STATEWIDE — Following heavy rainfall throughout Northern Iowa, the DNR encourages Iowans to stay out of streams until the waters recede. Heavy rain has inundated several areas of Iowa and led to multiple wastewater discharges, flooded waterways in northwest Iowa, and park closures across the state.
Wastewater and Drinking Water
The DNR Field Office in Spencer was notified early this (Friday) morning of several wastewater bypasses and animal feeding operation discharges in Lyon, Sioux, Dickinson, O’Brien, Osceola, and Clay counties. Currently, the department is unaware of impacts to municipal drinking water supplies or fish kills. DNR staff will continue to monitor these situations and assist impacted communities.
Heavy rainfall can overload wastewater collection systems and underground sewer pipes carrying sewage to a treatment plant. With sewage pipes overwhelmed, excess water has nowhere to go and can back up into basements through floor drains. Bypassing can lower the water level and alleviate pressure in the collection system, keeping sewage from backing up into basements, which could present health risks.
State Park Impacts
In the Iowa Great Lakes area, some docks, boat ramps, public beaches, and roads are underwater and may be closed over the next several days due to changing conditions and potential hazards.
George Wyth State Park, in Waterloo, will close Monday at 3:00 pm due to predicted levels of the Cedar River. The park will remain closed through Friday, depending on additional rainfall.
Dolliver State Park, near Lehigh, the Des Moines River is expected to crest at 15 feet during the next few days, which will close the road through the park.
Wilson Island Recreation Area in Pottawattamie County is predicted to be flooded by the rising Missouri River later in the week.
Campers who have made a reservation will be notified if there is a campground closure. More areas may be impacted with additional rainfall. Plan ahead and visit the DNR’s Alerts and Closures web page for the latest information: https://www.iowadnr.gov/Places-to-Go/State-Parks/Alerts-and-Closures
Rivers and Lakes
Due to heavy rainfall, rivers and lakes in Northern Iowa are unsafe for swimming or boating. Fast currents, floating debris, hidden obstacles, and the potential of bacteria make these areas dangerous. Boaters and paddlers should plan ahead as additional areas may become unsafe as flood waters move downstream.
The CAM Cougars baseball team had another strong win against the Exira-EHK Spartans Friday night by ending the ball game with a 13-3 score through five innings. To start the ball game both teams exchanged base hits but were tied after the 1st inning. Making it seem that this would be another competitive Rolling Valley matchup. The game’s momentum completely shifted in the 2nd inning when CAM’s first three batters all had base hits to load up the bases with no outs. Then back-to-back hitters were hit by pitches to give the Cougars the lead at 2-0. Then the runs started pouring in for CAM as they would total 8 hits in the top of the 2nd making the score 10-0 after relief pitcher Jameson Kilworth came in to retire the next three batters he faced. The Spartans had no response in the bottom of the 2nd and their batters wouldn’t even reach second base till the fifth inning due to another impressive night from Makade Paulsen.
CAM would tack on 1 run in the 4th and 2 in the 5th to make the game 13-0 heading into the bottom of the fifth. There with two outs Exira-EHK would score 3 runs with an RBI single from Alex Hansen and a 2 RBI grounder from Jaiden Pettepier. With the score sitting at 13-3 through five innings, the officials called the end of the ball game.
Cougars Head Coach Drew Ticknor credited his team’s vision at the plate to create that massive 10 run lead in the bottom of the 2nd inning.
Coach Ticknor applauded the effort from Makade Paulsen on both sides of the game pitching 5 innings, having 4 hits, 5 strikeouts, 2 walks, and no runs. Paulsen also went 3-4 at the plate with 2 RBI’s.
The victory for CAM gets them to a double-digit win record at 10-6 on the season. The Cougars will be back at home on Monday against a competitive Coon Rapids-Bayard team.
The Spartans’ leading hitter was Austin Rasmussen who had the only extra base hit for Exira-EHK while also going 2-3. The Spartans will start their road trip on Monday against a talented Woodbine squad.
(Radio Iowa) – Flood warnings were issued in far northwest Iowa, Friday (June 21), as water levels continue to rise after eight inches of rain fell Thursday night. Rock Valley Mayor Kevin Van Otterloo is closely monitoring the Rock River that runs north of the town of four-thousand in Sioux County as more rain is expected. It reached record levels during devastating flooding ten years ago, and it could get there again.
The projections are pretty close to the 22-point-seven inches for the crest in 2014. During the past several years, Rock Valley built berms to protect property and people. Sandbagging is underway not only in Rock Valley but other communities in nearby Lyon and Plymouth counties.
Van Otterloo says evacuations could be ordered.
Rock Valley will decide sometime this afternoon if it will evacuate the northern part of the city. Other nearby communities also fearful of flooding include Sioux Rapids, Hawarden, and Akron. The Clay County Sheriff’s Office says a woman who tried to drive through a flooded roadway in rural Spencer went into a waterfilled ditch and had to be rescued by two people entered the water, broke the rear window and removed the woman. Within minutes after the rescue, the vehicle was fully under water.
