The christening of the ship marked the moment the nuclear submarine was ready to hit the water for sea trials. Commissioning of the ship is when the vessel is cleared for active duty. The USS Iowa has a commissioning committee that raises funds for equipment for the ship's crew.

On Sunday, Iowa Navy Veterans were invited to Big Grove Brewery in downtown Des Moines to meet with the commanding officer of the vessel and a couple crew members.

"When we carry the Iowa name we carry all of this, all of the people from Iowa, all of the previous people that served, the incredible history of Iowa," said Matt Powell, the Commanding Officer for the USS Iowa. "And the commissioning committee is the one that folds that all in and they really wrap that into the true spirit of the ship that will carry with it for the next several decades as the ship performs missions here on out."

A crew member aboard the USS Iowa is visiting the ship's namesake for the first time this weekend. He shared with WHO 13 News that this visit adds a new level of respect for the ship and the state.

"It's really cool, seeing that support it's just uplifting," said Christian Leporati, STS2 on the USS Iowa. "It really helps you just kind of keep going, when I go back when I leave here. It's more reinforcement that there's people rooting for you."

Both Powell and Leporati along with two other crew members will be at the Iowa State Fair on Monday before heading back to Connecticut where the submarine is currently stationed.

Big Grove Brewery partnered with a brewery out in Connecticut, to create the "Rack Stowed Cream Ale" to raise funds for the ship's commissioning.

The full list of donors to for the USS Iowa can be found on the ship's website.

At around 11 p.m. emergency crews responded to a report of a crash in the 3500 block of NE 86th Avenue in Ankeny. When Polk County Sheriff's deputies arrived on scene they found a Chevrolet Silverado on its top in the north ditch.

The sheriff's office said a preliminary investigation shows there were two teens in the cab of the truck and three teens in the bed of the truck. The truck was traveling westbound on NE 86th Ave. when the teen driver lost control, entered the ditch, and rolled, the sheriff's office said.

Four of the five teens were uninjured during the crash. One teen, who investigators believe was riding in the bed of the truck, passed away at the scene, the sheriff's office said. The teens' names will not be released due to their ages.

The sheriff's office said the investigation into the crash is ongoing.

Water rescue crews were called out to the southeast area of the lake, also known as 'Party Cove', around 7:20 p.m. Saturday night on a report of a man who had gone missing in the water. The search was called off after sunset for safety.

Just after 8:30 a.m. on Sunday emergency crews resumed search efforts to find the missing man. At around 9:10 a.m. crews located the victim 15-20 yards from shore in about 10-15 feet of water, the Polk County Sheriff's Office said.

The name of the victim has not been released. An investigation into the incident is ongoing, the sheriff's office said.

At around 7:20 p.m. emergency crews responded to a missing person report claiming a man had gone underwater and never resurfaced near the southeast area of the lake, commonly known as 'Party Cove.' According to the Polk County Sheriff's Office, witnesses saw a male in the water, but then could not locate him a short time later.

Rescue crews arrived on scene and searched the water until sunset and stopped when conditions became too dangerous to continue due to darkness, the sheriff's office said.

Search efforts will begin again on Sunday after sunrise.

"We came outside and looked out and were like, Oh my God what is happening? You could see the smoke but then later that evening the orange sky from all the fire was pretty intense," said Adam Crabb.

Their hotel located about a mile from the fast moving wildfire in Lahaina was evacuated. They had no roof over their head, no cell service or power and no way to contact their worried family back home in Iowa.

"We stayed the night in the van Tuesday night, we walked up to a shelter at a local high school and we were able to walk up a hill and get service and were able to make a quick call to my parents and say hey- we're safe , everything is OK," explained Traci Crabb.

Safe, but stranded. The family has spent the last few days trying to catch a flight off the island.

"After you see the devastation, the loss of life, the loss of entire communities, that really puts things into perspective. We slept on a church floor last night. Some of the kindest people I've every met took us in as their own and hopefully it does alter our perspectives for the rest of our lives," said Adam.

"It's just absolutely devastating, unreal to hear about so any help people can give them it is definitely needed and lots and lots of prayers," said Traci.

The family is asking for prayers and donations to the Red Cross for the scarred paradise they are leaving behind. They are scheduled to fly out Friday evening Maui time.

According to the Iowa State Patrol, the driver of a 2002 Chevy Suburban was backing out of a driveway when the 6-year-old boy entered a blind spot on the right rear side of the vehicle, and was hit.

