FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell will join Govenor Kim Reynolds for a tour of the flood damaged areas in northwest Iowa today (Thursday). The tour is set to begin in Rock Valley around 9 a-m. They will move to a tour of damage in Cherokee and then Spencer. A federal disaster declaration has already been declared for the area, opening up federal aid to help in the recovery effort.

(Radio Iowa) – The moratorium on new gambling licenses imposed by the state legislature is set to expire at the end of this month. Racing and Gaming Commission administrator Tina Eick  says they are prepared for a discussion of their next step. “The Commission has signaled at the last meeting in June that they would be discussing what to do with any potential applications at its July 8th meeting in Altoona at Prairie Meadows,” she says. A group in Cedar Rapids announced it will seek an application. Eick says the Racing and Gaming Commission discussion will likely center on the impact of any new licenses.

“Historically what the commission has done as a part of any application process for considering new facilities or new licenses would be to conduct a new or its own specific market study at that point in time,” Eick says. She says they will have a full discussion of any issues involving new licenses. “The commission would be looking to gather as much information about any new facility and what the impact good or bad would be to a new license,” Eick says.

The I-R-G-C denied previous license requests for a Cedar Rapids casino in 2014 and 2017 based in part on concerns on the impact of the existing casinos. The I-R-G-C has all new members since that last vote was taken.

(Radio Iowa) – They say we should take the time to smell the flowers, and that can be taken literally in eastern Iowa this weekend with the Colonies in Bloom event in the Amana Colonies. Jon Childers, spokesman for the Amana Heritage Museum, says the annual self-guided tour is a must-see, must-smell experience for backyard gardeners and all admirers of beautiful botanicals. “The goal of our event is to share the gardening and flower gardening heritage of the Amana Colonies,” Childers says. “Every year, we have anywhere from seven to maybe 12 gardens. Some of these are flower gardens, some of these are vegetable gardens, and some of these are both.” The gardens on this year’s tour are spread across five of the seven villages and feature stunning colors and aromatic fragrances. As the history of the Amana Colonies predates the state of Iowa, Childers says you’re sure to see things on the tour you likely won’t see elsewhere.

“We have heirloom vegetables that people will be able to see at certain gardens, but we do have modern flowers or rare flowers that people will be able to see,” Childers says. “There’s one particular home in Upper South Amana this year where they have a lot of the native flowers. They’re really sort of into that, what natively grows in Iowa.” The self-guided tours run from 9 A-M to 3 P-M on Saturday, and they’ll be followed by a Garden Party at the Amana Heritage Museum.

“We’re going to have a party out in our yard. We’re going to have some food and drink available. We will have the museum open,” he says. “We will show our orientation video where people will be able to learn about our 300-year history here in the Amanas. We’re going to have a little bit of entertainment and some yard games and good conversation after a day of looking at the gardens.”

While multi-acre vegetable gardens were a staple in the early days of the colonies, hobby gardening didn’t become popular in the Amanas until the communal system was dissolved in 1932. Maps for Colonies in Bloom are available at the Amana Heritage Museum, the Amana Colonies Visitors Center, and at each participating garden.

(Centerville, Iowa) – The Sheriff’s Department in eastern Iowa’s Appanoose County said late Wednesday, that a 17-year-old male had died while swimming at Rathbun Lake. The Appanoose County Law Enforcement Center received a 9-1-1 call at around 6:13-p.m. about a possible drowning near the Buck Creek swimming beach at Rathbun Lake, near Moravia. The caller said the teen was swimming when he went under the water and didn’t resurface.

Law enforcement and emergency crews, including the Appanoose County Water Rescue team responded to the scene and searched the area where the teen was last seen. His body was recovered a little after 7:30-p.m., in about 15-to 25-feet of water. The juvenile male was pronounced dead at the scene by the Appanoose County Medical Examiner’s Office.

The teen’s name was not immediately released. The incident remains under investigation.

(Radio Iowa) – State officials are applying for expanded federal food assistance for low income flood victims in northwest Iowa. Iowa Department of Health and Human Services director Kelly Garcia says her agency is seeking what are called “Disaster SNAP benefits” for residents in the five counties that were declared federal disaster areas this week.

“That will allow Iowans to buy, purchase hot meals and ready to go meals in whatever location they’re in,” Garcia says. The federal benefits would not be restricted to Iowans who have already qualified for SNAP — the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, previously known as food stamps.

“You have to have the presidential declaration first and then we, as the SNAP agency, apply,” Garcia says. “Individuals are qualified based on their household income, but you deduct the loss associated with the disaster.” Iowans who did not have flood insurance and lost their homes in the flooding, for example, would likely be eligible for disaster food assistance.

