Some fireworks outlets reporting increased sales as the number of community Independence Day celebrations and fireworks shows has dropped dramatically with concerns about the coronavirus pandemic. State Fire Marshal Dan Wood says if you decide to buy your own fireworks to celebrate -- you need to … [Read more...]
Number of retail fireworks licenses dropped this year
State Fire Marshal Dan Wood says the number of licenses approved by his office to sell consumer fireworks was down this year. "We are at 550 for 2020, in 2019 we had 621. In 2018 -- it was our high year -- we had 891. And in 2017, our first year, we had 674," according to Wood. He says the … [Read more...]
Clay County Fair cancels for this year
The Clay County Fair in northwest Iowa is joining the list of casualties from coronavirus. The Clay County Fair Association says the decision was made amid concerns over the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. After weeks of looking at various options, the fair decided it could not protect the health and … [Read more...]
Start your engines! Big car show is still on for the holiday weekend
While the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines will not be hosting the state fair this summer, the motor is still running for the big classic car event over the upcoming Fourth of July weekend. Harry Daviess, a spokesman for the Goodguys Rod & Custom Association, says the 29th annual Speedway … [Read more...]
Summer travel season could be worst in decades, especially for airlines, cruise ships
The upcoming Independence Day holiday would ordinarily be a very busy one for vacationing Iowans, but a new estimate finds travel will be down about 15-percent this summer, compared to last year. Mark Peterson, a spokesman for AAA Iowa, says the COVID-19 pandemic has more people itching to get … [Read more...]
Arnolds Park reopens today, masks now required
Arnolds Park Amusement Park in northwest Iowa's Dickinson County is reopening today after being closed nearly two weeks following a spike in local COVID-19 cases. The park's marketing director Paul Plumb says staff felt comfortable reopening as new daily cases have come down and recoveries are … [Read more...]
Woodbine Applefest canceled for this year
Applefest in Woodbine that had been scheduled for September 26 is now canceled. Organizers made the announcement on their Facebook page. Vendors who paid their fees have the option of a refund or can roll that over to next year's Applefest -- which is now scheduled for September 25th of … [Read more...]
Some turning to RV’s as a way to travel and keep social distance
The pandemic has many Iowans skittish about traditional means of travel and they're seeking out alternative ways to heed the call of the open road. Nick Smith, sales manager at Good Life RV in Webster City, says they've seen record sales of recreational vehicles for two months in a row. "We've … [Read more...]
Keokuk County Fair will go on in July
While the Iowa State Fair and many of the state's county fairs have canceled this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, at least one fair in southeast Iowa is moving forward with plans. Dixie Shipley, who serves on the board of the Keokuk County Fair in What Cheer, says they -are- holding their … [Read more...]
Photo contest looking for best pictures of Iowa
Iowans who may have more time on their hands this summer due to the pandemic likely have an excellent camera on their smartphones and stunning, agriculture-related subjects to shoot nearby. Entries are now being taken for the Capture the Heart of America photo contest. Jori Wade-Booth, at … [Read more...]