(Iowa Capital Dispatch) – Eighteen percent of soybeans are setting pods across the state, which is several days ahead of the 5-year average. Other crops across Iowa continue to progress close to the normal schedule amid another week of above-average precipitation, according to the crop progress and condition report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Corn and soybeans both rated well for the July 7-13 reporting period, respectively at 85% and 79% good to excellent.  Corn silking reached 36% on average across the state, and 5% of corn entered the dough stage. The central regions of the state and southeastern Iowa continue to lead the state in terms of acres reaching various development stages.

On average, more than half of soybean acres across the state are blooming, according to the report. The second cutting of alfalfa hay is 66% complete across the state and 7% of hay acres have undergone their third cutting already. Hay rated 83% good to excellent for the week. Oats rated 86% good to excellent and nearly all, 96%, of the crop has headed and 71% has colored.

Farmers had fewer than four days suitable for field work during the reporting period due to what State Climatologist Justin Glisan referred to as an “anomalously wet and active” weather week.  On average, the state received 2.37 inches of precipitation during the period, which is more than an inch above the normal. Precipitation accumulation maps for the period show a band of heavy rain from river to river across the central portion of the state. These areas received 2-4 inches more than the normal for the reporting period. Asbury in Dubuque County clocked the most precipitation for the period with 6.77 inches. Several towns in eastern Iowa had flash flooding warnings and there were tornadoes in Canton, Clarinda and in Scott County.

Accumulated precipitation from July 7-13. (Map courtesy of Midwestern Regional Climate Center)

Gov. Kim Reynolds issued a disaster proclamation Monday for Scott County, due to damages from the storm. The disaster proclamation opens up state funds to help with repairs to an area and allows affected residents to apply for grants to help pay for repairs and other expenses caused by the storm. Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig said it was a “wild weather week” for the state.  “Though the rainfall is improving drought conditions and helping the corn during tasseling and pollination, there are now parts of the state that could use a break from the rain,” Naig said in a statement.

According to the report, north central Iowa has the wettest soil, with 37% of topsoil and 38% of subsoil moisture conditions rated as surplus for the period. On average, topsoil moisture conditions for the state rated 71% adequate and 23% surplus. Subsoil moisture conditions for the state were 74% adequate and 16% surplus. Southwestern Iowa continued to have the driest soil conditions as 31% of topsoil and 35% of subsoil rated short.

(Radio Iowa)- The SpaceX Dragon capsule carrying Iowa native astronaut Peggy Whitson and her three crewmates splashed down about 4:30 Central this (Tuesday) morning in the Pacific Ocean just off the coast of San Diego.

It completes an 18-day research mission aboard the International Space Station. Whitson is America’s most experienced astronaut, now with nearly 700 days in space over five missions.

Axiom Dragon space capsule after splash down Tue. morning (Axiomspace.com screenshot)

(Radio Iowa) – A launch party will be held tonight (Tuesday) in northwest Iowa for a new book that’s rich in area history, written by Judy Bowman, who died in May. Bowman was a local journalist and the 25-year administrator of the Plymouth County Historical Museum. Bowman’s friend, Judy Stokesberry, says the book is called “Down at Dalton.” “It’s basically a compilation of 42 of her columns that she wrote for The Messenger,” Stokesberry says. “The Messenger is the newsletter that she owned that printed the news from the courthouse.” Stokesberry says the last chapter of the book was transcribed in the final days of Bowman’s life.

“When she was confined to her bed towards the end, she had a friend come in and she dictated the final chapter to her,” Stokesberry says. “She called the chapter, Six Miracles, and it was six things that had happened to her since she lived in Plymouth County that she considered miracles.” The title of the book comes from the former town of Dalton, what’s now a ghost town, which had also been known as West Le Mars, where Bowman owned an acreage.

