AGP Executive Report

Community Arts & Fundraising: Webster City’s “Day Okay” jazz project brings a garden-party community gathering Saturday, 7–10 p.m., with music plus donations supporting the Second Street pocket park. Local Arts Calendar: Oskaloosa’s long-running Art on the Square returns Saturday, 9 a.m.–3 p.m., with artists, demos, family activities, and food. Music for a Cause: Havenpalooza at Friendship Haven (June 19) runs 3–10 p.m. with live sets, food, and fireworks to benefit the Good Samaritan Fund. Theater Update: Dubuque’s Late Nite Catechism is rescheduled for a holiday edition—Sister’s Christmas Catechism: The Mystery of the Magi’s Gold—Dec. 14 at the Heritage Center. Food & Local Markets: New Ulm’s Farmers Market opens at River Bend with weekly Thursday and Sunday hours through fall. Sports & Iowa Pride: The Western Dubuque Bobcats become the first eastern Iowa school to play on the renovated Field of Dreams MLB diamond. Weather & Safety: Severe storms hit the Midwest, and Des Moines reported a tree-related death; Pottawattamie County also confirmed tornado sirens activated with no malfunction.

Local Arts & Events: Rock Falls is welcoming back Sick Summer for a third straight year, with a downtown mini-block party on Monday, June 15 as hundreds of race vehicles roll through after Byron Dragway action. Music & Culture: Leonard Slatkin (81) and violinist Randall Goosby (29) sat down for a conversation on American music and more, airing June 11–14 on GPB’s The ASO. Community & Fundraising: River Days 2026 in Burlington kicks off with carnival rides and a weekend of concerts for conservation, plus a Smoke on the Water BBQ competition. Sports & Iowa Talent: Iowa’s IGHSAU softball rankings highlight Charles City and North Butler cracking the top 15s in Class 3A. Tech for Iowa Agriculture: Tech Hub LIVE returns to Des Moines July 20–22, focusing on practical ag tech ROI with AI, compliance, cybersecurity and farm workflows. Severe Weather Impact: Storms across the Midwest left widespread outages and damage, including a reported Iowa death after a tree strike.

Father’s Day Music & Community Events: Fort Dodge’s Karl L. King Municipal Band keeps the summer concerts rolling Sunday, June 21 at 7:30 p.m. at the band shell in Oleson Park, with free admission and an ice-cream social before the show. Downtown Live Music: Webster City Market Nights returns today, 5:30–7:30 p.m., with Classic Car Night, live music from Lee Klett, local food and vendors, and classic-car trophies at 7:20 p.m. Local Sports Spotlight: South Hamilton baseball and softball both host Nevada Thursday after recent close games and standout performances from players like Adelyn Trask and Claire Hewitt. Rural Health & Cancer: Poweshiek County Public Health is joining a statewide Rural Health Transformation Program initiative to expand cancer prevention, screening, early detection, and radon support for rural Iowans. Severe Weather Watch: Storms are expected to bring damaging winds and heavy rain across the Midwest, with Iowa in the mix—plan for disruptions. Arts & Culture: Iowa City’s Finkbine Golf Course is set for an $11 million renovation, and the Iowa Girls High School State Soccer Tournament semifinals shift to Friday due to weather.

Bluegrass & Country: Hampton’s 11th annual Bluegrass & Country Music Festival returns at the Franklin County Fairgrounds, led by longtime organizer Lori King, with free admission and an opening potluck plus open jam. Sports Spotlight: Simpson College softball is celebrating a historic run, including a program-best 41 wins and a first-ever American Rivers Conference Tournament title, fueled by late-inning rallies. State Tech & Jobs: Gov. Kim Reynolds says Iowa will keep an Iowa-based workforce after moving executive-branch IT to Amazon Web Services and Cognizant, a plan that will lay off about 200 state employees. COVID Accountability: GS Labs faces a nearly $5M multistate settlement over alleged overpriced and delayed COVID test results, with Iowa among the states included. Iowa Arts/Education: Drake University expands its global reach with an Ed.D. Leadership program in Singapore. Local Sports (Iowa): Waukee Northwest and Cedar Rapids Xavier took co-ed state tennis titles, with medical retirements shaping the finals.

