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(Radio Iowa) – It’s a chore many Iowans tackle every week without a second thought, but mowing the lawn can be hazardous, especially for a teenager who’s just taken over the job. Kelly Hilsabeck, the trauma injury prevention coordinator at Gundersen Health System, says there are 85-thousand lawn mower injuries every year nationwide. “They can range from very minor, like a small burn or a cut, to very major like an amputation, broken bones,” Hilsabeck says. “A lot of that can result from blade contact, so we really want to take some safety precautions to avoid that. First of all, we should know how to operate our lawn mower before using it.”
You also need to dress for the job, including long pants, eye and hearing protection, and good shoes — no flip-flops. One of the biggest risks with lawn mowing is accidentally coming into contact with the spinning blade. “The big thing with blade contact is if we need to clear out any debris, any grass under the mower, make sure it’s off, but go ahead and take that extra step and disconnect that spark plug,” Hilsabeck says. “That’s just going to prevent that blade from spinning quickly around in a rare event that once you do clear that debris, that it would do that and cause a serious injury.” 
The mower blade is also a hazard, in that it could launch — at a high rate of speed — anything you run over. “We really want to be aware of projectile hazards when going to mow,” Hilsabeck says. “Look over your lawn before mowing. Remove any rocks, twigs, toys that might be outside, because in the event that you do run it over, a lawnmower can spit it out at over 100 miles per hour and cause an injury to yourself or anybody close by.” Add gas to the mower before starting it up, and she suggests if you need to refill the tank during the job, let it cool off first so there’s no risk of spilling fuel on any hot parts.
Gundersen Health System has clinics in Calmar, Decorah, Fayette, Lansing, Postville and Waukon, and a hospital in West Union.
(Radio Iowa) – Iowans for Tax Relief president Chris Hagenow is optimistic Iowa lawmakers will be open to making changes next year in a tax break for big corporations. It’s called the “research activities” tax credit and it’s refundable. That means the state is required to cut the corporation a check for any amount above what the company owes in taxes. Hagenow says the latest data from the state of Iowa shows John Deere received over 19 million dollars in tax credits for research activities last year.
“The conditions are ripe for a new conversation about these credits,” Hagenow says, “and not even necessarily because of this one particular example with regards to John Deere.” John Deere was the state’s largest recipient of Iowa’s research activities tax credit in 2023. Hagenow says Iowans may find that worrisome given recent layoffs at Deere facilities in Iowa, as well as the company’s plan to build a plant in Mexico.
“We generally support a flatter, fairer tax code for everyone without carve outs for anyone,” Hagenow says. “With regard to John Deere, then, being the biggest recipient of those credits, it really makes it much more difficult to take.” In tax year 2023, about 350 corporations filed for the state research activities tax credit — with claims totaling 77 million dollars. Hagenow, a former Republican lawmaker, says he hears from small business owners who cannot qualify for this kind of a lucrative subsidy.
“I think Iowans instinctively know a lot of these incentives are there and they’re not always fairly applied,” Hagenow says.
The 1984 Iowa legislature created the research activities credit. Businesses may receive a credit worth up to six-and-a-half percent of the company’s annual budget for research. Backers of the credit say it keeps companies in Iowa that are doing high value research — with highly paid staff. According to a state report, the salaries paid to employees who do research accounted for over 56 percent of the total amount of the tax credits awarded last year.
(Radio Iowa) – A rare bird came into sight in eastern Iowa this weekend. A four-legged chicken was hatched in the Mississippi Valley Fair’s Expo building. Gary Kaase and his wife manage the display where the chick hatched. “I was taking the chicks out and I thought that one was laying on top of the other. I saw four legs,” Kaase says, “and then I picked the chick up and I realized this was a real rare oddity that I had hatched here at the fair.” Sunday was the last day of the fair in Davenport. The tiny chick is now at home on Kaase’s farm just outside of Eldridge. “He is running around, he’s keeping up with everybody, he’s eating, drinking,”Kaase says. “The future for this chick — we hope to do some educational things with him.” The chick is the offspring of a Brown Sex Link chicken and a Leghorn rooster.
