Southeast Iowa’s Van Buren County is hosting its 37th annual Bike Van Buren this weekend, where cyclists can enjoy the landscape, the rural lifestyle and, of course, the home-baked pies. Emily Starnes, executive director of the Villages of Van Buren, says the scenery is stunning at any time of the year, but especially during the summertime. The rides begin and end both Saturday and Sunday at Keosauqua City Park and take different routes across the county each day, with stop-overs in various small communities.

The entire county only has a population of seven-thousand and the biggest town, Keosauqua, only has a thousand residents. It’s a different pace in that corner of Iowa, she says, and yes, you’ll be shifting gears.

Van Buren County residents pride themselves on laid-back living, as there are no big box stores, no chain restaurants, and no stoplights in the entire county. Historic communities include: Bentonsport, Bonaparte, Cantril, Farmington, Iowaville and Milton, and every year, the ride routes are changed up.

Walk-up registration is welcome at Keosauqua City Park on Saturday from 7 to 8:30 a-m and on Sunday from 7:30 to 8. Learn more at: villagesofvanburen.com or call 800-868-7822.

Republican presidential candidate Will Hurd says Donald Trump lost in 2020, prevented Republicans from having a red wave in 2022 and will lose to Joe Biden in 2024.

“You have to be clear and tell the truth,” Hurd says, “because if we continue to try to litigate things that happened in the past, we’re not going to be able to address these issues of the future.” Hurd is a former Texas congressman and C-I-A officer. He spoke at the Des Moines Registers’ Political Soapbox at the State Fair today (Friday). Hurd did not mention the indictments against Trump, but instead focused on his analysis of Trump’s prospects in 2024. Hurd noted Biden won a majority of independent voters in 2020.

“Who is that independent or Democrat who voted for Joe Biden in 2020 who is now going to change their vote and vote for Donald Trump if Trump is the nominee for the Republican Party?” Hurd has gotten campaign contributions from 40-thousand different donors, but he hasn’t registered at least one percent in any polling on the presidential race. Candidates have to meet the donor and polling criteria in order to get invited to next week’s debate for Republican presidential candidates.

The Iowa Aviation Museum is holding its 30th annual Wings Fly-In/Drive-In and Hall of Fame induction tomorrow (Saturday) in Greenfield. The museum’s Kris Schildberg (SHILD-berg) says this year’s Hall of Fame inductee is Jim Zangger, who’s been involved in aviation for decades in northwest Iowa, as his family ran an airport in Larchwood.

The day’s events kick off with a pancake breakfast at 7:30 A-M. Everyone who attends the breakfast and induction ceremony also receives admission to the Iowa Aviation Museum for the day. Schildberg says the museum’s staff has been hard at work keeping the exhibits pristine.

Tickets for the event are $10 for adults and $5 for school age children. Pilots in command and children younger than preschool are free.  http://flyingmuseum.com/

Senator Joni Ernst says the fourth indictment against former President Trump has had little impact on the 2024 presidential race.

The first televised debate for the Republican Party’s presidential candidates is next week in Milwaukee. Enrst says the candidates would be wise to focus on the economy.

Ernst does not intend to endorse a candidate before the Iowa Caucuses. She says the race for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination is far from over and Iowa Republicans will be narrowing the field of candidates when they vote on January 15th.

Ernst has guided about half a dozen candidates through this year’s Iowa State Fair and Ernst says she heard only a couple of them directly asking Iowans to support them in the Caucuses. Ernst spoke with reporters on the fairgrounds early this (Friday) afternoon after flipping pork burgers at the Iowa Pork Tent.

A Fort Dodge mother charged with first-degree murder in the death of her infant daughter has followed the baby’s father and pleaded guilty to a lesser charge. Brooke Bickford reports.

Taylor Blaha pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the death of her infant daughter last November. Following the plea, Blaha requested that she be sentenced immediately, and she was sentenced to 50 years in prison. She must serve 70 percent of that sentence. Blaha’s plea follows a plea deal that the baby’s father, Brandon Thoma  made last month. He will be sentenced on September 1st for child endangerment causing injury or death and the abuse of a corpse.