(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa State Fair wrapped up Sunday after an 11-day run topping the one-million mark again. State Fair C-E-0 Gary Slater says there were not many negatives. “The fare is just tremendous this year — smooth running and whatnot, There’s a little devil in some of the details, but nothing that is any major thing,” he says. There was one day that saw more than three inches of rain in a short time that made for some wet fairgoers and some muddy areas. But the rest of the days were nice — which wasn’t a given with triple-digit temperatures and heat indices heading up to the Fair start.

“A month ago of having 95-96 degree temperatures here, we just didn’t know what was going to happen,” Slater says. “But it did settle down after the first weekend, and we’ve had just tremendous weather there until that rain.” Slater says fair ticket says are the top revenue source for the Iowa State Fair and he is pleased to see attendance top the one million mark (1,016,917) with Sunday’s numbers still to be finalized. “Attendance means a lot to us, we try our very, very best to have something for everybody out here. And that does mean dollars in the bank and the more people you get out here then the concessionaires and all of the vendors selling all their wares in the building are all happy when we’ve got a good crowd,” Slater says.

State Fair, Saturday (RI Photo)

Saturday saw more than 128 thousand visitors — a record high for one day attendance, with Sunday still to be tallied. The total visitors could surpass last year’s one-million-94-thousand-480 mark. Slater says the business side of the fair continues for several weeks.  “It takes us a while just to pick everything up on the fairgrounds and put it back in the warehouse. Make sure you know if it’s still in good shape, or if it needs attention before next year and put those things in priority aisle or one that they’re good for next year’s aisle,” according to Slater. “And then of course paying bills, gosh, we’ll pay bills through the middle of October here it seems like from the Fair.” They will also work on the planning for next year’s State Fair.

“We’ll work with 4-H and F-F-A on livestock show schedules this fall. Entertainment, have offers in the works for next year’s grandstand show already,” he says. The 2023 Iowa State Fair will run from August 10th through the 20th.

(Corning, Iowa) – The Adams County Sheriff’s Office today (Monday), released information about three recent arrests. On Aug. 15th, Deputies received a 9-1-1 call at around 2-p.m., with regard to a person who would not get out of a vehicle. Upon investigation, Sabrina Lynn Wright, of Prescott, was arrested for Domestic Abuse Assault/1st offense. Wright was being held in the Adams County Jail.

On Aug. 13th, Deputies in Adams County conducted a traffic stop on a van at around 5-p.m., in Prescott. The driver of the vehicle, Dustin Ray Kilgore, was charged with Driving While Barred.  And, on Aug. 10th, 27-year-old SeanCody Lee, of Corning, was arrested following a traffic stop at Highway 34 and Dogwood Avenue. He was charged with OWI/1st offense and later released from the Adams County Jail, after posting bond.

(Radio Iowa) – Democrat Liz Mathis says her Republican opponent — Congresswoman Ashley Hinson — has voted against bills that will benefit Iowans, like the bipartisan infrastructure bill.  “She’s been voting the wrong way,” Mathis says.
“She’s been saying, ‘No,’ to a lot of things where she should be saying, ‘Yes.'” Hinson, a Republican from Marion, says she voted no on the infrastructure package because it was a leap toward socialism that went beyond spending on physical infrastructure.

Mathis, a Democrat from Hiawatha, says the bill means five BILLION dollars of infrastructure investments will be made in Iowa. “And invest in 4000 endangered bridges, fix roads, fix broadband — not only the quality, but the quantity. to expand that. That will expand a lot of economic development. She voted no, now remember that, but also took credit about two weeks later for a project that was funded by infrastructure money,” Mathis said. “That is not the Iowa way.”

Hinson says she advocated for Iowa projects because once Biden signed the bill last year there was money on the table. Mathis says Hinson should have voted for the bill Biden signed last week that included a series health care and energy-related proposals backed by Democrats in congress. “That has so many provisions to help all of us,” Mathis said. “It’s going to save us money and there are biofuels measures in this bill.”

Mathis made her comments on the Des Moines Register’s Political Soapbox at the Iowa State Fair.

(Council Bluffs, Iowa) – The driver of a pickup truck and passengers in a Dodge Charger were injured early this (Sunday) morning, during a collision on Interstate 29 in Pottawattamie County. According to Council Bluffs Police, officers responded at around 12:06-a.m. to the scene at the 45.5 mile marker of I-29 southbound, in reference to a personal injury accident. Upon arrival, officers determined that a Dodge Charger was traveling southbound on I-29 at a high rate of speed. The Charger then rear ended a Chevy S10, causing both vehicles to lose control and crash.

The driver of the Chevy S10 had to be transported by medical helicopter to an area hospital due to their injuries. The passengers of the Charger, were transported to area hospitals by ambulance to be treated for their non-life threatening injuries. The driver of the Charger is being investigated for operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol. Alcohol and speed are believed to be factors in this crash. No names were immediately made available in the Police report.

The Council Bluffs P-D Traffic Unit is investigating the incident. Anyone with information about the accident is asked to call the Traffic Unit at (712)328-4948 or, to remain anonymous, please call Crime stoppers at (712)328-7867.

(Buffalo Center, Iowa) – A collision between a car and a pickup truck in northeastern Iowa, Saturday afternoon, left one person dead and two others injured. The Iowa State Patrol reports the driver of a 2014 Ford Fusion, 78-year-old Richard Hensel, of Monticello, MN, died in the crash. A passenger in his vehicle, 77-year-old Gloria Hensel, also of Monticello, MN, and the driver of a 2002 Ford F-250 pickup, 61-year-old Dean Balvance, of Buffalo Center, were injured in the collision.

The accident happened at around 2:52-p.m., N. of Buffalo Center. The Patrol says the pickup driven by Balvance was traveling north on 20th Avenue, while the car was traveling south. The car turned in front of the pickup to made a left turn into a residence, when it was struck.

Richard Hensel died at the scene. Dean Balvance and Gloria Hensel were transported by ambulance to a hospital in Blue Earth, Minnesota. All of the crash victims were wearing their seat belts. The accident remains under investigation. The Patrol was assisted at the scene by the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Dept., and the Buffalo Center and Forest City Ambulance services.