(Okoboji)--The Dickinson County Nature Center and Brooks Golf will be kicking off Birding on the Green for 2026 early next month. Amy Heibult with Dickinson County Conservation says the first event will be held on Monday, May 4^th.

Last year, the program totaled 88 bird species for the season with an average of 40 species recorded at each event. Heibult says each event begins by meeting in the Brooks Golf parking lot at 7 am.

On another topic, Heibult says volunteers are needed at the Nature Center and at the Westport Schoolhouse.

For more information on becoming a volunteer, contact Amy Heibult at 712-336-6352.

(Pocahontas)—The Prairie Lakes Area Education Agency has been awarded a $12,499 grant from the Palo Alto County Gaming Development Corporation. This funding will revitalize and expand the agency's Occupational and Physical Therapy Equipment Loan Closet, ensuring students have access to the latest assistive technology.

The Equipment Loan Closet operates like a library, allowing therapists to check out specialized equipment such as adaptive chairs, standers, and gait trainers for students to trial in their natural environments.

The grant funds will replace worn items and introduce innovative tools, including the Zing Portable Stander for infants and toddlers and the Rifton Adaptive Desk. These tools promote independence and ensure students, regardless of mobility, have a workspace that meets their needs.

The loan closet serves families and school districts across 14 counties. Families or schools wondering if a piece of equipment could help a student reach their goals should contact their Prairie Lakes AEA Physical or Occupational Therapist to begin the consultation process.               

(Spencer)--Northwest Financial Corp. has been awarded a 2026 Top Workplace USA award. The award honors organizations with 150 or more employees that have created exceptional, people-first cultures. The winners are recognized for their commitment to fostering a workplace environment that values employee listening and engagement.

The winners are determined by employee feedback captured through a confidential survey conducted by Energage. The results are calculated based on employee responses to statements about Workplace Experience Themes, which are proven indicators of high performance.

Northwest Financial Corp. organization employs 425 team members and focuses on the importance of supporting a good balance between work and personal life. Northwest Bank has locations across Iowa including Algona, Estherville, Milford, Spencer, and Spirit Lake.

(Des Moines)--A bill that could pave the way for eighth graders to participate in all high school sports is on its way to the governor. The bill was approved by the Senate earlier this week after passing the House last week.  The bill was written by Area State Representative Henry Stone, a Republican from Forest City.

Stone says the bill directs the Iowa Department of Education to consult with the Iowa High School Athletic Association and the Iowa High School Girls Athletic Union to come up with rules for eighth graders to play in fall, winter and spring sports.

In other business, Stone says he strongly supported a bill approved by the House requiring parental consent for minors to receive the HPV Vaccine.

He says the house this week also approved a bill that would give nuclear energy facilities an exemption on sales and use taxes.

The measure includes a 25-year sunset provision. It now goes to the Senate for further consideration.

(Spencer)--A Spencer man was seriously injured in an accident Thursday afternoon involving a semi and a motorcycle at the North Y on the north edge of Spencer.

The Iowa State Patrol says shortly after 12 pm,  a 2016 Freightliner semi driven by 52-year-old Kenneth George, of Cedar Rapids, was stopped in the median of U-S Highway 71 and U-S Highway 18, waiting to proceed east onto 320th Street. As the truck entered the intersection, its trailer was struck by a 1956 Harley Davidson motorcycle operated by 65-year-old Gerald Fulkner, of Spencer, that was traveling north on Highway 71.

The motorcycle and Fulkner were dragged under the trailer until the semi stopped. Fulkner was transported to the hospital in Spencer and then flown to a hospital in Sioux Falls in serious condition.

The patrol says the crash remains under investigation.

The Clay County Sheriff’s Office and Spencer Police Department assisted at the scene.

(Estherville)--The Northwest Iowa Concert Band and the Northwest Iowa Jazz Band will present their spring concert Monday evening at 7:30pm at the Estherville VFW. Concert Band Director Rich Nicklay of Okoboji says the theme for the concert is Celebrating USA-250. 

Nicklay says after the Concert Band, the Northwest Iowa Jazz Band will perform under the direction of Scott Benjamin of Superior.

