Iowa

These Iowans will join their delegates for President Trump’s address to Congress

Published

1 year ago

March 4, 2025

Press Room

These Iowans will join their delegates for President Trump’s address to Congress

A few Iowans are going to Washington D.C. to listen to President Donald Trump’s address to Congress on Tuesday evening.

All six of Iowa’s representatives and senators can bring a guest to the address.

This event is not considered an official State of the Union Address because Trump was only sworn into office less than two months ago. Many modern presidents have been invited to address Congress shortly after their inauguration, but official State of the Union addresses only occur after they’ve been in office for at least a year.

How to watch Trump’s address to Congress?

Trump is set to address a joint session of Congress on Tuesday, March 4.

Multiple media outlets have announced plans to start live coverage of the address at 8 p.m. CT ABC, Fox News, NPR, PBS and more.

The Des Moines Register, in partnership with USA TODAY, will carry a livestream on its website and app.

Who is Sen. Joni Ernst bringing to Trump’s address to Congress? What to know about Iowan Scott Root

Republican U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst will be joined by Iowan Scott Root, the father of Sarah Root, for Trump’s address to Congress.

Sarah Root was killed on Jan. 31, 2016, by a drunk driver who wasn’t a U.S. citizen at the time of her death.

Ernst wrote and advocated for the passage of Sarah’s Law, which requires the detention of undocumented immigrants who are charged with serious crimes. It was added as an amendment to the Laken Riley Act in January and passed by Congress.

Who is Sen. Chuck Grassley bringing to Trump’s address to Congress?

Republican U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley is bringing his wife, Barbara Grassley, his press secretary, David Bader, told the Register on Monday.

Who is Rep. Ashley Hinson bringing to Trump’s address to Congress?

Republican Rep. Ashley Hinson is bringing Emily Schmitt, the chair of Iowa’s DOGE Task Force, to Trump’s address to Congress.

“Together, we are highlighting the importance of an efficient government that is focused on saving taxpayer dollars, ending ridiculous regulations, and working for the people,” Hinson said, according to a spokesperson from her office. “Iowa was doing DOGE before it was cool, and with Emily’s help, we’re going to keep spreading Iowa commonsense in Washington.”

Who is Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks bringing to Trump’s address?

Republican Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks will bring Riley Gaines, a swimmer and conservative activist who has spoken against transgender people participating in women’s sports.

“I began speaking up about this issue in my first term in Congress after girls sports coaches in Iowa brought it to my attention,” Miller-Meeks said, according to an email from her office. “After we both attended President Trump’s Executive Order signing last month, I thought it was important to have Riley attend his Joint Address. I look forward to hearing from President Trump tomorrow and applaud his commonsense commitment to protecting women’s sports.”

Who is Rep. Zach Nunn bringing to Trump’s address to Congress?

Republican U.S. Rep. Zach Nunn will be joined by Jeremy Lindquist, the mayor of Runnells. He is also a member of the local plumbers and pipefitters.

Who is Rep. Randy Feenstra bringing to Trump’s address to Congress?

Republican U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra announced he will bring Brad Moline and his 16-year-old daughter, Ava, to the address to Congress. The Moline Family celebrated 100 years and four generations of raising turkeys in Calhoun County. Ave Moline is carrying on the family tradition, according to a social media post from Feenstra.

Reporting contributed by Natalie Neysa Alund.

Kate Kealey is a general assignment reporter for the Des Moines Register. Reach her at kkealey@registermedia.com or follow her on Twitter at @Kkealey17.

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Iowa

Top 16 announced in Coolest Thing Made in Iowa contest

Published

6 hours ago

April 17, 2026

Press Room

Top 16 announced in Coolest Thing Made in Iowa contest

DES MOINES, Iowa — After a week of voting, a list of more than 50 is down to the Top 16 in the Coolest Thing Made in Iowa Competition.

Hosted by the Iowa Association of Business and Industry and MidwestOne Bank, the Coolest Thing Made in Iowa Contest is a newer competition that highlights items that are designed or produced in the state that carry national, even international, impact.

58 products were initially nominated in the contest’s third year, on Thursday, officials announced the Top 16 had been chosen after a week of public voting. Products that made the cut include agricultural equipment, construction materials, food, and beverages.

