(Estherville)--Emmet County Emergency Management Director Travis Sheridan has announced that cooling stations will be setup in four locations in Emmet County.

The locations are Crossroads Community Church in Estherville, the Armstrong- Community Center, Ringsted Fire Station and Wallingford Community Center.

These stations will be open while the heat advisory or warning is in effect.

If you are in need of more assistance, contact Travis Sheridan  at 712-362-5702.

(Milford)—A ribbon cutting was held Wednesday afternoon for GrapeTree Medical Staffing’s new headquarters in the former Boji Bay Pavilion building on the north edge of Milford.

The company was founded 20 years ago by Milford native Tim Kinnetz. From three people, it has grown to 5,000 employees in 12 different states. About 170 people work in the Milford facility.

Company CEO Steve Heeg says they’re in the process of adding to their marketing, sales and staffing teams. He says they have room for up to 300 employees at the new facility in Milford.

Grape Tree Medical Staffing helps hospitals and long-term care facilities staff nurses, RNs, CNAs and LPNs.

(Estherville)--The Estherville Lincoln Central School District is one of 23 Iowa school districts to receive a grant from the Computer Science Professional Development Incentive Fund. The grants totaling $500,000 were announced Wednesday by Governor Kim Reynolds. The funding is part of a broader effort to expand computer science education across the state. ELC Superintendent Tara Paul explains how the funds will be used.

Paul says the grant will help teachers integrate computer science into the curriculum for all grade levels.

Paul says the grant will also provide funding for professional development.

Similar grants were also awarded to the Spirit Lake and Storm Lake school districts.

(Emmetsburg)--The 2019 Palo Alto County Fair gets underway today at the fairgrounds in Emmetsburg and runs through Sunday. Fair Manager Devona Perkins says events get underway at 9 a.m.

This year’s Fair Queen candidates are Rebecca Licht of Ayrshire, Isabelle Ruppert of Mallard, and Morgan Schmidt from Rolfe. Perkins says another full day of events is on tap for Friday.

The Fair has announced it is moving up the start of its Swine Show on Friday to 7:00 a.m.  The Sheep Show will start a half hour after the conclusion of the Swine Show.  The Goat Show will start a half hour after the conclusion of the Sheep Show. For a complete fair schedule, go to paloaltocountyfair.com/events.

(Spencer)--The Clay County Fair Textiles, Crafts, and Arts Department will again showcase memorable creativity in the Creative Living Center at the 2019 Fair, September 7-15.

The 2019 Fair will also exhibit a special feature class with the theme of “pigs” as Iowa raises more pigs than any other state. The challenge of this class is to showcase an entry of pigs within any class of the department.

The variety of exhibits can be entered under several different classes including needlework, painting, crochet, quilting, patchwork, garment making, woodworking, and computer generated work.

There are no entry fees and exhibitors do not need to be residents of Clay County. For more information, Check out the exhibitor handbook online at www.claycountyfair.com or pick one up at the Fair Administrative Offices

(Estherville)—A Heat Advisory is now in effect for the KILR listening area from 1 p.m. Thursday until 7 p.m. Saturday evening. The combination of temperatures in the 90s and dew points into the 70s will produce heat index values of 100 to 110 on Thursday and Friday.  Little relief during the nighttime hours is anticipated as lows remain warm in the mid to upper 70s. Emmet County Public Health Director Kathy Preston says several types of illnesses may occur due to prolonged exposure to the heat and humidity. She says the most serious is heat stroke.

Preston says someone suffering from heat stroke requires immediate medical attention.

If you have to be outside, Preston has some advice on how to stay safe.

Preston has a few more tips for staying safe in the heat.

Highs are forecast to return to the lower 80s on Sunday and Monday.

(Spencer)—Two people were seriously injured in a head-on collision Tuesday afternoon in Spencer.

The Spencer Police Department says the accident happened around 1:30 p.m. at the intersection of Highway 18 and 11th street Southeast in Spencer.

Police say 52-year-old Beverly Quail of Spencer was westbound when she looked down to set her cruise control. When she looked back up she noticed a vehicle in front of her that had stopped to make a left turn. Police say Quail took evasive action to avoid hitting the vehicle and collided head-on with an eastbound vehicle driven by 89-year-old Rodney Bovee of Cortez, Florida.

Both Quail and Bovee were taken to Spencer Hospital with serious injuries. No injuries were reported to the driver of the stopped vehicle who swerved off the road to avoid impact.

(Spencer)--Three people were injured in another a two-vehicle accident Tuesday afternoon in Spencer.

