(Atlantic) – Mark your calendar for August the 4^th at 7-p.m., as the date and time for “Art in the Park for Adults,” at Sunnyside Park, in Atlantic. Parks and Rec Director Bryant Rasmussen said they’ve been running an “Art in the Park” program for YOUTH, every Wednesday at 9-a.m. The event has been held at different parks each week in Atlantic, since the program began. That continues through the end of July. He said the success of the program sparked an interest in having a program specifically for adults.

Simply show-up, and “freestyle” your art’s – or hearts – desires.

Other activities you may be interested in participating in, include a “Treasure Hunt” with a cool treat as your possible reward.

Bryant says later this Fall or early Next Spring, they are hoping to have an even bigger treasure hunt, like those held by bigger cities.

He says the Parks and Rec Dept. will have a booth at the 2021 Cass County Fair, where their staff will answer your questions about the parks, take suggestions for things you’d like to see, and promote the all the different recreational items available for you to check out, including the shelters and sports equipment, like bicycles.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa’s dry conditions held about the same in the last week with around 70 percent of Iowa in some form of drought — and around 25 percent with severe drought conditions. D-N-R hydrologist, Tim Hall, says the overall picture is still better than we had one month ago. “The numbers are better from this time in June until now. We’ve reduced the coverage of drought across the northern part of the state — so the rains have helped,” Hall says. “All of southeastern Iowa across the southern tier of counties is free from drought and dryness.” Hall says.

He says the average stream flows across the state are around normal — which is a little misleading.”It’s really wet in southeastern Iowa. It’s kind of dry in north-central Iowa — so the average number belies the fact that there are areas of the state on either end of the extreme. Still the area that we are concerned about that were are trying to keep a careful watch on is north-central Iowa down through central Iowa through the Des Moines River and the Raccoon River.” Hall says the long-term forecast is a concern.

“So taking us through the end of July there’s very little rain in that forecast for most of the state of Iowa. So, dry conditions, not a lot of rainfall. We might expect to see a deterioration on the landscape that would be reflected in the drought monitor,” Hall says. Hall says we are in a situation where things can flip in a real positive direction or go the other way in a real negative direction depending on how much rainfall does come.

“We might expect to see some downgrading of parts of the state here in the next couple of weeks unless we get some rain,” according to Hall. The new drought monitor will come out on Thursday.

7:00 am Free 4-H/FFA Breakfast (Agriland FS) – Foodstand
8:00 am Dairy/Dairy Goat Show – Swine Show Ring
8:30 am Junior Feeder Calf Pen Show Cow/Calf Pen – Pens by scale Breeding Heifer, Lead Cow/Calf, and Feeder Calf Shows – Mid American Arena
Kid’s Rabbit/Cavy Show – West end Dairy Barn
9:00 am Open Fun Jackpot Horse Show (Registration 8:00 am) – Horse Arena
4-H/FFA Rabbit/Cavy Show – West end Dairy Barn
Feeder Calves must be on fairgrounds
(Feeder Calf Exhibitors check-in announcer’s stand between 9:30–10:00 am)
10:00 am Baby Show – 4-H/FFA Center
10 am – 4 pm Hands on the Farm Activities – Varied Industries Building
10 am – 4 pm Toby KID Strolling Entertainment
10 am – 5 pm Quilt Show – Varied Industries Building
11:30 am Pedal Pull – in front of 4-H/FFA Center
12:00 pm Junior & Senior Cowgirl Queen Contest – Horse Arena
12 – 1 pm Cat Show – Gazebo
Adair County Youth Council-Water Baseball
1 pm – 7 pm Mobile Glass Studios (glass blowing creations), location TBD
12:30 pm Ice Cream Social (Adair County Democrats) – Courtyard
1:00 pm Market Beef, Beef Showmanship – Mid American Arena
2:00 pm Animal Demonstration – Gazebo
2 pm – 4 pm Discover the Fair Scavenger Hunt, Courtyard
4:00 pm Share the Fun Contest – 4-H/FFA Center
6:45 pm Supreme Showman Winners Announced – Grandstand
7:00 pm Fontanelle American Legion Color Guard and National Anthem
Concert – Tribute to George Strait, Willie Nelson
and Waylon Jennings– Grandstand

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Nishna Valley Trails is holding a Kids Bike Ride August 14th, 2021 10:30 AM at Schildberg Rec. Area West Parking lot. Check in and start the ride at the West Parking lot of the Schildberg Rec. Area. Three age groups, ride length according to age. FREE, and all ages welcome.

