(Radio Iowa) – As drought conditions worsen across the state, one southwestern Iowa community is enacting tighter water conservation restraints. By unanimous vote Tuesday night, the Shenandoah City Council enacted what it calls Stage 4 water rationing. City water superintendent Tim Martin explains what those restrictions entail, including a ban on all non-commercial irrigation.

“No water shall be used for irrigation at all,” Martin says, “except for businesses engaged in selling or growing plants. No water shall be used from a hose to wash automobiles, except places of business where autos are washed every business day, either with attendants, automatic equipment or self service.” The Stage 4 rationing also prohibits water-consuming air conditioning equipment that uses five-percent of the water circulation.

“Some of the water-to-water heating and cooling equipment,” he says, “you just need to make sure there isn’t any excess water being lost from it.” Also prohibited in Shenandoah: outdoor cleaning of surfaces, including buildings, sidewalks, driveways or porches, and the nonessential cleaning of commercial or industrial equipment, machinery or interior space.

Martin says allowing the loss of water through defective plumbing or fixtures is prohibited, unless the customer can provide proof of a defect.  “If you know you have a problem with leaks somewhere on your property, and you’re just ignoring it, that could be a problem,” Martin says, “but if you’re getting it fixed in a timely matter, we would understand.” Stage 4 also bans the filling of swimming pools, something that won’t be a concern for several months.

Three-quarters of the state is in moderate to extreme drought. The latest U-S Drought Monitor map shows more than 97-percent of Iowa with at least abnormally dry conditions or some level of drought, and less than two-and-a-half percent in the normal range.

(Radio Iowa) – Republican Congresswoman Ashley Hinson of Marion says she supports efforts to ensure women have access to over-the-counter birth control, but she’s raising concerns about a Biden Administration proposal. It would require insurance companies to cover all over-the-counter contraception products, including the pill and condoms. “My biggest concerns with the president’s proposal are the overall costs to the health insurance markets and overall costs to consumers and taxpayers,” Hinson said during her weekly news conference, “but I think it’s really important that we continue to look at ways to get access to over-the-counter birth control for more women.”

Sarah Corkery, the Democrat who’s running against Hinson, said President Biden’s proposal is a “good first step” to expanding access to oral contraceptives. “Covering things that people have to pay for out of their pocket, to make it more accessible, is the right thing to do,” Corkery told Radio Iowa. “The issue I have is the ones that will be covered over the counter have the least amount of hormones in it because there’s no doctor involvement, so it’s still good, but the better is still the ones that you get by talking to a physician.”

Pills that have a combination of hormones are slightly more effective than the Opill, the only oral contraceptive the Food and Drug Administration has approved for sale at pharmacies without a prescription. Hinson said the approval process has been too slow. “My main goal is to make sure the FDA is approving these already approved pills for over-the-counter use and access at a pharmacy without a prescription as soon as possible,” Hinson told reporters.

Hinson has said women in rural areas need access to long-acting reversible contraception, too, and she’s sponsoring a bill to require the F-D-A to conduct a study on the topic. Corkery said a 2007 study funded by businessman Warren Buffett’s daughter found long term birth control devices are the most effective way to prevent unplanned pregnancies. “They gave IUDs to poor women and guess what? Abortions went down and unwanted pregnancies went down, so we know birth control is the answer,” Corkery said. “We just need to make sure people can afford it.”

Women without insurance are charged over a thousand dollars for the devices, some of which can prevent pregnancies for up to 10 years.

AMES, Iowa – Oct. 23, 2024 – Iowans will now have the option to securely add their Iowa driver’s license or ID to Apple Wallet on their iPhone and Apple Watch. Today, users can present their ID in Apple Wallet in person at select TSA checkpoints, including the Des Moines and Eastern Iowa Airports, businesses and venues, in addition to Apple Store locations across the U.S. Users are also able to present their IDs in Wallet in select apps as well.

Businesses and organizations are able to accept ID in Apple Wallet using iOS apps such as Tap2iD Mobile, VeriScan, and Mobile ID Verify, for in-person age verification. These apps leverage Apple’s ID Verifier API to securely and privately accept mobile driver’s licenses and ID cards — right on iPhone, no additional hardware is needed.