Despite life-saving measures being initiated by the driver of the vehicle, the child passed away from his injuries at the scene, the state patrol said.

President Donald Trump greeted supporters while doing a circle of the main attractions at the fair: the Iowa Pork Tent, the Animal Learning Center and Steer n' Stein. Along the way, the former president stopped and talked with reporters.

"I love it, I love the crowd, look at this crowd. It's a record crowd, it's a great honor," said Trump.

He is the only candidate on the republican side of the ticket that is not doing a "fair side" chat with Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds. Just last month, Trump went after Governor Reynolds on Truth Social as he was frustrated with her remaining neutral in the primary race. WHO 13 News asked the former president why he decided on not participating in that conversation.

"I didn't invite from the standpoint that when they endorse, I invite," said Trump. "...I helped the governor a lot, I wont the race for the governor, but I like the governor."

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, Former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley and businessman Vivek Ramaswamy were among the other presidential candidates that are participating in the governor's conversations. All three were at the state fairgrounds during the former president's visit.

Trump, who was just recently indicted on his actions to overturn the 2020 presidential election, had many supporters in attendance at the fair. Those supporters say the recent indictment just adds more fuel to the fire.

"Well I think I am not surprised," said Rebecca Ervin of Urbandale. "I wasn't surprised...I just wish they'd leave him alone until after...the election."

"I was even more upset. I voted every year, every four years since 1972 and I wont' miss this one. I'll vote on Election Day, paper ballot, for our president, President Trump," said Larry Ginger from Saylorville.

At around 1 p.m. officers with the Pleasant Hill Police Department and from other metro agencies responded to a report of a shooting in the 400 block of Pleasant Circle. When officers arrived on scene they discovered a man discharging his weapon.

As officers engaged with the armed man, a Pleasant Hill Officer shot him and took him into custody, the police department said. Despite life-saving measures initiated at the scene and at a nearby hospital, the man died from his injuries, the police department said. The man's name has not been released.

Pleasant Hill Police said they later learned that the man had killed his two family dogs prior to the incident with officers.

An investigation into the shooting is being conducted by the Pleasant Hill Police Department and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation. Police said there is no further threat to the public at this time.

An additional 9,056 people were hospitalized with the virus last week, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, representing a 12.5% jump over the previous week.

The current summer wave of COVID hospitalizations started a few weeks ago. Last week, the number of new hospitalizations was up 12.1% over the week before.

But in about two dozen states, the surge in hospitalizations is far more than 12%. Alabama, Alaska, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Montana, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Vermont and Wyoming all saw at least a 20% increase in new COVID hospitalizations.

New Hampshire saw the biggest jump in a single week at 96% — nearby doubling the number of hospital admissions from the week before.

The percentage increase in new COVID-19 hospitalizations is illustrated in the interactive map below. (Hover your cursor over the map to view each state's data.)

States shaded in yellow and orange have seen hospitalizations decrease over the past week. Red states saw hospitalization numbers stay relatively stable. Those in purple saw a moderate increase, according to CDC data, while those in blue saw a substantial jump.

Based on the map, Iowa saw a 28% increase in COVID hospitalizations, which is higher than the jump in neighboring Missouri, at just 19%. However, to the northwest, South Dakota saw a 50% jump in hospitalizations, and neighboring Illinois saw a 30% increase in hospitalizations.

Taking a closer look, county-by-county data shows the surge isn't happening everywhere at the same time. Within a single state, one area could see hospitalizations triple, while the other end of the state is seeing fewer people with serious COVID come into emergency rooms.

Click on the map below to open it in a new window for a closer look.

Iowa counties that saw a substantial increase in COVID hospitalizations include:

• Adair
• Cerro Gordo
• Clarke
• Clay
• Dallas
• Decatur
• Dickinson
• Franklin
• Hancock
• Jasper
• Kossuth
• Lyon
• Madison
• Marion
• Muscatine
• Palo Alto
• Polk
• Ringgold
• Scott
• Union
• Warren
• Winnebago
• Worth

Jill Rosenthal, director of public health policy at the Center for American Progress, told The Hill that summer surges of COVID-19 may be the new norm. “We have had a summer wave of COVID for the last few summers, and so it’s not surprising to see an increase in COVID right now.”

While winter means more people socialize indoors (known to accelerate the spread of the coronavirus), summer means more people are traveling and socializing overall. Plus, in hot parts of the country, people are more likely to socialize and spend time in the air-conditioned indoors than they are to be outside.

The omicron variant still appears to be dominant. According to the CDC, omicron’s many subtypes make up 99.9% of cases.