(article by Sheila Brummer, Iowa Public Radio via Radio Iowa)
May of 2024 brought some major success in the life of Atlantic Alumni and Ankeny Head Track and Field Coach Jordan Mullen. He had the opportunity to watch his track program win the Class 4A State Title this year in Des Moines while eclipsing a state record 112 points. It was the first state title for the Hawks since 1972. The feeling of winning a state title was one filled with passion and euphoria for Mullen.
When reflecting on the moments that led him to such a powerful accomplishment, Mullen had a list of names to thank. But one former coach in Atlantic had a major impact in his high school life. State title winner and Atlantic community member Gaylord Schelling.
Coach Mullen had a prolific career as a Trojan being a seven-time state champion, setting a class 3A state meet record in the 110 meter hurdles his senior year and winning two titles at the Drake Relays in the 110-meter hurdles.
That success carried over for Mullen as a springboard to becoming a Big Ten champion at the University of Iowa, breaking school records, and winning multiple invite titles. Mullen’s time at Iowa was some of his most formative years and he credits his time as a Hawkeye to making him the coach he is today.
Coach Mullen is excited about his second year of coaching at Ankeny. He noted that they have another large class of athletes filled with plenty of talent.
With the size of next year’s group and the memories of winning a state title still fresh, Coach Mullen is keeping his expectations high for next year. He also hopes that his group of athletes can stay healthy throughout the year.
The future is looking bright for the Hawks and Coach Mullen.
(Radio Iowa) – At least four Iowa mayors are attending the U-S Conference of Mayors, underway in Kansas City through Sunday. The non-partisan gathering of 200-plus mayors is open to those from communities with populations of 30-thousand or more. Waterloo Mayor Quentin Hart says homelessness is one challenging issue many of the elected leaders from across the country are facing. Mayor Hart says he launched a homelessness task force earlier this month.
Gun violence is another key topic, though Hart says Waterloo’s numbers in that category are trending downward, which he credits to efforts like gun buy-back programs. Many communities are also struggling with mental health, Hart says, and how to expand services.
The mayors are working to compile a list of priorities for the next administration prior to the November presidential elections. Even with so many elected leaders at the conference, he says there’s no political grandstanding. Hart notes, there’s no such thing as a Republican pothole or a Democratic pothole.
Other Iowa mayors at the 92nd annual conference include Danny Laudick of Cedar Falls, Connie Boesen of Des Moines and Brad Cavanagh of Dubuque.
(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Association of Realtors says home inventory saw a boost in both new listings and overall available homes in Iowa for May. Statewide housing analyst Les Sulgrove says there’s a couple of factors involved.
There were some 71-hundred homes on the market in May, an increase of 36 percent from last year, and a nine-point-four percent increase from May 2023.
The number of homes sold in May was up almost four percent from last May and up 20 percent from April.
He says interest in rural areas close to metros have gained more attention in recent years.
Sulgrove says April through July is the busiest period as people look to move after school is out, and that trend has held this year.
Sulgrove says things appear to be shifting right now.
The days on the market increased four-point-nine percent to 43 days in May compared to the 41 days of one year ago. The median sales price is up from 238-thousand dollars this year compared to 225-thousand dollars last year at this time.
(Des Moines, Iowa) – Following the severe storms that hit Iowa on April 26-27 and May 20-21, two Presidential Disaster Declarations were issued for the state of Iowa. Qualifying individuals may be eligible for Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP).
These declarations allow the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to offer D-SNAP for Iowans in specific ZIP codes impacted by the tornadoes and storms that moved through Iowa on April 26-27 and May 20-21.
April 26 storms
Persons who lived in the following ZIP codes on April 26-27, had a storm-related loss, and qualify based on income and resources between April 26 and May 25 may be eligible to receive D-SNAP benefits: 50213, 50327, 50801, 50863, 50854, 51503, 51526, 51527, 51537, 51542, 51548, 51553, 51557, 51561, 51564, 51570, 51578.
SNAP recipients who received April 2024 SNAP benefits and were affected by the April 26-27 storms in the ZIP codes listed above can apply for D-SNAP benefits by completing SNAP Recipient Request for Disaster SNAP which is available by calling 515-420-6048 between June 25 – June 29 at the times listed below.
May 20-21 storms
Persons who lived in the following ZIP codes on May 20-21, had a storm-related loss, and qualify based on income and resources between May 20 and June 18 may be eligible to receive D-SNAP benefits: 50007, 50046, 50201, 50849, 50864
SNAP recipients who received SNAP benefits in May 2024 and were affected by the May 20-21 storms in the ZIP codes listed above can apply for D-SNAP benefits by completing SNAP Recipient Request for Disaster SNAP available by calling 515-420-6048 between June 25 – June 29 at the times listed below.