Kaase will be seeking permission to take the chick to visit patients at the University of Iowa Children’s Hospital and he’s hoping to line up other venues where the chick could spread the message that anything is possible. “With the kids…hopefully show them that life isn’t so bad,” Kaase says. “You can handle anything as long as you try.” About two decades ago, Kaase took eggs to his daughter’s third grade classroom so the students could watch the chicks emerge from the shells. He and his wife now take incubators to dozens of classrooms — and three fairs. “We bring in about three dozen eggs every day and we have a big glass incubator where people can actually see the chicks hatch,” Kaase says. “We have two barns set up, one for the chicks that we hatch, one for the ducks…Everything is educational.”
A rare four-legged chick born in Iowa. (Photo courtesy Mississippi Valley Fair.)
His daughter became a veterinarian. She checked the chick out and says he’s healthy. The family has not named him yet. “He’s kind of a light yellow color,” Kaase says. “I don’t know what he’s going to look like when he gets bigger. I’m sure he’ll change some colors.” Kaase’s four-legged chick is motoring around on its two front legs. Kaase’s family has done some research about four-legged chickens. “All we could find is maybe one in 10 million,” Kaase says. “I’ve got to say it’s rarer than that. I’ve been doing this for probably close to 40 years as far as hatching and everything else and I had never even heard of it.”
Kaase’s farm, by the way, is called Anything is Kaase-able.
(Des Moines, Iowa) – This year (2024) marks a milestone for the Cattlemen’s Beef Quarters with the celebration of its 40th anniversary grilling at the Iowa State Fair! Iowa Beef Industry Council (IBIC) officials says, since 1984, the Cattlemen’s Beef Quarters has became a beloved destination for fairgoers, offering high-quality beef dishes and a welcoming atmosphere. The Cattlemen’s Beef Quarters began its 40-year journey at the fair serving as an advocate for Iowa cattlemen and women and promoting the beef they raise. Comprised of 68 county cattlemen association and FFA groups bringing more than 1,600 volunteers each year, these passionate individuals are crucial in creating a memorable dining experience for fairgoers. These loyal cattle farmers serve nearly 90,000 customers annually and prepare roughly 28,000 lbs. of beef during the 11-day event.
For four decades, Cattlemen’s Beef Quarters has been dedicated to promoting and showcasing the best of Iowa’s beef industry. Commitment to quality and tradition has made them a staple at the Iowa State Fair. CBQ Manager Wayne Baumhover, says “One detail that makes us special is that we have something for everyone on our menu from the casual, on-the-go diner, to those interested in a true sit-down meal. Our menu has expanded and changed through the years, but one thing remains constant – it’s always about the beef.”
The Cattlemen’s Beef Quarters all-beef menu includes such favorites as Prime Rib, Taco Salad, Ribeye Steak Sandwich and the Hot Beef Sundae. Serving up mouthwatering meals is well-known amongst fairgoers, and their breakfast offerings are no exception. You can enjoy a hearty start to your day with their classic breakfast menu, featuring biscuits and gravy, brisket breakfast burrito, salt beef bagel and more. It’s the perfect way to fuel up for a day of fair fun. 
Iowa cattlemen and women invite you to visit them at the Iowa State Fair to celebrate this special milestone. Whether you’re a longtime fan or a first-time visitor, there’s something for everyone at the Cattlemen’s Beef Quarters. Enjoy a delicious meal, learn more about the beef industry, and be a part of the 40th anniversary celebration. Visit the CBQ’s iconic location August 8 through August 18, 2024. Located north of the Horse Barn and east of the Walnut Center, look for the black steer on the roof.
Hours of operation are 6:30 AM to 9:30 PM. Breakfast is served daily until 10 AM. Learn more about the Cattlemen’s Beef Quarters and find a full menu at www.cattlemensbeefquarters.com.
(Radio Iowa) – Looking for fresh-picked sweet corn or ripe strawberries right out of the patch? Iowa has more than 220 certified farmers markets and many of us know they’re a great place to find a wide variety of produce, to interact with local growers, and to support the community. U-S-D-A Undersecretary Jenny Lester Moffitt says farmers markets offer Iowa’s small producers what’s known as a low-barrier entry point, where it’s affordable to sell directly to consumers. “It’s really important because when we have direct sales, right now in mainstream supply chains, anywhere from 14 to 15 cents of that consumer dollar, our food dollar, goes directly to farmers,” Moffitt says, “but at farmer’s markets, that price is seven times that.”