On Aug. 5 at around 3:39 p.m. emergency crews responded to a report of a motorcycle crash in the 3100 block of I-235. When first responders arrived they found Raymond Koontz, 44, in critical condition. Koontz was transported to a hospital, but he later passed away from his injuries on Aug. 9.

According to the Des Moines Police Department, Koontz was driving his 2012 Harley Davidson eastbound on I-235 and Jose FLores, 40, was driving his 2012 Dodge Ram 1500 truck westbound. A tire fell off of FLores' truck, crossed over the median, and entered the eastbound lanes, police said. That tire then hit Koontz and knocked him off his motorcycle.

Police said Flores was issued citations for operation without a valid drivers license and operation without proof of insurance. An investigation into the crash is ongoing.

This is the eight traffic-related fatality this year, and the first involving a motorcyclist.

The event will be held at the Lauridsen Amphitheater and starts with the 'Restore the American Dream' rally. A free concert by Big & Rich will be performed after the rally at 7 p.m.

“The fear was very real,” Jim Olson, former Winterset mayor and class of ‘64 said. “For Winterset graduates, it’s really a special place.”

Next spring, a new batch of tenants are scheduled to move in. 

"I think they had bids to tear it down and I think we convinced them that saving an old historic structure like this is a thing we like to do in Winterset," Olson said.

HKG Development is transforming the old school into 27 affordable housing units for seniors 55 and older. 

Framing is already installed in several of the old classrooms. Original wood flooring discovered after linoleum and glue were removed will be restored. Much of the original existing charm will also be refurbished and kept.

The renovation has also turned up unexpected items from the glory days of Winterset High.

"I found a batch of yearbooks from 1969 in a cabinet and basketball jerseys in a closet," developer Michael Kiernan said.

The cost of rehabbing a building over 100-years-old costs nearly double compared to new construction, Kiernan said.

“It's roughly a $9.3 million investment into the city of Winterset,” Kiernan said. “It consists of 13 layers of funding that took five years to put together.”

Funding including state and federal historic tax credits, low income housing tax credits, grants and forgivable loans.

The goal of the project is to provide seniors on fixed incomes a place to call home.

“Something Winterset needs is affordable senior housing," Olson said.

The project is expected to be done by April 2024.

One bedroom apartments will rent for around $500 per month, two-bedroom units will rent for $600 to $700 dollars, Kiernan said.

The O'Brien County Sheriff's Office said that Jake Gritten, 19, was caring for 1-year-old Jasper. The two were last seen in Sheldon Thursday at 4 p.m. at the Prairie Ridge Apartments on 16th Street.

Attempts were made to call Gritten, but they have been unsuccessful.

Anyone with information about the whereabouts of Gritten and Jasper is asked to call the Sheldon Police Department at 712-324-2525. Tips can also be submitted online on the O’Brien County Sheriff’s Office CrimeDusters page.

LANDIS, N.C. (WJZY) -- A 15-year-old lifeguard is counting her blessings after being struck by lightning in the middle of this week's severe storms in North Carolina.  

Brynnlee Steger, of Kannapolis, said the Landis Pool had already closed to the public due to Monday's storms and her mom had just arrived to pick her up when the two of them and her lifeguard manager decided to bring in the umbrellas to prevent them from flying away.  

“I had bent down to unscrew the bolts underneath the table, and I went to go pick it up, and I heard thunder, so I jumped and turned around,” said Brynnlee. “By the time I turned around, I felt it, like, it hit me, and I felt like my arm had literally got cut off.” 

The National Weather Service confirmed that an EF-1 tornado tore through that area of Rowan County on Monday afternoon. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the odds of being struck by lightning are less than one in a million.  

“I’m still trying to wrap my head around it,” said Brynnlee. “It’s insane to think that we could be burying me today. I’m hearing so many people say I’m like a walking miracle.”

The Landis Pool has a policy that no one is allowed on the pool deck while lightning is in the area. Lifeguard manager Mackenzie Chabala said she was trying to mitigate the risks of someone being hit by a flying umbrella but regrets not following the pool rules.  

“We were just doing our best and what we thought was the best thing for the pool,” said Chabala. “We were just grabbing those umbrellas. We didn’t want them to fly away. We’ve had umbrellas fly during winds, so we were just trying to bring them into the shelter so it wouldn’t cause any other issues.”  

Brynnlee’s mother, Sonya Steger, and Chabala took Brynlee into the pool’s indoor concession area and covered her with blankets to help with the shock. Chabala called 911 and said she worked to keep everyone calm since Sonya Steger and Brynnlee’s 5-year-old sister were visibly upset. 

