(Iowa News Service) – Iowa is getting federal help to eliminate lead water pipes in the state. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is working with local water agencies, planning where to prioritize funds. As part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, cities and towns in Iowa are reducing the number of dangerous lead water lines. The Iowa Environmental Council’s Director of Climate Initiatives Cody Smith said even homes built as recently as 1988 are connected to the local water utility with lead lines – which leaves people at risk, even in Iowa’s big cities like Des Moines and Council Bluffs.

“Particularly with the most vulnerable groups, such as unborn babies or young children, they have extreme and outsize risk related to exposure to lead through lead service lines,” said Smith. “That can cause higher levels of lead in the blood and lead to developmental issues for children.” The State’s Revolving Fund, which is the primary source for water infrastructure updates, has received more than $620 million as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The IEC says more than 700 communities have benefited so far.

Beyond replacing lead pipes and updating water system infrastructure, Smith said Iowa could also benefit from help with what are known as non-point source projects. “Which is runoff from agricultural fields and from livestock operations that lead to nutrient pollution in source water,” said Smith. “And source water is water that’s used for drinking water somewhere in the state.” Smith said those strategies can help farmers and local utilities reduce nitrates and other pollutants in the soil.

Inside a pipe, rusty with water (AI created Image)

The Biden administration has a goal of replacing all lead water service lines in the U.S. by 2031.

(Radio Iowa) – A Powerball ticket worth half a million dollars will expire Thursday. Lottery spokesperson Mary Neubauer says the ticket was purchased at a Kwik Star in Mason City in March.”We’re down to the wire on this one, and certainly we’ve been giving reminders through the six-month period, or the 180-day period, that people have to claim this prize, but so far, we just haven’t heard anything,” Neubauer says. The ticket will be worth nothing once the Lottery shuts down Thursday. “The precise expiration time period for it is 4 p-m on Thursday some September 12th. This prize has to be claimed at lottery headquarters in Clive,” Neubauer says.

Neubauer says they have tried to do everything they can to make people aware of the prize. “You know, we did do an event up at the store to call attention to it. Certainly, we’ve put out reminders through the months,” She says.” When we were at the store, it seemed like folks who came up knew about the prize and had heard about it, and we’re talking about it themselves. So I think people’s guess would be as good as mine as to what happened with the ticket, did somebody just never check it and they threw it away?” This jackpot is a little unusual as it is from what’s called the “Double Play” option of Powerball.

(Iowa Lottery photo)

“That option was just added to the Powerball game here in Iowa back in November. And double play means that the numbers on your ticket are eligible for two drawings the night of the night that your ticket is good for,” Neubauer says. “So certainly it’s eligible for the Powerball drawing, but then the Powerball double play drawing occurs about 20 minutes after the regular drawing.” Neubauer says someone may’ve forgotten about the second drawing. “If you’re somebody who thinks maybe you had the ticket and you threw it away or you lost it, certainly call us at the lottery before that prize claim deadline, because we can put you in contact with our Lottery security folks,” she says.

500-thousand dollar prize will go back into the Iowa Lottery prize pool if it is not claimed by the deadline Thursday.

HULL, Iowa — One person sustained serious injuries after falling out of a window of a party bus on Saturday. According to a press release by the Sioux County Sheriff’s Office, Deputies responded at around 1:14-a.m., Saturday, to a 9-1-1 report of a person who fell out of a window of a moving bus on Highway 18, two and one-half miles west of Hull, IA.

(Radio Iowa) – A weekend fundraiser for Republican Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks showcased two issues that are galvanizing voters. About a third of the program was focused on remarks from Riley Gaines, a former competitive swimmer who’s suing the N-C-Double-A for allowing a transgender athlete to compete at the national championships in 2022. “Half of the states have passed some sort of fairness in women’s sports bill — Iowa, of course, being one of those states,” Gaines said, “ultimately preventing men from competing on women’s sports and on women’s teams.”

Miller-Meeks reminded the crowd she was the first woman in her family to go to college and the first woman faculty member in the University of Iowa Department of Ophthalmology.  “I was the first woman president of the Iowa Medical Society and have often been called a trailblazer. That’s why I am passionate about this issue,” Miller-Meeks said. “We have fought for women’s rights and it is Republicans who will be women’s rights a place.”

Miller-Meeks voted for a bill to bar students who were listed as male on their birth certificate from participating in women’s sports. The subject of the Israel-Hamas war also came up during the event as four protesters in the crowd interrupted speakers to call for a ceasefire. State Representative Bobby Kaufmann of Wilton, the event’s emcee, addressed the crowd just after one protester was escorted from the event by off-duty law enforcement officers. “Isn’t it great that we live in a country where you can protest despite having very limited brain cells?” he said. “Try that stuff in Iran or in front of Hamas.”

One of four protesters escorted out of Miller-Meeks fundraiser on Sept. 7, 2024. (RI photo)

Kaufmann’s father, Iowa Republican Party chairman Jeff Kaufmann, told the crowd opposition to the protesters’ message is a key issue in this year’s election. “What you just saw there is not a splinter group of the Democratic Party,” Kaufmann said. “…a part of the Democratic Party that is going to come alive if we don’t stop this thing.”

Miller-Meeks noted the four protesters made a donation to her campaign so they could get into the event.  “We’re happy to take the Democrats’ money to beat them,” she said.

All four protesters called for a U-S arms embargo against Israel. Miller-Meeks visited Israel in late August as part of a congressional delegation. In statements posted online during the trip, Miller-Meeks called Hamas barbaric and said the U-S must stand with Israel in the face of terrorism that has no bounds. Miller-Meeks is seeking a third term in the U-S House. Christina Bohannan, Miller-Meeks’ Democratic opponent in 2022, is running against her again this year.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – In an update to our earlier posts: Atlantic Police Chief Devin Hogue said this (Sunday) afternoon, a 12-year-ol juvenile was taken into custody in connection to alleged threats on social media, made towards the Atlantic Middle School and Schuler Elementary School.

The Chief says “On Sunday, Sept. 8th, the Atlantic Police Department received a report of a threat that was posted on social media that named two of our district buildings as a target. An investigation into the incident has found that the threat is not credible and students and staff are not in danger to attend school tomorrow [Monday], September 9^th, 2024. However, due to the seriousness of the threat and the disruption to the school and learning environment, a 12 -year-old juvenile has been taken into custody and transported to the Juvenile Detention Center in Council Bluffs.

The juvenile – who was not identified because of his age – is being charged with Threats of Terrorism and False Reports to or Communications with Public Safety Entities.

Chief Hogue said “The Atlantic Police Department will provide heightened presence at the ACSD buildings all week.” He said also, “The Atlantic Police Department worked alongside the Cass County Sheriff’s Office and Atlantic Community School District during the investigation. We have also made contact with the Iowa Governor’s School Safety Bureau with regard to the incident.”

No other details are being released at this time. If you have information regarding the incident, please call the Atlantic Police Department at 712-243-3512.

Note: A criminal charge is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

(Creston, Iowa) – Officials with the Creston Police Department today (Sunday) said an accident on August 29th caused a total of $5,200 damage, but no one was injured. Authorities say a 2010 Chevy Equinox driven by 54-year-old Jason Glenn Beard, of Creston, was traveling on Fremont Street at around 8:15-a.m., when Beard attempted to put something in his back pocket and became “lost in thought.

Beard’s SUV struck a large utility trailer attached to a legally parked 1999 Ford F-350 Super Cab pickup truck. No citations were issued.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Officials with the Atlantic Community School District have sent an e-mail to parents of students in the District, with regard to an alleged threat on a social media platform. KJAN received a copy of the e-mail which reads:

“We’re aware of the social media threat made to AMS and Schuler. Law enforcement and administration are investigating the threat and taking proper precautions to ensure the safety around the district.

“More information will be available once we have been able to determine the credibility of the threat.”  Atlantic Police Chief Devin Hogue told KJAN News in a text message this (Sunday) morning, in response to our inquiry, that “We have been made aware and are diligently working on the situation.”

The A-PD also posted on its Facebook page, “The Atlantic Police Department has been made aware of a social media post that was made as a threat to our school district. Our agency along with the Cass County Sheriff’s Office have been diligently working on the situation and have been in contact with the Atlantic Community School District to ensure safety precautions are being made and the Governor’s School Safety Bureau for assistance with the investigation.”

Additional information will be released when it is made available to us. KJAN will not elaborate on the nature of the threat until law enforcement has had a chance to complete their investigation.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – Two women from Red Oak were arrested on separate charges early this (Sunday) morning, in Red Oak. The Red Oak Police Department reports 56-year-old Kimberly Dee Rocha was arrested at around 12:04-a.m. in the 1200 block of E. Summit Street, for OWI/1st Offense. Rocha was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $1,000 bond.

And, at around 12:18-a.m., Red Oak Police arrested 19-year-old Heavyn Lee Aherns in the 2400 block of N. 8th Street, for Public Intoxication/1st Offense. Aherns was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $300 bond.

[updated 1:53-p.m.] (Scott County, Iowa) – A collision Saturday evening between a motorcycle and an SUV resulted in a female motorcyclist being seriously injured. According to the Iowa State Patrol, the accident happened in Davenport a little before 7-p.m, when 25-year-old Jessica Alice Beth Irelan, of Davenport – who was riding a 2013 Triumph – failed to obey a red light and was struck by 2015 Chevy SUV driven by a man from Davenport. The collision happened at the intersection of Kimberly Road and N. Elsie Avenue.

Irelan was thrown from her motorcycle and transported by ambulance to Genesis Hospital. The driver of the SUV was not injured. The crash remains under investigation.