DES MOINES – Auditor of state Rob Sand today (Monday) held a news conference with Des Moines Independent Community School District Superintendent Dr. Ian Roberts to tout the success of Des Moines Public Schools’ food rescue program as participants in the Auditor’s Public Innovations and Efficiencies (PIE) program. Auditor Sand also announced winners across the state of Iowa. (See the list below)

“Food rescue is exactly the kind of innovation we had in mind when we first created the PIE program four years ago,” said Sand in advance of the event. “Where compassion and innovation meet lies efficiency, and I’m proud that we get to present our first 2023 award to the folks at Des Moines Independent Community School District—they’ve gone above and beyond to reduce waste and improve support for the most vulnerable members of the communities they serve.”

Sand created the PIE program in 2019 to encourage public entities across Iowa to think outside the box and spark innovative ideas to save public funds. The PIE program checklist provides local leaders with tools to collaborate and share their concepts, known as PIE recipes, via the Auditor of State’s website.

“While food rescue is just one of the items on our checklist of PIE recipes, it’s one worth sharing far and wide,” said Sand, noting that during a time of higher costs for families, many struggle to make ends meet—even grappling with food insecurity. Sand continued, “PIE provides local leaders with an easy, streamlined sharing process—that’s why each year, we’ve seen more engagement than the last.”

The PIE program has proven so successful that the Mississippi State Auditor, a Republican, copied the program for use in his own state—even using the same name. “The appeal of PIE is that everybody likes good government—Republican, Democratic, or independent. Good government shouldn’t have partisan blinders,” said Sand. Sand will hand-deliver a pie to officials in each community at a later date.
2023 PIE Award Recipients
Counties
Largest County: Polk
Smallest County: Ringgold
Best Performing County, Overall: Fayette
Best Performing Counties, Awarded Within Categories of Size: Johnson, Fayette, Clayton, Montgomery, Pocahontas
Most Improved County: Polk
Cities
Largest City: Cedar Rapids
Smallest City: Beaconsfield
Best Performing City, Overall: Cedar Rapids
Best Performing Cities, Awarded Within Categories of Size: Cedar Rapids, Guttenberg, Alleman & Grand Mount (TIE), Plainfield, Garden Grove
School Districts
Largest School District: Des Moines Public Schools
Smallest School District: Olin Community Schools
Best Performing School District, Overall: Iowa City Community Schools
Best Performing 4A School District: Iowa City Community Schools
Runner-Up Best Performing 4A School District: Des Moines Public Schools
Best Performing 3A School District: Greene County Community Schools
Runner-Up Best Performing 3A School District: Okoboji Community Schools
Best Performing 2A School District: North Cedar Community Schools
Runner-Up Best Performing 2A School District: Bedford Community Schools
Best Performing 1A School District: Hamburg Community Schools
Runner-Up Best Performing 1A School District: Olin Community Schools
Most Improved School District: Norwalk Community Schools.

OMAHA, Nebraska (Oct. 2, 2023) – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), in coordination with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), will conduct a national test of the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) on Wednesday, Oct. 4.* This is inclusive of Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA). A test alert will be sent to all wireless phones.

Wireless providers want to ensure the public is aware, and know that there is no imminent danger and no action is needed. Beginning at approximately 1:20 p.m. Wednesday, cell towers will broadcast the test for approximately 30 minutes. During this time, WEA-compatible wireless phones that are switched on, within range of an active cell tower and whose wireless provider participates in WEA, should receive the test message.

The test message will state: “THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed.” Phones with the main menu set to Spanish will display: “ESTA ES UNA PRUEBA del Sistema Nacional de Alerta de Emergencia. No se necesita acción.”

Cell phone customers are encouraged to have their phones turned on and available at the time of the test, so you know what to expect in an emergency. There is no charge to receive the message. There are four alert categories sent through WEA:

• National Alerts are a special class of alerts only sent during a national emergency.
• Imminent Threat Alerts include natural or human-made disasters, extreme weather, active shooters and other threatening emergencies that are current or emerging.
• Public Safety Alerts contain information about a threat that may not be imminent or after an imminent threat has occurred.
• AMBER Alerts are urgent bulletins issued in child-abduction cases. An AMBER Alert instantly enables the entire community to assist in the search for and safe recovery of the child.

This will be the third national test, and the second test to all wireless phones. The most recent test was conducted in 2018. More information is available at fema.gov.

*In case the Oct. 4 test is postponed due to widespread severe weather or other significant events, the backup testing date is Oct. 11.

(Glenwood, Iowa) – The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports five arrests from the past week. There were three separate arrests on September 27th:

28-year-old Zacheriah James Moulter, of Glenwood, was arrested for Possession of Controlled Substance and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia – Bond: $1,300; 32-year-old Tyriel Luc Gordon, of Kearney, NE, was arrested on a warrant for 2 counts of Theft 1st – Bond: $10,000; and, Reginald L. Croom, SR., of Omaha, NE, was arrested for Simulated Public Intoxication. – Bond: $300.00

On the 28th, Mills County Deputies arrested 41-year-old Dustin Eugene Kalkas, of Shenandoah, on a warrant for Violation of Probation – Bond: $10,000; and, 31-year-old Ryan Lee Fabian, of Omaha, NE, was arrested for: OWI 1st offense; Interference with Official Acts; Speeding; Open Container, and Reckless Driving – Bond: $2,200.

The dental director of one of the state’s community health centers says Iowa is seeing a critical gap in dentists who will take patients with Medicaid coverage. Dr. Ashley Huber (HYOO-ber), of the Siouxland Community Health Center in Sioux City, says for the past 18 months, her clinic has been restricting new patients to only children, and it’s hard when they have to turn people away, especially those who are in pain.

(As above) Huber says, “We have patients that come up to our front desk in tears, and they’re like, ‘I just can’t do it, I can’t take it anymore.’” The Iowa Dental Association says dental Medicaid rates have been stagnant for more than 20 years, making it difficult for patients and for dentists. The shortage of dentists who treat Medicaid patients is a widespread issue, but Huber says it’s even more noticeable in western Iowa.

(As above) “It becomes an issue where a patient gets so infected that they end up in the ER,” Huber says, “and they end up with this giant hospital bill, or the state ends up with a giant hospital bill.” Huber says Medicaid doesn’t pay enough to cover overhead costs.

(Siouxland Community Healthcare photo)

She believes a strategically structured increase in reimbursement rates for Iowa Medicaid would be one solution to draw dentists back into the provider pool. She also sees a need for more dental assistants.
(Sheila Brummer, Iowa Public Radio)

An eastern Iowa school district is closed today (Monday) after an online threat. Radio Iowa’s Dar Danielson reports.

The Cedar Rapids Community School District sent a message to parents and students it was closing all schools after becoming aware of a social media threat made by an unidentified person. The district says the closure is for the safety of all students and staff and they have been working with the Cedar Rapids Police, state public safety and the F-B-I to investigate the situation. No other details about the threat were released.