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State-regional
Students invited to enter Choose Iowa Calendar Contest for America 250 celebration
Scott Stewart
The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship is accepting youth artists to submit entries for the 2026 Choose Iowa Calendar Contest, which this year is part of the state's official celebration of America 250.
Choose Iowa is the state’s signature brand for Iowa grown, made, and raised food, beverages and agricultural products, according to a news release.
Students are invited to submit artwork that combines Iowa agriculture with a patriotic theme as part of Iowa’s celebration recognizing the 250th anniversary of the United States.
Submissions must feature at least one aspects of Iowa agriculture with an emphasis on food, beverages, livestock, crop production, or horticulture. Elements, themes or symbols reflecting patriotism or American pride are also required.
"Submissions will be judged on creativity and connections to agriculture in everyday life, as well as how the artwork incorporates patriotic elements," according to the release.
Entries must be submitted by noon on June 1. Winning artists will be recognized Aug. 18 at the Iowa State Fair and be included in the 2026-27 Choose Iowa calendar distributed at the fair and at chooseiowa.com.
The contest "offers school-aged students a fun opportunity to highlight Iowa agriculture and its incredible importance to our state and our country," Iowa Agriculture Secretary Mike Naig said in the release. "As we celebrate America’s 250th birthday, we’re reminded that many of our nation’s founders were farmers and that agriculture has helped sustain our country and our communities for generations."
School-age Iowa children up to age 18 may participate. Artwork should be drawn on plain white, 8.5-by-11-inch paper in a horizontal orientation using only black lines. Pictures should not be colored in by the artist.
Entries can be submitted on the Choose Iowa website or submitted by email or mail. An entry form, or the equivalent information, is required. Find more information at chooseiowa.com. Download last year's calendar for inspiration at tinyurl.com/chooseiowa2025calendar.
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig on Iowa’s place in the America 250 celebration
State-regional
Iowa DNR issuing weekly wildflower bloom reports
Scott Stewart
Wildflowers are starting to bloom across Iowa, offering fleeting opportunities for nature lovers.
"They sprinkle wild landscapes with color and send subtle fragrances into the nearby air. Get outside this spring and see what you can find," the Iowa Department of Natural Resources said in a news release. "Early spring wildflowers are commonly called ephemerals, which means 'short-lived.' Their dazzling show of spring color is only a limited engagement, so make time to see the flowers before they are gone."
The DNR offers a Woodland Wildflower Report on what wildflowers are in bloom through mid-May as well as listing common wildflowers. Find the report at tinyurl.com/dnrwildflowers.
Wildflowers are seen on the Council Bluffs property of Doug and
Brenda Hutcheson on Friday, May 15, 2020.
JOE SHEARER, THE NONPAREIL
State-regional
Who has the best breaded pork tenderloin in Iowa? Nominations open now
Susan Stapleton
Des Moines Register
Iowa’s best breaded pork tenderloin search begins again
In Iowa, the breaded pork tenderloin is more than a sandwich. It’s a measuring stick, a point of pride and, for a handful of restaurants each year, a business-changing honor.
The Iowa Pork Producers Association has opened nominations for the 2026 Iowa’s Best Breaded Pork Tenderloin Contest, launching another statewide hunt for the restaurant that does the classic sandwich best. Nominations opened April 15 and run through June 1, inviting diners to put their favorite tenderloin on the map and restaurants to vie for one of the state’s most recognizable food titles.
The breaded pork tenderloin at Hometown Heroes in Grinnell is
one of the five finalists in the Iowa Pork Producers
Association's Iowa's Best Breaded Pork Tenderloin
competition. The winner will be announced in mid-October.
IOWA PORK PRODUCERS ASSOCIATION
The annual contest has become a powerful spotlight on an Iowa staple, honoring handâbreaded pork tenderloin sandwiches that remain regular menu items at restaurants open yearâround. From longtime diners and small-town cafes to bars and grills with loyal followings, the competition draws thousands of nominations each year.
For last year’s winner, Hometown Heroes in Grinnell, the contest delivered far more than bragging rights.
“We encouraged all our social media followers to vote for us. That alone created a lot of engagement and excitement with our customers,” said co-owner Kalyn Durr, whose restaurant earned the 2025 title. “Once we made the judging, we did what we do best — we tried to put out a consistently great tenderloin sandwich for each and every order. The results were incredible.”
