(Radio Iowa) — With the rattle of rollercoasters and the scent of corn dogs, cotton candy and livestock, the Iowa State Fair starts its 11-day run today (Thursday) with the theme “Nothing Compares.” Fair manager Gary Slater says the fabled event has something to offer all visitors. “Every year we try to make it bigger and better than the year before,” Slater says. “Some of that is in construction and giving facilities a face-lift. Other parts of it are just new and exciting events that we are able to bring in or new exhibits.” Slater says there are also plenty of traditional exhibits that always pack in the crowds. “The Butter Cow is something that everybody needs to see when they come to the Iowa State Fair,” Slater says, “but, along with it, 100 years of John Deere Corporation being in existence and what better way than to display that than the Waterloo Boy tractor in butter?”

Several national magazines and newspapers, like the New York Times, list the Iowa State Fair as a top summer destination. Slater says it’s a special event that’s much more than just livestock shows, carnival rides, and concerts. “Some fairs, people would say, ‘Well, that used to be a good fair when it was livestock-orientated, but now it’s too urban,’ but I don’t think that’s happened to the Iowa State Fair and it certainly won’t happen while I’m here,” Slater says. “We have to honor those rural roots we have and know that agriculture is the largest industry in Iowa and one that we want to celebrate.”

One goal, he says, it to “make sure our urban cousins, as they come through the front gate, understand where their food and fiber come from.” The state fair runs through Sunday, August 19th.

ACKLEY, Iowa (AP) — A trial has been scheduled for a woman accused of helping her boyfriend torture his 8-year-old son by locking him in a basement enclosure, withholding food and making him endure dog bites. Hardin County District Court records say 39-year-old Traci Tyler on Monday has entered a written plea of not guilty to a kidnapping charge. Her trial is set to begin Sept. 11. The boy’s father, 30-year-old Alex Shadlow, is scheduled to enter a plea Monday.

An arrest affidavit says the boy was locked for at least 9 hours a day last summer in an enclosed space under the basement stairs at the Ackley home, where he slept on concrete and had no access to a bathroom.
Police say Tyler also urged her dog to attack the boy, which left scars on his back and limbs.

(Radio Iowa) — A Des Moines man is being treated for serious injuries after he and his motorcycle were hit and pinned underneath an SUV. Police Sergeant Paul Parizek says it happened just before noon Wednesday on Fleur Drive, southwest of downtown Des Moines. The motorcycle and SUV were both southbound and shifting lanes to pass a Des Moines Waterworks vehicle that was stopped on the roadway for maintenance work. “We don’t why just yet, we’re looking at maybe mechanical error or operator error, but according to witnesses the SUV accelerated pretty rapidly as the motorcycle was slowing,” Parizek explained. “It struck the motorcycle from behind and it swept the motorcycle and the driver of the bike underneath the SUV. It continued on, dragging him, about 250 feet down this road.”

Rescue crews arrived to find the motorcyclist, 44-year-old Louis Kueh trapped underneath the Chevy Equinox. “Firefighters did some remarkable work…it was very impressive to watch,” Parizek said. “They were able to provide medical care while he was pinned underneath the car, while other firefighters were arranging the rescue. Eventually, after about 30 minutes, they were able to raise the car and pull him out from underneath.”  Seventy-year-old Shirley Kephart of Des Moines was driving the SUV. According to Parizek, impairment and excessive speed have been ruled out as factors in the crash. “My personal opinion, just having years of experience, I think she thought she was going to hit the brake and she hit the gas,” Parizek said.

Kuehl – who was not wearing a helmet – was being treating for serious injuries, but is expected to survive. “I really thought when I was watching this that we were eventually going to be talking about a fatality crash,” Parizek said. “I have never seen…mechanically what I saw, as far as him being completely underneath, trapped under the vehicle, and still alert and talking to us.”  Kephart was not injured in the crash.

One person died and two others were injured when a semi ran into two motorcycles Wednesday evening in eastern Iowa’s Johnson County. The Iowa State Patrol says a 2018 Harley Davidson motorcycle and and 2016 Harley, were traveling together on Interstate 80 eastbound at around 5:40-p.m., when they began to slow for traffic that was stopped up ahead for a previous accident. An eastbound 2000 Peterbilt semi was unable to stop in-time, and struck the rear of both motorcycles, which came to rest in the south ditch near mile marker 250.

One of the motorcyclists died at the scene. The other was transported by Johnson County Ambulance to the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, in Iowa City. The driver of the semi was also transported to UIHC by ambulance. The Patrol did not immediately release the names of those involved in the crash, which remains under investigation.

DRAKESVILLE, Iowa (AP) — Prosecutors have filed more charges against a man accused of fleeing a southeast Iowa accident in which a 9-year-old boy died and his brother was injured. The Ottumwa Courier reports the new charges against 41-year-old Terry Petary, of Drakesville, are: causing serious injury by vehicle, leaving the scene of an accident, possession of a controlled substance, leaving the scene of an accident that causes death and failure to report an accident. He’s already been charged with vehicular homicide.

The Iowa State Patrol says a pickup truck struck the boy and his brother a little before 10 p.m. June 24 as they walked on a rural road west of Drakesville. The patrol identified the dead boy as 9-year-old Merlin Beechy and his brother as 12-year-old Nathan Beechy, of rural Drakesville.