Heavy Metal Tickets: Sabaton announced 2027 UK and European arena dates for “The Legendary Tour – Part 2,” with tickets going on sale at 9am BST/10am CEST today. Community Events: Webster City’s Market Night returns Thursday with Classic Car Night, live music, youth entrepreneur spotlights, and local food vendors. Local History & Theater: Fort Dodge’s Oakland Cemetery Walk brings 19th-century figures to life with researched portrayals this Saturday, plus guided tours and donations. Music & Live Shows: Second Hand News, a Fleetwood Mac tribute, hits The Legacy Theater in Carthage Saturday, June 13. Sports & Culture: Iowa’s Caitlin Clark keeps making headlines, landing on TIME’s 100 Most Influential Sports Figures list as the Fever and WNBA react. Public Safety & Services: LifeServe urges blood donations as summer supply concerns grow, and Davenport christens new rescue boat “Big Red.” Tech & Iowa Government: Gov. Kim Reynolds announces a major cloud migration plan with AWS and Cognizant to save $525M over a decade.

Local Arts & Film: Downtown Davenport’s Alternating Currents Film Fest just announced its 2026 selections, running Aug. 13–16 across 40+ venues, with independent films in drama, horror, comedy, and experimental categories. Music & Live Shows: Jeff Tweedy is adding Midwest dates to mark the first anniversary of Twilight Override, including a Nov. 7 stop in Davenport at the Capitol Theatre. Community Outdoors: Iowa’s State Parks Passport is back for 2026 with check-in prizes and a new photo contest chance for park shots. Sports (Iowa Connections): Purdue will play an exhibition at Purdue Fort Wayne on Oct. 22, a nod to the Fort Wayne recruiting pipeline. Local Sports Spotlight: Keokuk Concert Association is celebrating its 100th season with six shows already booked at the Grand Theatre. Homeownership: Iowa Finance Authority named Serena Moss of Des Moines as the state’s first Chief Door Opener for National Homeownership Month.

Local Summer Events: Fort Dodge-area weekend plans are packed, with the Badger Lake Dragon Boat Bash, Blanden Art Festival, and Oakland Cemetery Walk all on deck, plus bigger multi-day festivals like Lehigh River Days and Manson Greater Crater Days. Teen & Community Programming: Webster City’s Kendall Young Library is hosting weekly teen hangouts and movie time as part of its summer reading program. Sports Spotlight (Iowa): Norwalk rolled past Lewis Central 6-0 in Class 2A girls soccer, while North Polk upset Waverly-Shell Rock 2-1; in the WNBA, Caitlin Clark hit a late winner as Indiana beat Washington 78-76. Music & Arts: Chariton High School’s concert band earned a Division 1 rating at the state music contest after years of chasing the top mark. Water & Heat Alerts: Central Iowa Water Works issued a Stage 3 mandatory lawn watering ban, and Waterloo is opening cooling locations and splash pads for summer heat safety. Entertainment Calendar (Dubuque): Two 2026 live shows are coming to the Five Flags Theater: Bad Momz of Comedy (July 8) and Swan Lake: Symphony of Lights (Oct. 15).

Big Ten Basketball Schedule: Iowa’s women will play Nebraska home and away in the 2026-27 Big Ten slate, with dates and TV set for later. Conference Matchups: Illinois’ 2026-27 home/away opponents were also announced, and Wisconsin’s schedule includes Iowa twice. ACC-SEC Challenge: Virginia Tech will host Tennessee (women) and Mississippi (men) in the ACC-SEC Challenge, with Virginia hosting Kentucky (men) and visiting Mississippi State (women). Iowa Sports Facilities: The University of Iowa is seeking Board of Regents approval for a new field hockey operations building and renovations to Carver-Hawkeye Arena, funded by donors. Local Sports Spotlight: Saylor Vander Maten was named Athlete of the Week after a big softball performance for Nighthawks. Community Events: Hampton’s Bluegrass & Country Music Festival returns this week, and the Battle for the Valley Rodeo hits Marengo on June 27. Entertainment & Culture: Brigitte Calls Me Baby brings its post-punk-meets-crooner sound to Des Moines, and Iowa restaurants are hopping on the “Soft Serve Margaritas” trend. Sports Betting Watch: A judge granted Texas Tech QB Brendan Sorsby a temporary injunction against the NCAA, cutting his suspension to two games.

