(Des Moines, Iowa) – The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) says recently discovered Eurasian watermilfoil is growing throughout the canals near Miller’s Bay and The Harbor canals on West Okoboji Lake in Dickinson County. Brittle naiad was also found in the Triboji lagoon. No Eurasian watermilfoil or brittle naiad was found in the main lake of West Okoboji or the other lakes in the Iowa Great Lakes chain. “We are developing a management plan and working with local stakeholders and communities to develop a plan of action for the coming weeks,” said Mike Hawkins, fisheries biologist for the Iowa DNR. “We’re getting permits in place in case the community and DNR decide that a herbicide treatment of the canals and lagoon is the best option.”

The DNR is asking boaters and other users in these areas to be extra vigilant to help prevent the spread of these invasive aquatic plants elsewhere in West Okoboji or the other lakes in this chain. “It is critical to clean all vegetation from boats and equipment before moving out of the canals and lagoon into the main lake to prevent the spread of Eurasian watermilfoil and brittle naiad into West Okoboji Lake,” said Kim Bogenschutz, the DNR’s aquatic invasive species program coordinator.

The Iowa DNR Aquatic Plant Management team monitors the vegetation in the Iowa Great Lakes each year. The monitoring has been especially important this summer. East Okoboji, Upper Gar, Minnewashta, and Lower Gar Lakes were aggressively treated with herbicide to eradicate Eurasian watermilfoil discovered in those lakes late last summer. The DNR worked closely with lake associations, cities, Dickinson County, and other organizations to develop and fund that treatment plan. Surveys conducted this week found no Eurasian watermilfoil growing in East Okoboji or the three lower chain lakes.

EurasianWatermilfoil

Eurasian watermilfoil, an invasive rooted aquatic plant native to parts of Europe and Asia, can spread quickly and outcompete beneficial native plants. It reproduces by fragmentation, which means small pieces of it grow into new plants and form thick beds. Iowa’s Aquatic Invasive Species Program has been a national leader in control efforts to stop Eurasian watermilfoil for the past 30 years. “Iowa DNR has successfully eradicated the plant in many lakes throughout the state. The size and complexity of the Iowa Great Lakes present real challenges for management,” explains Hawkins. “Lakes with healthy, diverse native aquatic plant communities may be less susceptible to an infestation that takes over the native plant community.”

“Boaters and anglers can unintentionally spread Eurasian watermilfoil, brittle naiad, and other aquatic invasive species if they do not take the proper precautions before going between lakes and after each time out on the water,” said Bogenschutz.

Clean, Drain, Dry is a simple three step process that boaters need to follow every time they move from one body of water to another.

• CLEAN any plants, animals or mud from the boat and equipment before you leave a water body. With the current infestations in the canals and lagoon, you must also check boat props and other parts of the boat where vegetation fragments could get caught before entering the main lake.
• DRAIN water from all equipment (motor, live well, bilge, transom well, bait bucket) before you leave a water body.
• DRY anything that comes into contact with water (boats, trailers, equipment, boots, clothing, dogs). Before you move to another waterbody either: Spray your boat and trailer with hot, high-pressure water; or Dry your boat and equipment for at least five Days.
• Never release plants, fish or animals into a water body unless they came out of that water body and empty unwanted bait in the trash.

It is illegal to possess or transport prohibited aquatic invasive species, such as Eurasian watermilfoil, in Iowa. Boaters must also drain all water from boats and equipment before leaving a water access and must keep drain plugs removed or opened during transport.

Find more information about aquatic invasive species and a list of infested waters in the 2023 Iowa Fishing Regulations booklet or on the DNR’s website at www.iowadnr.gov/ais.

(Des Moines, Iowa) – Officials with the Iowa Insurance Division’s Fraud Bureau said Tuesday, 32-year-old Patrick Dilworth was sentenced to suspended term five-years in prison, Monday (August 7, 2023), after pleading guilty to two Felony counts of Fraudulent Insurance Submissions, and one count of Theft in the 3rd degree (an Aggravated Misdemeanor). The charges were the result of an investigation by the  Bureau in September 2022, when the Bureau received information implicating Dilworth, in a series of fraudulent insurance claims across multiple companies. The investigation determined Dilworth falsified injury reports and accompanying documentation to gain monetary benefits to which he was not entitled.

Patrick Dilworth was taken into custody by the Johnson County Sheriff’s office on July 15, 2023. Dilworth’s 5-year suspended sentence will be served concurrently with 3-years of supervised probation and a suspended fine of $1,025, for two of the counts. Additionally, Dilworth received a 2-year suspended sentence, to run concurrently with a suspended fine of $855, for the remaining count. Dilworth was also ordered to pay restitution.

Photo courtesy of the Johnson County Sheriff’s office.

