(Estherville)--The Emmet County Board of Supervisors today(Tuesday) established a moratorium on data centers in Emmet County. The board approved the moratorium on a 5 to 0 vote after a brief discussion. Board chairperson Lisa Hansen says the moratorium gives the county more time to investigate the issue.

Hansen says so far the county has not received any inquiries to build a data center in Emmet County. She says the moratorium will allow the board to explore concerns people have regarding data centers.

Hansen says having a data center could bring additional tax revenue for the county. She says the moratorium will be in place for a year.

No public comments were taken during the discussion.

(Spirit Lake)--Meeting in special session Monday, the Spirit Lake School Board voted 5-0 to place a $69.9 million bond referendum on the November 3rd ballot.

The board accepted a petition with 370 signatures, more than double the 150 signatures required to put the issue before voters.

If approved, the bond would fund improvements at Spirit Lake schools, including HVAC, electrical and roof along with new classrooms and athletic field improvements.

The district estimates the proposal would increase the property tax levy by about $2.32 per thousand dollars of assessed value. That amounts to about $232 a year on a property assessed at $100,000.

The measure needs 60% approval to pass.

(Spencer)--A Spirit Lake man was arrested after driving through a roadblock Saturday afternoon near Spencer.

The Clay County Sheriff’s Office says at around 3:40 pm, Deputies were conducting a traffic control at the scene of a motor vehicle accident at 190th Avenue and 350th St. west of Spencer.  While deputy’s were directing traffic, a 2006 Ford F-350 driven by 74-year-old Duane Ver Meer of Spirit Lake refused to obey the deputy’s instructions to turn south and proceeded through the roadblock.  Deputies pursued Ver Meer to his building in the 3400 block of 190th Avenue.  He was placed under arrest and taken to the Clay County Jail. 

Ver Meer was charged with Failing to Obey a Peace Officer. He was released after posting bond.

(Okoboji)--The Dickinson County Nature Center invites adults to the next Kenue Coffee Hour on Thursday, September 3rd at 10:30 a.m. at Maser Monarch Lodge in Okoboji.

The featured speaker is Tanner Bouchard, Lakes Area Land Stewardship Director for the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation. Bouchard’s presentation will focus on use of prescribed fire and how it can serve as an effective tool for managing and maintaining Iowa’s natural areas. Attendees will learn more about the role prescribed burns play in land stewardship, including how carefully planned and conducted fires can help manage vegetation, support native plant communities and contribute to the long-term health of natural areas.

Registration is not required for this program, and a light coffee bar will be provided.

(Arnolds Park)--The Iowa Rock'n Roll Music Association has announced the 12 finalists who will compete in the 2026 Iowa Rocks Talent Youth Competition, an annual showcase of Iowa's emerging young musical talent.

The live competition will take place Saturday, September 5th at 12:00 p.m. at the Pearson Lakes Art Center in Okoboji in conjunction with the Iowa Rock'n Roll Music Association's annual Hall of Fame induction weekend held over Labor Day weekend in the Iowa Great Lakes.

One of the seven individual finalists is Haedden Slawson of Spencer. The band finalists are Probable Cause from Burlington, The Denim from Perry, Day On Venus from North Liberty, Brothers Under Tough Times from Craig and 7Ark from Donahue.

The finalists will compete before a panel of judges representing diverse professional music backgrounds and a variety of musical genres and eras. In addition to the two primary competition categories, individual performers may be recognized for outstanding achievement in Best Vocalist, Best Instrumentalist and Best in Stage Presence.

Winners of the major competition categories will receive valuable recording opportunities generously donated by Catamount Recording Studio in Cedar Falls and Route 86 Music in Milford.

(Washington, D.C.)--Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley is joining other members of the state’s congressional delegation in opposing President Trump’s decision to allow more foreign beef into the country. Trump announced the move as an effort to bring down the price of beef for consumers. Grassley says he doubts the move will have much of an impact on bringing down prices.

Trump has announced that up to 300,000 metric tons of foreign beef intended for ground beef will be allowed into the U.S. without the higher tariff normally applied after existing import quotas are exceeded.

The policy is expected to last 90 days. On a related topic, Grassley was asked what Congress can do to help farmers.

(Okoboji)--The 35^th annual University of Okoboji Oktoberfest is set for September 26^th in the Iowa Great Lakes. Blain Andera with the Iowa Great Lakes Chamber of Commerce says sign-up is underway for a couple of events scheduled for that day including the bike ride.

Andera says sign-up is also underway for the bags tournament.

He details the rest of the Oktoberfest schedule.

Again for more information, go to uofooktoberfest.com.

(Storm Lake)--Three Algona residents are facing charges after a reported child abduction and burglary Sunday in Storm Lake.

