(St. Peter, Minn.)--A Lakefield man was killed in a two vehicle accident Monday afternoon in South Central Minnesota.

The Minnesota State Patrol says the accident occurred around 4:25 pm on U.S. Highway 169 near St. Peter. The patrol says a 1994 Ford pickup and a 2007 Toyota Sienna were both southbound on Highway 169 when the two vehicles collided.

The driver of the Toyota, 60-year-old Ronald Thom of Lakefield was killed in the accident. The patrol says he was not wearing a seat belt.

The driver of the pickup, 67-year-old James Mollenhauer of Le Sueur was taken to the Mankato Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

(Des Moines)—The Iowa Department of Public Health today(Tuesday) reported 754 new cases of COVID-19 for a pandemic total of 108,334. There were 23 new deaths related to the virus for a total of 1,549.

Emmet County reported no new cases of COVID 19 so the pandemic total remains at 399. 259 of the cases have recovered, an increase of 13 from Monday. Elsewhere around the area,

Kossuth and Palo Alto counties each had 5 new cases, Clay County had four new cases and Dickinson County had no new cases.

501 Iowans are hospitalized with COVID 19 with 122 in ICUs.

 (St. Paul)—The Minnesota Department of Health today(Tuesday) reported 1,120 additional positive cases of COVID-19, increasing the state’s total to 125,531. 7 new deaths related to COVID-19 were reported, bringing the state's death toll to 2,246.

In this area, Martin and Jackson counties each reported three new cases and Faribault County had two new cases.

(Estherville)--The Estherville Lincoln Central School Board Monday evening voted 4 to 1 to approve a proposal from the Post Prom Committee to hold this year’s prom at the Roof Garden in Arnolds Park. Last year’s prom was cancelled due to the COVID 19 pandemic. Marcy Sander with the Post Prom Committee says their goal was to come up with a safer, more inclusive location for this year’s prom.

The post prom committee is a separate entity from the school district. Sander says they are still fundraising for the prom.

One of the issues discussed at the meeting was the safety of students traveling to and from the prom.

Sander says current plans are for the Grand March to be held outside at Arnolds Park.

Sander emphasized that the move was only for this year. The vote by the board was 4 to 1 in favor with Sandy Fandel casting the dissenting vote.

(Estherville)--The Estherville City Council Monday evening approved a resolution setting their November 2^nd meeting as the date for the sale of $4.1 million dollars in General Obligation Bonds to fund the city’s Aquatics Center project. Estherville residents had approved the bond issue in August of 2019.

City Administrator Penny Clayton says the bids on the bond sale will be opened at 10 am on the 2^nd. Also that evening, the council will consider bids for construction of the facility. Clayton says those bids will be opened on October 27^th.

The total cost of the new Aquatics Center is estimated at $5.1 million dollars. Clayton gave an update on the fundraising portion of the project. She says the fundraising committee has reached 85-percent of its goal. Clayton says she expects the remaining $53,000 will be raised by the November 2nd council meeting. 

The city has also received a $250,000 Community Action and Tourism grant to help fund the project.

The project was put on hold last spring due to the financial uncertainties the city was facing related to the COVID 19 pandemic.

(Estherville)--Iowa Lakes Community College proposes to enroll 100 people in 100 days to help individuals who lost their jobs due to the COVID 19 pandemic. Jolene Rogers, the Iowa Lakes Executive Director of Community and Business Relations says the college has been awarded a $100,000 grant from Future Ready Iowa's Coronavirus Relief Employer Innovation Fund.

There are 27 different options ranging from 8 hours to 88 hours of instructional time. Rogers says participants will meet with Career Coaches to ensure they enroll in career pathway courses.

Rogers says most of the training will take place before the end of the year.

The project is the result of a collaboration between areas businesses, local economic development corporations, and support agencies, including Iowa Vocational Rehabilitation and Iowa Works.

(Spirit Lake)—The trial for a Sioux Rapids man accused in the stabbing of a Milford man earlier this year has been delayed. 29-year-old Darrel Pounds was charged with attempted murder, willful injury and 2nd degree theft. He pled not guilty to the charges last month.

Online court documents now show Pounds trial is set for January 12th, 2021.

22-year-old Troy Petersen of Milford was taken to a Sioux Falls hospital following the August 1^st incident.

Pounds was taken into custody after leading authorities on a manhunt that involved multiple agencies.

(Des Moines)—The Iowa Department of Public Health today(Monday) reported 523 new cases of COVID-19 for a pandemic total of 107,580. There were 8 new deaths related to the virus for a total of 1,526.

Emmet County reported 6 new cases of COVID 19 for a total of 399. Elsewhere around the area,

Kossuth County had 7 new cases for a total of 421, Clay County had three new cases for a total of 482, Dickinson County had two new cases for a total of 684 and Palo Alto County also had two new cases for a total of 285.