Adding an ID in Apple Wallet

Adding a license or state ID to Apple Wallet can be done in a few easy steps. Residents can tap the Add (+) button at the top of the screen in Wallet on their iPhone, select “Driver’s License or State ID,” and follow the onscreen instructions to start the setup and verification process.

Presenting an ID in a Secure, Private Way

Users can securely present their ID in Apple Wallet in person and in apps to show proof of age or identity. IDs in Apple Wallet use the privacy and security features that are built into Apple devices to help protect a user’s identity and personal information. When adding an ID to Apple Wallet, the Iowa Department of Transportation receives only the information it needs to approve or deny the request.

Once an ID is added to Apple Wallet, the information is encrypted on a user’s device, so others cannot access it unless a user chooses to present it. Apple and the Iowa DOT do not know when or to whom a user presents their driver’s license or state ID.

To present an ID in person

Users can go to Apple Wallet and select their ID. From there, they can hold their iPhone or Apple Watch near an identity reader, review the specific information being requested, and use Face ID or Touch ID to authenticate before the requested information is shared. Users do not need to show, or hand over their device to present their ID.

To present an ID in Apple Wallet in apps

Users can select the “Verify with Apple Wallet” or “Continue with Apple Wallet” button. From there, they can review the specific information being requested, and authenticate with Face ID or Touch ID before the requested information is shared.

Your Iowa driver’s license or state ID in Apple Wallet does not replace your physical license or identification card. Locations that accept mobile IDs are expected to expand over time.

The launch of ID in Apple Wallet in Iowa provides another option for residents to access their mobile ID, joining the lineup alongside the Iowa Mobile ID app and other wallet options.

For more information on ID in Apple Wallet, visit learn.wallet.apple/id. Sign up to get updates including new ways to access and businesses who accept Iowa Mobile ID.

(Radio Iowa) – The League of United Latin American Citizens is asking Iowa’s secretary of state for his list of over two-thousand people who’ve registered to vote, but will be required to cast provisional ballots. Secretary of State Paul Pate says his office has not confirmed if the people on that list may have become U-S citizens since the 2012 election. Joe Henry is Iowa political director for the League of United Latin American Citizens. “We need to connect with these people to make sure that they know their rights,” Henry says. “We will be reaching out to the county election offices to request the information on these people if we can’t get it from the secretary of state.”

Henry says many or all of these people Pate has flagged on Iowa voter registration lists may have been legal residents when they got an Iowa driver’s license, but have since then become U-S citizens in the past 12 years. “We know that 5% of Iowa, the population, is composed of immigrants, some of which are U.S. citizens who are looking forward to voting,” Henry says. “…This fear mongering…with now less than two weeks left before the election will cause a certain amount of chaos.” Henry says by forcing two-thousand-plus people to cast provisional ballots, their votes will not be counted unless they return to their county auditor’s office after the election with proof that they’re a citizen.  “This could have an impact on a lot of elections — congressional elections where as we know sometimes those elections are determined by less than a dozen votes and then statehouse races,” Henry says. “2000+ people matters.”

Pate’s announcement on Tuesday indicated he has referred the names of 154 people to Iowa’s attorney general for a citizenship check to see if they were not U-S citizens when they registered to vote over the past 12 years.

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa D-O-T held a public meeting Tuesday on plans to build a roundabout at a major intersection in Tama County. There are 61-hundred vehicles driving through the intersection of Highway 63 and Business Route 30 in Toledo every day. Josh Roberts told K-C-R-G T-V he works second shift and using the intersection daily. “When I leave, it’s pretty congested but when I come back, it’s pretty dead,” Roberts says Roberts’s biggest concern is how large farm equipment would be able to make it through the roundabout, and says he doesn’t think it will help.

Jim Kupka of Clutier told K-C-R-G T-V he drives through the intersection five times a week, sometimes hauling cattle.“I don’t see how we’re going to gain anything by putting your merry-go-round down there on Highway 30 and 63,” Kupka says.