The event is co-sponsored by Atlantic Parks and Recreation, Cass County Conservation, Fareway, and West Side Diner in Atlantic, IA. Questions: Call Lora at 712-769-2372. After the ride check out Atlanticfest going on downtown!

7:00 am – till gone Farm Bureau Breakfast – Courtyard
8:00 am 4-H/FFA Horse Show – Horse Arena
Supreme Showman Contest – Horse – Horse Arena
9:00 am Market Lamb Feeder Pen, Market and Bottle Lamb, Breeding Sheep Show
– Mid American Arena
10 am – 5 pm Quilt Show – Varied Industries Building
11:00 am Dog Agility – East side of Fair Shop Building
11:30 am Meat Goat Show – Mid American Arena
11:45 am Announce results On-Site Garden Contest – 4-H/FFA Center
12:00 pm Bucket/Bottle Calf Exhibitor Interviews begin – location to TBD.
Pride of Iowa Contest – 4-H/FFA Center
1 pm – 7 pm Mobile Glass Studios (glass blowing creations), location TBD
2 pm – 8 pm Toby KID Strolling Entertainment
4:00 pm Bucket/Bottle Calf Show – Mid American Arena
4:45 pm Ag Olympics – Courtyard
5 pm – 6 pm Discover the Fair Scavenger Hunt, Courtyard
6 pm – 10 pm Mechanical Bull Rides – Midway
8:00 pm Demolition Derby – Grandstand

8:00 am Swine Show – Mid American Arena
8 am – 10 am Enter Poultry – West end of Dairy Barn
8 am – 12 pm Enter Open Class – Floral Hall
10 am – 5 pm Quilt Show – Varied Industries Building
10 am – 4 pm Toby KID Strolling Entertainment
11:00 am Stuffed Pet Show (Registration 10:45 am) – Gazebo
12:00 pm Poultry Showmanship- West End of Dairy Barn
12:30 pm 4-H Communications Event – 4-H/FFA Center
Extemporaneous Speaking, Educational Presentations, Working Exhibits, Table Setting Contest
1:00 pm Floral Hall Closed for Open Class Judging
1 pm – 7 pm Mobile Glass Studios (glass blowing creations), location TBD
2:00 pm – 2:45 pm Enter Lamb Performance – Swine Barn
2:45 pm – 3:30 pm Enter Swine Performance – Swine Barn
3:00 pm Poultry Show – West end of Dairy Barn
Lend a Hen Show immediately following the Poultry Show
4:30 pm Supreme Showman Contest – Beef, Sheep, Goat, Swine – Mid American Arena
7:00 pm Clothing Event Style Show – 4-H/FFA Center
7:00 pm Greenfield American Legion Color Guard and National Anthem
All American Lumberjack Show – Grandstand
LUMBERJACK PARTICIPATION CAMP TO FOLLOW MAIN EVENT
X-cut sawing – Ages 5 & up. Ax throwing – Ages 12 & up
Log Rolling – for everyone that wants to get wet.

(Radio Iowa) – The forecast calls for hot — and still hotter — weather for Iowa this week and it’s doing no favors for Iowa’s top crops. Meteorologist Dennis Todey, director of the U-S-D-A’s Midwest Climate Hub in Ames, says the average rainfall for late July doesn’t bode well for the soil, which is already suffering under moderate to severe drought over a wide section of the region. “That’s the climatological average but weekly EP, or evapotranspiration, how much water the crop is using out of the soil, is probably going to be more than that,” Todey says. “So, even the average precipitation this time of year, you’re losing ground into that soil moisture.”

