(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/.

(Osceola, Iowa) – The Iowa State Patrol says a driver suspected of being impaired was one of two people injured in a collision Saturday afternoon in south central Iowa. The accident happened at around 2:25-p.m. on northbound Interstate 35, between Osceola and Van Wert, when a Dodge Caravan driven by 41-year-old Natasha Marie Lyons, of Leon (IA), collided with a Semi tractor-trailer that had been stopped on the shoulder of the road with its hazard lights on due to mechanical issues, and was preparing to re-enter I-35.

When Lyons failed to move-over, her van sideswiped the semi before it crossed both northbound lanes and came to rest in the median. The semi remained on the shoulder of the road.  Lyons, and a passenger in her vehicle, 11-year-old Sawyer Whitt, of Leon, were injured and flown by helicopter to the hospital. The child was transported to Blank Children’s Hospital. Natasha Lyons was transported to Iowa Methodist Hospital. Both had been wearing their seat belts. The 47-year-old driver of the semi, who was from St. Louis, MO., was not injured.

Northbound I-35 was closed for about 4-hours following the crash. The Patrol says a drug investigation into the crash is underway.

OMAHA, Neb. — Omaha’s Eppley Airfield will offer not one, but two new nonstop flights next year. Southwest Airlines will offer flights from Omaha to LaGuardia Airport in Queens, New York starting March 5, 2026. The airline will also offer the service from Omaha to Miami International Airport starting March 7, 2026.

Last month, officials with Eppley Airfield announced new, twice-weekly non-stop service to Atlanta, GA from Omaha will begin October 10th via Frontier Airlines. And, Southwest Airlines announced last month, seasonal non-stop service from Omaha to San Diego, CA will begin November 22nd.

In June, American Airlines announced the beginning of non-stop service from Omaha to Philadelphia.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – SWIPCO (the Southwest Iowa Planning Council), based in Atlantic, is seeking nominations for persons who provide great civic leadership but who would otherwise go unrecognized. You’re asked to nominate persons for the inaugural Ron Kohn Leadership Award presented by SWIPCO, which is celebrating 50 years of service to Southwest Iowa this year, and officials says, is excited to debut the Ron Kohn Leadership Award. The award recognizes a public servant that has gone above and beyond to provide exceptional leadership, mentoring, and other contributions to a local city, county, or service entity fFrom within SWIPCO’s service area, which includes Cass, Fremont, Harrison, Mills, Montgomery, Page, Pottawattamie, or Shelby Counties.

The recognition is being given in honor of the late Ron Kohn, former SWIPCO Policy Council Member, Mills County Supervisor, and Mayor of Glenwood. Ron was a shining example of community leadership from his time in office to his time as an educator in the Glenwood School District. Ron’s passion for teaching extended well past his time in education. He worked to make sure others interested in local government had someone to lean on as they learned their way. The award will go annually to a local leader that carries the same passion for the region that Ron had. The recipient will have demonstrated a commitment to innovation, community engagement, and the advancement of public service in Southwest Iowa.

If you would like to nominate someone for this award, please complete the simple form located on the SWIPCO website www.swipco.org. The nomination deadline is August 25, 2025. All nominees will be recognized, and the winner will be presented with the award at the SWIPCO 50th Anniversary Annual Meeting on Thursday, September 25, 2025, at the Cass County Community Center in Atlantic. Nominators will be encouraged to attend and help present the award winner as well.

SWIPCO thanks you for your support in its effort to recognize talented local leaders, and they look forward to honoring Ron Kohn’s legacy with this award presentation. SWIPCO is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

(Radio Iowa) – Republican Congressman Randy Feenstra says he’ll make an announcement in September about moving his exploratory campaign for governor to the next level.

“We wanted to wait ’til summer is over with, everybody’s on vacation, going to the fair. No one cares about politics at this point, but when kids go back to school, then everybody’s refocused,” Feenstra said today at the Iowa State Fair. “It’s just been so much fun traveling the state. You know, I live in northwest Iowa, so traveling to Davenport and Muscatine, Ottumwa and Fort Dodge, it’s just been a lot of fun.”

Congressman Randy Feenstra (R-Hull) spoke with reporters after flipping chops on the Iowa Pork Producers’ grill at the Iowa State Fair. (RI photo)

Governor Kim Reynolds announced in April that she would not run for re-election. In May Feenstra formed a campaign committee to explore a run for governor and quickly raised over a million dollars. In June, he announced a team of fundraisers, but has not held a public event to lay out his agenda. However, Feenstra has run campaign ads introducing himself across the entire state, not just the fourth congressional district that he’s represented since 2021. He spoke with reporters after flipping chops at the Iowa Pork Producers’ State Fair grill and described himself as an Iowa kid who wants to give back to his home state.

“To me it’s all about a vision of how we can grow economically, how we can keep our kids here in Iowa, and how we can create better education and health care,” Feenstra said, “you know, bring our state to new heights.”

Feenstra has spent several days at the Iowa State Fair. “It’s just been so much fun to be at the Fair, talking to people and so we’re going to make an announcement here hopefully in the next three weeks or so.”

Feenstra went to the Def Leopard concert at the State Fair last night and joked with reporters about the mullet he had in the 1980s during the height of the heavy metal band’s popularity.

Former State Representative Brad Sherman and current State Representative Eddie Andrews have announced campaigns for governor. State Senator Mike Bousselot has said he’s still in the exploratory phase and hasn’t made a decision yet about running.