(Estherville)--The city of Estherville has announced the opening of the Estherville Aquatic Center will be delayed.
According to a news release, the aquatic center will not open on June 1st as originally planned due to a mechanical issue.
The city says an opening date will be announced once repairs are completed.
(Brycelin, MN)--A northwest Iowa man was injured in a single vehicle accident Thursday evening on Interstate-90 in eastern Faribault County.
The Minnesota State Patrol says the accident happened around 6:30 pm near the Brycelin exit. The patrol says 85-year-old Mark Erickson of Greenville was driving a 2018-Dodge Ram 250 pickup westbound on I-90 when the vehicle went off the roadway and rolled.
Erickson was taken to the Blue Earth Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
The Faribault County Sheriff’s Office, Wells Police Department, Wells Ambulance, Brycelin Fire and Walters Fire assisted at the scene.
(Des Moines)--An Emmetsburg attorney has been publicly reprimanded for falsely claiming he had dementia in order to be excused from a case.
According to the Iowa Capital Dispatch, court records show that in December 2024, police arrested Mario Delapaz of Storm Lake on charges of harassment and domestic abuse resulting in assault or injury. Delapaz was later convicted of both charges, the records show.
Shortly after the arrest, Emmetsburg attorney Fred Blake Perkins was appointed by the court to represent Delapaz in the case.
Court records indicate that in September 2025, after the court denied Perkins’ request to withdraw from the case, he allegedly renewed his request by filing paperwork informing the judge that he was not competent to conduct legal research and was experiencing symptoms of early-onset dementia.
The Attorney Disciplinary Board of the Supreme Court of Iowa alleges those representations were false
Records in the criminal case show that in his renewed motion to withdraw from the matter, Perkins wrote to the judge and stated that his 81-year-old father was in a nursing home with dementia and that he recognized the “early warning signs” in his own behavior. At the time, Perkins was 55 years old.
(Estherville)--According to a recent Gallup Survey, seven in 10 Americans oppose constructing data centers for artificial intelligence in their local area, including nearly half who are strongly opposed. Concern about higher electricity rates was one of main reasons cited for opposing data centers. Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative President and CEO Ryan Craig says Iowa Lakes has taken steps to protect its customer-owners from bearing any of the burden if a data center wanted to locate in its service territory.
Craig says the data centers are often built by developers who will then try and sell it to a larger company.
He says there is a growing trend toward building smaller projects.
Craig spoke with Dave Van Roekel Thursday morning on KILR FM 95.9.
Listen to the full interview below:
(Estherville)--Former Iowa Congressman Steve King was at Bud’s Café in Estherville over the noon hour Thursday to discuss his endorsement of Zach Lahn(Lane) for Governor. Lahn is one of five candidates seeking the Republican nomination for Governor. King explains why he decided to support Lahn.
King says Lahn wants to stop the outward migration of young people from Iowa.
He says Lahn is also a supporter of the MAHA movement.
King says he thinks Lahn has a good chance of defeating front runner Randy Feenstra in next week’s primary and would be the strongest candidate to go up against Democrat Rob Sand in the general election.
(Iowa)--Pizza Hut is leaning into nostalgia and offering customers a taste of the 90's at some of its restaurants including the one in Estherville.
Pizza Hut's parent company, Yum!, recently published a lisr of the 155 Pizza Hut Classic locations where guests can currently find a retro dine-in experience. That includes the iconic red plastic cups, checkered tablecloths, vinyl booths, Tiffany-style lamps and the red roofs.
The retro restaurants aren't the only way Pizza Hut is bringing back memories of the '90s. The company is also promoting it's Book It! reading program with free pizza rewards for kids.
In addition to the location at 2209 Murray Road in Estherville, four other Pizza Hut locations in Northwest Iowa will receive the retro redesign. They are in Sibley, Sioux Center, Storm Lake and Cherokee.
The chain has not announced when the changes will take place.
(Spirit Lake)--The U.S. Senate has approved the Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Reauthorization Act. The legislation would extend the Rural Community Hospital Demonstration program for another five years. The program benefits 80 rural hospitals in the United States. Four of them are in Iowa including Lakes Regional Healthcare in Spirit Lake. LRH President and CEO Jason Harrington.
Harrington explains how the program works.
He says the program helps ensure the long term sustainability of Lakes Regional Healthcare.
Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley was one of the sponsors of the bill in the Senate. Iowa 4th District U.S. Representative Randy Feenstra last week introduced a companion bill in the House.
(Spirit Lake)--The Spirit Lake City Council has paved the way for a new housing project on the west side of town. The council voted 5-0 Tuesday evening to approve the creation of an urban renewal plan for that area along with a developer’s agreement for the Cypress Ridge housing development. City Attorney/Administrator Gregg Owens says the agreement is with developer Lee Seeman.
Owens says even though the land is zoned R-3, the development will only consist of single family homes. He says there will be no traditional condominiums, apartments or townhomes.
Owens says homes will be in the $800,000 range. He says the development will require the construction of a new sanitary sewer lift station.
Owens says he expects the developer to start applying for building permits very soon with construction beginning within several weeks.
(Estherville)--The Emmet County Sheriff’s Office has released more details about the arrest of a burglary suspect Monday morning at Ft. Defiance State Park.
Shortly after 8:50 am, the Sheriff’s Office received a report of a male only wearing shorts that had entered several vehicles and was running around the campground in Fort Defiance State Park. Upon arrival on scene, deputies found that the male, later identified as 28-year-old Dalton Burdorff, had entered at least three unoccupied vehicles. A brief disturbance also took place with one of the vehicle owners. Burdorff had taken off on foot into the wooded area of the park prior to deputies arrival.
As deputies and Estherville Police started searching the large area, additional assistance was requested. Personnel searched the area on foot with assistance from drones and K9's. Around 10:35, the sheriff’s office received additional information about a man wearing only shorts that had been lying in a ditch and requested a ride from the reporting party. This allowed authorities to tighten the search area inside the park.
Just before 11:30 am, Burdorff ended up approaching law enforcement and was taken into custody without incident. He was arrested and booked into the Emmet County Jail on the following charges: three counts of burglary in the 3rd degree, trespass and providing false identification information. He was also wanted an Emmet County Arrest Warrant for failure to appear, on an original charge of two counts of possession of a controlled substance.
The Emmet County Sheriff’s Office thanks the public for their cooperation during this investigation. Assistance was also provided by the Emmet County Communication Center, Emmet County Conservation, Emmet County Emergency Management, Estherville Police Department, Iowa State Patrol, Iowa DNR, and the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office.
Residents are reminded to keep their buildings, houses, and vehicles locked.
(Estherville)--The annual Emmet County Relay for Life to raise money for the American Cancer Society will be held this Friday evening from 5 to 9 pm at the Regional Wellness Center in Estherville. Becky Olk with the Relay for Life Committee says this will be the 3rd year the event has been held indoors.
The evening will start with a community meal at 5pm featuring pulled pork sandwich, chips, baked beans, coleslaw and a bottle of water for $10. She says the opening ceremony begins at 5:30.
There will also be recognition of this year’s honorary cancer survivors: Lee Evans, Conner Haukos, and Chase Cummins. The luminary lighting ceremony will be held at 6pm. Luminaries can be purchased during the relay. A closing ceremony will be held around 9 pm. Olk says everyone is invited to attend the relay.
Olk says there will also be a golf tournament on Saturday at the Hillcrest in Graettinger.
Emmet County Relay for Life has raised more than $2 million since it began in 1997. The funds are used for cancer research, early detection, prevention programs, patient services and advocacy. Again to register for the golf tournament contact Becky Olk at 712-209-1910.
(Spencer)--The 2026 Clay County Fair, powered by SMU, has announced the lineup of free entertainment at the Farmers Bank Stage.
September 12th-14th will feature Parker William, a comedy mentalist and magician known for blending sharp humor and audience interaction and the country music and comedy duo of Minnesota based Poppa Bear Norton.
September 15th-17th will feature the storytelling of Jack Gladstone, known as “Montana’s Troubadour,” and the iPolka Band.
The final weekend of the fair, September 18th -20th will feature Duelly Noted, a high-energy all-female dueling pianos act and Uncle Muskrat, a five-piece string band playing traditional American roots music.
Each act will perform multiple times daily during their scheduled dates. Official show times will be available in the Clay County Fair Daily Guides, which will be released later in August. For more information, visit claycountyfair.com.
?
