(Radio Iowa) The 2023 Iowa State Fair Queen will take a break from her duties on Saturday — to show cattle at the fair. Eighteen-year-old Kalayna Durr of New London showed her sheep Monday morning — without the crown.

Durr, the queen of the Henry County Fair, was crowned Iowa State Fair Queen this past Saturday night.

In what little spare time she’s had since Saturday, Durr has been shopping for new clothes to go with the new crown she wears at dozens of State Fair events every day.

Durr’s reign as State Fair Queen does not end when the fair ends Sunday. She plans to break a record set by 2022 State Fair Queen Mary Ann Fox.

Fox visited 76 county fairs in the state this past summer. Durr is a 2023 graduate of New London High School. She plans to get an associate degree in ag business at Des Moines Area Community College, then transfer to Iowa State University to earn a degree in ag education.

(Radio Iowa) Many Iowans are caught up in enjoying the last weeks of summer with vacations and yard projects, and giving blood isn’t exactly top of mind. Sue Thesenga, spokeswoman for the American Red Cross, says this summertime lull is causing a critical shortfall in blood supplies and she’s putting out an appeal for donors.

There are multiple locations in Iowa where you can donate blood and Thesenga says it’s easy to find one.

Thesenga says the need is constant, as every two seconds in the United States someone needs blood.

(Radio Iowa) Democratic presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy, Junior says it makes no sense to provide federal tax credits to ANY of the three proposed carbon pipeline projects.

Kennedy says the pipelines will not address climate change, since carbon from proposed Summit pipeline will be used to extract fossil fuel from oil fields in North Dakota and Canada. Kennedy says the Iowa Utilities Board should not grant eminent domain authority so the pipeline companies can force unwilling landowners to sign easement contracts. Kennedy describes the projects as a transfer of wealth from taxpayers to oil companies, ethanol producers and pipeline developers.

Kennedy held a town hall forum at a farm near Council Bluffs yesterday (Sunday) and campaigned at the State Fair Saturday. Iowa Democratic Party chair Rita Hart says anyone challenging President Biden is welcome to campaign in the state, but Hart says Kennedy has made concerning comments suggesting the COVID virus was genetically engineered to spare Chinese people and Jews whose ancesters lived in central and eastern Europe.

(Radio Iowa-John Slegers) One of the biggest buyers of Iowa corn is planning to cut off most of its purchases in 2024, though diplomatic efforts are still underway that aim to bring about a change in policy. Fourth District Iowa Congressman Randy Feenstra says he recently met with our nation’s top trade ambassador to Mexico, and so far, there’s no movement on Mexico shifting its stance on plans to ban the majority of American corn.

Feenstra, a Republican from Hull, says the window of opportunity is slowly closing around engagement with Mexico.

Mexico is phasing out its use of G-M-O or genetically modified corn next year, though about 90-percent of all corn grown in the U-S is G-M-O corn. Feenstra says the looming ban, prompted by Mexico’s president, is in violation of the U-S-Canada-Mexico Free Trade Agreement.

The Iowa Department of Corrections reports an inmate has died at the Iowa Correctional Institution for Women in Mitchellville. 60-year-old Georgia Eileen Grau was pronounced dead on Saturday, August 12th at 7:24 a.m. due to an unexpected medical emergency.

Foul play is not suspected but an autopsy will be conducted to determine cause of death.

Grau had been serving a 10-year maximum term for the crimes of Reckless Use of a Firearm with Bodily Injury and Willful Injury-Causing Bodily Injury from Woodbury County. Her sentence began on January 19, 2021.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – A Cass County (IA) man was sentenced last Friday to n August 11, 2023, an Atlantic man was sentenced to 156 months (13 years) in prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.According to public court documents, law enforcement completed several controlled buys from 54-year old Edward Allen Davenport, of Atlantic, in May, June, and August 2022 involving pure methamphetamine.

In August 2022, a search warrant was executed at Davenport’s Atlantic residence. Law enforcement seized additional pure methamphetamine, a scale, pipes, syringes, and bags with residue from Davenport’s residence.

Upon completion of his prison sentence, Davenport must serve a four-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Atlantic Police Department, Cass County Sheriff’s Office, and Division of Narcotic Enforcement investigated the case

(Des Moines, Iowa) – A Michael Jordan rookie card will be added back to the safe deposit box contents auction running September 5th through the 20th. “After some excitement from the first auction earlier this year, we sent a Michael Jordan rookie card to be evaluated by Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA),” said State Treasurer Roby Smith. “The card has been sent back to us with a rating of PSA 7, and we’ll be adding the rookie card as a lot in our upcoming auction. Make sure to check it out and get a peek of this rare item!”