The Spencer Police Department says a Jeep Cherokee driven by 29-year-old Christian Potocnik of Dubuque was north on Grand Avenue and making a left turn onto West Park St from Grand Avenue.

Meanwhile, a Ford Fiesta driven by 18-year-old Alicia Rosales of Spencer was southbound in the outside lane of traffic. Potocnik attempted to turn and collided with the Rosales vehicle causing disabling damage to both vehicles.

When police arrived on scene, all three occupants of the Rosales vehicle were lying on the sidewalk with injury complaints. They were transported to the Spencer ER by ambulance.  The two occupants of the Potocnik vehicle did not report any injuries.

Potocnik was issued a citation for failing to yield right of way.

(Okoboji)--The Dickinson County Resource Enhancement and Protection committee will hold a public meeting at 9 a.m. on Monday, August 12th, at the Dickinson County Nature Center in Okoboji.

Committee members will go over this year’s REAP grant applications from Dickinson County to offer comments, and the public is invited to attend.

REAP is a state program that invests in enhancement and protection of natural and cultural resources. Grants are accepted in various areas administered by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, including City Parks and Open Spaces, County Conservation and Private/Public Open Space Acquisition.

(Estherville)--The city of Estherville may soon be expanding. The Estherville City Council this week approved in concept the annexation of the Ridge Road addition. City Administrator Penny Clayton says discussions have been underway for a few years about the potential annexation.

Clayton details the benefits for the city.

She explains the next step in the process.

Estherville City Administrator Penny Clayton.

(Dickens)--The Clay County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a case of criminal mischief near Dickens.

On July 7^th, a Clay County Deputy responded to a report of a suspicious vehicle parked on 370th St. just east of 280th Avenue with a broken window.  Upon arrival, the deputy found the front driver side window and the windshield had been damaged.  It was determined that sometime between 5:00 a.m.  and 11:20 a.m. someone had stopped and damaged the windows to the vehicle.  The investigation is ongoing and charges are anticipated.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact the Clay County Sheriff's Office at 712-262-3221.

(Wallingford)--Three people were taken to the hospital after a one vehicle accident Sunday afternoon on Highway 4 near Wallingford.

The Emmet County Sheriff’s Office says shortly after 3:10 p.m., 49-year-old Diana Gesiriech of Estherville was driving a 2011 Chrysler Town and Country Van southbound in the 2400 block of Highway 4 when a deer ran out of the ditch. Gesiriech swerved to miss the deer causing the van to enter the ditch and roll one time before coming to rest on its wheels.

Diana Gesiriech was taken by Estherville Ambulance to Avera Holy Family Hospital with non-incapacitating injuries. Two passengers were taken to the hospital with possible injuries. A third passenger also received possible injuries, but was not transported.

The van was totaled in the accident. Dollar loss was estimated at $15,000.

(Petersburg)--A Superior man was sent to the hospital after the motorcycle he was riding struck a deer near Friday evening near Petersburg.

The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office says the accident occurred shortly after 9 p.m. on Petersburg road near County Road 8. George Mittrucker of Superior was southbound on a 1997 Harley Davidson when he struck the deer.

Mittrucker was taken by Jackson Ambulance to the Sanford Jackson Medical Center for treatment of minor injuries.

(Estherville)--The filing deadline has passed for candidates to file for special elections next month in Estherville and Dolliver.

Two candidates have filed for the Ward One seat on the Estherville City Council. They are Cindy Hood and Gary Heckard. Hood has been serving as the Ward One council member since being appointed to the position in January of 2018.

No one filed for the position of Dolliver Mayor, which is currently vacant.

The special elections will be held on August 6^th. Estherville voters will also be deciding the fate of a $4.1 million bond issue to fund a new Aquatics Center. All Wards for the City of Estherville will vote at the Farm Bureau Building and the City of Dolliver will vote at Dolliver City Hall. The polls will be open from 7:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m.

Early Voting will begin as soon as ballots are available. The deadline to request a mailed Absentee Ballot is August 2^nd.

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

(Estherville)--The Estherville City Council Monday evening approved a non-binding letter of intent for the proposed Federal Government project. The agreement is between the city and United States Sub Assembly Facilities Inc., the owner and developer of the project. Estherville and Emmet County Economic Development Director Lyle Hevern says the letter illustrates the direction the city and the company hope to pursue.

As Hevern mentioned, the letter of intent is non-binding.

Hevern says Senator Grassley’s office has been helping with the project.

The proposed plant is 75,000 square feet. Hevern says 75-percent of the employees for the facility will be brought in from outside Estherville and 25-percent will be hired locally.

Hevern says the developer is not seeking Tax Increment Financing for the project.