Mi-T-M ePowerStation (Mi-T-M Corporation – Peosta)
Pella Steady Set (Pella Corporation – Pella)
Beer Caves (Walk-In Coolers & Freezers) (Leer, Inc. – Carroll)
Weiler D1075 Blasthole Drill (Weiler – Knoxville)
Butter Braid Pastries (Country Maid, Inc. – West Bend)
Ironclad Tornado Shelter & Gun Safe (Ironclad Shelter Solutions, LLC – Earlham)
Spalding Arena Renegade Basketball Hoop (Spalding – Jefferson)
Winnebago EKKO 23B (Winnebago – Forest City)
Gushers (General Mills – Cedar Rapids)
Cedar Ridge Straight Bourbon Whiskey (Cedar Ridge Distillery – Swisher)
Load Cell (Scale-Tec – Anamosa)
Flexzilla Garden Hose (Legacy Manufacturing – Marion)
Marie Callender’s Pot Pie (Conagra – Council Bluffs)
23-28XL Scraper (Mobile Track Solutions – Elkader)
Sterzing’s Potato Chips (Sterzing Food Company – Burlington)
dScribe Studio, 55″ – Digital Lightboard (Revolution Lightboards – Dubuque)

“This is where the competition really comes to life,” said Nicole Crain, ABI President. “These Top 16 products represent the very best of Iowa manufacturing — innovative, high-quality, and made right here in our state. Now it’s up to Iowans to help decide which product rises to the top.”

Voting to decide the Top 8 moves to a bracket-style tournament, which opens on April 17 and runs through April 22. Participants can vote in each matchup, once per day (every 24 hours) per device. The Top 8 will be announced on April 23.

The 2026 Coolest Thing Made in Iowa will be revealed live in June during ABI’s annual Taking Care of Business Conference in Coralville and Iowa City.

Previously, the Vermeer Automated Hay Baler won the first contest in 2024, and the John Deere CP770 Cotton Picker won the second contest in 2025.

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Iowa

April rains ease drought across Iowa, Drought Monitor map shows

Published

18 hours ago

April 16, 2026

Press Room

April rains ease drought across Iowa, Drought Monitor map shows

The last few weeks of rain have alleviated some drought conditions in Iowa, though some areas of the state are still experiencing a moderate drought.

The U.S. Drought Monitor offers a state-by-state tracking of drought conditions nationwide. New maps and forecasts are released each Thursday. What are the current drought conditions in Iowa?

US Drought Monitor map: How much of Iowa is in a drought?

The latest Drought Monitor report, released on April 16, indicated that roughly 22% of the state is experiencing some form of drought. It includes observations as of 8 a.m. April 14, so even more rain has fallen since then.

This is an improvement from the last report, released on April 9, which showed that 73% of Iowa was experiencing some form of drought.

Here is the breakdown of drought conditions in Iowa as of April 16:

83% of the state of Iowa is experiencing no drought conditions
17% of the state is experiencing abnormally dry conditions
5% of the state is experiencing moderate drought conditions
0.02% of the state is experiencing severe drought conditions

The April 16 map shows abnormally dry and moderate drought conditions mainly in western and southern Iowa. Parts of northwest Iowa are in moderate drought, while a separate stretch of dry conditions runs across south-central into southeast Iowa.

Polk County is not experiencing any dry conditions. Des Moines has recorded 5.06 inches of rain so far in April, well above the normal monthly total of 1.70 inches, according to the National Weather Service.

Current conditions are an improvement from a year ago, when 86% of Iowa was abnormally dry, and 30% was in moderate drought, according to the Drought Monitor.

All 99 counties in Iowa were categorized as drought-free last August thanks to record-setting rainfall totals during the summer. It held this designation for several weeks before the first reports of abnormally dry conditions returned at the beginning of September 2025.

Iowa Drought Monitor tracks conditions weekly

The U.S. Drought Monitor offers a state-by-state tracking of drought conditions nationwide. New maps and forecasts are released each Thursday.

The intensity levels range from abnormally dry, or D0, to exceptional drought, or D4.

Typically under D0 conditions, corn can show drought stress. Pond levels start to decline under moderate drought conditions and soybeans abort pods, according to the Drought Monitor. The Drought Monitor also has a look-back chart that compares drought conditions from 3 months ago up to 1 year ago.

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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Iowa

Iowa City PD searching for missing man with dementia

Published

1 day ago

April 16, 2026

Press Room

Iowa City PD searching for missing man with dementia

IOWA CITY, Iowa (IOWA’S NEWS NOW) — The Iowa City Police Department is asking for the public’s help finding a man who hasn’t been seen since Wednesday morning.

Kalenga Byondo, 60, has dementia and was last seen leaving his home along Broadway Street around 7:00 a.m. ICPD lists him as 5’10”, and 160 pounds – and he was wearing all-black clothing when he went missing.

Anyone who knows where Byondo could be is asked to call 319-356-6800.

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