Noah’s Ark Animal Foundation in Fairfield is helping pet owners keep their animals safe with a low-cost microchip and vaccination clinic coming up Saturday, July 25th.
The clinic will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Noah’s Ark Animal Foundation, located at 1986 Gear Avenue in Fairfield. No appointment is necessary, and the event is open to the public.
A microchip implanted by a licensed veterinarian will be available for $25, which includes free registration of the chip to help lost pets return home. Rabies vaccinations will be offered for $20, while yearly vaccinations for dogs, including DA2PP and Bordetella, and cats, including FVRCP, will be available for $15 each.
Pet owners can also take advantage of nail trims, with dog toenail trims available for $15 and cat toenail trims for $10.
All proceeds from the clinic benefit the animals and programs at Noah’s Ark Animal Foundation.
For more information, contact Noah’s Ark at 641-472-6080 or visit noahsark.org.
Young livestock exhibitors took center stage during the 2026 Henry County Fair as they competed in the annual 4-H Bucket Calf and Bottle Lamb & Goat Show Thursday evening, along with the Bucket and Bottle Animal Show sponsored by the Henry County Farm Bureau. The event gave youth the opportunity to demonstrate the care, handling, and knowledge they’ve developed while raising their animals. The 2026 Henry County Fair continues this weekend with more livestock shows, exhibits, entertainment, and family activities at the fairgrounds.
In the Bucket Calf Show, Daxtyn Parker of the Jefferson Juniors 4-H Club was named Class 1 Champion with a calf born February 20, 2026. The class also included:
Boden Schrader – Scott Sobusters
Taben Denning – New London Pioneers
Anastasia Parker – New London Lassies & Lads
Linn Brumwell – New London Pioneers
Lynnix McMullin – New London Lassies & Lads
In Class 2, Madelynn Nelson of the New London Lassies & Lads earned Class Champion with her March 25, 2026-born calf. Courtney Smith of Triple C also competed in the class.
Courtney, daughter of Adam (and Brooke) Smith who represents the Henry County Cattlemen in a regular segment on KILJ, was showing her calf, Lilly in the show. Lilly, the calf, was a guest star on the radio and interviewed in studio when she was just 2 weeks old in April. Here is more from Courtney and KILJ’s special guest star Lilly:
Several Clover Kids participated in the non-competitive Bucket Calf division, including Andrew Keck, Kayden Keck, Levi Schinstock, John Scott, Markie Rich, Ty Denning, and Violet Smith.
KILJ caught up with Violet Smith and Levi Schinstock before they stepped into the showring, and they shared a bit about their animals and experience getting ready for the fair:
The Bottle Lamb & Goat Show featured one competitive exhibitor, with Chase Conrad of the Salem Stars 4-H Club earning the top place. Benton Brown of the Winfield Clover Kids participated in the non-competitive division.
While Boden Schrader, showed a bucket calf as a member of the Scott Sodbusters 4H club, he also had a strong showing earlier in the day with a reserve champion placing for his speckled face market lamb:
The Farm Bureau Bucket/Bottle Animal Show continues to be a favorite event at the Henry County Fair, introducing young exhibitors to livestock care, responsibility, and showmanship while helping build confidence in the show ring. KILJ caught up with a few of the Farm Bureau Bucket/Bottle Animal participants. Listen below!
Here’s Lucy with her goat:
And Maxlynn with her calf:
And Bristol with her lamb:
Proud to support KILJ’s coverage of the Henry County Fair are Cornerstone Building Brands, Fraise Auction and Realty, Graber Services, H&R Block, and the Henry County Iowa State University Extension & Outreach Office.
The 2026 4-H/FFA Goat Show at the Henry County Fair featured a full day of competition on Thursday as exhibitors showcased their breeding and market goats before judge William Carbino.
In the breeding doe show, Aubrey Loyd had an impressive day, earning Champion Junior Doe, Champion Yearling Doe, Grand Champion Breeding Doe, and Champion County Born Goat honors. Ryen Pepper was named Reserve Champion Junior Doe, while Lily Syfert claimed Reserve Champion Yearling Doe and Reserve Grand Champion Breeding Doe. Abigail Zachmeyer earned Champion Hobby Goat.
In the Market Meat Goat Show, Colin Anderson dominated the competition, winning both the Champion Lightweight and Champion Heavyweight divisions before being selected as the Overall Champion Meat Goat. Anderson’s lightweight entry also received Reserve Champion Meat Goat honors.
Other division winners included Emmett Garza, Champion Mediumweight Meat Goat, with Alexa Lair named Reserve Champion Mediumweight. Ryen Pepper was Reserve Champion Lightweight, and Deegan Parker earned Reserve Champion Heavyweight.
Rounding out the overall market goat placings were Emmett Garza in third, Deegan Parker in fourth, and Alexa Lair in fifth. Lair also received the Champion Rate of Gain award.
Showmanship winners were Ava Kempker in the Junior Division, Deegan Parker in the Intermediate Division, and Ryen Pepper in the Senior Division.