In other business, the council approved an amendment to the Rental Housing Code. The changes include adding a requirement for handrails, requiring owner or operator attendance at inspections and eliminating the $100 fee for filing a complaint. The council tabled action on changing the minimum housing code to include roof requirements. The council wanted more language in the amendment spelling out what materials are appropriate.

(Spencer)—One person was arrested after an investigation by the Clay County Sheriff's Office into a report of a disturbance in a moving vehicle.

Authorities say on June 7^th, a deputy pulled over the suspect vehicle on Highway 71 near Fostoria. Upon investigating it was discovered 52-year-old Laura Schmoranz of Dewar, Iowa and a passenger, James Bedore, had allegedly been drinking alcohol. Based on a further investigation, Schmoranz was arrested on charges of operating while intoxicated-1st offense, open container and child endangerment. She was taken to the Clay County Jail and held pending an appearance before the magistrate.

Bedore was cited for open container and released.

(Washington, D.C.)--The Trump Administration on Monday proposed to make it more difficult for immigrants arriving on the southern border to seek asylum in the United States. The proposal requires immigrants to apply for safe haven in a third country which they traveled through to get to the United States. In an interview with KILR News, Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley says he supports what the President is trying to accomplish.

Grassley says he hopes the proposal will reduce the number of asylum seekers at the southern border.

Due to the current partisan divide in Congress, Grassley was asked if a bill could be passed to address the crises on the southern border.

Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley.

(Bancroft)--The Iowa Department of Criminal Investigation has released the names of the three deceased individuals found Friday morning at a residence in Bancroft and ruled the deaths a double murder-suicide.

The three individuals were found at 524 South Morehouse Street in Bancroft. Two were identified as 22-year-old Mason Alrik Cederwall and 30-year-old Amy Lynn Manna. Manna lived at the residence in Bancroft. The Iowa State Medical Examiner’s Office has determined the cause of death for both Cederwall and Manna to be homicide and the manner of death gunshot wounds.

The third body was determined to be 30-year-old Austin Bernhard of Bancroft. Bernhard’s cause of death was determined to be suicide and manner of death was a single gunshot wound. It was determined that Bernard was Manna’s ex-boyfriend. Austin Bernhard was arrested on July 4th on assault and burglary charges in connection with an incident involving the two victims.

(Spencer)--The Clay County Sheriff’s Office says a two vehicle accident Saturday afternoon on Highway 71 was caused by one of the drivers suffering a medical condition.

Deputies say around 4:55 p.m., 64-year-old Bruce Postolka of Sioux Rapids, was driving a 2011 Buick LaCrosse northbound in the 4600 block of Highway 71. Suffering from a pre-existing medical injury, Postolka was in and out of consciousness. Postolka crossed the center line, crossed back to the proper lane, crossed the center line again and struck a 2005 GMC Envoy driven by 51-year-old Arturo Sanchez of Newell.

Authorities say there were no injuries related to the accident.

The Sheriff’s Office says damage to the Postolka vehicle was disabling. Damage to the Sanchez vehicle was minor.

(Armstrong)--A traffic stop on the evening of July 4th in Emmet County resulted in charges being filed against two Fairmont, Minnesota residents.

Emmet County Sheriff Mike Martens says shortly before 6:10 p.m., a deputy initiated a traffic stop of a vehicle that was observed speeding on Highway 15 north of Armstrong. Upon investigation at the scene, open containers of alcohol were discovered in the vehicle as well as controlled substances and paraphernalia.

As a result of the investigation, the driver of the vehicle, 23-year-old Brittley Talamantes, was charged with operation with no driver’s license. The passenger, 23-year-old Jorge Paz, was charged with possession of marijuana-2nd offense, possession of drug paraphernalia and open container of alcohol on a public roadway.

Paz was taken into custody at the scene and transported to the Emmet County Jail where he was booked on the charges. Talamantes was cited and released.

(Wallingford)--An Ames man was arrested on July 4th as the result of a traffic stop in rural Emmet County.

According to Emmet County Sheriff Mike Martens, a sheriff’s deputy on patrol in the Wallingford area initiated a traffic stop shortly after 1 a.m. on a vehicle that was driving erratically in the 2200 block of Highway 4. Upon investigation at the scene, it was determined that the driver, 21-year-old Devin Louison of Ames, was driving with a suspended license. In addition, open containers of alcohol, controlled substances and drug paraphernalia were discovered.

As a result, Louison was taken into custody and booked into the Emmet County Jail where he was charged with possession of marijuana, open container of alcohol on a public roadway, possession of drug paraphernalia and driving with a suspended driver’s license.