(Iowa DNR News) – Nearly $416,000 in 50 percent cost-share grants were recently awarded to 138 Iowa rural fire departments to help their efforts to protect Iowan’s and their property from wildfires. The grants offer valuable funding assistance for wildfire suppression, personal protective and communications equipment.

Among the fire departments receiving 2024 Volunteer Fire Assistance grants, are those in:

• Anita
• Avoca
• Clarinda
• Creston
• De Soto
• Early
• Farragut
• Glenwood
• Grant
• Hamburg
• Jamaica
• Logan
• Menlo
• Oakland
• Onawa
• Shelby
• Shenandoah
• Sidney
• Stuart
• Underwood
• and Yale.

The grants are made possible through Iowa DNR Forestry, in cooperation with US Forest Service – State and Private Forestry. Jason Walker, fire supervisor with DNR Forestry, reminds all fire departments of the importance of submitting Wildland Fire Reports whenever they respond to a wildland fire or provide assistance to a prescribed or controlled wildland fire. Wildland fire reporting forms are available atwww.iowadnr.gov/fire.

Departments returning these reports receive priority points when the Fire Assistance grant applications are scored. These wildland fire reports are compiled locally and nationally and are reported to Congress.

(Des Moines, Iowa) – State, city and county inspectors have cited Iowa restaurants and stores for hundreds of food-safety violations during the past four weeks, including roach infestations, mouse droppings, spoiled fruit, moldy chicken batter and kitchens littered with trash. According to the Iowa Capital Dispatch, the findings are reported by the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing, which handles food-establishment inspections at the state level. Listed below are some of the more serious findings that stem from inspections at Iowa restaurants, stores, schools, hospitals and other businesses over the past four weeks.

The state inspections department reminds the public that their reports are a “snapshot” in time, and violations are often corrected on the spot before the inspector leaves the establishment. For a more complete list of all inspections, along with additional details on each of the inspections listed below, visit the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals’ website.

Among the restaurants that were cited, was BC’s Pizza Company, 311 E. 7th St., Logan – During a Nov. 21st visit, a state inspector cited this restaurant for failing to have a certified food protection manager on staff and noted the sliced and shredded cheese had no date markings to ensure freshness and safety. Also, the restaurant appeared to be using commercially made sauces that had discard dates going back to October and August of 2024. The visit was in response to a non-illness complaint pertaining to contaminated equipment, improper holding temperatures, food from unsafe sources, poor personal hygiene among the staff and general facility sanitation. “Complaint is verified,” the inspector reported.

The Chuong Garden Restaurant, 903 W. Townline Road, Creston, was cited following a visit on November 8th, during which a state inspector cited the establishment for 13 risk-factor violations, an exceptionally high number. The inspector reported that inside a walk-in cooler, he “observed a large bowl of raw chicken in a batter with what appears to be a build-up of mold-like substance in the interior of bowl.” Also, the inspector found raw eggs that appeared to have been acquired from an unapproved source. The inspector also observed food-service employees handling cooked chicken with their bare hands as they placed it in to-go boxes. In addition, the cooked chicken was measured at 72 degrees, close to room temperature, and cooked pork eggrolls were measured at 94 degrees. The chicken and egg rolls were discarded.

The inspector also observed that the kitchen-prepared crab Rangoon filling was measured at 60 degrees – neither hot nor cold enough to ensure safety. On the kitchen’s food-prep table, the inspector found several raw, unpasteurized eggs that were warm to the touch and which had to be discarded. In addition, there were multiple unspecified food items inside the walk-in cooler, the freezer and the cold-make table that had no preparation dates to ensure freshness and safety. The kitchen’s dishwashing machine had no detectable amount of sanitizing solution; shrimp was left to thaw on a countertop at room temperature; a separate large bowl of raw shrimp was stored on the floor; and the kitchen scoops used with cooked rice were being stored in a container of stagnant water.

The visit was in response to a non-illness complaint that pertained to adulterated food, food procured from unsafe sources and general facility sanitation. “Complaint is closed and verified,” the inspector reported.