Nicklay says volunteer members come from all around the area.

Admission is free. The VFW will be serving a burger Basket meal, starting at 6pm and going throughout the concert.

(Estherville)--The Iowa Lakes Community College Music Department invites the public to its annual Spring Concert on Tuesday, May 5^th at 6:30 p.m. in the Janice K. Lund Performing Arts Center on the Estherville Campus.

This special evening of music will highlight the talent and dedication of Iowa Lakes ensembles, including the men’s choir, women’s choir, concert choir, handbell ensemble, and jazz band. The program will feature a wide variety of selections, showcasing both the skill of the musicians and the vibrancy of live performance.

The concert is free of charge and open to the public.

For more information about the Spring Concert or the Iowa Lakes Community College Music Department, visit iowalakes.edu/music.

(Jackson, MN)--A special series of events is coming to Jackson and Windom next week featuring world renowned author and photographer James Noltner and his project titled “Peace of My Mind.” Jackson Center for the Arts Secretary Janette Simon says “Peace of My Mind” will present stories and photographs of community members and use them as a catalyst to create dialogue. Simon says the first event will be a reception on Monday evening from 7 to 8:30 pm at the Jackson Center for the Arts.

Simon says there will be a storytelling workshop on Wednesday from 10 am to noon at the Jackson Center for the Arts.

She says the featured event will be held on Thursday evening from 7 to 8:30 at the Jackson Historic Theatre.

Simon says the event is part of the Belonging Begins with Us Initiative.

Admission to all events is free. For more information, visit jacksoncenterforthearts.com.

(Spencer)--The Clay County Fair is offering an early look at several featured live and online auction items for the upcoming Farm to Fork FUNdraiser, taking place Friday, May 1st. The annual fundraising event brings together community members in support of the Fair while showcasing unique experiences, exclusive packages, and one-of-a-kind items.

Organizers are reminding the public that tickets must be purchased by Wednesday, April 22. Tickets are $100 per person or $1,000 for a reserved table of eight.

The online auction opens Friday, April 17, at noon and closes Friday, May 1, at 7 p.m. Items in the online auction are open to the public, and participants do not need to be present at the event to bid or win.

Online auction highlights include an unforgettable lineup of Fair experiences, such as unlimited golf cart use during the Fair, Grandstand concert packages, and an on-site camping spot at Gate A. Travel and getaway options will also be available,

A full listing of auction items is available through the Clay County Fair’s website.

(Spencer)--A Spencer man was arrested Wednesday by the Clay County Sheriff’s Office on sexual misconduct charges.

According to a news release, 21-year-old Alex Morley was arrested on a Clay County Warrant for sexual exploitation of a minor, a class B felony, grooming, a class D felony, two sex offender registry violations, both class C felonies and two counts of dissemination of obscene materials to a minor. Bond was set at $50,000.

Morley was being held in the Clay County Jail.

A preliminary hearing for Morley is set for April 27^th in Clay County District Court.

(Algona--A Fenton man is facing a felony drunk driving charge after a traffic stop late last week near Algona.

The Kossuth County Sheriff’s Office says the stop happened around 1:30 pm on Friday, April 10^th on U.S. Highway 169 in rural Algona. The driver was identified as 34-year-old Andrew Kronmiller.  According to the criminal complaint, Deputies could smell alcohol coming from Kronmiller, and conducted a field-sobriety test. Kronmiller consented to a breathalyzer exam, which registered above the legal limit of .08, at which time he was taken into custody.

Kronmiller was charged with Operating While Intoxicated 3rd or Subsequent Offense, a Class D Felony, as well as Driving While Barred and booked into the Kossuth County Jail.

(Estherville)--The schedule has been announced for the 2026 Lakes Health Conference sponsored by Iowa Lakes Community College. Chantel Teeter, Director of Allied Health Workforce Education, says this year’s conference will be held on June 4^th and 5^th at the Dickinson County Expo Center in Spirit Lake.

Teeter says this year’s keynote speaker is Steve Fredlund.