Proposed roundabout in Tama County

D-O-T Assistant District 1 Engineer Jeremey Vortherms says the intersection isn’t considered unsafe. There have been 18 accidents in the last ten years. He said this two million dollar project is a way to get rid of outdated equipment while also making the intersection safer. “The roundabout kind of gives us the benefit of safety, continuous movement, it’s more flexible,” Vortherms says. Vortherms says the D-O-T plans to start the construction project next spring and complete it next fall.

Kupka doesn’t think it should be built. “I think it’s a waste of money and a waste of time,” Kupka says. The D-O-T said roundabouts make up about one out of every one thousand intersections in Iowa. Right now, the state said there are 150 roundabouts across Iowa, with ten to 15 new ones constructed each year.

(Greenfield, Iowa) – The Adair County Board of Supervisors today (Wednesday) passed amendments to the City of Stuart and City of Adair Urban Renewal Plan (URP). Adair County Auditor Mandy Berg says the City of Stuart will hold a meeting on Monday, Oct. 28^th at 10-a.m., and a Public Hearing will be held 6-p.m. Nov. 12^th. Berg explained the changes being made to the URP and the projects involved. She said the City of Stuart is partnering with a few different groups of people to make improvements to certain buildings.

It was subsequently clarified to note that the group taking on the American Legion Building in Stuart is not buying the building, but they are assisting the Legion in improving its condition, as it is in a blight situation and in need of a new roof and other improvements. The Board acknowledged receipt of the URP before holding a Public Hearing on the issuance of (not to exceed) $1.5-million in General Obligation Urban Renewal Bonds or Capital Loan Notes. There were no comments received on the issuance of bonds. Following the hearing, the Board passed a Resolution instituting the proceedings necessary to take additional action.

In other business, the Adair County Supervisors authorized Board Chair Jerry Walker to sign an Iowa DOT “Safe Streets for All” Pledge as necessary for grant applications. The Board also authorized Walker to sign the final voucher for the N-19 Lincoln (Township) Bridge Project.

County Engineer Nick Kauffman provided the Board with his weekly report on Secondary Roads Department maintenance and activities.

New concrete slab bridge located on a heavily traveled portion of 130th St. south of Stuart

On Tuesday, the department announced Murphy Heavy Contracting Corp. finished up a 100′ x 30′ concrete slab bridge in September, just in time for harvest. The new bridge is located on a heavily traveled portion of 130th St. south of Stuart and was designed and built to handle that traffic for many years to come. The final cost of the project – which was paid for through the use of TIF bond funds – was a little more than $707,369.

Impacts in Bremer, Butler, Cass, Clayton, Clinton, Hardin, Johnson, Lee, Madison, Polk, Sac, Sioux and Wayne counties

DES MOINES, Iowa, Oct. 23, 2024 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development State Director in Iowa Theresa Greenfield today (Wednesday) announced that the Agency is investing $3,807,390 in 11 grants and $13,000,000 in three loans to projects in Iowa that spur economic development through rural cooperatives, promote small businesses, support infrastructure, assist with disasters, and create jobs. The 14 investments were funded through six different USDA programs.

The Rural Business Development Grant program is designed to provide technical assistance and training for small businesses. Projects include (in western Iowa):

• Sac Economic And Tourism Development LTD received $90,000 in a grant from the Rural Business Development Grants program to facilitate business development in rural north central Iowa. This project will provide planning, analytical and technical assistance to certify Sac City as a bioeconomy development opportunity zone to assist in attracting new bio-based businesses to the area. This project will also help provide technical assistance to local feedstock producers and supply chain businesses. The project will promote rural economic development in Sac County.

The Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant program provides zero-interest loans to local utilities organizations which in turn pass the funding through to local businesses. Western Iowa recipients include:

• Winterset Municipal Utilities received a $300,000 grant from the Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant Program to establish a revolving loan fund. This project will provide a loan to MCDP Real Estate, LLC/Madison County Dental Partners, LLP to help construct a new dental clinic in Winterset, Iowa, and to purchase equipment for the clinic. This project will create 10 new jobs. This project will promote economic development in rural Madison County.