Recent rains were exceptionally heavy in some areas of Iowa, prompting flash flooding. Still, Todey says the soil moisture has been depleted for months across much of the state’s northern half and highs of 95 degrees won’t help. “The soil moisture is rather short in that area,” he says. “Even low 90s will be causing some problems. That’s why this recent precipitation has been helpful in some of the areas further south where they could stand a little bit more temperature at this point. We’re entering that time when we could kill a crop or manage get through it.”

Corn is reaching a critical pollination stage while soybeans will be more at-risk during August.

w/Kate Olson.

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6:00 am All livestock (not poultry) may begin arriving
7 am – 8 am Enter Rabbits (west end of the Dairy Barn – exhibitors: do not enter through the pit area)
7 am – 8:30 am Weigh Swine
10 am – 2 pm 4-H/FFA Center Open for Clubs to Decorate
8:30 am – 10 am Weigh lead market beef followed by junior feeder pen cattle
10 am – 10:30 am Weigh Bucket/Bottle Calves
10:30 am – 11 am Weigh Meat Goats
11 am – 12 pm Weigh Sheep
12 pm – 3 pm Quilt Show Entry – Varied Industries Building
1:00 pm Bucket/Bottle Calf & Bottle Lamb Records Due to 4-H/FFA Center Supreme Showman Written Test – 4-H/FFA Center
1 pm – 7 pm Mobile Glass Studios (glass blowing creations)
2:00 pm Dog Show – Mid American Arena
4:00 pm Announce results Crops Contest – Swine Show Ring Livestock Judging Contest (Registration 3:30 pm) – Swine Show Ring
4 pm – 6 pm Discover the Fair Scavenger Hunt – Courtyard
4 pm – 7 pm Conservation Station Trailer – Courtyard
5 pm – 8 pm Jesse and the Medicine Men – Gazebo Quilt Show – Varied Industries Building
6:00 pm Free BBQ Hamburger/Pork Burger Meal – Courtyard 4-H Silent Auction Begins – 4-H/FFA Center Ice Cream Social (Historical Society) – Courtyard
6:00 pm Photos: Exhibit Building State Fair Selections – 4-H/FFA Center
8:00 pm GAZEBO PRESENTATIONS

• Little Miss and Little Mister Adair County
• Local Conservation Awards – Adair County Soil & Water Conservation District
• Fair Quilt Auction
• Adair County Extension & Outreach: 4-H Hall of Fame and 4-H Senior Recognition
• Adair County Fair Queen
• Fireworks

(Radio Iowa) – Officials with Forest City-based outdoor lifestyle product manufacturer Winnebago Industries announced today (Tuesday) they’ve reached an agreement to acquire Barletta Pontoon Boats. Winnebago CEO Michael Happe says Barletta is the industry’s fastest-growing premium boat manufacturer, since it was founded in 2017.  “What is particularly exciting about Barletta Boats is the combination of their youth, their success to date, the talent they’ve acquired and the opportunities in front of them,” Happe says. “We believe there are multiple growth avenues. Product line expansion is one. They have a very solid product line today with the three different series of pontoon boats. We know they have great vision to expand that product line in the future.”

Happe says there’s potential growth in pontoon boat sales.  “We believe the secular popularity of this particular category, including popularity of this category that is increasing in some untraditional places, i.e. the Western U.S. but also some of the inland waters near some saltwater bodies, means that there’s great potential to expand the overall presence of the category as well,” he says. Happe says Barletta has positioned itself to rise in the pontoon boat industry.

“From a market share perspective, while they are #9 today, we believe we have signed a purchase agreement with a company that can be a top three market share performer in the pontoon segment in the future,” he says. “That will take some time and some hard work against some formidable competitors, but we believe the market share potential with this particular brand is material.”

It’s the second marine company that Winnebago has acquired in the last four years as the company purchased Chris-Craft Boats in 2018. The agreement is for an initial consideration of $255 million in cash and newly-issued Winnebago stock shares, plus up to $15 million in Winnebago shares upon the achievement of performance milestones at the end of the calendar year.