“From about 1890 to 1912, there was a settlement there. It had a church, it had a school, it had a hotel, it had businesses,” she says, “and then as Le Mars started to grow and transportation got better, Dalton kind of died out.” The book launch will run from 5 to 7 PM at Lally’s Eastside Restaurant in Le Mars. Profits from book sales will go to the Wet Nose Animal Rescue in Le Mars, which was founded by Bowman, who loved animals.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The crowning of the 2025 Cass County Fair King and Queen will take place in the Outdoor Show Ring at the Cass County Fairgrounds on Thursday, July 24th at 7:30 pm. The evening will kick off at 7:00 pm with our Little Miss and Mister contest. Any Cass County youth 5 years to 8 years old can participate in Little Miss/Mister by filling out a form in the Extension Office by noon on Wednesday, July 23^rd. Little Miss and Mister contestants will introduce themselves to the crowd before a winner is drawn out of a hat.

High school 4-H and FFA members will compete for a place on the royal court during the annual Cass County Fair, July 24th through July 29th. The candidate selected as queen will advance to the Iowa State Fair, where she will compete in the statewide competition for the title of the 2025 Iowa State Fair Queen. Judges will also select the King, Prince and Princess.

Candidates will go through Preliminary judging on Thursday, July 17th at the Cass County Community Center in Atlantic. Two judges will review candidates’ applications and interview each youth individually and as a group. Judging criteria is based on leadership, citizenship within the community, the ability to communicate openly with honesty about current youth issues, poise, charm, appearance, personality, and attitude. Candidates competing for Queen and King vote amongst themselves for Miss Congeniality and Mister Congeniality.

Coordinating the event this year is superintendent Haley Schmidt. Fair officials say they want to recognize the 2024 Cass County Fair Royalty: Queen, Claire Pellett; Princess, Makayla Atkinson; King, Jack Brahms and Prince, Jace Thomsen for representing the fair well this past year.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – Police in Red Oak report two men were arrested on separate charges, Monday. 36-year-old Brandon Lee Gugenhan, of Red Oak, was arrested Monday afternoon for Violation of a No Contact Order. Gugenhan was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $300 bond.

And, Monday morning, Red Oak Police arrested 33-year-old Zachary A. Albrecht, of North Platte, NE., for Possession of a Controlled Substance/Marijuana-1st offense. He was taken into custody in the 1700 block of N. Broadway Street in Red Oak, at around 10:40-a.m.  Albrecht was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $1,000 bond.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – The National Weather Service in the Quad Cities reports nine tornadoes touched down across eastern Iowa during Friday’s severe storms. On Friday, the severe storms across eastern Iowa produced strong winds, small hail, and very heavy rain. Nine tornadoes were identified.

Tornadoes were identified in the following counties:

• Scott
• Jackson
• Dubuque
• Jones
• Linn
• Benton

One was rated an EF-0, five were rated as EF-1 and two were rated EF-2 on the Fujita Scale.

LE CLAIRE, Iowa (KCRG) – A Police Officer in the eastern Iowa town of Le Claire last week, stopped a minor driving a vehicle at nearly 110 mph in a 35 mph speed limit. According to a Facebook post by the Le Claire Police Department, Officer Briones pulled over a minor going 108 mph in a 35 mph limit on Wisconsin Street.

Police said the road is known to have limited visibility, blind hills, dips, and runs alongside a bike path. According to one of the driver’s parents, the child will not be driving again as a result of the action.

Le Claire PD photo

“We’re sharing this not to shame, but to raise awareness. This is a teachable moment for all of us,” said Le Claire Police Department on Facebook. “It’s about more than just the safety of the driver. It’s about protecting everyone else who shares the road: your friend, your neighbor, or a child on a bike.”

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa [KETV] — A Council Bluffs native and veteran remains in the hospital in critical condition after a driver hit him in the parking lot of a gas station on Wednesday. Council Bluffs police are investigating the hit-and-run that has left 68-year-old Thomas Sayles with several injuries. The Sayles family describes their father and brother as the kindest man anyone could ever meet and someone who drops everything to help anyone.

They say he is a veteran and was proudly part of the Marine Corps. The family said they are still very shaken up and focused on doing anything they can to help their father through his recovery process. They said it was shocking when they received the news of what had happened, and they did not find out until Thursday morning, about 12 hours after the hit-and-run.

Veteran Tom Sayles

Chelsea Sayles Dubois, Thomas Sayles’ daughter, said her father has several brain bleeds, a fractured skull that has resulted in nerve damage and partial paralysis of his face, and several bruises and cuts. The family said they are grateful for every good Samaritan and first responder who helped their father.

According to court documents, there have been two charges officially filed against the driver. One is for leaving the scene of an accident while failing to provide aid or information, and one is for failure to provide proof of financial liability. The Sayles family said their father’s medical bills are already mounting, and when he is released from the hospital, he will need 24/7 care. If you would like to donate to the Thomas Sayles and his recovery process, click here.

(Storm Lake, Iowa) – A collision between a 2020 Subaru Outback and an International truck in northern Buena Vista County, late this (Monday) morning, resulted in one fatality and four injuries. The Iowa State Patrol reports the crash happened at around 9:55-a.m. south of Peterson, as the Outback was traveling north on Buena Vista County road M-27 and proceeded to to turn left into a parking lot, near 20th Avenue.

The driver of the Subaru, 37-year-old Nicholas Seaburg, of Popejoy (IA) failed to yield to a southbound the 2006 truck, and was struck on the passenger side. A passenger in right side front sear of the Subaru, 42-year-old Coree Keller, of Popejoy, was ejected and died at the scene. Three juvenile females, ages 11, seven and five, all from Popejoy, along with Nicholas Seaburg, were injured, and transported to area hospitals.

The driver of the semi – 69-year-old Marlon Klein, of Sheldon (AI) was not injured.  The Iowa State Patrol was assisted at the scene by the Buena Vista County Sheriff’s Office.

(Des Moines) – The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has confirmed a case of measles in an adult resident of Eastern Iowa and is notifying the public of potential exposure locations.  The individual is fully vaccinated and has no known link to the previous measles cases in Iowa, nor any recent travel outside the state. Iowa has a total of seven confirmed measles cases in 2025. As of July 8^th, 2025, a total of 1,288 confirmed measles cases have been reported in the United States. Of these, 1,185 (92%) were unvaccinated, and 103 (8%) had received at least one dose of MMR vaccine.

Iowa HHS and local health officials have identified locations visited by the individual while contagious, where the public might have been exposed to measles. Anyone born in or after 1957 who visited the following locations and is unvaccinated or unsure of their immune status should report to the online questionnaire which can be found at the following link: https://forms.office.com/g/znkgFZwhWQ.

Measles is a highly contagious viral illness that is spread through the air when an infectious person coughs, sneezes, or breathes. Symptoms of measles include fever, cough, red/watery eyes, runny nose, and a rash. If you think you have been exposed to a measles case and have symptoms, call your medical provider or nearest emergency room ahead of time and tell them that you have been exposed to measles and have symptoms before arriving.

Due to a locally-acquired case of measles not linked to other known cases, an accelerated MMR vaccination schedule should be considered. While the routine MMR schedule is one dose at 12–15 months and a second dose at 4–6 years, Iowans should discuss with their healthcare provider to consider:

• An early extra dose of MMR between 6 and 11 months of age (“dose 0”); this dose does NOT count toward the routine series
• The first routine dose (dose 1) can be given after 12 months of age, at least 28 days after dose 0
• The second routine dose (dose 2) can be given at least 28 days after dose 1, instead of waiting until age 4–6 years

For the latest information on measles in Iowa, visit the Iowa HHS Center for Acute Disease Epidemiology disease information page. This page is updated weekly, on Thursdays, with current case counts and public health guidance.  Iowa HHS will issue a press release when there is a confirmed public exposure that may pose a risk to others. When possible, individuals identified as close contacts will also be notified directly by public health officials.