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

Teeter says it’s a great opportunity for nurses to attain continuing education credits.

She says those interested are urged to sign-up as soon as possible to take advantage of early bird registration.

To register for the conference or for more information, visit ce.iowalakes.edu and click on the health care tab or call 712-852-5227. Teeter talked with Dave Van Roekel Tuesday morning on KILR FM 95.9.

(Des Moines)--Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds has issued a disaster proclamation for Clay and Palo Alto counties in response to severe weather that occurred on April 13^th .

Governor 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 Governor Reynolds’ proclamation. 

(Des Moines)--The National Weather Service has confirmed tornado touchdowns in Clay and Palo Alto County as part of Monday evening storms.

An  EF-0 tornado, which caused damage to several trees and buildings on one property near the start of its track, was recorded just northeast of Webb in Clay County. It mainly traveled through open fields and stayed on the ground for 2.12 miles. It spent an estimated three minutes on the ground and had a max wind speed of around 80 mph.

An EF-1 tornado touched down east of Graettinger.

A photo from Palo Alto County Emergency Management shows multiple buildings blown apart and a house missing good chunks out of its roof. Debris is scattered on the property and many trees have been broken in pieces.

(Lake Park)--The Lake Park City Council has approved a contract for the first phase of improvements at Silver Lake Park.  Lake Park Mayor Matt Carstensen says the low bid was from Diamond Concrete of Spirit Lake. Carstensen says phase one includes a number of improvements to the park.

Carstensen says there will also be a new sidewalk.

He says the bids came in below the engineer’s estimates.

Work on phase one of the project will begin no later than June 15^th and be completed by November 15^th.  Carstensen says the second phase of the project is currently on hold.

The Lake Park City Council awarded the bid at their meeting on Monday evening.

(Spirit Lake)– A strong natural gas odor in the Spirit Lake area Wednesday sent authorities searching for the cause of the smell.

The Dickinson County Communications Center received multiple reports over the noon hour of the smell in Spirit Lake as well as in the Francis Sites and East Okoboji Beach areas.

Spirit Lake Fire Chief Pat Daly says the odor was traced to a natural gas substation where crews earlier had been putting some odorant into a line and accidentally overfilled it, causing some of it to leak out. A light breeze and stagnant air caused the odor to drift. Daly says there was no actual leak of any natural gas.

(Graettinger)--Clean-up continues after Monday night’s storms in northwest Iowa.

A tornado touched down east of Graettinger causing widespread damage at the Kitzinger farm.

The family wasn’t home at the time the storm hit, but their dog was inside and is unharmed. However, the family is still looking for some of their cats.

The house is still standing but all the outbuildings on the property were destroyed including three grain bins and a machine shed.

Jonathan Kitzinger said he was working when the twister hit and he’s thankful his family wasn’t home either.

Kitzinger says community members are pitching in to help with the clean-up.

The National Weather Service confirmed the damage was caused by an EF-1 tornado.

An  EF-0 tornado, which caused damage to several trees and buildings on one property near the start of its track, was recorded just northeast of Webb in Clay County. It mainly traveled through open fields and stayed on the ground for 2.12 miles. It spent an estimated three minutes on the ground and had a max wind speed of around 80 mph.

(Okoboji) – Families with elementary-aged children are invited to this month’s Family Nature Night at the Dickinson County Nature Center in Okoboji on Friday, April 24^th from 5-6p.m. Amy Heibult, Community Relations Coordinator, says this month’s topic is all about baby animals.

Heibult says registration is free.

She says parents can still register their child for upcoming summer programs.

For more information, visit their website: dickinsoncountyconservationboard.com.

(Algona) – The Kossuth Childcare Coalition is now accepting grant applications through the month of April in an effort to sustain and increase daycare access for area families. Tod Faris serves as the Executive Director of the Kossuth/Palo Alto Economic Development and also works with the Coalition group. He says the coalition started raising funds in the fall of 2025 and has raised more than $100,000 so far.

Faris says the awarded funds can be used for three areas of focus. The first focus is for wage enhancement.

He says the second focus is for quality improvements.