This is National Farmers Market Week and Moffitt says communities in Iowa and across the country are celebrating the role farmers markets play in supporting local agriculture. “Farmers are able to capture and keep a lot more money of the consumer dollars in their own pockets, which means they’re reinvesting in their farms, they’re reinvesting in local jobs in their communities,” Moffitt says. “Really importantly, they’re able to get healthy food that’s grown in their region to the members in their communities as well.” She says Iowans who are on SNAP or other nutritional programs can use their benefits at many farmers markets. The markets are also known for offerings like local honey, giant heirloom tomatoes, and fresh-baked pies and pastries.
Farmers Market (USDA photo)
“What’s really great is you can find products that you normally can’t find on store shelves, whether that is locally-grown produce or other types of grains,” Moffitt says. “Also, it’s a really great opportunity to be able to buy things from other local producers, whether that is jams and jellies, and other value-added products, or craft products as well.” Even in an agricultural state like Iowa, people can forget where their food comes from, so farmers markets are a perfect way to rediscover our roots. “It’s also just a really great place to engage with farmers, to talk about how the food is grown, to be able to have that personal connection,” Moffitt says. “I know we all really love and thrive when we’re talking with producers that are growing the food that we’re enjoying.”
You can find a farmers market near you by visiting the USDA’s Local Food Directory (https://www.usdalocalfoodportal.com). Before entering the government sector, Moffitt raised organic walnuts on a family farm in California. She’s now the U-S-D-A’s Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs, the first woman to hold the post.
(Radio Iowa) – Volunteers are needed in north-central Iowa this weekend to help clean up a stretch of the Boone River. In years past, they’ve hauled out everything from water heaters to wagon wheels. They’ll be clearing out debris from the waterway on Saturday as a group, according to Brian Stroner, with the city of Webster City, who’s organizing the Boone River Clean-up.
“We’re going to be on the river for about four to five hours,” Stroner says. “We’re going to provide food and drink, some T-shirts. We’re also offering a self-guided clean-up to where people can go at their own pace. We’ll have dumpsters available at the 7-B canoe access, also at Briggs Woods.”
Hamilton County Conservation naturalist John Laird said since the first clean up of the river in 2007, volunteers have collected a range of interesting items. “We’ve found all kinds of things,” Laird says. “We’ve found couches, washing machines, washers, dryers, cars, car parts, old safes.”
Hamilton County Conservation Board photo
They had planned to clean a stretch of the Des Moines River in Fort Dodge this weekend, but the plans were called off due to the high water levels. The Boone is one of Iowa’s most scenic rivers.
Learn more about the weekend cleanup at the Hamilton County Conservation Facebook page. Volunteers are to meet at Briggs Woods Shelter #1 at 7:30 AM on Saturday.
(Radio Iowa) – There’s been a dramatic decline in the total number of barns in Iowa over the past century and it’s estimated fewer than 75 in the extremely rare round design remain. Wayne Frost of the Iowa Barn Foundation says most of the round barns in the country were built between 1900 and 1920. “There was some work in early 1900, some of it at Iowa State and other universities that linked a round barn to maybe being more efficient and less expensive to build,” Frost says.
By 1925, though, Iowa State Extension warned against round barn construction due to the expense of materials and how difficult it was to find carpenters with the skills needed to complete the complicated designs. “If you look across our landscape, every barn we have is different,” Frost says. “Even every round barn is different. Oftentimes they would have a silo in the center of it.”
2021 photo of a Hardin County Round Barn (Iowa Barn Foundation Facebook post)
Round barns are so rare now that dozens are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. There’s a 94-year-old round barn on the Plymouth County Fairgrounds in Le Mars. At this month’s State Fair, the Iowa Barn Foundation is building a small barn inside the Agriculture Building on the fairgrounds to promote their work. The group raises money and awards grants to people who are working to preserve barns on their property.
