Iowa News Roundup: State Fair Records, Severe Storms, and Hawkeye Spirits

Published Aug 15, 2026 · Community · Red Rock Daily staff

Here’s a roundup of recent Iowa news: the Iowa State Fair is running Aug. 13-23 in Des Moines with a record-setting Big Ram, severe storms hit eastern Iowa, and more.

Iowa State Fair runs Aug. 13-23 in Des Moines

The Iowa State Fair is running Aug. 13-23, 2026 in Des Moines. A boar named Zoomer from Atlantic, Iowa, took the Big Boar title (KCCI, Aug. 13, 2026). The Big Ram winner set a new fair record and may challenge a Guinness World Record (Des Moines Register). John Waite replaced Rod Stewart as the Friday Grandstand headliner (Des Moines Register; WHO13).

Severe storms hit eastern Iowa

Severe storms hit eastern Iowa Thursday night into Friday morning, Aug. 13-14, downing trees and damaging homes, with heavy rain totals (KCRG; KCCI).

Iowa Athletics and Cedar Ridge Distillery unveil first official spirits

Iowa Athletics and Cedar Ridge Distillery unveiled 1847 bourbon and vodka as the first official spirits of Iowa Athletics (hawkeyesports.com, Aug. 13, 2026).

Ty Gibbs wins NASCAR Cup race at Iowa Speedway

Ty Gibbs won the NASCAR Cup Series race at Iowa Speedway in Newton, holding off Christopher Bell in a late-race thriller (NASCAR.com, Aug. 9, 2026).

Lawsuit says six Iowa nursing homes owe $2.1 million in unpaid back rent

A lawsuit alleges six Iowa nursing homes owe a combined $2.1 million in unpaid back rent (Iowa Capital Dispatch).

Kangaroos, dogs and other animals removed from northwest Iowa home

Kangaroos, dogs and other animals were removed from a northwest Iowa home (KTIV).

For more on the Hawkeye State, see the Iowa guide.