Local Arts & Community: Marshalltown opened the Apgar Family Water Plaza at Mega-10 Park, a ribbon-cutting celebration that drew hundreds of kids and highlighted public-private community work. Crafts & Workshops: Legacy Learning—Boone River Valley is hosting a Wet Felting on a Ball workshop June 20 in Webster City, turning wool fibers into a felted vessel or bag. Pride & Wellness: Capital City Pride in Des Moines is leaning into wellness with events like a Pride Ride, Pride Stride 5K, and a powerlifting competition aimed at tackling LGBTQ+ health disparities. Indie Book Culture: Ames’ Dog-Eared Books spotlights the locally owned bookstore’s community events and cafe corner, run by two longtime Ames friends. Sports & Local Color: Dubuque Figure Skating Academy skaters share how friendship and confidence help them handle comparison pressure. Sports Safety/Local News: Iowa State Patrol issued violations after a semitruck ended up in a ditch on I-80, tied to a passenger driving while the driver slept. Sports Business/Tech: A new report traces how sneaker “bot” culture relies on proxies and automation to chase limited drops.

Local Arts & Community: Atlantic’s Gallivant brings local roots to a free “Produce in the Park” concert June 11, mixing covers and originals. Food & Farming Creativity: Favorite Creamery in Alton is spotlighted for its fast-growing goat cheese and gelato lineup, including new ideas like goat butters. Arts Spotlight: Fort Yukon potter Sarah Beaty’s “Flora” ceramics show highlights how utilitarian, everyday forms help her work travel beyond Alaska. Faith & Community Events: Sheldon’s Rise Ministries marks 25 years ahead of RiseFest June 12-13. Sports & Culture: Iowa high school boys soccer crowns four state champions, with a Des Moines Register fan poll running through June 19 for the tournament’s standout player. WNBA (Iowa Connection): Caitlin Clark and the Fever fall to the New York Liberty 83-75, with Clark posting 10 points, 9 assists, and 7 rebounds. Mental Health Fundraiser: “Bike with Mike” in southwest Iowa raises $1.2 million for Omaha-area mental health resources in honor of Mike Kutilek.

Local Sports & Community: Ankeny is set to start Hawkeye Park tennis court reconstruction next week, replacing the current courts with six new ones plus fencing, wind screens, energy-efficient lighting, and a practice backboard. WNBA Spotlight: Caitlin Clark’s Indiana Fever fell 75-83 to the New York Liberty, with Clark posting 10 points, 7 rebounds, 9 assists, and 3 turnovers in 34 minutes; she’s listed probable with a back injury. Volleyball: Cedar Rapids hosted the “Best in the Midwest” volleyball tournament, drawing teams from 16 states and offering $15,000 in prizes plus points toward AVP pro opportunities. Youth & Arts/Events: Bettendorf’s “Be Downtown” returns downtown this weekend with live music, food vendors, kids activities, and a daytime-to-evening lineup. College Sports Recruiting: Iowa State continues loading up the Class of 2027, including QB prospect Cash Hollingshead committing after a standout camp showing. Health & Science (Regional): Nebraska Medicine unveiled a new proton beam cancer treatment device aimed at more precise care for kids and patients across the region, including Iowa. Tragic Local Crime: A Mason City man was charged with first-degree murder after police found a woman dead during a welfare check.

WNBA Spotlight: Caitlin Clark is listed as probable with a back injury as the Indiana Fever host the New York Liberty in the Commissioner’s Cup at 7 p.m. CT Saturday on CBS/KCCI and Paramount+. Local Arts & Culture: Iowa PBS’s “Road Trip Iowa” heads to the Hawkeye Point area, Sheldon Prairie Museum, Orange City’s Tulip Festival stops, Le Mars art and heritage sites, and more in a June 8 premiere. Community Events: Council Bluffs’ Summerfest wrapped at River’s Edge Park with food trucks, local vendors, a foam party, drone show, and live art. Sports Notes: The Cubs recalled RHP Javier Assad; RHP Ethan Roberts was optioned to Triple-A Iowa. Iowa Outdoors: Free fishing weekend runs Friday through Sunday statewide, no license needed for residents. Local Business/Jobs: Whirlpool announced another 288 layoffs at its Middle Amana plant, bringing cuts to 879 since last summer. Scam Alert: A fake “South Dakota history” Facebook page was flagged as operating from Bangladesh, not the Midwest.