Iowans with information about insurance fraud are encouraged to contact the Iowa Insurance Division’s Fraud Bureau at 515-654-6556.

(West Des Moines, Iowa) – Children in 47 communities across Iowa will now be able to further develop their skills in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) thanks to a donation from the Deb and Jeff Hansen Foundation. As part of its Henry’s Heroes Program, the Deb and Jeff Hansen Foundation recently delivered 50 STEM carts to 50 public libraries across Iowa. Iowa Select Farms employees nominated their hometown libraries to receive the carts to empower kids to be future innovators, creators and leaders. (See the list of AREA libraries receiving STEM carts, below. Find the full list HERE.)

STEM carts include a variety of STEM toys and kits that encourage organic and structured play grounded in science, technology, engineering and math concepts. For older kids, STEM pairs academic concepts with real-world applications to make connections between school and careers. The 543 public libraries across Iowa serve as free, trusted and welcoming gathering places that support children, families and communities. Iowa consistently ranks in the top five states for its number of public libraries.

The list of area libraries that received STEM carts includes:

Adel Public Library, Adel
Early Public Library, Early
Mount Ayr Public Library, Mount Ayr
Murray Public Library, Murray
Orient Public Library, Orient
Schleswig Public Library, Schleswig

(Red Oak, Iowa) – Police in Red Oak have arrested a woman on an assault charge. Authorities say 20-year-old Kaydence Reanne Fussel was arrested this (Wednesday) morning in the 400 block of E. Joy Street, for Simple Assault. Fussel was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $300 bond.

(Des Moines, Iowa) – The State Historical Society of Iowa’s mobile museum is hitting the road again as it continues its journey to all 99 Iowa counties. Housed in a custom-built Winnebago, the 300-square-foot museum on wheels launched in 2017 and completed its first 99-county tour in 2019, making 175 stops along the way and attracting nearly 65,000 visitors, including 11,400 students. The current exhibition, “Iowa History 101: Iowa’s People & Places,” debuted in 2021 and will continue its 99-county journey through the end of this year.

The public is invited to take free self-guided tours of the mobile museum during Farmers Market at Exira City Park at 100 East Washington Street in Exira, on Friday, August 18th, from 4-until 6-p.m. State Historical Society of Iowa Administrator Susan Kloewer said “This traveling exhibit has been a huge success because it shares Iowa history in towns across the entire state, and Iowans are eager to have that experience in their communities. We’re grateful to our community hosts and generous sponsors who are helping make this next 99-county tour possible.”

The exhibition shares stories from Iowa’s past with an eclectic array of artifacts from the State Historical Museum of Iowa’s permanent collection, plus a video narrated by former WOI-TV host Jackie Schmillen. Guests will see iconic artifacts that reflect the role of Iowans in state, national and international events, including a Meskwaki cradleboard representing the past and continued presence of Native nations in Iowa. They’ll also see women’s suffrage materials from the early 1900s and the pen used by Iowa Governor William Harding to sign Iowa’s resolution in support of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

IA Mobile museum 2023

Other artifacts include a menu from a dinner held in Des Moines for Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev, in 1959, as well as photos of a southeast Asian refugee and Sudanese women in central Iowa, and a flight suit that southern Iowa native and accomplished astronaut Peggy Whitson wore during one of multiple expeditions (totaling 665 days) aboard the International Space Station. State Curator Leo Landis said “These images and objects remind us of the role Iowans played in global events. It’s easy to overlook the significant contributions Iowans have made in promoting equality and liberty, but this exhibit can inspire all Iowans to understand and appreciate our past and promote these values.”

EMC Insurance Companies sponsored the first tour and renewed its support for the new exhibition. The idea for the mobile museum emerged in 2014 from a series of community conversations. Iowans care deeply about history and made it clear they wanted new ways to access the State Historical Museum’s resources. Iowans may request a visit from the mobile museum for their local schools, libraries, museums, community festivals, county fairs and other places where people gather. Visits are complimentary and the tours are self-guided.

More details are available at history.iowa.gov. Iowans can also follow the mobile museum’s statewide journey on Facebook at facebook.com/IowaHistory. The traveling exhibition presenting sponsor is EMC Insurance Companies and fuel sponsor is Casey’s. Additional partner support is provided by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, Winnebago Industries, Atlantic Coca-Cola Bottling Company and Mike Wolfe.

(Red Oak, Iowa) –  Red Oak Police report a woman wanted on a Montgomery County warrant for 5th Degree Theft, was arrested Tuesday. 40-year-old Elysia Tylene White, of Red Oak, was transported to the Montgomery County Jail and held on a $1,000 bond.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports two men were arrested early Tuesday morning on separate charges. Authorities say at around 1:20-a.m., 33-year-old Nathan Michael Tripp, of Lewis, was arrested on a Violation of Probation, warrant. Tripp was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $20,000 bond.

