(Radio Iowa) – Democrat J.D. Scholten is ending his U.S. Senate campaign and endorsing a candidate who entered the race last week. Radio Iowa’s O. Kay Henderson reports.

(Radio Iowa) – A protest rally was held in a Denison park on Sunday, the same park where a man was shot and killed by police on Friday night. Pattie Richie was among the demonstrators, an activist with the League of United Latin American Citizens or LULAC (LOO-lac) in Denison. Richie says the man who died was Cuban, homeless and battled mental health issues. So far, authorities aren’t releasing his name.

After the rally, more than 50 people marched to the police station, where Richie says they met with the police chief.

Richie says there are still many questions which she hopes will be answered after the Iowa Department of Criminal Investigation concludes its investigation. She says there aren’t enough local services to help people who are experiencing homeless or mental health crises.

OMAHA, Neb. — The University of Nebraska-Omaha and the men’s basketball team mourn the loss of student-athlete Deng Mayar.  Mayar joined the Mavericks this past offseason after two years with North Dakota. He made 42 appearances and 15 starts for the Fighting Hawks.

Mayar also went by the last name Ador. On Saturday night, Deng Ador and 21-year-old Sa Mafutaga were swimming at Blackridge Reservoir. Just before 6:00 p.m., the Herriman Police Department was called to the reservoir to respond to two people in distress. Mafutaga was able to get out of the water but saw Ador was still struggling. The 21-year-old tried to get Ador out of the water but wasn’t able to. People in the area also attempted to help.

A team effort involving the Unified Fire Authority, South Jordan Fire Department Water Rescue Teams, and the Utah Highway Patrol Dive Team searched for Ador. After hours of searching, the Utah Highway Patrol’s submersible robot found Ador’s body at 10:40 p.m. Divers recovered him at 11:00 p.m.

“We are devastated to learn of Deng’s passing. On behalf of our university community, our love and sincere condolences are with his family during this difficult time. We also wish his friends and teammates in Omaha, North Dakota, and Salt Lake City family, peace as they process this tragic loss,” said Joanne Li, chancellor of the University of Nebraska-Omaha, and Adrian Dowell, Director of Athletics.

“Our entire program is devastated to learn of Deng’s passing. After competing against him for two years, we were elated to add him to our team and he made tremendous progress this summer. Deng was a joy to be around and made our culture better. We will miss him greatly. Jodi and I, along with our entire program, send our hearts and prayers to Deng’s family, friends, and teammates,” said Chris Crutchfield, UNO men’s basketball head coach.

Mayar was 22 years old.

(Radio Iowa) – A fund drive is underway for a new, 15 MILLION dollar building on the Iowa State Fairgrounds. The Agricultural Education Center will focus on crop development, Iowa soils, farm equipment and jobs in agriculture. Governor Kim Reynolds says it’s important to show kids who don’t have a farm background where their food comes from. The state budget plan Reynolds signed this spring includes five MILLION dollars for the building, which will be built next to the “Little Hands on the Farm” State Fair exhibit that guides children through a garden, grain bin, tractor shed, apple orchard and livestock barns.

(Radio Iowa) – A Marshalltown woman will spend six months in prison stealing drugs while working as a nurse. Radio Iowa’s Dar Danielson reports.

(Des Moines, IA) — Officials say a new record has been set at the Iowa State Fair.

This year’s Grandstand concert attendance reached over 131-thousand fans between August 7 and yesterday, marking the new attendance record for that category. August 9 marked a single-day high with over 16,300 people in the audience during the Megan Moroney and Kameron Marlowe show.

The Grandstand attendance record stood for over six years after being set in 2019 with 128,500 spectators.

Additionally, the Iowa Lottery has set a new Guinness World Record for the most people scratching lottery tickets at the same time.

On August 14, a Guinness World Records adjudicator confirmed the milestone after 1,380 participants scratched the 2025 “Scratch, Match & Win!” game together at Elwell Family Park on the Iowa State Fairgrounds.

Each participant received a free ticket, with a top prize of $50,000 up for grabs.

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Economic Development Board has approved a ten million dollar grant for a partnership between Iowa State University’s Research Park and an institute called BioMADE. The institute’s chief technology officer Kevin Moore says they will build fermentation facility.

Moore says bioplastics used in packaging are also made through fermentation.

He says it will be one of eight of these public-private entities mainly supported by the Department of Defense that cover different ranges of technologies. He says it will help early stage companies ramp up.

He says it helps move these companies ahead at a much faster pace.