“I just saw orange and blue, like a mass right beside of me,” said Sonya Steger. “When it hit, at that moment, it was just pure fear, not knowing if she was going to be OK.”  

Brynnlee spent 24 hours in the hospital and walked away with some nerve damage in her arm. She said she will need physical therapy to help rebuild her muscle strength as well.  

Nevertheless, Brynnlee and her family are feeling incredibly lucky – and hopeful that lightning won’t strike the same place twice.  

“She had four or five people come up to her saying, ‘You need to buy a lottery ticket!’" her mother said. "I guess she’s lucky. She’s my miracle baby.” 

Brynnlee missed her first week of school but hopes to return for her junior year next week.  

Meanwhile, the Landis Pool has been closed for maintenance since Monday’s storm, during which another lightning bolt was believed to have fried a pool pump, according to staff.

The move comes as a pending plea deal involving Biden, the president's son, appears to be unwinding.

Garland said he made the decision in the politically explosive case after Weiss asked for the appointment.

“On Tuesday of this week, Mr. Weiss advised me that in his judgment, his investigation had reached a stage at which he should continue his work as a special counsel, and he asked to be so appointed,” Garland said in a statement to the press Friday.

“Upon considering his request, as well as the extraordinary circumstances relating to this matter, I have concluded that it is in the public interest to appoint him as special counsel.”

Attorney General Merrick Garland announces the appointment of David C. Weiss, the U.S. attorney in Delaware, as Special Counsel in Hunter Biden Inquiry at the Justice Department in Washington D.C., on August 11, 2023.

Republicans have sharply criticized how the tax probe into Biden was handled, citing claims from two IRS whistleblowers that Weiss was blocked from seeking special counsel status — a claim Weiss and the DOJ have consistently denied.

The whistleblowers, IRS investigators Gary Shapley and Joseph Ziegler, also claimed that the Justice Department slow-walked the case, gave Biden preferential treatment, and declined to pursue charges in other jurisdictions with stronger evidence.

Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) has indicated it could be a ground for a possible impeachment of Garland, noting differences between the whistleblowers' testimony and Weiss and Garland’s recap of the prosecutor's authority.

Garland on Friday reiterated his prior claims that Weiss, even without special counsel status, had the authority to see prosecution for Biden in any district, a claim that the IRS investigators disputed.

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“As I said before, Mr. Weiss would be permitted to continue his investigation, take any investigative steps he wanted and make the decision whether to prosecute in any district,” Garland said.

Weiss last month denied again that he ever sought special counsel status.

Chris Clark, counsel for Hunter Biden, said in a statement that Garland’s announcement “doesn’t change our understanding of Mr. Wiess’ authority over the 5-year investigation into Mr. Biden.”

“For years, both Mr. Weiss and the Department have assured us and the public that Mr. Weiss had more authority than a special counsel and full authority to negotiate a resolution of his investigation – which has been done,” Clark said. “Whether in Delaware, Washington, D.C. or anywhere else, we expect a fair resolution not infected by politics and we’ll do what is necessary on behalf of Mr. Biden to achieve that.”

There are two statutes on the books governing such appointments and the powers associated with them, Weiss noted, including a status allowing him to file charges outside his district of Delaware. 

“To clarify an apparent misperception and to avoid future confusion, I wish to make one point clear: in this case, I have not requested Special Counsel designation pursuant to 28 CFR § 600 et seq. Rather, I had discussions with Departmental officials regarding potential appointment under 28 U.S.C. § 515, which would have allowed me to file charges in a district outside my own without the partnership of the local U.S. Attorney,” Weiss wrote in a July 10 letter.

“I was assured that I would be granted this authority if it proved necessary.”

Garland said Friday the change came at Weiss’s request, echoing his earlier testimony before Congress that Weiss would be granted any change in authority he saw necessary.

“This appointment confirms my commitment to provide Mr. Weiss all the resources he requests. It also reaffirms that Mr. Weiss has the authority he needs to conduct a thorough investigation and to continue to take the steps he deems appropriate independently based only on the facts and the law,” Garland said.

“As special counsel he will continue to have the authority and responsibility that he has previously exercised to oversee the investigation and decide where, when, and whether to file charges.” 

Meanwhile, in a court filing just moments after Garland’s announcement, the Justice Department indicated the parties had come to an impasse on reaching a plea agreement in Biden's case.