(Okoboji)--The Dickinson County Nature Center will host the next Kenue Coffee Hour at Maser Monarch Lodge on June 4th at 10:30 a.m.
The featured speaker is John Wenck, Water Trails Coordinator with the Iowa DNR, who will present about details and future plans of the Little Sioux Water Trail.
Kenue Coffee Hour is an adult program held monthly with a speaker who presents about conservation or nature-related topics. The event offers a friendly, inviting atmosphere with complimentary coffee and conversation with neighboring nature enthusiasts. No registration is required to attend.
(Spirit Lake)--An Ames woman is facing multiple charges after a traffic stop Monday night in Spirit Lake.
The Spirit Lake Police Department says shortly before 11 am, 32-year-old Sirena Lindsay was stopped at the intersection of Highways 9 and 71 and was cited for illegal use of an electronic communications device, failure to obey a traffic control device, failure to provide proof of financial liability, improper registration plate lamp and improper lane change.
Police say further investigation turned up less than a gram of cocaine. As she was being arrested Lindsay allegedly kicked an officer in the shoulder and the stomach. She was additionally charged with one count of possession of a controlled substance-1st offense; and interference with official acts and two counts of assault on persons in certain occupations.
Lindsay was booked into the Dickinson County Jail on a $2,000 bond.
(Estherville)--The Superintendent of Estherville Lincoln Central Schools is wrapping-up his first year on the job. Andy Armstead says one of the biggest accomplishments during his first year has been the implementation of a new literacy program.
Armstead details some of the benefits of the program.
He says changes are also being made to the ELL program.
Armstead says a new assistant principal position has been created for the elementary school.
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.
(Jackson, MN)--Federated Rural Electric in Jackson recently presented donations totaling $30,000 to the four main food shelves in Jackson and Martin counties. The four food shelves are located at Heron Lake, Lakefield, Jackson and Heaven’s Table in Fairmont/Sherburn.
Federated took advantage of matching funds from two organizations to triple the impact. General Manager Scott Reimer says Federated donated $5,000 per county and then secured matching funds from CoBank’s Sharing Success Program and Basin Electric Cooperative.
CoBank provides Federated with long-term financing for line construction and fiber projects, while Basin Electric is a wholesale power provider for Federated. Federated’s tripled donation was split among Jackson and Martin counties.
Since Heaven’s Table serves all of Martin County, they received half of the donation, or, $15,000. The three Jackson County food shelves in Heron Lake, Lakefield and Jackson divided the other half, receiving $5,000 each.
(Estherville)--Emmet County Conservation and the Iowa Great Lakes Fishing Club will be hosting a Youth Free Fishing Day on Saturday, June 6th at Jordet’s Pond near Wallingford. KILR Outdoors Expert Steve Weisman says the event will be held from 10 am to 1 pm.
A free meal will be served from noon to 1 pm. No fishing license is required. Weisman says the event is for kids in K-12th grade.
He says there will be fishing lessons for the kids.
Jordet’s Pond is located at 3971 240th St. Again, you can register online by going to emmetcountyparks.com/events. A link can also be found on the Emmet County Conservation Facebook page.
(Wallingford)--The 3rd annual Founders Day celebration will be held on Saturday, June 6th at the Brugjeld Peterson Point Historic Farmstead near Wallingford from 11 am to 4 pm. Stacie Berg-Nelson, President of the Peterson Point Preservation Foundation, says the day is a celebration of Pioneer Heritage and Norwegian roots.
Berg-Nelson says some new events have been added for this year’s celebration.
She provides more details about the musical entertainment.
A pork patty sandwich meal will be available for $7. Admission is free. Free will donations will be accepted to help with the upkeep of the farm.
(Estherville)--The Estherville Fire Department was requested by the Jackson Fire Department Monday to assist in the search for an 11-year-old child who wandered off near the Des Moines River.
According to a Facebook post, Estherville firefighters deployed their boat and UTV at Neppl’s bridge to search the West Bank of the river.
Aerial support was also provided to aid the search and rescue efforts.
The child was found safe and sound next to the road approximately an hour into the search.
(Estherville)--A suspect is in custody after a large law enforcement presence Monday morning at Ft. Defiance State Park.
According to a preliminary news release, the Emmet County Sheriff’s Office along with several assisting agencies had a large presence in Fort Defiance State Park as part of an investigation. Out of an abundance of caution, an exterior perimeter was set up around and just to the north of the park.