High School Soccer: Des Moines Hoover won its first-ever Iowa boys soccer state title, rallying from 2-0 down to beat Norwalk 4-3 at Mediacom Stadium. High School Soccer: Iowa City Regina added another trophy, topping St. Albert 3-2 for the 1A state championship behind a hat-trick performance from senior Laird Holden. High School Softball: Waukee Northwest’s Sophia Schlader was named Gatorade Iowa Softball Player of the Year after a dominant season that included a Class 5A state title. Community Arts & Events: Fort Dodge’s Blanden Art Festival returns Saturday with free family-friendly art, vendors, and live music. Music & Summer Culture: The Manchester Music Festival kicks off its “Sounding America: Music That Shaped US” season, billed as a “Summer of Discovery.” Local Life: Council Bluffs was hit by late storms Friday, leaving thousands without power. Sports Spotlight: Fort Dodge softball crushed Sioux City North 22-1, while Iowa Central’s baseball team set a national Div. II record with 190 home runs.

Local Sports Spotlight: Iowa women’s wrestling star Kennedy Blades is stepping away from her final college season to pursue pro wrestling full-time with Real American Freestyle, while continuing to train at Iowa and chase Olympic goals. Softball Honors: Atlantic’s Ally Anderson is set to be inducted into the Trojan Softball Hall of Fame during a Brainerd-area triple-header ceremony, celebrating a dominant pitching-and-hitting run from 2014-2018. Music & Live Shows: Metal band Fuming Mouth announced its new album The Ringing Bell and shared the single “A Blaze Of Nihilism,” with a stop in Des Moines on Aug. 13. Community Events: Iowans can fish without a license this weekend as part of the DNR’s annual free fishing weekend, running through Sunday, June 7. Arts & Theater: Actors Repertory Theatre in Brainerd is bringing an improv comedy show, “Oh, Look, Another Roundabout!, or … Hopelessly Lost in Brainerd,” June 9-11. Baseball Ticket Buzz: MLB at the Field of Dreams in Dyersville is opening an Iowa-only ticket lottery for the Aug. 13 game.

WCWS Glory (Texas): Teagan Kavan struck out three straight in the sixth inning to seal Texas’ 4-1 Game 2 win over Texas Tech and a back-to-back Women’s College World Series title, with Iowa native NiJaree Canady taking the loss. Iowa Pride (WNBA): Caitlin Clark posted 17 points, 7 rebounds, and 8 assists in Indiana Fever’s 83-71 win over the Atlanta Dream. Local Arts & Community: Dubuque’s “All That Jazz” moved indoors to Five Flags Arena because of storms, keeping the full lineup and food trucks. Music in the Midwest: New Ulm Municipal Band marked 80 years with its 2026 German Park concert series kickoff, and a classic rock cover band (“On Maryland”) is set for June 11. Sports Notes (Iowa): Justin Verlander made a rehab start for Toledo in Des Moines, throwing five scoreless innings against the Iowa Cubs. Family & Fun (Iowa Events): Fort Dodge’s DAM to DSM half-marathon class had students training early for the big run. Safety & Scams: Cedar Falls charged a student over alleged misuse of AI-generated images involving a minor.

Local Sports Spotlight: Sumner-Fredericksburg’s softball team snapped a rough stretch with a 7-3 road win over Grundy Center, while the Cougars’ baseball squad fell 15-0 in four innings. Summer Entertainment: Ski Bellevue kicks off its free Mississippi River water-ski season June 6, with food trucks at every show and performances running through August. Broadway & TV Buzz: The 2026 Tony Awards are set for Sunday at Radio City, with Pink hosting and Laurie Metcalf leading the “Death of a Salesman” conversation. WNBA Watch: Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever take on the Atlanta Dream tonight (6 p.m. CT) on Prime Video. Education Update: Iowa’s new education standards law expands statewide testing to include social studies for 8th and 11th graders and updates health education requirements. Iowa Events & Food: Fong’s Patio in Des Moines is launching USA World Cup watch parties June 12 and 19 with giant screens and family-friendly games. Community Arts: Marion Public Library lands an NEA Big Read grant for “The Big Marion Read,” running Sept. 12–Oct. 24. Health & Outdoors: A tick-safety reminder urges Iowans to check skin after time outside and use repellents and proper removal if a tick is found. Music in Iowa: Zach Top adds a Des Moines stop Oct. 8 at Casey’s Center on his “Cold Beer & Country Music” tour.