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.

Iowa U.S. Congressman Bruce Braley will make an appearance in Webster City this Friday afternoon,May 24 at 4:30 at Lomita's at 500 Second Street. Braley will be meeting with residents during a "meet and greet" event. Last February, Braley announced plans to run for the Senate seat being vacated by retiring Senator Tom Harkin.

Authorities will resume their search Tuesday mornining in trying to help locate 15 year old Kathlynn Shepard who was reported missing late Monday afternoon. Shepard was with another juvenile when they were abducted after accepting a ride from a stranger. The other juvenile is safe after she was found walking out of the timber near a farm house in Boone County. She was being treated at Trinity Regional Medical Center in Fort Dodge. Kathlynn Shepard was last seen wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt and a Minnesota Vikings cap. She is five feet six inches tall and weighs 160 pounds with blonde hair and blue eyes. Late Monday, the Dayton police department had located the alleged abductor but Shepard is still reported missing. The name of the suspect has not been identified. Volunteers and law enforcement agencies spent much of late yesterday afternoon and in the early evening in searching for Shepard. Volunteers are being asked to report to the Dayton Community Center at 10 Tuesday morning to resume the search. A search plane will be used during the daylight hours to help locate her. If you have any information on the wherabouts of Kathlynn Shepard, please call the Webster County Sheriff's Department at 515-573-2323.

 The oath of office for new Van Diest Medical Center Board members Justin Deppe, Roberta Knutson and David Taylor will be administered during Tuesday evening's board meeting. The three were appointed at a special board meeting last week. Other agenda matters will include the approval of new members to the Foundation Board, review the 2013-14 fiscal year budget, consider capital requests and enter into a closed session. There will be a report from administrator Bob Mason on current hospital activities. The board meeting is set 7:00 p.m Tuesday in the hospital conference room.

 The Hamilton County Sheriff's Department is asking the public to help located a 46 year old Jewell man. Kenneth E. Heckman was reported missing last Thursday to law enforcement authorities. Heckman was last seen at about 6:00 a.m. on May 15th in Ames on a yellow New Holland backhoe. Heckman was wearing a ball cap, a white or red t-shirt and blue jeans Heckman is described as weighing 165 pounds, measuring 5 feet 11 inches tall , brown hair and green eyes. Heckman was to have attended a birthday last week as he turned 46. If you have any information on the wherabouts of Kenneth E. Heckman, you are advised to call the Hamilton County Sheriff's Department at 515-832-9500.

Sunday afternoon was a special time for high school seniors across the KQWC listening area. The strains of Pomp and Circumstance was heard in seven high school gymnasiums to welcome the Class of 2013. Sunday's commencement in Webster City was the first one to be held at the new gymnasium. The featured speakers for the afternoon were Brenna Paukert, Emily Elm and Emma White. Music for the ceremony was provided by the high school concert band directed by Roger Steig and the Purple and Gold singers directed by Andrew Wotherspoon. A total of 133 seniors received diplomas in the ceremony held Sunday. Similar commencement ceremonies were held in Blairsburg as 15 seniors received diplomas at Northeast Hamilton high school. 53 seniors graduated at South Hamilton high school in Jewell. At Eagle Grove high school,48 students graduated on Sunday. Clarion-Goldfield's commencement featured 67 students. The Roland Story graduation ceremony had a total of 77 graduating this year. The Belmond Klemme Class of 2013 was made up of 41 students. KQWC Radio salutes all of our area graduates!

 A Fort Dodge police officer was assaulted on Friday afternoon. Officer Chris Weiland conducted a traffic stop with a gold 1997 Toyota at the intersection of Sixth Avenue South and 15th Street at about 3:39 p.m. The vehicle was occupied by two subjects. The passenger, later identified as 40 year Mark Mendenhall of Fort Dodge provided false information as to his true identity, causing Officer Weiland to request an additional officer to his location for his assistance. As additional officers responded, Mendenhall struggled with Officer Weiland and fled the stop on foot. During the struggle Officer Weiland sustained an injury to his shoulder. Officer Weiland was able to broadcast that Mendenhall was fleeing as Sgt. Dan Charlson and Officer Leighton Walker arrived in the area. Sgt. Charlson and Officer Walker located and apprehended Mendenhall who was hiding under the rear porch of a residence in the 600 block of South 15th Street. Both Mendenhall and Officer Weiland were transported to Trinity Regional Medical Center for treatment. Officer Weiland was treated and released while Mendenhall was held for observation. On Friday evening, Mendenhall was released from the hospital and was booked into the Webster County Jail for Assault on a Peace Officer and Interference with Official Acts-both Aggravated Misdemeanors. He was also booked for an outstanding felony warrant for violation of parole.

 Two Webster City residents were arrested after local police were called for an alleged assault at 1515 Wall Street, Apartment 15 on Thursday morning. 39 year old Rhonda Marie Seil of 1515 Wall Street, Apartment 15 and 40 year old Neal Anthony Luhmann of 1116 Harding Road were both arrested by Webster City police officers. Webster City police chief Brian Hughes said the manager of the apartment complex and an exterminator were making their preannounced visits to each apartment for pest control. Once at apartment 15, the manager announced themselves and then entered the apartment. As the manager entered, the butt of a six inch to nine inch knife struck her in the neck. Both individuals ran out of the apartment complex and called the police. City police officers responded announced themselves several times and then opened the front door when another six inch to nine inch knife was thrown at them. Officers entered the apartment and located Seil and Luhmann in the bedroom. While in the apartment, suspected drug paraphernalia was discovered in plain view. Officers arrested Seil and Luhmann and transported both of them to the Hamilton County Jail. A search warrant was applied for and executed. Officers located more suspected drug paraphernalia and two suspected meth labs in the bathroom. The Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement responded and removed the labs.Seil and Luhmann were both charged with Assault (Aggravated Misdemeanor) and Assault on a Peace Officer (Class D Felony). Drug charges are pending based upon an ongoing investigation.