480 Iowans are hospitalized with COVID 19 with 114 in ICUs.

 (St. Paul)—The Minnesota Department of Health today(Monday) reported 1,632 additional positive cases of COVID-19, increasing the state’s total to 124,439. 5 new deaths related to COVID-19 were reported, bringing the state's death toll to 2,239.

In this area, Jackson County reported six new cases for a total of 195, Martin County had 3 new cases for a total of 586 and Faribault County had one new case for a total of 209.

(Lake Park)--Minor injuries were reported in a garage and house fire early this (Mon.) morning in Lake Park. Fire Chief Brandon Ehret says the fire was reported shortly after 3:15 am at 604 Market Street.

Ehret says when firefighters arrived on scene, the garage was fully involved and flames were getting into the house. Ehert says the house is considered a total loss and the garage is completely gone. A small apartment type building to the south is also considered a total loss.

Two vehicle were also destroyed in the blaze.

Ehret says two occupants in the house were taken by private vehicle to Lakes Regional Healthcare for treatment of minor burns and smoke inhalation. No injuries were reported to any of the firefighters.

Ehret says the cause of the fire is listed as undetermined. He says they know the fire started in the garage but due to the extensive damage were unable to pinpoint the exact location.

Firefighters were on scene for about 5 hours.

(Spencer)--Another area hospital is sounding the alarm as the number of COVID-19 cases in the region continues to surge.

In a post on their Facebook page, Spencer Hospital President Bill Bumgarner urges area residents to do their part in trying to get a handle on the situation.

Bumgarner says COVID positivity rates in Clay County and communities throughout northwest Iowa are concerning. Hospital staffing levels are being stressed throughout the region, impacted by care and service providers who must stay home to care for themselves or exposed loved ones.

The post goes on to say the healthcare community needs the public to do all it can to prevent overwhelming hospital resources in the region. Bumgarner says simple actions matter including wearing a mask, social distancing and avoiding large gatherings.

(Estherville)--A computer science initiative is underway in Iowa schools including Estherville Lincoln Central. Jenny Nitchals is the leader of the computer science initiative in the ELC School District. Nitchals says computer science involves more than working with computers.

Nitchals says last year the district was awarded a state grant for professional development in computer science.

She says a new computer science course is being offered at the high school level.

Nitchals says there are state mandates the district has to meet.

Nitchals was guest on the ELC Superintendent Spotlight Program which can be heard every Saturday at 8:45 am on KILR FM 95.9.

(Okoboji)--Attorney Sidney Powell spoke to a large crowd of Republicans Saturday night at Arrowwood Resort in Okoboji. Powell is the Attorney for General Michael Flynn. Flynn, pleaded guilty to lying to FBI agents about his talks with a Russian diplomat in the weeks leading up to President Trump’s inauguration.  The Justice Department sought to dismiss the case last Spring and void Flynn’s guilty plea, saying that it did not have sufficient evidence and that there was not a legitimate reason for the FBI to have questioned Flynn. But U.S. District Judge Emmet G. Sullivan has refused to dismiss the case against Flynn. In an interview with KILR News, Powell was asked why she thinks Sullivan is refusing to dismiss the case.

The case against Flynn was brought by Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into alleged Trump-Russia collusion. Powell called the case part of the Washington swamp.

Powell asserted the investigation of President Trump was a hoax.

Powell also discussed e-mails found on a laptop allegedly owned by Hunter Biden, the son of Democrat Presidential Candidate Joe Biden. The e-mails allege a direct link between the then-vice president and his son Hunter’s lucrative business dealings in Ukraine, China and other countries. Powell says the e-mails are part of a larger problem in Washington, D.C.

Powell is the author of two books: “Licensed to Lie,” and “Conviction Machine.”

(Des Moines)—The Iowa Department of Public Health today(Sunday) reported 907 new cases of COVID-19 for a pandemic total of 107,057. There were 2 new deaths related to the virus for a total of 1,528.

Emmet County reported 5 new cases of COVID 19 for a total of 393. 246 of the cases have recovered. Elsewhere around the area, Dickinson County had 10 new cases and Kossuth and Palo Alto counties each had 3 new cases. Clay County had no new cases after reporting 16 on Saturday.

(St. Paul)—The Minnesota Department of Health today(Sunday) reported 1,732 additional positive cases of COVID-19, increasing the state’s total to 122,812. 17 new deaths related to COVID-19 were reported, bringing the state's death toll to 2,234.

In this area, Martin County reported 5 new cases and Jackson and Faribault counties each reported 3 new cases.

(Algona)—An investigation is underway into the death of an inmate at the Kossuth County Jail.

An inmate was found unresponsive inside his private cell shortly after 7:10 am Saturday, according to the Kossuth County Sheriff’s Office. Jail staff attempted life saving measures on the man.

