FOOD & DRINK

While large butterfly gardens can be found at many botanical gardens in Iowa, a little-known secret garden in Knoxville attracts many visitors each year. The Bessie Spaur Butterfly Garden was established in 1994 and inspired by a 101-year-old woman who passed away in the Knoxville hospital that now hosts the garden.

After more than 16 years as a mainstay on KNIA/KRLS, Dr. Bob Leonard is retiring from radio on June 16th. That day will mark the final airing of “In Depth with Dr. Bob Leonard,” a state award-winning interview program and podcast that has aired every weekday on KNIA/KRLS since 2007, and has featured a wide range of voices, including local community leaders, national political figures, various authors, artists, and musicians, and several others from south central Iowa and beyond. Leonard has also overseen the news department at the station since joining the company. The community is invited to celebrate Bob’s career in radio at an open house on Thursday, June 15th from 4 to 6 p.m. at A & P Pub in Knoxville.

PELLA, Iowa — Since their5-year-old daughter Milly was run over and killed by a pickup truck while she was sledding in February, Kristi and Andy Zellmer have received plenty of support from the Pella community. Now, they're honoring her and giving back to those who have supported them at...

Central College’s glassblowing class and professor of art and Class of 1992 graduate Brian Roberts, teamed up with the Friends of Big Rock Park to create 23 glass orbs to place in the park this summer. George Clark, president of the Friends of Big Rock Park and Central Class...

Love Where You Live is a passion project sparked by love for the community and the desire to make Knoxville the best place it can be. The community was invited to attend the unveiling ceremony at the Auld Park Thursday. The Auld Park was the site of the first mural for the city. A good crowd was on hand for the event.

Jessi Vos and Lisa Zylstra with Pella Historical Museums preview the annual Dutch Day Camp July 17th through 21st in the Pella Historical Village. Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | RSS | Subscribe to Let's Talk Pella.

An interactive week of activities incorporating the history of Pella’s Dutch heritage returns to the Pella Historical Village this summer. Lisa Zylstra is bringing back the Dutch Day Camp for the 31st year on July 17th to 21st, a program that includes Dutch games, speaking and singing in the native language, crafts, and history lessons. The camp is open to incoming 5th and 6th graders and programming will be co-hosted by Jim Uitermarkt and Dr. Ronald Rietveld. Registration costs $80 for Pella Historical Society members and $100 for non-members, and includes a daily sack lunch. Find details at the Pella Historical Museums website and hear more about the return of Dutch Day Camp on Monday’s Let’s Talk Pella.

The second annual Hartford BBQ Bash is coming in July, featuring activities including a bags tournament, water fights, live music, a farm to table dinner feed, and a smoke off meats competition. Sophia Eckert with Hartford Hometown Pride tells KNIA News they are currently taking registration for the meat smoking competition.

Spirit of Pella is hosting an official ribbon-cutting ceremony for the non-profit organization’s first mural. The event will be held on Thursday, June 8 at 10 am in front of the new mural on the Brew Coffeehouse located at 626 Franklin Street as special guests Mayor Don DeWaard, Dutch Expert Milly Vande Kieft, and Muralist Hannah Heschke share a few remarks about the painting.

“I need to get to bed,” the lottery winner said right before scratching off the winning bar code.

The Great Iowa Road Trip is an event organized by the Iowa State University Extension Office in Knoxville. A total of 50 businesses are signed up to be on the 2023 road trip. Lydia Dingeman tells KNIA/KRLS News, “On this road trip to help revive and stimulate the Iowa economy in these towns include Knoxville, Pella, Oskaloosa, Leighton, Sully, Prairie City, Newton and Mingo.”

Knoxville High School’s theater department participated in the 2023 Iowa High School Musical Theater Awards Showcase, presented by EMC Insurance Companies, in honor of the school’s achievements for its March production of CHICAGO:Teen Edition. Produced by Des Moines Performing Arts as the culmination of a year-long education initiative,...

The already-launched Pella Farmers Market and the upcoming Thursdays in Pella in June and July will have central park in Pella busy with residents and visitors this summer. Mary Mansfield and Trisha Klok with the PACE Alliance are looking forward to the return of weekly activities downtown, which will be held in conjunction with ongoing Farmers Market activities on the east side of the square. The first Thursdays in Pella of the summer is Thursday, starting at 6 p.m., with the theme of “Jam with the Fam.” The KNIA/KRLS Lil’ Big Red Radio is broadcasting every Thursday from Pella in June and July.

With new annual flowers planted and summer vacations beginning, Pella Historical Museums are ready for guests on busy weekends in south central Iowa. Assistant Director Jessi Vos says between their 2023 Feature Exhibit about local news and Pella’s history, to their many upcoming programs, they are excited to be a destination for those traveling to the Tulip City.

The park rangers at Lake Red Rock would like to remind the public about camping safety this holiday weekend. Park Ranger Tracy Spry says it’s important to supervise all children, especially at campgrounds near waterways, and to know where they are headed at all times. She reminds campers to only start fires in designated areas. Additionally, especially with many campgrounds closed, those traveling through full lots should be prepared for extra pedestrian traffic.

As the weather continues to warm, the activity in nature picks up the pace as well. According to Marion County Naturalist Marla Mertz Migrant monarch butterflies are trickling through Iowa and laying eggs along the way. Other butterflies to watch for are meadow fritillary, cabbage white, question mark, red admiral, tiger swallowtail, spring azure, and mourning cloak. Mertz added that May is a great month for butterflies.

The Knoxville Police Department will hold a Free Kids Fishing Day next Saturday. The event is open for kids of all ages, 8-17. The event will include instruction and fishing. At 11 a.m. a free lunch will be served. There will be drawings for prizes. There will be a limited...

Historic Tamory Hall in the heart of Pella, Iowa used to be a roller rink way back in the day. The second story venue still boasts its original oval-shaped wood flooring where people used to skate in circles for hours. Photographer Morgan from Verdigris and a team of amazing Iowa-based...

The Great Iowa Road Trip is an event organized by the Iowa State University Extension Office in Knoxville. A total of 50 businesses are signed up to be on the 2023 road trip. Lydia Dingeman tells KNIA/KRLS News, “On this road trip to help revive and stimulate the Iowa economy in these towns include Knoxville, Pella, Oskaloosa, Leighton, Sully, Prairie City, Newton and Mingo.”

The Marion County Conservation Department is hosting a Building Better Birders and Citizen Scientists Workshop at the Cordova Park office building, 1378 Highway G28, Otley. For the past two years, Kelly McKay, along with Clinton County Conservation and Nahant Marsh Education Center have been presenting a program designed to create a citizenry with better bird identification skills and to promote participants getting involved with local citizen science projects.