BioMade is contributing 20 million to the project and Iowa State will add another ten million dollars of in kind support. The facility will be built at I-S-U’s BioCentury Research Farm in Boone, with operations starting in 2028.

(Radio Iowa) – Directors of the Head Start preschool program for low-income families in Iowa are waiting for more guidance before moving forward, as new federal policies will require proof of legal status for kids to enroll. Lisa Proctor, the Head Start director at Drake University in Des Moines, says she’s not sure how verification will affect the community, as the program never demanded proof of citizenship before.

Drake’s Head Start program serves around one-thousand children in six central Iowa counties. Proctor says asking families to verify citizenship might push them away from registering for the program, and Head Start programs are funded by the number of kids expected to enroll. If families stop enrolling their kids, Proctor says the program might shrink.

The program is focused on lowering barriers for high-need families caring for their kids. Proctor says adding citizenship requirements goes against what Head Start has been for 60 years.

(Radio Iowa) – The four Republicans who represent Iowa in the U.S. House are applauding President Trump’s decision to deploy National Guard troops and take over policing in Washington, D.C. Third district Congressman Zach Nunn of Bondurant says a staff assistant had a harrowing experience right after she started working in his D.C. office.

Nunn says the presence of armed soldiers does make it seem as those the city is under siege, but it’s a necessary move by the president. Second district Congresswoman Ashley Hinson of Marion says the nation’s capitol should set the standard for safety.

First district Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks of Davenport says Capitol Hill is safe due to the efforts of Capitol Police, but she tells visitors to be wary in other parts of the district.

Miller-Meeks says. She says a Texas congressman was carjacked at gunpoint last fall, just a few blocks south of the Capitol, and a homeless man attacked a Minnesota Congresswoman in the elevator of her D.C. apartment building in February of last year. Fourth district Congressman Randy Feenstra says President Trump is absolutely right to fight crime in D.C. because innocent people are being mugged, attacked and robbed. Iowa’s U.S. House delegation and Senator Grassley say it’s too soon to say whether they’d vote to extend the National Guard deployment in Washington, D.C.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Regardless of what Mother Nature throws at us temperature-wise, this week’s Produce in the Park in Atlantic will be “Cool as a Cucumber.” The event takes place this Thursday, August 21st, from 4:30-6:30 in the downtown Atlantic City Park. Food trucks on-hand include Lucky Wife Wine Slushies, the Teeny Weeny Weiner Wagon, and Karam’s Grill, a Mediterranean food truck selling a variety of dishes that include cucumbers–such as lamb gyro, chicken shawarma, and vegetarian falafel. Thanks to a music sponsorship from Rolling Hills Bank, Tyler Folkerts will be performing live.

This week, farmers market visitors will also find a free kids art activity hosted by Your Forte, a free bounce house thanks to the YMCA, and a Guest Chef handing out recipes and free samples of tzatziki, which of course features cucumbers. Farmers market vendors will be selling fresh produce such as cucumbers, tomatoes, zucchini, cabbages, onions, and peppers. Shoppers will also find local meat (lamb, chicken, pork, and beef), as well as farm-fresh eggs, honey, freeze-dried snacks (fruit, vegetables, and candy), and baked goods and desserts, including sourdough bread, cookies, and cupcakes. Multiple craft and other non-food vendors will be selling fresh-cut flowers, soaps, 3-D printed fidgets, leather wallets and purses, paintings, cut and polished rocks, compost, and more.

Tyler Folkerts

Tyler Folkerts is performing at Produce in the Park August 21

Various community organizations will be at the farmers market sharing information on community resources and events. Zion Integrated Behavioral Health Services, Healthy Cass County, the Atlantic Public Library, Cass County Tourism, and the Iowa National Guard are expected at the park August 21st.

Produce in the Park is held in the Atlantic City Park from 4:30–6:30 PM every Thursday from June through the end of September. All are welcome, and admission is free. The market accepts SNAP/EBT and Double Up Food Bucks for all qualifying food items. Produce in the Park continues to accept new vendors selling handmade or homegrown products throughout the farmers market season. For more information on vending at Produce in the Park visit www.produceintheparkatlanticiowa.com or email produceintheparkatlanticiowa@gmail.com.

Produce in the Park’s August farmers markets are made possible by support from Zion Integrated Behavioral Health Services, the City of Atlantic, First Whitney Bank & Trust, Gregg Young Chevrolet of Atlantic, Cass Health, Cass County Tourism, Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce, and Nishna Valley Family YMCA.

For the latest market updates, follow Produce in the Park on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ProduceInThePark and Instagram at www.instagram.com/produceintheparkatlanticia/.