“SNAP typically only has a limited kind of allotment and you can’t buy prepared meals, so you can’t buy a rotisserie chicken or something that is prepared and is ready to go and consumed, but under Disaster SNAP you can,” Garcia says. “That’s really important for families that are hoteling or in a shelter or are otherwise dislocated from their typical arrangement.” If the U-S-D-A approves the State of Iowa’s application, Iowans who qualify for these “Disaster SNAP” benefits would get an Electronic Benefits Transfer card to buy food at authorized stores.

Flood victims are able to calculate home or business repairs, temporary shelter expenses and disaster-related medical expenses as well as loss of income to determine if they qualify for the benefits. Flood victims who are already receiving food stamps may qualify for an increase in benefits if the state’s Disaster SNAP application is approved for flood victims. The U-S-D-A has already approved Disaster SNAP for Iowans in Greenfield and other federally designated disaster areas hit by tornadoes in April and May.

DES MOINES – Governor Kim Reynolds has taken executive action to temporarily suspend some state regulations in the 27 counties where flooding has happened or is expected to happen in the next few days.

Under state law, Iowans who lose the the title for a vehicle have just five days to get an official copy to replace it. The governor’s proclamation temporarily suspends that deadline for flood victims. She’s also waiving the fees they’d face for getting a driver’s license, new license plates for a vehicle or copies of birth certificates to replace those lost in the flood. Reynolds is using her executive authority to temporarily suspend another law, so flooded out car and R-V dealerships can temporarily set up vehicle lots in a different city.

Governor Reynolds met with officials in Spencer on Tuesday. (Governor’s office photo)

The governor’s proclamation covers the following counties: Buena Vista, Cerro Gordo, Cherokee, Clay, Dickinson, Emmet, Floyd, Fremont, Harrison, Hancock, Humboldt, Kossuth, Lyon, Mills, Monona, O’Brien, Osceola, Palo Alto, Plymouth, Pocahontas, Pottawattamie, Sioux, Webster, Winnebago, Woodbury, Worth and Wright.

You can find a copy of the proclamation here.

DES MOINES – Today Gov. Kim Reynolds announced the extension of a disaster proclamation for Sioux, Cherokee, and Sac Counties effective immediately through July 26, 2024. The USDA has confirmed positive cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in all three counties.  

This proclamation allows state resources from Iowa Homeland Security, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, and other agencies to assist with tracking and monitoring, rapid detection, containment, disposal, and disinfection. The proclamation also waives regulatory provisions related to commercial vehicles responding to affected sites.  

The recent HPAI detections in birds do not present an immediate public health concern, and it remains safe to eat poultry products. If producers suspect signs of HPAI in their flocks, they should contact their veterinarian immediately.  

 You can find a copy of the proclamation here.  

DES MOINES – Gov. Kim Reynolds has issued a disaster proclamation for Harrison, Johnson, Mills and Pottawattamie Counties in response to severe storms and flash flooding that occurred on June 21 and continuing. The governor’s proclamation allows state resources to be utilized to respond to and recover from the effects of this severe weather and activates the Iowa Individual Assistance Grant Program and Disaster Case Advocacy Program. 

The Iowa Individual Assistance Grant Program provides grants of up to $5,000 for households with incomes up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level. Grants are available for home or car repairs, replacement of clothing or food, and temporary housing expenses. Original receipts are required for those seeking reimbursement for actual expenses related to storm recovery. The grant application and instructions are available on the Iowa Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management website https://homelandsecurity.iowa.gov/assistance. Potential applicants have 45 days from the date of the proclamation to submit a claim.   

The Disaster Case Advocacy Program addresses serious needs related to disaster-related hardship, injury, or adverse conditions. Disaster case advocates work with clients to create a disaster recovery plan and provide guidance, advice, and referrals to obtain a service or resource. There are no income eligibility requirements for this program; it closes 180 days from the date of the governor’s proclamation. For information on the Disaster Case Advocacy Program, contact your local community action agency or visit iowacommunityaction.org.    

You can find a copy of the proclamation here.  

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Cass County Democrats’ nonpartisan “Green for Greenfield” fundraiser held on Sunday, June 23 raised more than $2,000 dollars for the Greater Greenfield Community Foundation to assist Greenfield tornado recovery.
The nonpartisan event was attended by 40 people–including Democrats, Republicans, and Independents–and featured personal stories and community updates from Susie and Willard Olesen, long-time Greenfield residents. Susie and Willard shared harrowing stories from the May 21 tornado, an EF5 that reached windspeeds of more than 300 miles per hour.

They also shared stories of hope, including a story about long-estranged friends setting aside political disputes to collaborate on recovery efforts. The couple gave updates on ongoing cleanup and recovery efforts, and expressed deep gratitude for all support, emphasizing that many people and businesses will continue to need support for months to come.

The event was held at the home of Dave and Barb Chase, and food was catered by The Flour Mill. Randy Burk provided music.

Susie and Willard Olesen

Donations to the Greater Greenfield Community Foundation can be made online at https://www.greenfieldiafoundation.org/ or by mailing checks to the Greater Greenfield Community Foundation, P.O. