Blue Iris is based in central Illinois and consists of two married couples, the Hargis and Schaut families. The band is nominated for seven Josie Music Awards recognizing excellence in the independent music industry. They will be attending the ceremony in Nashville at the end of October. In the meantime, they are performing around central Illinois including the State Fair to support their new single and video, Beautiful Sound.

In a progress report compiled by DCFS for fiscal year 2023, the agency noted that “unprecedented staff turnover impacts the accuracy, comprehensiveness, and consistency of ongoing assessments of risk and safety.”