Each year, the Treasurer’s Office receives two to three hundred safe deposit boxes that have been abandoned and is currently holding almost 3,000 boxes. When the Office runs out of room to store the boxes, it is forced to auction the boxes off. Some of the boxes currently being auctioned off have been held for 10 to 15 years. Before any auction, the Treasurer’s Office searches for the owner by sending out mailings; publishing names in newspapers and on social media; researching last known addresses; and providing opportunities for people to search in person at events. Proceeds from the auction stay in the Great Iowa Treasure Hunt for the rightful owners to claim. If an owner comes forward before the auction, the items will be returned rather than sold.

Lone Star Auctioneers, specializing in selling unclaimed safe deposit box contents from state unclaimed property programs, will manage the auction. Lonestar will appraise each item in the box and will set the minimum bid. The auction website link is IowaUnclaimedProperty.org. Bidding is open to anyone registered and approved on Lone Star Auctioneers with a valid U.S. mailing address.

“I hope all past and present Iowans use this opportunity as a reminder to search GreatIowaTreasureHunt.gov for their name, the names of friends, family and favorite businesses. Searching is fast, free and easy! Even if you’ve searched in the past, search again as properties are continually being added,” Smith concluded.

Unclaimed property refers to money and other assets held by financial institutions, businesses and organizations that have lost contact with the owner for a specific period of time. Safe deposit boxes are just one type of unclaimed property the Treasurer’s Office safekeeps. Dormant checking and savings accounts, uncashed checks, lost stocks, life insurance policies and utility deposits are also common forms of unclaimed property.

For more information on unclaimed property, visit GreatIowaTreasureHunt.gov. Follow the Treasurer on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook for the latest news and tips.

(Omaha, NE) – Officials with the Omaha Community Foundation are reminding Cass and Audubon County non-profit organizations that the deadline to apply for grant funds is Thursday, September 1. Applications are currently being accepted online for the fall grant cycle with $29,940 available to support Cass County nonprofit organizations and community projects, and $37,985 available to support Audubon County nonprofit organizations and community projects.

Of the total allocated funds in Cass County, $4,000 is restricted to the community of Griswold, and $25,940 is available to support nonprofit organizations and projects throughout the county.  In Audubon County, $2,375 is restricted to the Exira area, and $5,060 is designated for the community of Audubon.

Full application details, helpful resources, and a link to the application form can be found online by selecting Cass (Or Audubon) County under County Listing at swiowafoundations.org. Applications will only be accepted through the online system. 

Only organizations providing services in Cass County or Audubon Counties are eligible to apply for their respective county grant funds. They must be able to demonstrate broad community/county support and be an IRS-approved 501(c)(3) public charity, a local municipality, or a fiscally sponsored project.

For Fall 2023, the Cass County and Audubon County Community Foundations will entertain requests for capital and program support. General operating support will not be considered. General operating support will only be considered for extenuating, non-recurring circumstances.  

Please contact Sunni Kamp (sunni@omahafoundation.org) or Sydney Calcagno (sydney@omahafoundation.org) at 800-794-3458 with application-related questions. All completed grant applications will be considered at the October Board meeting, with applicants being notified of funding decisions by the end of October. 

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – The U.S. Attorney’s Office reports a Shelby County man was sentenced last Friday (Aug. 11) to 21 months in prison for failing to register as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).
According to public court documents, 32-year-old Tyrone Peacock, of Harlan, registered as a sex offender in Illinois in May 2020. Yet, in March 2022, Peacock obtained an Iowa identification card listing a residence in Harlan, Iowa. Peacock resided in and was employed in Iowa, and failed to register, in violation of the requirements of SORNA.

After his prison sentence, Peacock must serve a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Harlan Police Department, Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, and Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation investigated the case.

The Adair County Sheriff’s Office released details on Monday on five recent arrests.

On August 6th at 12:54 a.m. Stuart Police arrested 43-year-old David Yepez of Denver, CO in Stuart for Domestic Assault-Bodily Injury 1st Offense. Yepez was released the next day on $1,000 bond.

On August 7th at 10:09 p.m. Adair County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 28-year-old Serik William Baldwin at 103 E Hayes Drive in Casey on a charge of Theft 1st Degree, greater than $10,000. He was booked in to the Adair County Jail and held on $10,000 bond.

On August 7th at 11:34 p.m. Adair County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 36-year-old Charles William Walker of Council Bluffs on a warrant for Violation of Probation. He was booked in to the Adair County Jail and released three days later on $2,000 bond.

On August 11th at 12:47 p.m.Adair County Sheriff’s Officials arrested 31-year-old Cristian Ortiz of Adair at 302 East Iowa Street in Greenfield on a Iowa Governor’s Warrant which was issued based off a Texas arrest warrant. He was held on no bond and set to be transferred to Dallas County, Texas authorities.

Also on August 11th at 8:23 p.m. Adair County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 43-year-old Justin Alan Robertson of Greenfield at 411 Southwest 3rd Street in Greenfield on a Union County warrant. Robertson was turned directly over to Union County Deputies.