“Exceptional fair”: Plymouth County Fair wraps up for 2026
The Best 5 Days of Summer have come and gone again, with the Plymouth County Fair ending its 2026 run on Sunday evening. Speaking to KLEM, Fair Board chairman John Ahlers says record crowds at the Plymouth County Fairgrounds experienced an “exceptional fair.”
Fairgoers were able to experience a wide variety of activities, live performances, FFA and 4-H competitions, and marquee Grandstand events over the course of the fair. Ahlers says the Fair Board is always thinking ahead about improvements and changes to the next year’s fair.
Ahlers says the Fair would not happen without the contributions of volunteers, participating organizations, and the community as a whole.
The Plymouth County Fair will return again to the Fairgrounds from July 28th through August 1st next summer.
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Monthly Northwest Iowa Genealogical Society meeting to cover DNA, chromosomes
The monthly meeting of the Northwest Iowa Genealogical Society will take place next Saturday, August 15th, where guest speaker Sharon Young will give a talk titled “DNA Randomness 101 or Chromosome Recombination.”
Young’s interest in genealogy dates back decades, but it was in 2016 that she delved into the study of DNA. Her first step was to investigate her mother’s paternity and the ethnicity of her maternal great grandmother. Now, Young manages more than 30 DNA kits covering herself, her husband, siblings, and many other family members.
While researching her husband’s family, she was contacted by police in Canada, where one of those kit results was a fifth cousin match to a suspect in a double murder/rape. As a result of that contact, for 18 months, she joined five others in researching three different cold cases, all of which have been solved. She says that while DNA is not yet an exact science, it gives researchers enough information to either continue along the same line, or step back and change directions.
The public is invited to attend this event, and there is no charge for admission. The meeting will take place in the 4th floor Study Hall of the Plymouth County Historical Museum next Saturday, August 15th.
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Iowa Workforce Development hosting Employer Listening Session in Le Mars
Iowa Workforce Development and the City of Le Mars has announced an Employer Listening Session to be held next week at the Wells Ice Cream Parlor and Visitors Center.
The agency says the session is “a chance for local business and employment leaders to sit down, share what they’re experiencing in today’s workforce environment, and talk openly with Iowa Workforce Development leadership about what’s working — and what isn’t.” Representatives from the agency will be in attendance, with business leaders encouraged to “share insights, discuss workforce challenges, and identify emerging needs.”
The session will be held next Thursday, August 13th from 10:30am until noon, with a link to register for the event available by clicking here.