Other establishments that were cited following an inspection, include:

• Lampliter Inn, 143 S. Grove St., Walcott
• Love’s Travel Stop, 2280 Key Ave. SW, Le Mars
• Kwik Stop, 515 Broadway, Waterloo
• Pizza Shack, 6616 Northwest Boulevard, Davenport
• Strawberry Foods, Deli and Bakery, 128 W. Mission St., Strawberry Point
• Treehouse Pub & Eatery, 2239 Kimberly Road, Bettendorf
• El Toreado Mexican Bar & Grill, 3751 EP True Parkway, West Des Moines
• Hong Kong Buffet, 2406 Park Ave., Muscatine
• Stout’s Irish Pub, 4471 53^rd Ave., Bettendorf
• Siam Thai Café, 903 State St., Bettendorf
• California Restaurant, 1500 Villa Ave., Sioux City
• Dynasty Buffet, 5388 Elmore Ave., Davenport
• WalMart, 2200 17^th St., Spirit Lake
• Boyden-Hull Junior and Senior High School, 801 1^st St., Hull
• Spencer Golf & Country Club, 2200 W. 18^th St., Spencer
• Crossroads Bistro, 232 16^th Ave. SW, Cedar Rapids
• The Central Market, Central College, 812 University Ave., Pella
• McDonald’s, 129 S. Duff Ave., Ames
• Boozie’s Bar & Grill, 114 1/2 W. 3^rd St., Davenport

(Red Oak, Iowa) – The Board of Supervisors in Montgomery County today (Tuesday), accepted the Fiscal Year 2024 Montgomery County Annual Financial (Cash-basis) Report. Montgomery County Auditor Jill Ozuna explained it’s the only financial report that gets published. She said the total ending fund balance as of June 30, 2024 was $2,734,026.

In other business, the Board approved claims payable for Nov. 27^th in the amount of $154,290.67, and, they passed an amended resolution pertaining to the Sheriff’s Schedule of Services Inmate fees, which are intended to recoup some of the costs of room, board and medical. Officials say the amended fees should allow them to collect 60-percent of the costs.

The Board set the date and time for their January 2025 Organizational meeting as 8:30-a.m., on January 2^nd. And, Montgomery County Engineer Karen Albert provided her weekly report to the Board.

The Montgomery County Supervisor’s next meeting is 8:30-a.m., December 3^rd.

(Radio Iowa) – U-S Senator Chuck Grassley says the tariffs President-elect Trump previously imposed on China pressured China to agree to buy U-S grain, but Grassley says the new tariffs Trump has threatened against Mexico, Canada AND China could hurt American agriculture. “I just think we need to get tariffs down,” Grassley says. “And that doesn’t bad mouth, in no way is that meant to disagree with Trump because I think he’s using tariffs as a negotiating tool.” Trump says he’ll add onto the tariffs already in place on goods from China unless the country imposes the death penalty on those caught trafficking the drug fentanyl. Trump also says he’ll impose 25 percent tariffs on all products from Mexico and Canada because they aren’t doing enough to stop illegal immigration and the flow of illegal drugs into the U-S.

U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley (R-New Hartford, IA) (official photo)

Grassley says U-S agricultural exports are typically the first casualty of a trade war. “It’s kind of a tricky game when it comes to increasing tariffs,” Grassley says, “because we in Iowa and throughout the agricultural community know that the first thing that’s retaliated against is agriculture.” Grassley says throughout most of his nearly five decade career in congress, he’s been an advocate for trade agreements that reduce tariffs and resolve trade disputes. “I believe we ought to be negotiating more trade agreements,” Grassley says, “whether that’s through the (World Trade Organization) or whether that’s through the multi-lateral or whether it’s bilateral.”

And Grassley suggests Trump’s new tariff threats could be linked to a clause in the U-S-Mexico Trade Agreement Trump signed when he was president. “Sometime in ’26, the USMCA says it could be renegotiated,” Grassley says, “and maybe he’s leading up to that.” Grassley says Trump’s initial tariffs on China led to a favorable deal in which China promised to buy 200 BILLION dollars more of U-S exports, but China wound up buying far less than that and began relying on other countries for many ag commodities. Grassley says it’s too soon to judge the motivation behind Trump’s latest tariff threats and what the outcomes may be.