The deadline to apply for the grants is 4pm on April 30^th.

He says there are eligibility requirements.

Application forms have been mailed out to certified daycare providers. However, if you didn’t receive a form, they can be found online at discoveralgona.com.

(Estherville) – The Emmet County Board of Supervisors Tuesday heard a funding request from Robin Hansen and Jerald Petersen with the Ringsted Public Library. The request was for $20,000 in county LOSST funds to help pay for two air conditioners and a furnace that will need to be replaced. Petersen says one of the furnaces was replaced last winter.

A lone bid for the project came in around $21,000. A motion was made by Todd Glasnapp for the county to give an initial $5,000 for the project and another $5,000 if the Ringsted Public Library could raise an additional $10,000. The board unanimously approved that motion.

In other business, the Supervisors approved the resignation of Phyllis McKean from the Emmet County Conservation Board and approved Gary Myers to fill her seat on the board for the remainder of the term. McKean served on the Emmet County Conservation Board for 15 years.

Mowing bids were also approved for secondary roads and the Public Health annex. Danny Clemens of Wallingford was awarded the bids to mow the secondary roads in Armstrong, Ringsted and Wallingford. Joey Manwarren of Wallingford was awarded the bids to mow secondary roads in Estherville and Gruver and the Public Health Annex.

(Spencer)--A former financial official for the city of Spencer has pleaded not guilty to multiple charges.

52-year-old LaVonne Bell pled not guilty to charges of theft in the 1^st degree, credit card fraud and felonious misconduct in office. The charges against Bell stem from an investigation after a special audit by the state. The report called into question $46,000 in transactions made from January 1^st, 2018 to June 30^th, 2024, while Bell was employed with the city of Spencer.

A trial date for Bell has not been set.

(Spencer)--The Clay County Fair, powered by SMU, announced Tuesday that rising artist Abbie Callahan will be the opening act for country music icon Martina McBride on Tuesday, September 15^th  at 7:30 pm at the Clay County Fair grandstand.

Callahan is a Nashville based singer songwriter. An Iowa City native, her self-described “kaleidoscope country” sound blends Americana, folk, bluegrass, and pop, drawing inspiration from artists ranging from Patsy Cline to Sierra Ferrell, Kacey Musgraves, and Sabrina Carpenter.

Callahan made appearances on American Idol at age seventeen and The Voice at age fifteen.

Ticket prices are $40 for Stage Front Standing, $45 for Reserved Grandstand Seating, and $30 for General Admission Bleachers.

Tickets for Martina McBride and Abbie Callahan are available online at midwestix.com, by phone at 515-244-2771, or in person at the Events Center Box Office.

(Spirit Lake)--Gillnetting operations in the Iowa Great Lakes got off to a fast start and are already winding down. Kim Hawkins, DNR Fisheries Biologist and Manager of the Spirit Lake Fish Hatchery, says gillnetting for Walleye got underway on Friday.

She says the quality of the fish caught has been very good.

Hawkins says the gillnetting was expected to wrap-up Monday night.  

She says the walleye will be released after they finish spawning.

Hawkins says crews come from all around the state to assist in the gillnetting in the Iowa Great Lakes.

(Washington, D.C.)--U.S. Department of Transportation has announced that Iowa will receive over $64 million in federal aid to help replace 67 bridges and culverts in poor condition. 

Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley says several of the projects are in northwest Iowa including Emmet, Buena Vista, Dickinson, Kossuth, Osceola and Pocahontas counties.

The awards will be administered through the D.O.T’s Competitive Highway Bridge Program.

A total of 40 Iowa counties were awarded funding.

(Milford)--Major improvements will soon be taking place at two city parks in Milford. Jason Simpson with the Milford Parks and Rec Board says some work has already taken place at Florence Park and the park will be getting a new play area.

Simpson says the old playground equipment at Florence Park is being moved to another park.

He says the new playground will be handicapped accessible.

Simpson says at Buchanan Park they are planning to add a National Fitness Campaign Court.