Shortly after 10:40 am, Storm Lake Police responded to a residence in the 1400 block of North Seneca Street after receiving a report that individuals had entered the home, assaulted a woman, and forcibly removed her two children. The children, a 4-year-old girl and a 3-year-old boy, sustained minor injuries.

During the incident, the suspects also took the woman's cell phone. The victim reported that the suspects threatened to kill the children if she contacted police. Investigators later determined that the woman's phone was thrown from a vehicle. The mother sustained injuries during the assault and was transported to Buena Vista Regional Medical Center, where she was treated and released.

Officers responding to the scene obtained a description of the suspect vehicle and issued a Be On the Lookout to surrounding law enforcement agencies.  While officers were working to obtain an Amber Alert, the suspect vehicle was located and stopped by law enforcement in Algona. Three suspects were detained by the Algona Police Department, Iowa State Patrol, and Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

One of the suspects was identified as the estranged father of the children. At the time of the incident, there was an active no-contact order prohibiting the suspect from having contact with the children's mother.

Storm Lake Police traveled to Algona and interviewed the three suspects. Officers also recovered property that had been removed from the victim's residence during the burglary and abduction. The three suspects were transported back to Storm Lake, where they were booked into the Buena Vista County Jail.

24-year-old Carlos Garciarena, 22-year-old Mailet Monteagudo and 19-year-old Sammy Shamma are each charged with Burglary in the 1st Degree, a Class B Felony, 2 counts of Child Stealing, a Class C Felony, and Impersonating a Public Official. Garciarena is also charged with Assault Committed by a Person Against Whom a Protection Order Has Been Issued, a Class D Felony, 2 counts of Child Endangerment Causing Bodily Injury, also a Class D Felony, and Obstruction of Emergency Communication Devices

Each of the suspects is being held on a $100,000 cash bond.

(Windom, MN)--Two Fairmont residents were seriously injured when the motorcycles they were riding struck a deer Sunday morning near Windom.

The Minnesota State Patrol says at around 10:30 am, a 2007 Kawasaki motorcycle driven by 62-year-old Trent Johnson of Fairmont and a 2006 Honda motorcycle driven by 56-year-old Donna Johnson of Fairmont were traveling north bound on Highway 71 near 440^th St. when they struck a deer.

Trent Johnson and Donna Johnson were both taken to Sanford Hospital in Sioux Falls with life threatening injuries.

Windom Police, Fire and Ambulance and the Cottonwood and Jackson County Sheriff’s Offices assisted at the scene.

(Okoboji)--Teens, ages 13 to 18, are invited to kick off a new season of WILD Roots with an evening focused on hunting, trapping and conservation-minded skills at the Dickinson County Nature Center. Amy Heibult with Dickinson County Conservation says WILD stands for Wilderness Inspired Leadership Development.

This season’s theme is conservation. Heibult says the first event will be held on Tuesday, September 1st, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.

She says more WILD Roots sessions will be held throughout the year,

For more information or to register, visit dickinsoncountyconservationboard.com.

(Estherville)--The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is taking public comments on a proposed rule change that would give in-state hunters the first shot at pheasants and other game over out-of-state hunters. KILR Outdoors Expert Steve Weisman says it’s a change Iowa hunters have wanted for several years.

Weisman says a lot of pheasant hunters come from out of state during the opening weekend.

He says the proposal places another restriction on non-resident hunters.

The Iowa Natural Resources Commission gave preliminary approval to the changes and will be taking public comments through September 22^nd.

If approved, the changes would not go into effect until the 2027 hunting seasons.

(Spirit Lake)--The Spirit Lake School Board will meet in a special session today at noon to consider a resolution officially calling for an election on a nearly $70 million bond referendum to fund facilities improvements. The resolution would then be forwarded to the County Auditor.

Projects covered by the bond issue include new HVAC, electrical, windows, lighting and roofs along with new classrooms at the high school and elementary school and upgrades to the middle school restrooms. There are also athletic improvements including new turf for the football field, new lights for the football, baseball and softball fields, and an additional bus barn.

This Wednesday is the deadline to file a petition with at least 150 signatures in order to get the measure placed on the ballot for the November 3rd election. Proponents had already gathered that number as of mid-day Friday. 

(Fairmont, MN)--A Fairmont woman was sent to the hospital after a two vehicle accident Saturday evening on Interstate-90 in Nobles County.

The Minnesota State Patrol says the accident occurred around 8:25 pm near Adrian. The Patrol says a 2013 GMC Terrain, driven by 42-year-old Kelly Jo Cowell of Fairmont, and a Ford F-250 pickup, driven by 40-year-old Cassandra Pettis of Augusta, Wisconsin  were both traveling eastbound on I-90 when they collided.

