(Radio Iowa) – Looking for fresh-picked sweet corn or ripe strawberries right out of the patch? Iowa has more than 220 certified farmers markets and many of us know they’re a great place to find a wide variety of produce, to interact with local growers, and to support the community. U-S-D-A Undersecretary Jenny Lester Moffitt says farmers markets offer Iowa’s small producers what’s known as a low-barrier entry point, where it’s affordable to sell directly to consumers. “It’s really important because when we have direct sales, right now in mainstream supply chains, anywhere from 14 to 15 cents of that consumer dollar, our food dollar, goes directly to farmers,” Moffitt says, “but at farmer’s markets, that price is seven times that.”

This is National Farmers Market Week and Moffitt says communities in Iowa and across the country are celebrating the role farmers markets play in supporting local agriculture. “Farmers are able to capture and keep a lot more money of the consumer dollars in their own pockets, which means they’re reinvesting in their farms, they’re reinvesting in local jobs in their communities,” Moffitt says. “Really importantly, they’re able to get healthy food that’s grown in their region to the members in their communities as well.” She says Iowans who are on SNAP or other nutritional programs can use their benefits at many farmers markets. The markets are also known for offerings like local honey, giant heirloom tomatoes, and fresh-baked pies and pastries.

Farmers Market (USDA photo)

“What’s really great is you can find products that you normally can’t find on store shelves, whether that is locally-grown produce or other types of grains,” Moffitt says. “Also, it’s a really great opportunity to be able to buy things from other local producers, whether that is jams and jellies, and other value-added products, or craft products as well.” Even in an agricultural state like Iowa, people can forget where their food comes from, so farmers markets are a perfect way to rediscover our roots.  “It’s also just a really great place to engage with farmers, to talk about how the food is grown, to be able to have that personal connection,” Moffitt says. “I know we all really love and thrive when we’re talking with producers that are growing the food that we’re enjoying.”

You can find a farmers market near you by visiting the USDA’s Local Food Directory (https://www.usdalocalfoodportal.com). Before entering the government sector, Moffitt raised organic walnuts on a family farm in California. She’s now the U-S-D-A’s Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs, the first woman to hold the post.

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Lottery is hosting game show on the opening day of the Iowa State Fair. Lottery spokeswoman, Mary Neubauer says the game show is part of their first ever scratch ticket is linked to the Fair. “Just a different way for people to win rather than just having a traditional drawing and so there will be 20 contestants out there who will be competing for prizes,” Nuebauer says. Some 67-thousand people who didn’t win a prize on a State Fair scratch ticket entered them to be chosen as one of the 20 who are competing on the game show. “Anybody who is on that stage will win at least 10-thosuand dollars, and the finalist has a chance to win up to five million dollars, which my goodness to find a time when the Lottery has given away a prize of that size, you have to go back to the very earliest days of the Iowa Lottery,” Nuebauer says.

She says they will also have prizes for people watching the game show. “Specifically for the people who are in the audience that day, so we’re going to have prizes for audience members,” she says. The live game show is scheduled to begin at 5:30 p-m on the Grand Concourse of the Iowa State Fairgrounds on opening day (Aug 8th). The contestants will gradually be eliminated through a series of games until just one remains. The last time the lottery held a live game show was in 2012 on the final day of the Iowa State Fair, and the top prize was one million dollars.

The Iowa Lottery last held a contest at the Iowa State Fair in 2012. (IA Lottery photo)

The 20 people chosen to be in this year’s game show are: Craig Bergman, Cedar Rapids; Jolene Murray, Cedar Rapids; Michelle Cerwinske, Nashua; Mary Olin, Des Moines; Margo Fox, Johnston; Dawn Petersen, Colfax; Kristine Frye, Des Moines; Timothy Roberts, Ottumwa; Nicole Gulick, Des Moines; Scott Stewart, Waterloo; Ryan Habeger, Algona; Steven Stout, Indianola; Gerald Johnson, Iowa City; Christine Tatman, Orange City; Gerald Kennicker, Dubuque; Rodney Tucker, Des Moines; Tamara McMahon, Council Bluffs; Jeff Weiland, Dubuque; Steven Moore, Urbandale; David Wesley, Des Moines.

NEWTON, Iowa — [KCCI] – Gates Corporation, a fluid power and power transmission solutions manufacturer, has announced it’s laying off 41 workers at its Newton location later this year. The closure was posted on the Iowa Workforce Development’s WARN notification list. Frank Liebl, the executive director of the Newton Development Corporation, told KCCI  it wasn’t that big of a shock considering John Deere is one of the company’s primary partners.

Liebl said the Gates Corporation has been a John Deere supplier since the business first came to Newton in 2017. He says for those who are left jobless, the city will work hard to find them new positions. Liebl also said that every business comes with its own highs and lows. And that while it’s difficult to know exactly what’s coming for John Deere, he sees a brighter future ahead.

According to the posting, all of the workers will officially be laid off in November.

MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa (KCRG) – A coal train derailed just outside of Marshalltown Sunday afternoon. Around 5:30 roughly 38 Union Pacific rail cars transporting coal derailed about two miles east of Marshalltown. That’s near Quarry Road.

Union Pacific said no one was injured in the accident and cleanup was underway Sunday evening.  The derailment is currently under investigation.

(Johnson County, Iowa) – A multi-vehicle accident Sunday evening south of Kalona, in eastern Iowa, resulted in one dead and four others injured. According to the Iowa State Patrol, the crash happened at around 5:36-p.m., when a 2015 Jeep Cherokee driven by 41-year-old Thomas Richard Hebel Perkins, of Cedar Rapids, failed to stop on westbound 140th Street. approaching the intersection with Highway 1.

The Jeep collided with the rear portion of a camper being pulled by a pickup, that was traveling north on Highway 1, and driven by 63-year-old Randy Rae Rouse, of Mechanicsville. The Jeep then went through the rear portion of the camper and struck a 2018 Toyota RAV 4 SUV on the driver’s side. That vehicle was being driven by 77-year-old Usha Malik, of Iowa City.

A 2011 Honda CRV driven by 22-year-old Beckyy Lu, of Bettendorf, struck debris and flying debris from the camper.  The  Patrol says Usha Malik died at the scene. Thomas Perkins and his passengers, 34-year-old Samantha Perkins, and a one-year-old child. all from Cedar Rapids, along with 46-year-old Matthew John Charles, of Paris, France, were injured in the crash. All were transported to the UIHC in Iowa City.

Thomas Perkins was flown to the hospital  by helicopter. The others were taken by Johnson County Ambulance. The crash remains under investigation.

(Radio Iowa) – This fall’s presidential election was the focus of Republican gatherings in Iowa this weekend. Republican Congresswoman Ashley Hinson, who hosted a campaign fundraiser in Cedar Rapids, is running for a third term in the U-S House, but she did not focus on her Democratic opponent Sarah Corkery. Instead, Hinson told the crowd they cannot sit this presidential election out.

“I think President Trump has a really great vision for the future of our country,” Hinson says. “It’s a vision that a minivan-driving mom like me — we should all be supporting this.” Hinson said Vice President Harris “may be a new face” at the top of the ticket, but her policies will be the same as President Biden’s. “Kamala Harris has been in lockstep with him for the last three and a half years. They’re been trying to turn our country into a liberal wasteland with their policies,” Hinson says. “…They’re not fooling any of us. We all know what’s at stake here.”

Both of Iowa’s U-S Senators spoke at Hinson’s event. Senator Joni Ernst told the crowd Harris was an ineffective member of the U-S Senate. “Don’t let her remake herself,” Ernst said. “She is what she is and she will be a detriment to our great United States of America.” Senator Chuck Grassley told the crowd Obama campaign veterans are working for Harris.  “We can’t afford two more terms of a Harris Administration to be the 4th and 5th terms of the Obama Administration,” Grassley said.

Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird hosted an event in Adel Saturday night to raise money for her 2026 reelection campaign. During her speech at the end of the evening, Bird emphasized Trump’s need to appear in so-called battleground states where the race is close. “Here in Iowa, we will take care of turning out Iowa for President Trump and putting that in the win column, won’t we?” Bird asked and the crowd cheered. Ohio Congressman Jim Jordan was the keynote speaker at campaign fundraisers for Hinson and Congressmen Randy Feenstra and Zach Nunn this weekend.

Jordan, a former wrestling coach who’s co-founder the U-S House Freedom Caucus, cautioned against overconfidence. “One of the first things they teach you when you’re a kid starting to learn to wrestle is they say: ‘Wrestle to the whistle. Don’t stop early. You keep going until you hear the whistle,'” Jordan said in Cedar Rapids Saturday afternoon. ” That’s the attitude we have to have.”

Minnesota Congressman Tom Emmer — the third-ranking Republican in the U-S House — joined Jordan at Hinson’s fundraiser in Cedar Rapids. He told the crowd to ignore this month’s polls.  “You hang in there and when we get to September, after Labor Day when people start paying attention again, that’s when the game begins,” Emmer said.

Labor Day is 28 days away. Election Day is in 92 days.

MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa [WHO-TV] – History was made in Marshalltown after a Latina was elected to city council for the first time ever. WHO-TV reports Political newcomer, Melisa Fonseca, is now the Fourth Ward Councilperson after being voted-in during a special election in late July.

Fonseca was born and raised in Marshalltown, but this election isn’t her first time breaking barriers. In 2019, she became the city’s first Latina real estate broker. She runs her business in both English and Spanish to better communicate with the community. She decided to also run a bilingual campaign.

Fonseca said she never planned to take part in city government, but that changed when the opportunity became available. Longtime Fourth Ward City Counselor Al Hoop passed away in March, after he was elected to his fifth term in late December. She declared her campaign early and immediately started connecting with constituents through campaign events and volunteer initiatives. She defeated her opponent, Mark Eaton, with after obtaining around 56% of the votes.

