Iowa
Four Iowans were inducted into the Iowa African American Hall of Fame. They are:
Four remarkable Iowans were inducted into the Iowa African American Hall of Fame.
Since 1995, Iowans have been inducted into the African American Hall of Fame for their contributions to their communities and the state of Iowa. The 2024 class was inducted on Saturday.
They are:
Celeste M. Lawson
Celeste Lawson, the daughter of Gary Lawson, the founder of the Iowa African American Hall of Fame, is recognized for her 30-plus years of uplifting Black voices and awareness in Des Moines and throughout the state.
In April of this year, Lawson was recognized for her service and was inducted into the Iowa Volunteer Hall of Fame for her advocacy and push for recognition of Juneteenth and metastatic breast cancer.
From 1990 to 2015, Lawson volunteered with Iowa Juneteenth Observance, which her father founded in 1990, helping establish Juneteenth celebrations throughout Iowa. She also helped start the Iowa Juneteenth Observance exhibit at the State Historical Museum of Iowa and placed “Juneteenth: A Celebration of Freedom” in public libraries, middle and junior high schools in all 99 counties.
As a result of her work, Gov. Tom Vilsack in 2002 signed and declared the third Saturday in June as Juneteenth National Freedom Day in Iowa. Iowa was the seventh state to make Juneteenth an official state holiday.
In 2019, Lawson’s mother, Lois Lawson, died from metastatic breast cancer. Lawson worked to raise awareness for the disease, and, in 2020, Gov. Kim Reynolds declared Oct. 13 to be recognized as Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness Day in Iowa.
Edith Renfrow Smith
Edith Renfrow Smith is Grinnell College’s first African American alumna.
The Renfrow family was one of few African American families in Grinnell while Renfrow Smith was growing up. According to a Grinnell College report, she is the granddaughter of an escaped slave who established himself in Grinnell as a barber and was the only one of six children to stay there for college. She graduated in 1937 with a major in psychology and minors in economics and history.
After graduation, Renfrow Smith worked at the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA), the University of Chicago, the state of Illinois, and the city of Chicago and was a public school teacher for over 20 years.
The Smith Gallery at Grinnell College is named after her, and the Edith Renfrow Smith Black Women’s Library was dedicated in 2019 in her honor in the Black Cultural Center on campus. She is the namesake of the soon-to-be-completed Renfrow Hall.
She currently resides in Chicago and recently celebrated her 110th birthday on July 14.
Barbara Woods
For over 30 years Barbara Woods worked with Iowa State Extension and Outreach as the special projects manager and was an adjunct professor of human development and family studies at Iowa State University.
Woods received her doctorate in home economics from Iowa State in 1981 and is credited with bringing county extension offices “into the computer age,” according to the American Association of University Women branch in Ames.
She received the Career Achievement in Outreach Award from the College of Human Sciences in 2017, the Distinguished Service Award from the Iowa affiliate of the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences in 2016, as well as one from ISU Extension and Outreach in 2011.
Woods retired from the university in 2023.
Bridget Saffold
Bridget Saffold, a registered nurse in Waterloo, formed the Focus on Diabetes, a Waterloo nonprofit that aims to promote awareness of diabetes.
Each year, she helps host Cedar Valley Focus on Diabetes, where doctors share research and treatment options for diabetes and also offers free screenings for diabetic patients, their families and the Cedar Valley community.
During the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Saffold helped assemble Focus on Diabetes COVID-19 Assist, donating around 200 care packages to diabetes patients to help them stay safe at home. She was recognized by ABC for her efforts.
In 2021, she was inducted into the Iowa Volunteer Hall of Fame for her work in Waterloo for diabetes patients and raising awareness of the disease.
What is the Iowa African American Hall of Fame?
The Iowa African American Hall of Fame was founded in 1995 by the Connect Foundation, a nonprofit founded by Gary Lawson.
In 2023, the Connect Foundation transferred custodianship of the Hall of Fame to the Des Moines Urban Experience, run by Dwana Bradley. Bradley also is a chairperson for Iowa Juneteenth.
There have been over 70 inductees into the Hall of Fame, including Evelyn K. Davis, Rep. Ako Abdul-Samad and Rep. Ruth Anne Gaines.
