Iowa

Coolest Thing Made in Iowa is down to the final eight. Which ones made the cut?

Published

7 months ago

May 15, 2025

Coolest Thing Made in Iowa is down to the final eight. Which ones made the cut?

From a 1.5-ounce ice cream novelty to a 70,000-pound cotton picker, eight items await weighty decisions by Iowans on which will advance in the Coolest Thing Made in Iowa contest.

The contest began May 5 with 69 nominees. Voters will have from Friday, May 16, to May 21 to vote on which of the eight finalists announced Thursday, May 15, will be in the final four.

The decision process won’t be easy for voters as they ponder the “coolness factor” of products ranging from heavy farm equipment to a chocolate pump and a pastry.

Butter Braid pastries from Country Maid Inc. of West Bend was the only repeat product from the Top Eight contestants a year ago, the initial edition of the annual contest. Sold through fundraisers, the pastries have helped thousands of organizations raise over $320 million for various causes, according to Country Maid.

The contest is sponsored by the Iowa Association of Business and Industry and MidwestOne Bank and culminates in a winner being named at the ABI’s annual conference June 11 in Council Bluffs. Voting is online at coolestthingia.com.

Iowa is one of 20 states holding the contests. A self-propelled hay baler from Vermeer Corp. of Pella took the state’s initial top prize in 2024.

Last year, the competition received 86 nominations representing products made in 53 cities across Iowa. Four rounds of voting took place, with 76,382 total votes cast.

The contest also serves as a chance to promote manufacturing in Iowa, accounting for more than 220,000 jobs and contributing over $43 billion to the state’s economy, according to ABI.

Here are the final eight products:

Kevin Baskins covers jobs and the economy for the Register. Reach him at kbaskins@registermedia.com.

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Iowa

How much snow did Iowa get? See Iowa’s latest snowfall totals

Published

1 hour ago

December 13, 2025

Press Room

How much snow did Iowa get? See Iowa’s latest snowfall totals

A winter storm warning remains in effect until 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 13, for a large swath of the state, from northwest Iowa to much of central Iowa and southeast Iowa.

Drivers should expect slippery conditions.

Snow fell through the morning with accumulations of 2 to 3 inches across most of Iowa, according to the National Weather Service. The light, fluffy snow will taper off in the afternoon.

The weather service advises that snow-covered roads will make travel slick and more difficult and to use caution.

The counties affected include Pocahontas, Sac, Calhoun, Webster, Hamilton, Crawford, Carroll, Greene, Boone, Story, Marshall, Guthrie, Dallas, Polk, Jasper, Poweshiek, Warren, Marion, Mahaska, Monroe, Wapello and Davis.

Where did snow fall the most in Iowa?

Southern Iowa felt the brunt of the snow Saturday morning, with some areas experiencing nearly five inches of accumulation. Here are the highest totals so far in Iowa:

Milton: 4.5 inches
Parnell: 4.5 inches
Norwalk: 3.8 inches
Badger: 3.5 inches
Bloomfield: 3.3 inches
Carroll: 3.2 inches
Buffalo: 3.2 inches
North English: 3 inches
Winterset: 2.6 inches

How much snow has fallen in Des Moines?

The Des Moines International Airport reported 1.2 inches of snow as of 6 a.m. Saturday. Norwalk, just south of Des Moines, reported 3.8 inches of snow by 10:30 a.m. Clive reported 2.7 inches of snow at 10 a.m.

How much snow did Iowa City get?

North Liberty, just north of Iowa City, reported three inches of snow as of 10:30 a.m. Saturday. Tiffin, which is to the northwest of Iowa City, reported 2.7 inches of snow at 10 a.m.

Roads across the state are covered in snow

The Iowa DOT reported that, as of 11 a.m., many of central Iowa’s highways and interstates were completely covered with snow. The organization said travel on I-80 from central Iowa to the Illinois border is not advised.

“Visibility and road conditions are deteriorating rapidly, causing multiple crashes and closing lanes,” the DOT said in a social media post around 11 a.m.

More snow followed by frigid temps

A cold weather advisory is in effect for much of northern, central and southeastern Iowa into Sunday morning. In the Des Moines area, wind chill values could drop to as low as -15. Wind chills across the state are expected between -20 and -30 starting at 6 p.m. Saturday.

(This article has been updated to include new information.)

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Iowa

Iowa man charged in connection to horse-drawn buggy crash that killed teen

Published

14 hours ago

December 13, 2025

Press Room

Iowa man charged in connection to horse-drawn buggy crash that killed teen

CLARKE COUNTY, Iowa (KCRG) – An Iowa man was charged Friday in connection to a deadly horse-drawn buggy crash that killed a teenager last month.

Jacob Wright, 41, of Grand River, is facing charges including involuntary manslaughter and leaving the scene of a deadly accident.

The crash happened in Clarke County on November 12. According to the crash report, Wright’s car hit the back of the buggy and ran it into a ditch.

Elmer Borntrager, 16, was thrown from the buggy and died at the scene.

Police found Wright’s damaged vehicle days later about five miles from the crash scene.

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Iowa

How much snow did we get? See Iowa snowfall totals from Thursday.

Published

1 day ago

December 12, 2025

Press Room

How much snow did we get? See Iowa snowfall totals from Thursday.

Another round of snow swept through Iowa, leaving more than 3 inches in some parts of the state.

Flurries began falling in Des Moines around noon on Thursday, Dec. 11, and persisted until late in the evening.

Here’s a look at the highest snowfall totals in Iowa as of 8 a.m. Friday, Dec. 12, according to the National Weather Service.

What were the highest Iowa snowfall totals?

West Burlington: 4 inches
Parnell: 3.8 inches
Salem: 3.8 inches
Mooar: 3.6 inches
Webster City: 3.5 inches
Muscatine: 3 inches
Yarmouth: 3 inches
Williamstown: 3 inches
New London: 2.8 inches
Riverside: 2.8 inches
Ottumwa: 2.8 inches

How much snow did Des Moines get?

Over an inch of snow fell at the Des Moines International Airport, with the National Weather Service reporting 1.1 inches as of 6 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 11.

Grimes reported 1.3 inches of snow and other reports from the Des Moines area were around 1 inch.

Nevada in Story County reported 0.5 inches

How much snow did Iowa City get?

No reports were received from Iowa City, according to the National Weather Service. Nearby University Heights reported 1.5 inches. Oakdale reported 2 inches and North Liberty reported 1.3 inches of snow.

When is the next chance for snowfall in Des Moines?

Another round of snow is expected to begin Friday night and continue into Saturday, Dec. 13, in the afternoon.

Des Moines is projected to receive between 2 and 4 inches of snow during this time. A winter weather advisory is in effect for Des Moines from 12 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. The advisory is also in effect in cities spanning from Sioux City to Davenport.

Temperatures are also expected to drop during the weekend, with daytime highs of 9 degrees on Saturday and Sunday, and lows of 10 degrees below zero on Saturday and 1 degree below zero on Sunday.

Cooper Worth is a service/trending reporter for the Des Moines Register. Reach him at cworth@gannett.com or follow him on X @CooperAWorth.

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