(Harlan, Iowa) – The Shelby County Fair takes place now through July 15th, in Harlan. You can find a full schedule of events HERE. Some of the highlights this week, include:

• Remembering Our Fallen exhibit/memorial to remember all of the brave Iowa soldiers who have passed from their service in the military. The exhibit will be in Floral Hall at the Shelby County Fair from Thursday, July 11 to Saturday, July 13.
• Open class entries and exhibits for youth and adults in many categories, including: Oven products; Agriculture; Needlework; Hobbycraft; Sewing; Homemade wine and craft beer; Canning; Photography; Genealogy; Floriculture, and Art.
• A baby contest, and,
• Cookout contest

The events conclude July 15th with the Livestock Auction on the Shelby County Fairgrounds.

DYERSVILLE, Iowa (KCRG & WHO-TV) – For 35 people, their official entrance into U.S. citizenship took place a couple feet away from first base. Saturday, the Field of Dreams Movie Site hosted a naturalization ceremony before the 36th annual Ghost Players game.

People from 15 countries took the Oath of Allegiance, and all of them had different reasons for coming to the U.S.
The Field of Dreams Movie Site has hosted naturalization ceremonies in the past.

The ceremonies often take place in museums, schools, or other community spaces. On Independence Day, 29 immigrants from 19 countries had their naturalization ceremony at Principal Park in Des Moines, before the Iowa Cubs played.

DES MOINES — The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)’s Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) is expanding a partnership with Hy-Vee stores to offer online ordering and pick-up for participants.

“This is yet another incredible example of a public-private partnership that will greatly benefit individuals receiving WIC benefits in our state,” said Kelly Garcia, HHS director. “The goal of this program is to provide easier access and convenience—and every parent of young children wants the convenience while balancing work and life.”

Qualifying individuals can use their eWIC card during the online checkout process and easily pickup their items at their nearest participating Hy-Vee store.

In February 2024, the pilot began with one store in Des Moines and in early June expanded across Iowa and into Minnesota and Nebraska, through a grant from the Center for Nutrition and Health Impact.

The WIC program was established nationwide in 1974, with the first Iowa clinic opening in Davenport, Iowa in March 1974. WIC provides supplemental nutritious foods, health care referrals, breastfeeding support and nutrition education for low-income pregnant, breastfeeding, and non-breastfeeding postpartum women, and to infants and children up to age 5 who are found to be at nutritional risk. In 2024, WIC celebrates 50 years of providing support to the mothers, children and families in Iowa to assist them in leading healthier lives. WIC is a program of the Food and Nutrition Service of the United States Department of Agriculture. To learn more about Iowa WIC, visit: https://hhs.iowa.gov/programs/food-assistance/wic-Iowa

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG-TV) – The Cedar Rapids Fire Department said five people were displaced after a house fire on Saturday afternoon. KCRG reports officials responded to a home in the 2200 block of O Ave. NW just before 2 p.m.

Firefighters extinguished the fire, performed a search, and ventilated the home. CRFD said all occupants were accounted for and made it out of the home safely.

There was major fire damage to the exterior of the home, and smoke, water and fire damage inside. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

DES MOINES, Iowa — Officials with Iowa Workforce Development (IWD) are expected to be on site at the Bridgestone tire plant in Des Moines, Monday, to assist hundreds of workers who were displaced from a layoff that was announced last month and went into effect on Friday.

Officials at Bridgestone had said there would be 216 layoffs at the Des Moines plant. Bridgestone told the United Steelworkers leadership in Des Moines that it’s because of “demand constraints in the agriculture tire sector.”

A KJAN social media follower sent us these pictures of a funnel cloud earlier this evening (around 8:37-p.m.) near Harlan.  There were no warnings issued for the area. Photo’s courtesy of Zach Ploen.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – Police in Red Oak, Friday night, arrested a man wanted on a valid warrant out of Pottawattamie County. 56-year-old Richard James Linfor, of Red Oak, was arrested at around 8:30-p.m. in the 500m block of E. Market Street, on the warrant for Escape from Custody (A Serious Misdemeanor). Richard Linfor was transported to the Montgomery County Jail and held, pending transfer to the Pott. County Jail in Council Bluffs.

DES MOINES – Gov. Kim Reynolds has announced the approval of Buena Vista, Cherokee and O’Brien Counties for Individual Assistance under the previously approved Major Disaster Declaration, FEMA DR-4796-IA, for Iowa counties where significant damage was sustained from severe storms, flooding, straight-line winds, and tornadoes that started on June 16, 2024, and continuing.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Individual Assistance Program is already activated for the following counties: Clay, Emmet, Lyon, Plymouth, and Sioux Counties.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — A firefighter was hurt fighting a fire at what was supposed to be an empty factory building Friday morning. KCRG reports the Cedar Rapids Fire Department says it responded to the former Diamond V plant in the 500 block of G Ave NW in Cedar Rapids before 7 a.m. Friday. The plant has been vacant for several years but the department says firefighters saw people evacuating as they arrived and were told people were inside. That prompted firefighters to enter the building to search for people who may have been trapped.

During the course of that search, a firefighter fell about 30 feet. The firefighter was taken to the hospital with serious injuries but is expected to survive. Ultimately, no one was found inside the former factory. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Diamond V vacated the plant in 2020 shortly after Cargill bought out the Cedar Rapids company that makes additives for animal feed. Property records show the Cedar Rapids Development Group bought the property last year. That’s the group leading efforts to build a casino in Cedar Rapids, slated to be located just a few blocks away.

CRFD says homeless people have been known to stay inside the former factory. The city of Cedar Rapids formerly “placarded” the building on June 26th, declaring it uninhabitable and making it illegal for anyone to be inside the building.