Kyle Werner is a reporter for the Register. Reach him at kwerner@dmreg.com.
Iowa
Iowa Lottery Mega Millions, Pick 3 Midday results for May 8, 2026
The Iowa Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big with rewards ranging from $1,000 to millions. The most an Iowan has ever won from playing the lottery was $343 million in 2018 off the Powerball.
Don’t miss out on the winnings. Here’s a look at Friday, May 8, 2026, winning numbers for each game:
Winning Mega Millions numbers from May 8 drawing
37-47-49-51-58, Mega Ball: 16
Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick-3 numbers from May 8 drawing
Midday: 0-5-8
Evening: 9-9-2
Check Pick-3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick-4 numbers from May 8 drawing
Midday: 0-2-7-3
Evening: 0-7-0-6
Check Pick-4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from May 8 drawing
14-16-21-43-51, Bonus: 03
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
When are the Iowa Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 10:00 p.m. CT on Tuesday and Friday.
- Lotto America: 9:15 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Lucky for Life: 9:38 p.m. CT daily.
- Pick 3 (Day): 12:20 p.m. CT daily.
- Pick 3 (Evening): 10:00 p.m. CT daily.
- Pick 4 (Day): 12:20 p.m. CT daily.
- Pick 4 (Evening): 10:00 p.m. CT daily.
- Millionaire for Life: 10:15 p.m. CT daily.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by an Iowa editor. You can send feedback using this form.
Iowa
Iowa SNAP restrictions raise concerns over confusion, impact on summer food aid
IOWA — Iowa’s new restrictions on SNAP benefits are drawing concern from advocates who say the changes could make it harder for families to buy food and could put future summer assistance for children at risk.
The state’s SNAP waiver took effect January 1, 2026, limiting what items can be purchased based on Iowa’s taxable food list. While that includes widely discussed restrictions on soda and candy, the policy also affects certain prepared foods, creating confusion for shoppers.
“Something as small as whether or not a utensil is included in a food item actually impacts whether or not you can continue to purchase that item using your SNAP benefits,” Paige Chickering, Iowa State Manager for the Save the Children Action Network, said.
Advocates say the rules can be difficult to navigate, especially for people relying on quick meals. Items like prepackaged salads or sandwiches may or may not qualify depending on how they are packaged.
At the same time, new legislation slated for the next session at the statehouse could make those restrictions more permanent by requiring Iowa to continue seeking federal approval for the waiver.
That’s raising additional concerns about the future of Summer EBT, also known as “Sun Bucks,” which provides food assistance to children when school is out.
“This makes that food assistance dependent on a decision made in Washington, D.C. that is just arbitrary and not really dependent on the needs of Iowans and Iowa children,” Chickering said.
The program is expected to help around 220,000 children in Iowa during the summer months. Advocates worry leaving it up to federal approval of the waiver could jeopardize that support if policies change. They also point out that SNAP plays a major role in addressing hunger compared to other resources.
“We know that for every one meal provided by an emergency feeding organization, SNAP provides nine,” Chickering said.
Advocates say they support improving nutrition but argue there are more effective, evidence based ways to do that without limiting food choices.
For now, organizations across Iowa are working to help families understand the new rules, while also pushing lawmakers to reconsider how the policy could impact food access moving forward.
Iowa
Harkin backs Turek for Iowa Senate
Scoop: Iowa Democratic state Rep. Josh Turek snagged a major endorsement for his Senate bid from former Sen. Tom Harkin.
Harkin, who retired in 2015, was the last Democrat to represent Iowa in the Senate. Turek is locked in a competitive primary with state Sen. Zach Wahls in a race that has divided major factions of the Democratic Party.
“I have a pretty good idea of what it takes to win an election, and then to faithfully represent all Iowans, not just those who voted for you,” Harkin said in his endorsement. “That’s why I’m supporting Josh Turek.”
Harkin served in the Senate for 30 years and is the author of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Turek, who was born with spina bifida and uses a wheelchair, was 11 when the ADA was enacted.
Harkin is a widely sought after endorsement in the Hawkeye State. His decision to wade into the race is notable because Harkin also has a relationship with Wahls.
Wahls called Harkin “one of my closest political mentors,” and said the former senator officiated his wedding in 2021.
Iowa’s Senate primaries are June 2.
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