The city of Milford was awarded a grant for the National Fitness Campaign Court. He says a new basketball court will also be installed at Buchanan Park. Donations are being accepted for the park projects. Donations may be dropped off at Milford City Hall or mailed to City of Milford, Attn: Parks, P.O. Box 356 Milford, IA, 51351. Checks should be made payable to City of Milford Park Fund.

(Estherville)--Vendor registration for Estherville’s Downtown Market is now available. The downtown market will again be held on Thursday evenings in Library Square beginning June 18^th. Estherville Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Lexie Ruter.

Ruter says a wide variety of products can be sold at the market.

She explains how to register for the downtown market.

The downtown market will run through September 24^th. For more information, you can contact the Chamber at 712-362-3541.

(Estherville)--Severe storms rolled across northwest Iowa and southwest Minnesota Monday evening producing large hail and at least four tornadoes.

Clay County Emergency Management confirmed a tornado touchdown two miles northeast of Webb. Tornado touchdowns were also reported 4 miles east-northeast of Graettinger in Emmet County, four miles north of Emmetsburg, and six miles west of Elmore in Faribault County. Funnel clouds were also reported southwest of Graettinger, south of Ayrshire and in the Burt area.

There were also several large hail reports. Hail as large as hen eggs was reported in Lakefield and golf ball size hail was reported south of Harris.  Quarter size hail was reported in Fairmont, Peterson, Webb and Jackson. Penny size hail was reported near Arnolds Park.

In Emmet County, there was a report of out buildings completely destroyed by a tornado north of Armstrong on Highway 15 with debris scattered into nearby fields. The home on the property is still standing.

(Washington, D.C.)--Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley, the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, is opening a congressional inquiry into eight major tech companies for allegedly failing to sufficiently report online child sexual exploitation. Grassley is also releasing new information from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children which details the eight companies’ reporting deficiencies.

Grassley is demanding Meta, Amazon AI Services, TikTok, Snapchat, Discord, X.AI, Grindr and Roblox describe how they’re working to improve their reporting process in 2026.

Grassley says it’s an issue of growing concern around the world.

(Jackson, MN)--A star party has been rescheduled for later this month at Ft. Belmont in Jackson. Anthony Van Ohlen with the Ft. Belmont Foundation says the event will now be held on Saturday, April 25^th from 8:30 to 10:30 pm. Van Ohlen says those who attend will be guided by Minnesota West Community and Technical College physics professor Paul Seifert

Van Ohlen says they will have some telescopes available for people to use or you can bring your own. He says there will be activities for kids.

He says there will also be a question and answer session

Van Ohlen says admission is free.

The Star Party was originally scheduled for this past Saturday but was postponed due to the weather.

(Estherville)--No one was injured in a fire Sunday afternoon at an apartment house in Estherville. The fire was reported shortly before 4:15 pm in the 500 block of South 10^th St. Estherville Fire Chief Travis Sheridan says the fire started on a back deck on the second floor of the building.

Sheridan says the cause of the fire is believed to be discarded smoking materials.

Residents were allowed to return to their apartments. Sheridan says firefighters were on scene for about 40 minutes. The Wallingford Fire Department, Estherville Police Department, Estherville Ambulance Service and Emmet County Sheriff’s Office assisted at the scene.

(Estherville)--The Wallingford Fire Department was paged Friday evening to a grass fire that was a controlled burn that got of control.

Wallingford Fire Chief Jarrod Fischer says the fire was reported shortly before 6:10 pm in the 2300 block of Highway 4 south of Wallingford.

Fischer says due to the conditions, firefighters completed a back burn to help control and extinguish the fire. Firefighters did check the perimeter, secure any structures and other properties.

The Estherville Fire Department was called for their ATV.

Firefighters were on scene for about 3 1/2 hours.

The fire was allowed to burn throughout the night with, someone watching.

Earlier in the day, the Spirit Lake, Estherville and Terril Fire Departments battled a large grassland fire northeast of Superior in the area of 140th Street and 340th Avenue. The Milford and Lake Park fire departments also battled a grass fire in the Horseshoe Bend area southwest of Milford.

There were no reports of structures being threatened by any of the fires and no injuries were reported.