“The Government now believes that the case will not resolve short of a trial,” prosecutors wrote in court filings Friday.

Biden’s plea deal had come under scrutiny both in Congress and in court.

U.S. District Judge Maryellen Noreika put on hold Biden’s proposed plea agreement during a whirlwind hearing last month, telling prosecutors and Biden’s attorneys to submit in writing their responses to various concerns the judge posed.

The proposed agreement was twofold. Biden would agree to plead guilty to two tax offenses while also entering a pretrial diversion program on a gun charge, which would allow the president’s son to avoid a formal charge if he follows certain conditions.

But in a court filing Friday, the Justice Department urged the judge to set aside the written briefing deadlines.

“The Court’s briefing order is premised on the idea that the parties intend to continue towards a guilty plea in Criminal Action No. 23-mj-00274 and diversion in Criminal Action No. 23-cr-00061,” prosecutors wrote. 

“But that is no longer the case,” they continued. “Following additional negotiations after the hearing held on July 26, 2023, the parties are at an impasse and are not in agreement on either a plea agreement or a diversion agreement. Therefore, the Government believes the Court’s briefing order should be vacated.”

The judge ordered Biden’s attorneys to respond to the request by Monday.

Prosecutors also asked that the tax charge agreement be dismissed so the Justice Department can instead bring the charges in Washington, D.C., or California, where the venue would be proper for a trial.

That detail nods to testimony from the IRS whistleblowers, who said some of the strongest evidence in the case was gathered in those two locations, rather than in Delaware. 

Weiss’s elevation to special counsel is likely to fuel probes from House Republican into the foreign business dealings of President Biden’s family members. Republicans have aimed to put scrutiny on the president himself as they reveal more details of foreign payments to Hunter Biden and his associates, with McCarthy even floating an impeachment inquiry into the president surrounding issues with their investigation.

On Friday, however, top Republicans in the House portrayed Weiss’s new special counsel status as a negative development.

House Oversight and Accountability Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) said the move was a Justice Department attempt to "stonewall congressional oversight," while a spokesperson for House Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) said the special counsel “can’t be trusted.” 

McCarthy said House Republicans "continue to pursue the facts for the American people."

"This action by Biden’s DOJ cannot be used to obstruct congressional investigations or whitewash the Biden family corruption," he wrote on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. "If Weiss negotiated the sweetheart deal that couldn’t get approved, how can he be trusted as a Special Counsel?"

Updated at 2:20 p.m.

David Alan Huston, 54, was found not guilty of assault with a deadly weapon and fleeing the scene of an accident, KWWL-TV reported.

A group organized by Indivisible Iowa and Planned Parenthood Advocates of Iowa were protesting in front of the federal courthouse in Cedar Rapids in 2022 to support abortion access after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision when Huston drove by, prosecutors said.

Prosecutors argued Huston accelerated into the crowd and intended to hurt protesters.

Huston testified that the protesters were swarming his vehicle and blocking traffic when he had a green light. He said he feared for his family’s safety and drove off.

One woman was hit in the collision. She was not critically injured.

“I know if anyone can do it, Hawkeye fans can and will,” coach Lisa Bluder said.

The state of Iowa has a long history of supporting girls and women's basketball. The Hawkeyes were second nationally in attendance last season with an average of 11,143 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

The women's basketball attendance record of 29,619 was set in the 2002 national title game between Connecticut and Oklahoma in San Antonio’s Alamodome.

Proceeds from ticket sales will go to the University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital. A portion of the tickets will be sold for $20 and honored if the game is moved indoors because of inclement weather. Tickets sold for $10 are non-refundable.

The Hawkeyes were 31-7 and national runners-up to LSU last season, and they return Collegiate Women's Athlete of the Year Caitlin Clark. DePaul was 16-17.

“So much for closed-door scrimmages," DePaul coach Doug Bruno said. “We are thrilled to be able to play Iowa, the reigning national runner-ups in a game for charity inside Kinnick Stadium. The opportunity to compete against Caitlin Clark, one of the best players in the country, will be a great test for our team.”

Earlier this year, Mike and Sally Merritt decided to take part in Welcome.US, a non-profit organization provided by the Biden Administration's United for Ukraine Initiative. Under this program, the Merritts became sponsors of a Ukrainian family in need, allowing them to come to Iowa.

The family is originally from Kharkiv, a city that was targeted early on in the Russo-Ukrainian War. Witnessing the horrific start of the war, the family decided to head to Poland, but they weren't allowed to stay for long. Then, they went to Germany, where they stayed for a year and a half before connecting with the Merritts.

