(Radio Iowa) – The snow is finally gone and what’s now being found along many Iowa roadways isn’t pretty. Hamilton County Sheriff Doug Timmons says he’s hearing frequent complaints from residents about garbage dumping in ditches.

“If we are able to figure out who it is, you will be charged,” Sheriff Timmons says. “We’ve also had complaints of people dumping tires out in the ditches. If we’re able to identify who’s doing that, you will be charged criminally, be put in jail, plus a fine and plus landfill fees.” That can be an expensive, embarrassing predicament when there’s a clear, better option to illegal dumping.

“There’s been a big increase in that,” Timmons says. “Go to the landfill. A pickup load, I believe it’s right around $10. You can get rid of a whole pickup load of stuff at the landfill and keep Hamilton County looking good.”

To report illegal dumping in Iowa, call 800-NOLITTR. The Keep Iowa Beautiful hotline offers options to report littering and information on how to adopt a roadway, park, river, lake or other public area.

(Radio Iowa) – There will be a change in command at Sioux City’s 185th Air National Guard Refueling Wing. Colonel Mark Muckey, the wing’s commander, has been selected to be the next leader of the Iowa Air National Guard.  “I’ll just tell you it’s a truly unbelievable opportunity and I guess most importantly it is a result of the outstanding performance of the Airmen of the 185th,” he says. “It has truly been my privilege to lead this team over the last three years.”

Colonel Muckey will take over as Adjutant General of the Iowa Air National Guard and will be reassigned to the Guard’s headquarters in Johnston. Colonel Sonya Morrison, an Osceola native, will be his successor in Sioux City as the 185th Refueling Wing’s commander. A change of command ceremony is tentatively scheduled in August.

(Radio Iowa) – The only Democrat in this year’s race for governor has adopted a tool former Iowa Senator Tom Harkin used in his campaigns. Harkin, for example, kicked off his 1992 presidential run in New Hampshire with a “work day” at a factory. This February, Deidre DeJear launched what she calls “Workday Wednesdays.”

“If I’m really going to meet Iowans where they are, I’ve got to connect with them in the communities and spaces in which they reside,” DeJear says. This past week, DeJear served lunch, helped with P-E and read to students in a Storm Lake elementary school.

“We’re hearing challenges related to resources in our education system,” DeJear says. “I mean, they want to keep class size small in this class, so the students can have a meaningful experience.” Last week, DeJear worked on a greenhouse on a farm near Carlisle. In early March, she stocked shelves at a bookstore in Ames. DeJear says wherever she goes, she hears similar stories.

“We want parents to get back to work,” DeJear says. “They’re having to make decisions right now and it’s challenging to find access to child care.” DeJear will be in a different setting tomorrow (Saturday) night. She’s among the candidates scheduled to speak at an Iowa Democratic Party fundraiser in Des Moines.

“We started back in August. That’s when we launched and we had small crowds of people that were joining, but now people are really getting into it and really excited about what can happen in November,” DeJear says. “I mean, I had my first overflow crowd in Audubon County, an incredible experience.” The three Democrats who’re running for the U-S Senate are also scheduled to speak Saturday night at the party fundraiser.