And, at around 2:36-a.m., Tuesday, Montgomery County Deputies were dispatched to the Cubby’s Gas Station in Red Oak, for a reported theft. Upon further investigation, 18-year-old Logan Patric Hastings was arrested for Theft in the 4th Degree. Hastings was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $300 bond. Deputies were assisted during the incident by Officers with the Red Oak Police Department.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Legal Aid reports that the state is on track to surpass last year’s record of more than 18-thousand evictions. Legal Aid executive director, Nick Smithberg, says eviction filings have been increasing for more than a decade due to a lack of affordable housing on top of stagnant wages. “Someone working minimum wage would have to work 80 hours a week to afford the average one bedroom apartment,” he says. “And if they needed a two bedroom because a family and the like, we’re talking two-point-five full time jobs.”

More than 12-thousand evictions have been filed in the state of Iowa so far this year.  “Why does eviction keep happening? Because when you have people renting apartments that’s are so far out of their comfort level to afford it, the slightest hiccup will send them in a place where they’re going to fall behind on their rent,” Smithberg says.

Smithberg says their data show Iowans of color, women and those with disabilities are disproportionately more likely to be evicted. He says eviction filings in rural counties are one of the primary drivers of the surge as well.

(Radio Iowa) – As we endure the sweltering sun of summer, Iowans may find some relief in pondering the cooler weather that’s sure to come. The new edition of the Farmers’ Almanac is now available and managing editor Sandi Duncan says they’re predicting plenty of cold and widespread snow for the Great Plains states, including Iowa.  “The 2024 Farmers’ Almanac says, ‘The BRR is Back,’ meaning that there’s going to be a lot of cold temperatures coming to your neck of the woods this winter season,” Duncan says. “Overall, we’re thinking that it’s going to be ultimately more of a cold than a snowy winter, but we do see some occasional bouts of storminess bringing widespread rain and snow to your region.”

The publication is forecasting a more traditional winter ahead, with colder temperatures and near-countrywide snowfall. As for Iowa, it may arrive sooner, not later. “Winter is going to start a little bit early. It looks like in December, the Farmers’ Almanac is calling for some snowy conditions,” Duncan says. “Some people like to have a little bit of white around the Christmas holidays so that may happen, but looking into January and February, the cold is more the headliner this winter.”

After wintertime is technically over, the almanac is calling for what it calls a “Polar Coaster Spring,” which doesn’t sound like something that will enthuse Iowa farmers — or many of the rest of us. “It’s kind of going to go back and forth and in fact, winter is going to hang on,” Duncan says. “We’re calling for some cool and cold conditions through March and into April. So even though the calendar may say spring, it looks like it’s going to be kind of a Polar Coaster, meaning that we see nice days that remind you that spring is coming, but overall, we see a kind of a chilly, rainy season on tap for you all.”

In a Radio Iowa interview in August of 2022, the almanac’s editors predicted we’d have a “glacial, snow-filled” winter, with heavy snows beginning in late October. How did that forecast compare to what Iowa actually saw?  “Cold weather kind of got stuck over Russia and China, so of course, you had some cold conditions, but our forecast was slightly off the mark,” Duncan says, “but you know, we do our best. We try to give people an idea of what may come 12 months to 16 months down the road so that you can plan ahead.”

The Lewiston, Maine-based almanac was founded in 1818 and boasts a forecast accuracy rate of 80- to 85-percent. The formula was developed more than two centuries ago, based on factors including sunspot activity, planet positions, and the effect the Moon has on the Earth. Besides long-term weather predictions, the Farmers’ Almanac also contains a wealth of information on gardening, cooking, home remedies, folklore, managing your household, living in harmony with nature, and more.

farmersalmanac.com

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa State Fair starts tomorrow (Thursday) and on Saturday seven presidential candidates plan to compete for the attention of tens of thousands of fairgoers and throngs of media. On Saturday morning, four G-O-P candidates plan to have a “Fair Side Chat” with Governor Reynolds on the fairgrounds. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who’s considered former President Donald Trump’s chief rival, is among them.

Trump has not accepted the governor’s invitation to appear with her, but Trump just announced he intends to visit the Fair early Saturday afternoon. Two Democrats who’re running for president and two Republican presidential hopefuls will be speaking at the Des Moines Register’s Political Soapbox Saturday afternoon as well.

It may be a bit like the day in 2015 when Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders were at the state fair and Trump flew his helicopter over the fairgrounds. Trump later wandered through the fairgrounds, sampled a funnel cake and a turkey leg and spoke with fairgoers.

Sixteen presidential candidates intend to make the same kind of trek through the Iowa State Fair this year.