This year’s homecoming royalty was announced at a pep assembly held at Knoxville High School. This year’s court below:

King Candidates – Grant DeMoss, Jackson Clarke, Lincoln Norris, Jack Reed, and Jude Zuck

Queen Candidates – Sienna Scott, Addy Dunkin, Bridgette Liston, Abbie Keitges, and Thalia DeSocio

 Knoxville Homecoming week will start on Monday with a full week of activities and festivities. The king and queen coronation will take place Thursday night at Randy Wilson Track. Hear a full homecoming preview on Monday’s Let’s Talk Knoxville. 

The free  Landmark Arts Festival has artists stationed at booths inside the DMACC Conference Center and activities in the atrium and auditorium of the Carroll Bennett Building. 

Organized by Rachel Braafhart, Conference Center Coordinator, and Sophie Parker, Executive Director of the Centre for Arts and Artists in Newton, the family-friendly festival is a reimagined successor to the notable Iowa Sculpture Festival. Braafhart says a lot of work went into this event, which is expected to be held annually.

“We have been planning this for almost a year now. Dreaming up and scheming how to bring back an arts festival to the community in a more inclusive way that welcomes all ages and all mediums of art, and this is the result.”

The Iowa Sculpture Festival was held in Newton from the early 2000s until 2017 and, in that time, helped lay the groundwork for the Centre for Arts and Artists and Newton’s local arts community. 

The festival lineup covers a wide range of mediums, from glassblowing, print making, and acrylic painting to illustration, watercolor, and paper mache. There’s a Community-Themed Art Competition, live music, and screenings of the Newton-based independent film “Littles” by Ketcham Pictures and “Midnight Metro: A Fashion Story”, which is a documentary by the DMACC Fashion Institute.

Teens ages 12–18 are invited to gather at the Library for a conversation with T.L. Simpson, author of Strong Like You, the 2026 All Iowa Reads Teen selection. Simpson will join the group virtually at 4 pm on Wednesday, September 23rd, with attendees participating together at the Library. Strong Like You follows Walker Lauderdale, a teenager searching for his missing father while navigating questions of family, identity, and resilience. Teens will have an opportunity to hear about the book directly from Simpson and ask their own questions. The event is designed for teens, but parents, educators, librarians, and other interested community members are welcome to participate.

The Library’s monthly Brown Bag Book Club at noon on Thursday, September 24th will welcome author Kirsten Miller for a special conversation about her novel Lula Dean’s Little Library of Banned Books. Miller will join the group virtually while book club participants meet together at the Library. The Brown Bag Book Club meets monthly to discuss a selected book, and author visits offer members the opportunity to hear about the book, writing process, and ideas behind the story directly from its creator.

The visits concludes at 6:30 pm on September 24th with an in-person author event featuring bestselling author Allen Eskens, whose novel The Quiet Librarian is the 2026 All Iowa Reads Adult selection. Eskens will discuss The Quiet Librarian, his writing, and the inspiration behind the novel, followed by an opportunity for audience questions. Books will be available for purchase and signing following the event. Eskens is the bestselling author of The Life We Bury and several other novels. His work has received numerous honors, including the Barry Award, Minnesota Book Award, Left Coast Crime Award, and Silver Falchion Award, and his books have been translated into 23 languages.

All three events are free and open to the public. Registration and additional information are available below. Extra copies of all three books are available to checkout at the library. 

Event registration/details:

T.L. Simpson: Strong Like You – Wednesday, September 23rd at 4 pm  

Kirsten Miller: Brown Bag Book Club – Thursday, September 24th at Noon 

Allen Eskens: The Quiet Librarian – Thursday, September 24th at 6:30 pm

The 47-year-old Rhodes man pleaded guilty this week to four counts of willful injury causing bodily injury, and one count of 2nd degree criminal mischief. District Court Judge Michael Jacobsen accepted Flora’s guilty pleas, and set his sentencing hearing for December 7th.

Court documents filed by the Jasper County Sheriff’s Department state Flora became upset at Benola’s Pub & Patio in Baxter during the early morning hours of August 31st, and threw several bar stools, breaking numerous alcohol containers and a door on a large chest cooler in the process. A man who attempted to subdue him, then sustained ten minor lacerations on his upper body, neck, arms, hands, and torso, when Flora pulled out a pocketknife and attempted to cut him.  

“We’re going to ask for some additional information and take a deeper dive into that. I’m sure that will be added onto the next meeting.”

For the full interview, tune in to this week’s Let’s Talk Indianola

The Iowa Association of Business and Industry (ABI) and Elevate Iowa Manufacturing will honor four Iowa manufacturing leaders as the 2026 Legends in Manufacturing Award recipients on October 13th at the Iowa Manufacturing Conference at Prairie Meadows in Altoona. Presented by Nyemaster Goode P.C., the awards recognize leaders whose contributions have strengthened Iowa’s manufacturing industry through leadership, innovation and service. 

The 2026 Legends in Manufacturing Award recipients are: 

• Under 100 Employees: Steve Anderson, Merrill Manufacturing (Storm Lake)  
• 100-300 Employees: Lori Schaefer-Weaton, Agri-Industrial Plastics Company (Fairfield)  
• 300+ Employees: Pat Weiler, Weiler (Knoxville)  
• Manufacturing Champion: The Honorable Terry Branstad, Former Governor of Iowa and Ambassador to China 

“ABI was founded by manufacturers, so recognizing the leaders who have helped shape Iowa’s manufacturing industry is especially meaningful to us,” said Nicole Crain, ABI President. “These honorees represent the leadership and commitment that make Iowa manufacturing strong, and we’re proud to recognize the impact they have made on their companies and communities.”  

The Legends in Manufacturing Awards will be presented during the conference luncheon on October 13. The Iowa Manufacturing Conference will bring manufacturers and business leaders together for a day focused on the trends, challenges and opportunities shaping the industry.  

Learn more about the Legends in Manufacturing Awards and view past recipients here.  

On September 8th, Michael Stockwell claimed a top prize in the Iowa Lottery’s $5 scratch off “$50,000 Super Crossword” game. He and his wife Pamela bought that winning ticket at the Casey’s store just north of Interstate 80 exit 168.