An Emmetsburg woman charged in the death of a young child was booked into the Dickinson County Jail at Friday.

Hannah Joy Priest faces a charge of child endangerment resulting in death — a Class B felony. 

Addressing mental health continues to be a major topic among law enforcement in northwest Iowa, according to Gov. Kim Reynolds. The governor made a stop in Lake Park on Thursday to speak with sheriffs, police officers and other officials in the region, and she said a majority of their discussion centered around law enforcement's role in responding to mental health needs and substance abuse — two issues which often occur together, the governor noted.

Zoning officials say no applications submitted yet

It didn't take Blurry Bigfoot Coffee Company in Lake Park very long to become a staple gathering place for the community of about 1,200. And the local coffee house recently caught the attention of Iowa's U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst, whose office named the Blurry Bigfoot its small business of the week on Aug. 21.

Press and production schedules for the Dickinson County News will be adjusted next week due to the Labor Day holiday. Subscribers can expect next week's edition of the DCN to arrive in their mailboxes Friday, Sept. 8, rather than Thursday, Sept. 7. Staff will likely post the week's news and sports content online earlier in the week — hardcopy subscribers qualify for online access to stories at no additional cost.

Officials with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources are hoping plans for work at Gull Point State Park will get the go-ahead by this December, but officials said it’s too early for the project to have a solid timeline.

DNR staff hosted an informational open house at the Gull Point lodge Aug. 22 to bring the public up to speed on plans to improve several aspects of the park.

Editor's note: Gov. DeSantis also made a Friday stop at West O Beer north of Milford. Event organizers informed the Dickinson County News on Thursday the Lakes Area event was not open to the press. In an effort to include coverage of the presidential candidate's regional tour, the DCN chose to publish coverage of DeSantis' visit to Spencer, which was written by staff at the DCN's sister-paper — the Spencer Daily Reporter.

Kindermusik at the Lakes has been named a top program for the third year in a row by Kindermusik International.

Allison Antoine is a Kindermusik accredited educator and the owner of Kindermusik at the Lakes, which has been serving northwest Iowa and southwest Minnesota since 2017. The Kindermusik Top Program award recognizes excellence in spreading the power of music and movement to young children and their families through Kindermusik’s curricula.

The Lauridsen Performing Arts Theatre at the Pearson Lakes Art Center will play host to hall of fame musician Jimmy Ryan at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 5. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.

The Treasure Village Flea Market and Antique Show will run Sept. 2-4. Vendors will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday and begin closing around 3 p.m. Monday. This Labor Day Flea Market will feature antiques, furniture, flags, lawn decor, metal art, quilts, tools, hats, chainsaws, candles, soaps, cedar birdhouses, dessert mixes, coffee beans and more.

The Bedell Family YMCA recently announced Andy Wolf, formerly the senior director of facilities and programs for the organization, will assume the role of branch executive for the Bedell Family YMCA facility. Wolf has worked for the Bedell Family YMCA for 13 years and had held numerous positions as the YMCA continued to evolve.

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Raul Torres Jr., age 34, of Spirit Lake was charged with third-degree theft at approximately 12:01 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 20 in the 1500 block of 18th Street in Spirit Lake. A criminal complaint said a camera at the Spirit Lake Hy-Vee captured Torres taking $1,200 in cash "by pocketing some while doing loan work" there. The criminal complaint was filed about four days after the incident.

Organizers with the the Northwest Iowa RSVP said the organization's Pen Pal Program is experiencing growth, especially among area third and fourth grade students. RSVP is seeking more volunteers to serve interested classrooms. The program, which pairs RSVP volunteers with area students, involves a minimal time commitment during the semester which fits a volunteer’s schedule, either during the fall or the spring.