Cowell was taken to the Worthington Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Pettis and a passenger in the Cowell vehicle were not injured.

The Nobles County Sheriff’s Office and Adrian Ambulance assisted at the scene.

(Truman, MN)--Truman Ambulance has been awarded a $15,000 grant from the Fairmont Community Hospital Foundation. The funds will be used to purchase a specialized bariatric cot, one of the few available in southern Minnesota.

This project will retrofit an existing ambulance to safely and efficiently transport bariatric patients who are critically ill or injured throughout the greater Martin and Faribault County areas. The system is designed to reduce lifting and improve safety for both patients and emergency personnel.

Before this project, there was no fully functioning bariatric transport option outside of the metro area. This new equipment will provide local EMS crews with the tools they need to safely care for and transport area patients of all sizes.

The grant is also the first collaboration with Truman Ambulance since the foundation expanded its support to include nonprofit healthcare organizations throughout its service area.

(Estherville)--A Utah man is facing drug charges after a traffic stop last week near Estherville.

According to a criminal complaint filed by the Emmet County Sheriff’s Office, a deputy conducted a traffic stop at around 11:55 pm on August 16^th after radar indicated a vehicle was going 73 mph in a 60 mph zone on Highway 9 east of Estherville. During the traffic stop, the deputy could smell the odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle.

When questioned by the deputy, the driver admitted there was a container with one-eighth of an ounce of marijuana in the vehicle. A search of the vehicle turned up a container with a green leafy substance believed to be marijuana and a glass pipe used for smoking marijuana.

The driver, 63-year-old Andrew Pratt of Salt Lake City, Utah, was arrested on charges of possession of a controlled substance-marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and speeding.

Pratt was booked into the Emmet County Jail and then released after posting bond.

A preliminary hearing for Pratt is scheduled for August 27^th at 4 pm in Emmet County District Court.

(Estherville)--Iowa’s dove hunting season opens on Tuesday, September 1^st and runs through November 29^th. Iowa became the 42nd state to have a hunting season for mourning doves in 2011. KILR Outdoors Steve Weisman says between 10,000 and 14,000 hunters are expected this year.

Weisman outlines the requirements to hunt doves in Iowa.

He provides tips on the best places to hunt for doves.

Nearly 143,000 birds were harvested last year, a drop of 27 percent from 2024. Weisman made his comments on the Following the Great Outdoors program which can be heard every Friday at 10:30 am on KILR FM 95.9.

(Estherville)--Iowa motorists are adjusting to the new speed limit of 60 mph on two lane highways and county roads. The speed limit was raised from 55 to 60 mph on July 1st. Iowa State Trooper Kevin Krull cautions motorists that the speed limit is still 55 on portions of some highways.

Krull says there are parts of some area highways where the speed limit is still 55.

He says drivers going dangerously fast remains a problem on Iowa roadways.

(Fairmont, MN)--The Martin County Fair is in full swing at the fairgrounds in Fairmont. Lisa Stromberg with the Martin County Fair Board says today is Senior Citizens Day at the Fair.

Stromberg says Saturday will be the busiest day of the fair.

She says the final day of the fair is Sunday.

For a complete schedule of events, visit martincountyfairmn.com.

(New Ulm, MN)--One person was killed early Wednesday in a two vehicle accident in south central Minnesota that injured a Fairmont man.

The Minnesota State Patrol says the accident happened shortly after 5:30 am on Highway 15 near New Ulm. The patrol says a 2016 Jeep Compass was southbound on Highway 15 and a 2019 Ford F-250 pick-up was northbound on Highway 15 when the two vehicles collided near mile marker 50.

The driver of the Jeep, 29-year-old Guadalupe Maria Miramontes of New Ulm, was killed in the accident.

The driver of the pickup, 21-year-old Hunter Grathwohl of Fairmont, was taken to the Hennepin County Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries.

(Algona)--An Algona woman is facing multiple charges after a domestic incident this past weekend.

Shortly after midnight on August 16^th, the Algona Police Department and the Kossuth County Sheriff’s Office responded to a domestic disturbance call in the 600 block of South Blackford Street. Upon arrival the officers found a male, 36-year-old Dustin Williams of Algona, with lacerations and called Kossuth County EMS. A female suspect was not at the residence when the officers first arrived but later returned to the scene.

30-year-old Lacey Durant of Algona was charged with three felony offenses including willful injury causing serious injury, assault on a police officer causing injury and operating while intoxicated-third offense. She’s also charged with driving while barred, interference with official acts causing bodily injury and interference with official acts.

Algona police say additional charges are pending. Durant was arrested and placed into custody. Following the incident a search warrant was obtained to search the residence. A sharp object, which was allegedly used by Durant as a weapon, was found and placed in the evidence file.