Law enforcement was able to deploy boots on the ground, with assistance from police K9’s and drones. During the search, the suspect was located and taken into custody without incident. The Emmet County Sheriff’s Office says the incident remains under investigation and there is no safety threat to the public.
Additional details will be released in the coming days.
(Estherville)--Memorial Day ceremonies were held around the area on Monday. In Estherville, a community service and flag dedication ceremony was held at the Army National Guard Readiness Center. The invocation and benediction was given by Pastor Jeff Griffith.
The ceremony also included readings by three recent high school graduates. One of them was Caden Hoffman.
The Master of Ceremonies for the service was Perry Russell, US Navy Retired. The ceremony also included patriotic music by the Estherville Lincoln Central Band and Choir and a presentation to the families of the seven newly departed veterans. The service concluded with a 21 gun salute and the playing of taps. Prior to the community service, American Legion Post 91, Estherville VFW and VFW Auxiliary and the Iowa Army National Guard held services at local cemeteries and the Central Avenue Bridge.
(Spencer)--A Spencer first responder, who helped a mother deliver her baby on the side of a road, is being recognized for her heroics.
The Spencer Hospital Ambulance team, Spencer Police Department and Clay County Sheriff’s Office on Thursday surprised City of Spencer dispatcher Andrea Ring with a “Stork Pin,” an award often given in EMS to someone who helps with childbirth emergencies.
In March, emergency responders from Spencer Hospital, Dickens Fire & Rescue, and the Clay County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to a patient in active labor along Highway 18 near Dickens. Before crews arrived, the mother delivered her baby along the side of the highway while dispatcher Andrea Ring calmly guided and supported the family over the phone. According to Dispatch Supervisor Mel Peterson they have no instructions for handling emergency childbirths, it was all Andrea who has birthed five children of her own.
Mom and baby were safely transported to Spencer Hospital, where they were welcomed by Birth Center staff.
(Milford)--Iowa Lakeside Laboratory is seeking volunteers for its annual water monitoring program known as CLAMP. Environmental Lab Analyst Megan Vigdal says CLAMP stands for Cooperative Lakes Area Monitoring Program.
Vigdal says 10 lakes in Dickinson County are included in the program. She explains how the test results are used.
She says there are only a few requirements to become a volunteer
The training sessions will be held on Tuesday, May 26th at 10 am and Thursday, May 28th at 6 pm at the Mahan(Man) Hall building at Iowa Lakeside Lab. For more information or to volunteer, send an email to: megan-vigdal@uiowa.edu.
(Spirit Lake)--The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is reminding boaters and anglers this Memorial Day weekend to protect Iowa lakes and rivers from aquatic invasive species or AIS. Andrew Carlson a fisheries biologist with the Iowa DNR Office in Spirit Lake, outlines three ways to prevent the spread of AIS.
Carlson says the introduction of zebra mussels and Eurasian watermilfoil can have a significant negative impact on people’s ability to enjoy the lakes.
It is illegal to possess or transport prohibited aquatic invasive species, transport any aquatic plants on water-related equipment, and transport boats with drain plugs intact in Iowa. It is also illegal to introduce any live fish, except for hooked bait, into public waters.
(Des Moines)--Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds has issued a disaster proclamation for two more area counties impacted by last weekend’s severe weather. The counties are Clay and Kossuth. Disaster proclamations were issued Wednesday for Emmet and Palo Alto counties.
Reynolds’ proclamation allows state resources to be utilized to respond to and recover from the effects of this severe weather and activates the Iowa Individual Assistance Grant Program and the Disaster Case Advocacy Program for those counties. The proclamation is effective immediately and will remain in effect for 30 days unless terminated or extended.
The Iowa Individual Assistance Grant Program provides grants up to $7,000 for households with incomes up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level. Grants are available for home or car repairs, replacement of personal property or food, and temporary housing expenses. Original receipts are required for those seeking reimbursement for actual expenses related to storm recovery.
The Disaster Case Advocacy Program addresses serious needs related to disaster-related hardship, injury, or adverse conditions. Disaster case advocates work with clients to create a disaster recovery plan and provide guidance, advice, and referrals to obtain a service or resource. There are no income eligibility requirements for this program; it closes 180 days from the date of the governor's proclamation.