Algona EMS responded to the scene and pronounced the man dead.

The inmate’s name is being withheld pending notification of family.

An autopsy is scheduled with the Iowa Office of the State Medical Examiner in Ankeny.

The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation will be assisting in the investigation.

(Estherville)—Iowa Lakes Community College has been awarded a $20,000 grant from Northwest Iowa Care Connections Mental Health and Disability Services. Executive Dean of Students Julie Williams says the grant will assist Iowa Lakes in providing two forms of telehealth services to current students coping with the effects of the COVID-19 crisis.

Williams says the other service is called Synergy Tele-therapy.

She says grant funds will also be used to develop a marketing and awareness campaign to help students understand the impact COVID-related issues play in their daily lives.

Williams says a survey conducted in April show that 80-percent of American college students reported that COVID had a negative impact on their mental health.

The Jackson Business Development Committee is now accepting applications for the 2021 Jackson Business Challenge. Jackson Economic Development Coordinator Thomas Nelson says this is the third year for the challenge.

Nelson provides more details about the three phases of the challenge.

The deadline to enter is December 31^st. Nelson says the winner will receive a prize package worth $20,000.

Nelson says last year’s competition resulted in a new business in downtown Jackson.

For more information about the Jackson Business Challenge contact Thomas Nelson at 507-227-0603.

(Spencer)--Two people received minor injuries Friday morning in a two vehicle collision south of Spencer.

The Clay County Sheriff’s Office says the accident occurred around 7:50 am in the 3900 block of Highway 71. Upon investigation at the scene, it was determined that 17-year-old Chance Noll of Spencer was exiting a private driveway in a 2008 Dodge Ram when he failed to yield to

a southbound 2018 Freightliner Cement Truck driven by 31-year-old Tanner Ladwig of Spencer. The two vehicles collided causing the Noll vehicle to roll on its driver’s side and the Ladwig vehicle to initiate a roll into the west ditch, coming to a rest on its driver’s side.

Both drivers sustained minor injuries during the collision. Ladwig was transported by ambulance to the Spencer Hospital and Noll was transported by personal vehicle.

Both vehicles are deemed a total loss. Noll was later cited for failure to yield upon entering a through highway and released.

The accident closed the highway for several hours.

The Clay County Sheriff’s Office was assisted on scene by the Iowa State Troopers, Spencer Police Department, Spencer Ambulance Service, Iowa State DOT, and Royal Fire Department.

(Swea City)—A Blue Earth, Minnesota man was killed in a motorcycle accident earlier this week north of Swea City on the Iowa-Minnesota border.

The Kossuth County Sheriff’s Department says shortly after 7 pm Monday, 53-year-old Chris Mielke was northbound on County Road P30 on a 2005 Yamaha Motorcycle. As Mielke approached the Iowa/Minnesota border, he failed to negotiate a curve in the road and entered the right ditch. The motorcycle followed the path of the ditch along P30 until it struck the embankment for 510th Street, which caused Mielke to be ejected and the motorcycle to skid across the roadway.

Mielke was pronounced dead at the scene.

The accident report states that Mielke was not wearing a helmet at the time and that speed was a factor in the crash.

(Des Moines)—The Iowa Department of Public Health Friday reported 1,384 new cases of COVID-19 for a pandemic total of 104,606. There were 16 new deaths related to the virus for a total of 1,521.

Emmet County reported 12 new cases of COVID-19 for a total of 379. 244 of the cases have recovered. Elsewhere around the area, there were 9 new cases in Kossuth County, 8 in Clay County and six each in Dickinson and Palo Alto counties.

 (St. Paul)—The Minnesota Department of Health reported a new record high in daily cases Friday with 2,297 additional positive cases of COVID-19, increasing the state’s total to 119,936. 13 new deaths related to COVID-19 were reported, bringing the state's death toll to 2,212.

In this area, Martin County reported 9 new cases for a total of 567. There are currently 44 active cases with 5 hospitalizations. Faribault County reported six new cases and Jackson County had one new case.

(Estherville)--Due to unforeseen circumstances the Emmet County Auditor’s Office will be temporarily combining the Dolliver and Gruver Polling locations. According to a news release, the Dolliver polling location will not be available on November 3^rd.

Residents of the city of Dolliver, Ellsworth and Lincoln townships wishing to cast their ballot in person, can do so on Election Day from 7 am to 9 pm at Gruver City Hall. They can also advance vote in person at the Auditors Office Monday through Friday from 8 am to 4:30 pm now thru November 2^nd ; vote in person at the Auditors Office on Saturday, October 24th from 8am to 5 pm and Saturday, October 31st from 9 am to 5 pm;  or request an absentee ballot be sent to them through the mail by October 24th at 5 pm.

If you have any questions, contact the Auditor’s Office at 712-362-4261.