“I’m going to be doing everything I can in the congress to have more trade, more fair trade agreements,” Grassley says, “and always constantly telling the president to be cautious about what you’re doing so it doesn’t hurt American agriculture.” During Trump’s first administration, the U-S-D-A sent over 23 BILLION dollars worth of trade disruption payments to farmers to compensate for China’s reduction in U-S grain and meat purchases.

(Guthrie Center, Iowa) – The Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office says there were three accidents the week of Nov. 18th. Late Sunday morning, a 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee driven by 29-year-old Sean Michael Mason, of Guthrie Center, was traveling south on Hickory Avenue at 130th Street, when Mason swerved to miss another vehicle coming around the curve. His SUV entered the west ditch, drove through a fence, and came to rest after striking a pine tree. Authorities say Mason showed no signs of impairment. He complained of pain and possible injury, but was not transported to a hospital. Damage to the vehicle was estimated at $8,000.

There were two vehicle-deer related accidents last Friday, in Guthrie County. Sheriff’s officials say at around 3:25-p.m., a 2020 Hyundai driven by 29-year-old Nicholas W. Knopik, of Lincoln, NE, was traveling north on Highway 25 when the car struck a deer. Damage to the vehicle was estimated at $10,000. And, at around 10:15-p.m., Friday, a 2018 Dodge Durango driven by 35-year-old Shannon Marie Oliver, of Guthrie Center, hit a deer on Monteith Road. The vehicle sustained an estimated $6,000 damage.

No injuries were reported following those two accidents.

Des Moines, IA – State Auditor Rob Sand on Monday, congratulated Iowa counties, cities, and school districts across Iowa for their efforts to save taxpayer dollars through participation in the Auditor’s Public Innovations and Efficiencies (PIE) program. In southwest Iowa, Adams County, the City of Orient, along with the Bedford, Essex and Hamburg School Districts, all won awards (See below). Sand says “Since we started PIE, there’s been no end to the appetite for pinching taxpayers’ pennies. Iowans work hard to make ends meet, and this program is helping local governments in every county do more with less money for Iowans.” Auditor Sand will hand-deliver a pie to celebrate with officials at each entity who earned a 2024 PIE Award at a later date.

Sand created the PIE program in 2019 to encourage public entities across Iowa to implement efficiency practices and reward innovative ideas to save public dollars. The PIE checklist, distributed each year by the Auditor’s office to local leaders, provides public servants with tools and a chance to collaborate with others—inviting them to share their concepts, known as “PIE recipes,” via the Auditor of State’s website. “Government works best when best practices are easily shared and duplicated, and no one needs to reinvent the wheel,” Sand said. “The appeal of PIE is that everyone should want efficient government, whether they’re a Republican, Democrat, or independent. Besides, who wouldn’t want the opportunity to celebrate a job well done with a slice of pie?”

The Auditor of State’s PIE program has been so successful that the Mississippi State Auditor, a Republican, copied the program for use in his own state—even keeping the name. The PIE program was also replicated in 2024 by the Comptroller of the City of Baltimore.  To learn more about the PIE program, please visit auditor.iowa.gov/pie.

 2024 PIE Award Winners

Counties
Largest County: Scott County
Smallest County: Adams County
Best Performing County, Overall: Lucas County
Best Performing Counties, Awarded Within Categories of Size: Story County, Fayette County, Hardin County, Hancock and Franklin Counties (TIED), Lucas County
Most Improved County: Boone County

Cities
Largest City: Cedar Rapids
Smallest City: Ellston (Population 22)
Best Performing City, Overall: Cedar Rapids
Best Performing Cities, Awarded Within Categories of Size: Cedar Rapids, Donnelson, Alburnett, Orient, Fostoria
Most Improved City: Alburnett

Community School Districts
Largest Community School District: Des Moines Public
Smallest Community School District: Olin
Best Performing Community School District, Overall: Charles City
Best Performing School Districts, Awarded Within Categories of Size: Charles City (Winner), Des Moines (Runner-Up); Allamakee (Winner), Albia (Runner-Up); Bedford (Winner), Montezuma and Kingsley-Pierson (Runners-Up); Hamburg (Winner), Essex (Runner-Up)
Most Improved Community School District: Charles City