In preparation for the market portion of the goat show, KILJ caught up with cousins Tucker Syfert and Ava Kempker to talk about preparing their market goats for the fair, the work that goes into raising them, and what they enjoy most about showing livestock:
Congratulations to all this year’s exhibitors on a successful 2026 4-H/FFA Goat Show. And a big thank you to these area businesses for sponsoring KILJ’s fair coverage: All American Sanitation, Backyard Brass LLC, C&M Cooling, Heating, and Plumbing, Duraclean, and The Elliott Funeral Chapel of New London.
The Henry County Board of Supervisors will meet Tuesday, July 14, beginning at 8:15 a.m. at Emergency Management on West Washington Street in Mount Pleasant.
Following the Pledge of Allegiance and roll call, supervisors are expected to approve the consent agenda, which includes the July 9 meeting minutes and financial claims for payment.
Under new business, County Engineer Jake Hotchkiss will present Resolution 23-2026-20, a 28E Cooperative Agreement for a County Highway Bridge Program federal grant project involving Bridge Number 13. The bridge is located on 140th Street, west of Franklin Avenue, or County Road W-55, in Henry County.
The special meeting was called because of scheduling and time constraints for the Board of Supervisors, along with the application deadline for the grant. The resolution is expected to receive approval.
As always, the meeting will include an opportunity for public comments before adjournment. Residents wishing to address the board on items not listed on the agenda are asked to state their name and address for the record and limit their remarks to three minutes.
The next generation of livestock exhibitors showed off their skills during Friday night’s Bottle Bucket Calf competition at the Lee County Fair.
The competition included both an interview portion and a showmanship portion, giving each contestant a chance to demonstrate their knowledge, preparation, and ability to handle their calf.
Adding a little radio flair to the event, KILJ’s own Kadie Johannson stepped away from the microphone and into the show ring spotlight as the interviewer, getting to visit with each young exhibitor and hear about their calves and their fair experiences.
In the 5- to 6-year-old division, the Showmanship Award went to Jackson Tungate.
In the 7- to 8-year-old division, Maddie Wenke received the Showmanship Award.
And in the 9-year-old division, the Showmanship Award was presented to Jade Steffensmeier.
Congratulations to each young exhibitor who participated in the Bottle Bucket Calf competition at the Lee County Fair. Their hard work and dedication helped make this a fun and successful event. And thank you to the sponsors of KILJ’s coverage: Donnellson Tire, 5 Star Community Credit Union, Fraise Auction & Real Estate, DSB Insurance, and Mt. Hamill Tap.
A Middletown man is facing a felony charge after the Des Moines County Sheriff’s Office says he admitted to leaving the scene of a crash that seriously injured a bicyclist last month.
According to Sheriff Kevin Glendening, deputies were dispatched at approximately 7:51 p.m. on June 24 to the 15000 block of Mediapolis Road for a report of a pickup truck that had struck a bicyclist and fled the scene. Investigators were told a dark-colored truck hit the cyclist and continued driving without stopping to render aid or report the crash. The victim was taken to the hospital with severe bruising and pain.
During the investigation, deputies identified the suspect vehicle as a blue Ford F-150. On Friday, July 10, investigators interviewed Kole William Perkins, 28, of Middletown, who owns a truck matching that description.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, Perkins admitted he was driving the truck on June 24 and knew he had struck someone on Mediapolis Road. Investigators say Perkins also admitted he believed the victim may have been seriously injured or even dead but never stopped to render aid or contact emergency responders.
Perkins was arrested Friday and charged with Knowingly Leaving the Scene of an Accident Resulting in Serious Injury, a Class D felony. He was transported to the Des Moines County Correctional Center.
A criminal charge is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
An Iowa licensed practical nurse (LPN) who worked at the Klein Center nursing facility in West Burlington has been disciplined by the Iowa Board of Nursing following an incident involving a resident who later died.
According to a settlement agreement approved by the Board, Samantha Smith responded to a resident who appeared to be choking on December 5, 2025. The Board found that after the initial response, Smith did not perform additional vital sign assessments and moved the resident to their bedroom, placing them in bed with a CPAP machine. Another nurse checked on the resident later that evening and found the patient hyperventilating with purplish lips and skin, indicating a lack of oxygen in their blood. Although 911 was called, the resident died before emergency responders arrived.
The Board charged Smith with failing to properly assess, document, evaluate, or report the patient’s condition, and with committing an act or omission that may have adversely affected the patient’s welfare. Rather than contest the allegations, Smith entered into a settlement agreement acknowledging the allegations would constitute grounds for discipline if proven.
As part of the Board’s final order, Smith received a citation and warning that future violations could result in additional disciplinary action. She must also complete 15 hours of Board-approved continuing education focused on patient assessment. The disciplinary order was approved June 17, 2026, and becomes part of her permanent licensure record. Her Iowa practical nursing license remains active.
A Lockridge man is facing felony and misdemeanor charges following a Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office investigation into a reported sexual abuse case.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, deputies received a report on June 12, 2026 of alleged sexual abuse involving an adult male and a juvenile victim in Lockridge. Following an investigation, authorities identified Neal Lynch, 27, of Lockridge as the suspect and obtained arrest warrants.
Lynch was arrested on the evening of June 22, 2026 and charged with Sexual Abuse in the Second Degree, a Class B felony, and Indecent Contact with a Child, an aggravated misdemeanor.
A criminal charge is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