Sally Merritt's grandparents came to the United States around 1910 after being persecuted in Eastern Europe.

She said, "And I always wondered, what was life like for my grandfather when they got here and didn't speak the language and didn't know anybody… It's like, well, we're retired people. Here's a chance we can give back and pay the debt that I owe to my grandfather and whoever it was that helped him when he first came here."

Inspired by her family history, Sally and her husband read about Welcome.US at the beginning of the year and were eager to learn more.

The program allows families in the United States to connect with refugees from several countries. The Merritts connected with the Ukrainian family online soon after. They spent a few weeks getting to know each other virtually before the Merritts officially decided to be their sponsors. It took around a month's time for the family to come to America, which is extremely fast considering the normal American immigration process.

The Merritts's role as sponsors was to help the family start their life in this country. The journey came with surprises and setbacks that no one imagined, but they didn't go through it alone.

"Many of our family and friends stepped forward to give them money, to give them resources, help furnish their apartment," said Mike Merritt.

The Merritts said it was heartwarming to see the whole community come together to help a family in an unimaginable situation.

Anya McMurray is an Iowa City native and the President and Chief Operating Officer of Welcome.US.

McMurray said, "It's a testament to who we are as a country that people are willing to do this work. It's not always easy, but it's incredibly powerful and transformational."

McMurray also noted that Iowa is no stranger to helping refugees.

She said, "Iowa was at the forefront of resettling the Vietnamese in the 1970s. And that is, in many ways, the roots of what we [Welcome.US] are doing now again. It's private sponsorship. It's saying that the American people are ready and eager to do this work... not just relying on the government to do the work."

According to McMurray, Ukrainian refugees are coming into the United States on Humanitarian Parole, which she says has a limit of two years. What will happen when the two years expires is still unknown.

In the meantime, the Merritts are meeting with Drake University's Law School regarding Ukrainian immigration. They say that the university outlined two options for Ukrainian families to stay past this two-year window. These options are asylum or temporary protected status.

The Merritts say that they will pursue both possibilities.

For more information on Welcome.US and sponsoring people in need, visit their website here.

County fair queens come from all over the state to compete for the Iowa State Fair Queen, but only one can be crowned. 

Last summer, Mary Ann Fox from Mitchell County took home the title.

"If four-year-old me could see me now she would scream," Fox said. "I've always loved the State Fair and seeing all the queens on the grounds. I always thought that would be so cool to be the State Fair queen and when I got announced last year, I could not believe it."

This year, 104 young ladies are competing for the State Fair crown. There's a queen from each of Iowa's 99 counties. A couple of the counties bring in two when you count the expo and we can't forget the National Cattle Congress in Waterloo.

"I'm grateful to be here, to meet everybody, to learn about their fairs, to talk about my fair and learn about their different backgrounds," Chloe Zittergruen, Keokuk County Fair Queen, said. "Because everybody has a different background, has a different story."

"We've worked so hard to get here and we are doing our very best to represent our counties with pride," Emma Lihs, Polk County Fair Queen, said. "We are so, so excited to be here and meet everybody and compete to be the dream of the Iowa State Fair Queen."

The candidates come a couple of days before the State Fair starts for interviews and other activities.

"The girls are judged off themselves," Fox explains. "How well are they being able to represent their counties but also have some charm, charisma, be able to let loose here. We want someone that's personal but also be professional when representing the Iowa State Fair."

A panel of five judges decides who wins. They're looking for personality, poise, and leadership.

"It's not a pageant," Paris Springer, a judge and former Iowa State Fair Queen, said. "It really is an opportunity for us to meet those homegrown Iowa girls who have a passion for agriculture, they have a passion for their community, and they're really proud representatives of every corner of the state. And they all have unique perspectives that are so wonderful to hear."

Former State Fair queens are part of the process because they know what it's like. They serve as judges and chaperones, and even host workshops. Abrah Wright is teaching the contestants how to "be the best you."

"It's just an awesome week of learning and growing, getting to know girls from across the state of Iowa from literally every county," Wright said. "And also really trying to hone in on who am I and how can I help portray that to the judges that helps them get to know me in a matter of three or four days."

An experience that will go beyond the State Fair, and a contest building confidence and future leaders of tomorrow.

"It's so fun to select the next Iowa State Fair Queen," Spring said, "but then to see 99, 100 plus girls bloom throughout the week is so great to see."

The coronation will be held Saturday night at 7:00 on the Bill Riley Stage.