After Hometown Heroes claimed the top spot, pork tenderloin sales surged. According to Durr, they increased twentyfold following the win — a reminder of the very real impact the contest can have on small businesses.
Restaurants that lean into the competition often see similar results, said Denise Wiley, chair of the Restaurant & Foodservice Committee at Iowa Pork.
“We’ve had past finalists report major increases in traffic and tenderloin sales,” Wiley said. “This is a great opportunity to showcase what makes your place special.”
The breaded pork tenderloin at Cliff's Place in Manning was
named the best in the state by the Iowa Pork Producers Association
in 2023.
IOWA PORK PRODUCERS ASSOCIATION
What happens in Iowa’s Best Breaded Pork Tenderloin Contest?
Once nominations close in June, the Iowa Pork Producers Association will select the top 40 restaurants statewide, including the five highest-ranked nominees from each of its eight districts. Undercover judges will then visit each finalist, evaluating the sandwiches on pork quality, flavor, appearance and overall dining experience.
The top five finalists will be announced in October during National Pork Month. The winning restaurant will receive $500, a plaque and statewide recognition; the runner-up will earn $250 and a plaque.
Beyond the prize money, the contest celebrates a sandwich that has become shorthand for Iowa comfort food. From oversized, crispy classics spilling past the bun to carefully balanced versions with creative toppings, the tenderloin continues to evolve while staying rooted in tradition. With Iowa leading the nation in pork production, the contest has become both a culinary showcase and a nod to the state’s agricultural backbone.
Each person is allowed one nomination, and nominators whose picks advance are entered for a chance to win $100 — another incentive that helps fuel the contest’s enthusiastic participation.
Dairy Sweet in Dunlap won the title of Best Breaded Pork
Tenderloin in Iowa in 2024.
IOWA PORK PRODUCERS ASSOCIATION
Who has won the contest in the past?
Recent winners reflect the diversity of Iowa’s tenderloin landscape: Hometown Heroes in Grinnell (2025), Dairy Sweet in Dunlap (2024), Cliff’s Place in Manning (2023), Lid’s Bar & Grill in Waukon (2022) and Victoria Station in Harlan (2021).
Nominations and full contest details are available at IowaPork.org, as Iowa once again sets out to crown the state’s best breaded pork tenderloin.
The organization is planning celebrations to recognize home visitors and the impact they have on maternal and child health outcomes, according to a news release.
"Home visiting connects pregnant individuals and families with young children to trained family support professionals who provide personalized coaching and guidance throughout pregnancy and early childhood," the release states. "Using a variety of evidence-based models, home visiting supports healthy birth outcomes, increases family self-sufficiency and helps children enter school fully prepared to succeed.
Free programs are available in Southwest Iowa through Thriving Families Alliance's Early Childhood Iowa Board, which operates in Pottawattamie, Mills, Fremont, Page, Harrison, Monona, Shelby, Cass and Montgomery counties.
More than 200 families with more than 300 children participated in home visiting services across Southwest Iowa last year. Thriving Family Alliance is sharing testimonials from families, including videos, at childandfamilyresourcenetwork.org.
The Child and Family Resource Network serves as a one-stop-stop for family support programs throughout Southwest Iowa.
The Institute for the Advancement of Family Support Professionals, an organization focused on strengthening home visiting and human service programs across the country, is collaborating with nonprofit partners and elected officials to organize National Home Visiting Week.
“Home visiting is a powerful tool to help make our families and communities stronger and more resilient,” Janet Horras, the institute's executive director, said in the release. “Our local home visitors are incredible and we’re proud to highlight their important work through National Home Visiting Week and beyond.”
U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley co-sponsored a resolution to highlight home visiting. Thriving Family Alliance extended appreciation to its partners, which include Burgess Health Center in Onawa, Harrison County Home and Public Health in Logan, Myrtue Medical Center in Harlan, Lutheran Family Services in Council Bluffs, Visiting Nurse Association in Council Bluffs, Nishna Valley YMCA in Atlantic, Mills County Public Health in Glenwood, Southwest Iowa Families in Clarinda, Iowa State Extension and Outreach Fremont County in Sidney and Iowa State Extension and Outreach in Clarinda.
"We also recognize and thank our dedicated family support professionals who pour their hearts and souls into strengthening families and building healthier communities every day," the release states. "Every day, home visitors show up for families, offering guidance, stability, and hope when it’s needed most."
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