She said her involvement in the Marshalltown City Council showcases the city’s diversity. Marshalltown’s population is around 30% diverse, or non-White, and close to 50% female. Fonseca says her goal is to encourage more people to get involved with local politics.

(Osceola, Iowa) – A collision in south central Iowa late Sunday morning resulted in three people in a van being sent to area hospitals. The Iowa State Patrol reports the crash happened on Interstate 35 southbound near mile-marker 28, at around 11-a.m., Sunday.

The Patrol says a 2005 Buick Terraza van driven by 61-year-old David Ratliff, of Des Moines, sideswiped a southbound 2020 Peterbilt semi,  before the van swerved into the median and rolled several times. The semi, driven by 33-year-old Matthew Cronk, of Burlington Junction, MO, pulled-off onto the shoulder of the road.

David Ratliff, and his passengers, 36-year-old Nicole Tenborg and 39-year-old Jonathan Tenborg, both of Des Moines, were injured in the crash. Ratliff and Jonathan Tenborg were transported to Methodist Hospital in Des Moines by Clarke County EMS. Nicole Tenborg was transported to the Clarke County Hospital, also by Clarke County EMS.

The driver of the semi was not injured.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Francisco Sánchez Jr., associate administrator for the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the Small Business Administration, has announced that SBA will relocate its Greenfield Business Recovery Center at the Greenfield City Hall in Adair County to the Hyatt Place West Des Moines/Jordan Creek in Polk County beginning Tuesday, Aug. 6 at 9 a.m. “SBA opened the centers to provide personalized assistance to businesses that were affected by severe storms, tornadoes and flooding that occurred May 20 – 31,” said Sánchez.

There are currently two active SBA disaster declarations for residents and businesses in the Polk County area. The newly relocated Business Recovery Center will be able to help survivors of both declarations.

Until the Greenfield Business Recovery Center closes, SBA customer service representatives will continue to meet with business owners to answer questions about SBA’s disaster loan program, explain the application process, help each individual complete their electronic loan application and close their approved loans. No appointment is necessary.

ADAIR COUNTY
Business Recovery Center
Business Office Building
132 SE Court Dr.
Greenfield, IA  50849
Mondays – Fridays, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Saturdays, 8 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Closes 5 p.m. Monday, Aug. 5    

POLK COUNTY
Business Recovery Center
Hyatt Place West Des Moines/Jordan Creek
Hotel Boardroom
295 S 64th St.
West Des Moines, IA  50266
Mondays – Fridays, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Opens 9 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 6

SBA representatives are still available at the federal-state Disaster Recovery Centers throughout the affected areas to explain SBA’s disaster loan program and help business owners and residents close their approved disaster loans.

Businesses of all sizes and private nonprofit organizations may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory and other business assets. SBA can also lend additional funds to help with the cost of improvements to protect, prevent or minimize disaster damage from occurring in the future.

For small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture and most private nonprofit organizations of any size, SBA offers Economic Injury Disaster Loans to help meet working capital needs caused by the disaster. Economic injury assistance is available regardless of whether the business suffered any property damage.

Disaster loans up to $500,000 are available to homeowners to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate. Homeowners and renters are eligible for up to $100,000 to repair or replace damaged or destroyed personal property, including personal vehicles.

Interest rates can be as low as 4 percent for businesses, 3.25 percent for private nonprofit organizations and 2.688 percent for homeowners and renters with terms up to 30 years. Loan amounts and terms are set by SBA and are based on each applicant’s financial condition.

Interest does not begin to accrue until 12 months from the date of the first disaster loan disbursement. SBA disaster loan repayment begins 12 months from the date of the first disbursement.

Applicants may apply online and receive additional disaster assistance information at SBA.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

For SBA declaration 20318 for severe storms, and tornadoes that occurred April 26-27, 2024, the deadline to apply for property damage is Aug. 23, 2024. The deadline to apply for economic injury is Feb. 14, 2025.

For SBA declaration 20360 for severe storms, tornadoes, and flooding that occurred May 20-31, 2024, the deadline to apply for property damage is Aug. 23, 2024. The deadline to apply for economic injury is Feb. 24, 2025.

(Cedar Rapids, IA) – Cedar Rapids Police responded Saturday night, to the 1800 block of A Ave NE at approximately 8:53-p.m., following reports of shots fired in the area. Officers located a 13-year-old male with a gunshot wound to the leg. He was treated on-scene and transported to a local hospital for treatment. His injury is considered non-life-threatening.

Officers located a suspect near the scene and were able to take a 17-year-old male to detention on charges of:
*Going Armed with Intent,
*Intimidation with a Weapon,
*Unauthorized Person Carrying a Weapon,
*Attempted Murder

Names are being withheld at this time in accordance with State law regarding privacy of minors. There is an on-going investigation and no further information is available at this time.