(Radio Iowa) — Triple-A predicts a three-and-a-half percent increase in travel volume this Memorial Day weekend, sparked — perhaps — by lower gas prices. Triple-A’s fuel price survey indicates the average price today (Friday) for regular unleaded gasoline is two-66 a gallon in Iowa. That’s 20 cents less than it was during the Memorial Day weekend last year. Gas prices in Iowa were about seven cents higher per gallon a month ago. Triple A projects that nearly 40 million Americans will travel 50 or more miles from home this weekend.

(KJAN/Radio Iowa) — National Weather Service forecasters say strong storms with heavy rain, hail and even a tornado are possible today in parts of Iowa. Parts of southwest Iowa’s Cass and Adams Counties got four inches of rain overnight. Several roads remain flooded. Cass County Emergency Management Coordinator Mike Kennon. “That branch of the Nodaway River that runs from Massena down towards the central part of the county is still flooded,” Kennon says.

Crews have set up barricades on several secondary roads. “Don’t go through those barricades. They’re there for a reason,” Kennon says. “Don’t drive through standing water or running water going over a roadway. You’re just asking for trouble and I’m not a law enforcement officer, but I’ve got to believe somebody would try to cite for something if you do those silly things and end up in some trouble.”

The fine for failing to obey a “road closed” sign is 195 dollars when court costs are included — plus the cost of repairing water damage. In mid-April, a woman who ignored was injured after ignoring the “road closed” signs on Highway 34 was injured in Mills County. Her vehicle was launched 20 feet in the air when it hit several large chunks of concrete.

DES MOINES – The DNR Derelict Building Grant Program will award grants to 13 small, rural Iowa communities to help deconstruct or renovate abandoned structures, remove asbestos and limit construction and demolition materials going to the landfill.

The DNR Derelict Building Grant Program was instituted by statute to help rural communities with populations of 5,000 or less. DBGP funding is awarded annually on a competitive basis with cash matches required. Applications for the next funding round will be due on Feb. 20, 2020.

Among the projects that will receive a total of $396,864 as reimbursement grants are in:

• City of Afton — $31,403 to abate asbestos and deconstruct commercial building. City plans for a new community social center that will feature Wi-Fi for locals to use for gaming and access to the internet. And,
• City of Farragut — $12,100 to inspect and abate asbestos and complete a structural engineering analysis in an abandoned grocery store to determine the future use of the building.

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — Dozens of goats are gobbling up weeds near a waterway in Dubuque as part of an effort to reduce the use of chemicals. KCRG-TV reports about 50 goats are eating weeds on less than an acre of land along a water retention basin. Officials opted to try the goats as part of city initiative to reduce the use of chemicals.

Parks division manager Steve Fehsal says it’s also safer for goats rather than city employees to climb around the steep property. And because the ground is soggy, the city can avoid creating ruts with equipment.

Peg Harbaugh, whose company Goats on the Go is supplying the animals, says they should finish in about a week. The city is spending $1,250 to hire the goats and will analyze how the animals do before deciding whether to hire them again.