Those who are eligible to receive D-SNAP benefits will receive food dollars on an electronic benefit transfer (EBT) card that is equivalent to the maximum allotment of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for their household size. D-SNAP benefits can be used for food purchases at any SNAP-authorized retailer, including farmers markets and certain online retailers. For a complete list of authorized retailers, please see the USDA SNAP retailer locator fns.usda.gov/snap/retailer-locator.
D-SNAP uses different qualifying rules than regular SNAP. Those who may not normally qualify for SNAP, based on income, may qualify for D-SNAP if they lived in one the ZIP codes listed above on April 26-27 or May 20-21, 2024, and suffered one or more of the following disaster-related expenses:
Income limits
A household’s net income, for their household size, cannot be more than the amounts listed below for the following 30-day period of time:
April 26 – May 25 for the April 26-27 storms
May 20 – June 18 for the May 20-21 storms
Any disaster-related expenses paid out of pocket and not reimbursed during that 30-day period of time can be subtracted from the household’s net income to be eligible for D-SNAP benefits.
Household Size | Income Limit |
1 | $2,085 |
2 | $2,514 |
3 | $2,942 |
4 | $3,380 |
5 | $3,845 |
6 | $4,308 |
7 | $4,736 |
8 | $5,165 |
D-SNAP applicants will need to provide proof of their identity. They may need to provide proof of residence in the storm-affected area, income, and disaster-related expenses.
There are two ways to apply for D-SNAP if someone lived in one of the approved ZIP codes, by phone or in-person. The hours are the same for both.
Applications and interviews can be completed over the phone by calling 515-420-6048.
Applications and interviews are completed in-person at the following locations. Please take proof of identity. You may need to provide proof of residence in the storm-affected area, income, and disaster-related expenses.
417 E. Kanesville Blvd, Council Bluffs, IA
201 N. Elm St, Creston, IA
2309 Euclid Ave, Des Moines, IA
For more information visit: hhs.iowa.gov/dsnap.
(Des Moines, Iowa – Iowa Dept. of Natural Resources) – Hunters will notice a few regulation changes for the upcoming 2024-2025 hunting seasons. These changes could impact deer hunters, waterfowl hunters and furharvesters.
Deer
Trail Camera Use on Public Land
Migratory birds
Furharvesters
Hunting Regulations
Des Moines – The Iowa Insurance Division has issued four cease and desist orders against contractors (Recon Roofing & Construction, Exterior + Home and Remodeling, American Dream Home Improvement, and Darren Reeves Roofing (of Anita) who have acted as unlicensed public adjusters by soliciting business and offering services that require a public adjuster license.
Deputy Commissioner Jared Kirby says “Dealing with damage from a storm is stressful for those impacted. Those unlicensed storm-chasers may attempt to create expectations on settlement values or scope of repairs that do not align with the language of the insurance policy which can cause delays to claim resolution and added expense to consumers.”
It’s important for Iowans to make certain that any service provider working on storm restoration is a reputable company and provides the consumer with proof of insurance, proof of contractor registration and references to allow the consumer to make an informed decision regarding who will be chosen to perform the repairs.
“Iowans should expect contractors to provide to the insured, directly, a written estimate of damages that the insured property owner can then submit to their insurance agent or insurance company,” Kirby added. “Maintaining communication with your insurance company is key.”
A contractor, or other service provider, not licensed as a public adjuster is prohibited by law from advertising, or otherwise offering, to negotiate with the insurance company, filing a claim on your behalf or effecting the settlement of a claim.
A public adjuster is any person who, for compensation, acts on behalf of an insured, during the investigation, negotiation, or settlement of a first-party claim for loss or damage to real or personal property of the insured. Iowa law requires public adjusters to be licensed.
Many times, contractors solicit business, especially after major storms, by offering services that fall under the definition of public adjusting. If an insured property owner has become involved with a contractor who has made these types of promises or commitments, the Iowa Insurance Division encourages the public to report it by emailing storm-chaser-scams@iid.iowa.gov.
Iowans that have had damage should be in regular communication with their insurance agent or insurance company until the claim is completed. The Iowa Insurance Division is here to help Iowans who have questions or concerns regarding how their insurance agent or insurance company is responding to their claim. Iowans can file a complaint for free with the Iowa Insurance Division.
Below are a few fundamentals Iowans should expect from their insurance agent or insurance company during the insurance claim process:
If an Iowan feels the expectations above have not been met or have other concerns about the claim handling by their insurance agent or insurer, the Iowa Insurance Division is available to assist Iowans. Iowans can file a complaint with the Iowa Insurance Division which allows our office to ensure contractual obligations are met and done so in accordance with insurance laws and regulations. This is a service provided at no cost to those who choose to file a complaint.