AMES, Iowa – The Iowa State Fair is quickly approaching and the anticipation of the annual Governor’s Charity Steer Show is building. The Iowa beef cattle industry is again partnering with the governor in this fundraising event to raise money for the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Iowa. Hundreds of fairgoers will attend the August 10 event, featuring youth, industry supporters, local celebrities, and of course, steers. Each steer is exhibited by a local youth representative and a guest celebrity selected by the sponsor of the steer. Twenty-four steers will be shown this year. Along with Gov. Kim Reynolds, we have other notable celebrities showing this year ranging from industry favorites to college. The Governor’s Charity Steer Show is sponsored by the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association (ICA) and the Iowa Beef Industry Council (IBIC).
Exhibitors from western Iowa include Claire Pellett from Atlantic, and her steer “Magic.” They are sponsored by the Iowa Veterinary Medical Association and ISU College of Veterinary Medicine. The animal will be shown by Celebrity hosts Dr. Dan Grooms & Dr. Stephen G. Juelsgaard, Dean of Veterinary Medicine at ISU. And, Ryan Brenner of Mapleton, and his steer “McEars” will appear during the event. They are sponsored by the Iowa Corn Promotion Board. The animal will be shown by celebrity host Stan Nelson, ICPB President. 
“The Iowa Governor’s Charity Steer Show showcases the good that can be done by one industry when producers, industry supporters, and community namesakes collaborate,” said Jenna Smith, ICA member services and Governor’s Charity Steer Show co-chair. “The cattle industry is full of people that care and it is an honor to work with the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Iowa, who provide a crucial service to families in need.”
The Iowa Governor’s Charity Steer Show has been held since 1983 and has raised over $5.1 million for the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Iowa since the show’s inception. Last year the show raised more than $500,000, the third year in a row that the fundraising record has been broken. Funds are raised through online donations, sponsorships, and an auction of steers following the show. All money raised benefits the three independent Ronald McDonald House Charities of Iowa, located in Des Moines, Iowa City, and Sioux City. These three houses have served over 55,000 families from all 50 states and 62 foreign countries. Families from all 99 counties in Iowa have benefited from the Ronald McDonald Houses of Iowa too.
If you are interested in supporting the Governor’s Charity Steer Show, consider donating online or attending the show/auction to contribute. The Governor’s Charity Steer Show is being held in Pioneer Pavilion at the Iowa State Fair on Saturday, August 10 at 4:30 p.m. For additional information about the Governor’s Charity Steer Show or to donate, visit www.iowagovernorscharitysteershow.com.
2024 Iowa Governor’s Charity Steer Show Participants
(Radio Iowa) – D-N-R Hydrologist Tim Hall says it looks like July will end up slightly wetter than normal once the final numbers are in. He says it continues the string of normal or above normal months that has pulled Iowa out of the drought. “The challenge that we’ve seen in the most recent month is although the rainfall is about average a lot of it came in the last week or ten days of the month,” he says. “And anytime you get a month’s worth of rain in a couple of weeks period of time it can be very, very challenging.” The latest map from the National Drought Monitor shows a clear map with no drought areas. Hall says while the colors indicating drought areas quickly washed off the map, the process was slow and steady. “While we’ve had a pretty rapid turnaround in drought conditions, this trend toward wetter weather and sort of giving us our side of the drought started almost ten months ago in October of last year,” Hall says.
Hall says water flows are back to normal on most waterways. “Last year there was a record number of irrigation permits that were in danger of being cut off because of low flow. If the stream flows too low, we don’t allow irrigators to withdraw water to irrigate under their permits. This year, no irrigation permits are even under any pressure,” he says. The drought had cities putting water use restrictions in place and Osceola has been looking at a plan to recycle wastewater. Hall says we’d be wise to not stop thinking about water use plans. “We would caution and advise any utility that’s sometimes struggling with water supply to think about where they were a year ago and keep working on some proactive solutions,” Hall says, “because droughts gonna come back. Maybe not this year, maybe not next year, maybe not for several years.”
He says the drought will come back sometime and it’s best to be prepared and take steps that can help minimize the impact when it does.
KNOXVILLE, Iowa — Swimming is not recommended at Lake Red Rock’s North Overlook Beach due to elevated levels of bacteria. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers works with Iowa State University to test the water weekly. They say the “swimming not recommended” signs will stay up until testing shows lower bacteria counts. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources reports there are currently 13 state beaches that also have dangerously high bacteria count.
Swimming is not recommended at the following state beaches:
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