The Community Facilities Direct Loans and Grants program provides affordable funding to develop essential community facilities in rural areas. An essential community facility is defined as a facility that provides an essential service to the local community for the orderly development of the community in a primarily rural area, and does not include private, commercial, or business undertakings. Recipients in western Iowa area include:

• Dordt University in Sioux County received a $9,800,000 loan as additional funding for renovation and expansion from the Community Facilities Direct Loan and Guaranteed Loan program. This project will construct a new dining hall, offices, and classrooms on its existing campus center. The project will also renovate and expand the auditorium.

The Community Facility Disaster Grant program is designed to provide eligible rural communities with grants that address eligible disaster parameters. In Cass County:

• The City of Cumberland received a grant for $40,800 from the Community Facility Disaster Grants program to purchase essential equipment. This project will provide a new warning siren, a snow blower, a dump trailer, a snow plow, and accessories for the equipment. This project will promote the safety of the 251 residents and visitors of this rural Cass County community.

(Radio Iowa) – Retail studies find consumer spending on Halloween is into the billions of dollars and is second only to Christmas, but Iowans don’t have to scare themselves into exceeding their budgets. Lisa Schiller, with the Better Business Bureau, says spooky spending can quickly get out of hand, if you’re not mindful.  “Spending money on decorations and pumpkin carving and parties and costumes and giving away candy,” Schiller says. “Candy is expensive, too. So not just candy, but everything else.” Schiller says instead of buying pricey costumes, try thrifting instead, renting a costume, or see if you have something in storage that will still work.

“It sounds really easy, cliche, but really, look around your house, check your closet,” she says. “There might be some hidden items in there that you can throw together to make a really great costume, and that’ll save you a few bucks as well.” Schiller says you should judge the amount of trick-or-treaters you’re expecting, and don’t overspend on candy. “Consider buying it in bulk, buying more can save you money, we know that,” she says. “It can lessen the cost of the item and budgeting really can be super handy on a night like Halloween.”

Radio Iowa photo

Schiller suggests holding back a little on candy this year, because that’s seen the same price increases as other food items. Plus, candy keeps well, so don’t be afraid to share your leftovers at other parties or events.

(Griswold, Iowa) – The Griswold School Board met in a regular monthly session Monday evening. Superintendent Dave Henrichs says he updated the Board on the district’s enrollment numbers. He said while the Certified Enrollment figures show a decline of 17 students (for a total of 443), the more important BEDS (Basic Educational Data Survey) information shows a decline of 7.6, or some 389 students who are served every day.

Dave Henrichs said Griswold “had a kind of rough go of enrollment over the years.

The Griswold School Board, Monday, approved bids for: Door Alarms; Visitor Management System, and Video Access, but they held-off on approving bids for flooring.

Henrichs says the Board set a Work Session for 6-p.m. November 5th, to review the capital projects, resources and facilities, and a concession stand relocation projectt. The other project bids that were accepted will be paid for through the Governor’s Safety grant.

The bid came in at $419 for 12 door alarms. The bid for a Visitor Management System came in at $3,470.

And, a Video Access System bid of $5,275 was approved, for use on doors not currently covered. Henrichs stressed again, that those items will not cost the district a dime.

He said also, the Griswold School Board discussed relocation of the concession stand, and approved a letter of agreement for design services pertaining the conversion portions of a couple of classrooms, by cutting the sizes down of those spaces, and using those areas for a concession stand. The current concession stand is run out of the lunch room, which Henrich said is an inconvenience to the kitchen staff and Booster Club. The cost of the design service, which includes architectural fees, etc., is $22,000.

The Board is expected to receive some updated design plans by the time of their Nov. 5th work session. Dave Henrichs said it’s hoped the district can solicit bids in January, with the project completed by the start of the 2025-26 school year. In other news, the Griswold Board approved the resignation of Blair Rush – School Nurse, effective Oct. 30th, and the hiring of Lyn Sliger – MS/HS Cook, retroactive to Oct. 9th.