(Radio Iowa) – Moody’s, a national company that issues credit ratings on bonds, has given bonds from the State of Iowa its highest rating. It’s sort of like credit ratings for individuals, as investors check bond ratings to determine whether state-issued bonds are a safe bet. Moody’s Aaa (referred to as triple A) rating means the bonds are considered the highest quality and the lowest credit risk.

State Treasurer Michael Fitzgerald says retention of the top rating from Moody’s is “a testament to the State of Iowa’s financial wellness.” According to Fitzgerald, Moody’s cited the state’s cash reserves and its low debt and pension liabilities in issuing the Aaa rating.

In 2020, Iowa was one of only a dozen states that had Triple A bond ratings from Moody’s, as well as two other national credit rating agencies.

(Radio Iowa) – As the number of COVID-19 hospitalizations continues rising in Iowa, the C-E-O of the state’s largest hospital says he’s dealing with staffing shortages and burnout. Suresh Gunasekaran, who heads the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, says the staff is straining with the jump in both COVID and non-COVID patients. He says it’s a statewide trend. “There are bed challenges that are being caused by not having enough staffing,” Gunasekaran says, “and we see that by increased transfer requests from various different parts of the state when they’re unable to staff the same number of beds that they were last year.”

Suresh Gunasekaran (UIHC photo)

Gunasekaran says the pandemic has taken a significant toll on health care workers at the Iowa City facility and elsewhere, leading to a higher-than-average number leaving the workforce in the past year. “We are paying a pretty heavy price in terms of the mental health of our workforce in terms of the physical workload that they see day in and day out.”

State health officials reported Thursday that 638 Iowans were hospitalized with the virus in the past week. That’s up ten-percent from last week and is the highest number this year.

(Natalie Krebs, Iowa Public Radio)

(Greenfield, Iowa) – The Adair County Board of Supervisors, Thursday, authorized Board Chair Steve Shelley to sign three right-of-way contracts with the City of Greenfield for a box culvert project on Lakeview Road. County Engineer Nick Kauffman…

Kauffman said also, a joint drainage project with Cass County is nearly complete.

In other business, shared Environmental Health Director Jotham Arber presented the Adair County Board of Supervisors with the same information he gave the Cass County Board, Tuesday, with regard to an Intergovernmental 28-E (cost sharing) Agreement with the Iowa DNR, as it pertains to well fees and a language update to the agreement.

The Board and County Attorney will review the agreement and act on the matter during their meeting next week. Jotham spoke also with regard to Radon tests, and how they might be offered through real estate agents.

Supervisor John Twombly said his test about nine-months ago were very high, and he recently had mitigation conducted to make his home safe. Six weeks later, the reading is within tolerance. The Adair County Supervisors Thursday, acknowledged receipt of a notice from the City of Stuart, with regard to an Urban Renewal Plan Amendment, for which a Public Hearing will be held in Stuart at City Hall, on Friday, Sept. 24th, at 10-a.m.

They also acknowledged a Manure Management Plan update from Rose Acre Farms.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic City Council, Wednesday, gave permission for City Administrator John Lund to book a fireworks show for July 4, 2022. Previously, the Personnel and Finance Committee had discussed offers from two local vendors, with the desire, regardless of which company was chosen, to have a “Mind blowing fireworks.” Lund said “While there is a desire to support local business, it’s going to be very difficult to chose between two companies.”

He said the company that have previously performed a fireworks show at the Atlantic Municipal Airport – Viking Pyrotechnics, Inc., out of Shannon City, Iowa – has the required Class-B license.

The City received complaints about the fireworks display this past July, saying the show was too short and didn’t have the “Wow” factor. J &M Displays, the company that put on the show offered to give the community a free show (Valued at $6,000) in 2022, but the display would have been held July 2nd instead of July 4th. Mayor Dave Jones said people in other communities he’s spoken with also experienced a brief fireworks display this year.

Lund said Viking Pyrotechnics has the Fourth of July open, for now, but they need to know soon if the City wants to book that date. The only other thing he needed to know, is if the Council wants to stick with the $6,000 price tag for fireworks, or spend a little more, like the benchmark Exira Fireworks Show that’s put on. It was the consensus of the Council, that the City spend up to $10,000 for a 20-minute show, and that Lund show arrange with Viking to make it possible.