Hamilton County saw a drop in its unemployment rate in April. The Iowa Workforce Development office announced Tuesday that the rate was at 5.7 percent down from the March rate of 6.4 percent. There were 6,240 employed in jobs across Hamilton County while 380 were unemployed. Iowa's unemployment rate for April was at 4.7 percent. The unemployment rates for surrounding counties during April showed Boone County at 4.0 percent,Franklin County at 4.4 percent, Hardin County at 4.7 percent, Story County at 3.2 percent, Webster County at 5.6 percent and Wright County at 4.4 percent.

 Officers and volunteers are spending this day searching for 15 year old Kathlynn Shepard in the rural lands of Webster, Boone and Hamilton Counties. As officers continue the search on the ground,citizens are asked to submit any information they have surrounding Shepard's whereabouts of her suspected abductor. 42 year old Michael J. Klunder has been identified as the suspect in this kidnapping. Along with his Red Toyota Tundra pickup, Klunder was located at approximately 8:00 P.M. on Monday night at a rural property northeast of Dayton When located, Klunder was dead. The cause of death is still under investigation. If you have information related to the disappearance of Shepard or may have come in contact with Klunder between 3:00 and 8:00P.M. on Monday,May 20 to please contact law enforcement immediately at 515-573-1410.  Kathlynn is 5'6'' and 160 pounds. She has blonde hair and blue eyes as well as braces.She was last seen wearing jeans, a grey hooded sweatshirt and a Minnesota Vikings cap. At approximately 4:30 Monday afternoon,a 12 year old female who had been abducted with Kathlynn ran to a rural residence and requested help. The girl indicated that she and Kathlynn had been abducted around after accepting a ride from Klunder at the bus stop. She also indicated that the pair had been taken to an agricultural facility located southeast of Dayton. It was at this location, the 12 year old was able to escape, Since that time she has been treated at an area hospital  and released. The brave young girl has provided very valuable information to help law enforcement with the search and investigation. As of Tuesday morning the search for Kathlynn spans a geographic area that is 75 to 100 miles square. Law enforcement are partnering with volunteers to search fields and wooded areas as well as make contact with residents in the area. Airplanes equipped with Flir technology and law enforcement K-9s are also working. Additionally volunteers are not needed at this time however they may be needed in the near future. If you would like to contribute to the search for Kathlynn,please call the Webster County Emergency Management office at 515-571-6483. You are asked to please leave a message for search coordinators  indicating your name and contact number as well as any resources you may be able to provide.

 Authorities have now recovered the body of 46 year old Kenneth Heckman of Jewell. Heckman was last seen on Thursday morning and was reported missing to the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office on Friday,May 17. A farmer notified the Hamilton County Sheriff's Department shortly after 6:00 Monday evening that while doing field work,he observed a New Holland back hoe matching the description of the one that Heckman had been operating. Deputies were dispatched to the area and found the tractor belonging to Heckman two miles northeast of Kamrar, in a wooded area south of 260th Street along a creek. The body believed to be that of Heckman was recovered in the creek a short distance away from the tractor and has been delivered to the State Medical Examiner's Office for a positive identification. Hamilton County Medical Examiner Dr. Joseph Latella ordered an autopsy to determine the cause of death. At this time no foul play is suspected in the death.