did pass an operating levy by a slim margin. The referendum replaces a current $460 per pupil funding level and increases it to $1,460 per student. School officials warned that major budget cuts would have had to be made had the measure not passed.

(Estherville)--Due to rising wholesale power costs, Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative is implementing a Power Cost Adjustment or PCA. ILEC President and CEO Ryan Craig says the PCA is something they’ve done in the past.

At least two companies have expressed interest in building a data center in the Estherville area. Craig says implementing the Power Cost Adjustment has nothing to do with data centers.

He says if a large data center were to locate in Iowa Lakes’ service territory that cost would not be passed onto member owners.

Craig says it will be a challenge for power companies to meet the rising demand for electricity.

Craig spoke with Dave Van Roekel Wednesday morning on KILR FM 95.9

(Des Moines)--Iowa saw the highest turnout for a midterm election in over three decades, according to Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate.

More than 63% of registered Iowa voters participated in the 2026 Midterm Election, casting 1,380,528 ballots.

Turnout from the 1990 Midterm Election narrowly topped 2026’s turnout with a turnout rate of 63.47%. The 2026 Midterm Election turnout was reported at 63.34% as of Wednesday morning.

In Emmet County, the voter turnout was 58.96 percent. The voter turnout for other area counties was 66.85 percent in Palo Alto, 65.53 percent in Dickinson, 63.9 percent in Kossuth and 60.16 percent in Clay.

(Estherville)--Iowa Lakes Community College invites veterans, military families, students, employees, and community members to attend its annual Veterans Day Ceremony on Wednesday, November 11^th  at 11 a.m. in the Janice K. Lund Performing Arts Center on the Estherville Campus. The event is free and open to the public.

This year's ceremony will feature Sergeant Doug Zemler, a U.S. Army veteran and longtime Electrical Technology Program Coordinator at Iowa Lakes Community College, as the featured speaker.

During his service with the 82nd Airborne Division, Zemler completed 55 parachute jumps and participated in specialized jungle and desert warfare training. He deployed to the Middle East in support of Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm.

The ceremony will include the presentation of colors by the Estherville VFW Post 3388 John W. Brawford Post Honor Guard. Dwayne Hoss, a U.S. Air Force veteran and Chief Flight Instructor at Iowa Lakes, will serve as master of ceremonies. The program will also feature patriotic musical selections performed by the Iowa Lakes Chorus and Band.

Following the ceremony, a complimentary lunch will be provided for veterans and their spouses, courtesy of a retired veteran.

For those unable to attend in person, the ceremony will be livestreamed through the Iowa Lakes Community College website at iowalakes.edu.