The Disaster Assistance Request Form and instructions can be found on the Iowa Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management website.
(Armstrong)--A Memorial Day program in Armstrong will begin at 9 am Monday in the Armstrong Community Center.
David Grussing will serve as Master of Ceremonies. Glenn Henrickson will lead the music, Cub Scout Pack 159 will speak on Folds of the Flag and Brayden Brown will be reading his essay.
A service at the cemetery will follow to honor deceased veterans with Phil Henricksen playing taps.
The Armstrong Heritage Museum will be open from 8 to 11 that morning serving coffee and donuts.
(Graettinger)--As we reported yesterday, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds has issued a disaster declaration for Palo Alto County in response to the severe weather that occurred this past weekend. Reynolds’ proclamation activates the Iowa Individual Assistance Grant Program and the Disaster Case Advocacy Program for those counties
To provide direct support, Palo Alto County has established a Disaster Assistance Center in Graettinger where residents can meet with advocates and apply for grants in person. The center will be open from 11 am to 7 pm on Wednesday, May 27th at Graettinger City Hall, located at 106 South Cedar Ave.
Residents are encouraged to bring identification, proof of income (for grant applications), and any original receipts for storm-related expenses to expedite the process.
(Armstrong)--The North Union School Board is exploring the possibility of building a larger gymnasium at the High School in Armstrong. North Union-North Kossuth Superintendent Travis Schueller says the school board earlier this week approved an agreement with Site Logic to develop preliminary plans for the project.
Schuller says a portion of the project would be funded through a bond referendum.
He says the current gymnasium has limited seating capacity.
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.
(KILR)— The Memorial Day weekend marks the unofficial beginning to Iowa’s boating season. In an interview with KILR News, Susan Stocker, boating law administrator and education coordinator for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, said safety should be the top priority when getting ready to take your boat out on the water.
Stocker says when you’re on the water be on the lookout for tree limbs or other large objects that can damage your boat.
She says it’s a good idea to file a float plan with a friend.
She says drunk boating can be just as dangerous as drunk driving on the road.
Stocker also urges boaters to take a boater safety education course. The top two safety violations in Iowa are having inadequate life jackets and operating too fast and too close to other vessels.
(Des Moines)--Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds has issued a disaster declaration for eight counties including Emmet and Palo Alto in response to severe weather that occurred this past weekend.
Reynolds’ proclamation allows state resources to be utilized to respond to and recover from the effects of this severe weather and activates the Iowa Individual Assistance Grant Program and the Disaster Case Advocacy Program for those counties. The proclamation is effective immediately and will remain in effect for 30 days unless terminated or extended.
The Iowa Individual Assistance Grant Program provides grants up to $7,000 for households with incomes up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level. Grants are available for home or car repairs, replacement of personal property or food, and temporary housing expenses. Original receipts are required for those seeking reimbursement for actual expenses related to storm recovery.
The Disaster Case Advocacy Program addresses serious needs related to disaster-related hardship, injury, or adverse conditions. Disaster case advocates work with clients to create a disaster recovery plan and provide guidance, advice, and referrals to obtain a service or resource. There are no income eligibility requirements for this program; it closes 180 days from the date of the governor's proclamation. The Disaster Assistance Request Form and instructions can be found on the Iowa Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management website.
(Okoboji)--As previously reported on KILR, the Dickinson County Conservation Board has been awarded $387,000 CAT Grant to support the development of the new Nature Playscape at Kenue Park in Okoboji.
The grant marks another major milestone in the continued effort to create a destination environmental experience focused on nature connection, education, and family recreation in the Iowa Great Lakes region. The grant puts the board at a total of $1.7 million with only $216,000 remaining to be raised for the project to break ground.
Funding from the CAT Grant program will assist with the construction of key interactive areas and visitor experience components within the project.
There are multiple ways of donating toward the project: visit dickinsoncountyconservationboard.com/donate, stop in at the Nature Center, or mail your gift to the Conservation Foundation of Dickinson County at 22785 Nature Center Rd, Okoboji, IA 51355. All gifts are tax deductible and go directly toward the construction of the playscape.
© 2026 KILR-FM, Beaver Broadcasting Inc.
Built on Envisionwise Technology. Administrator Login
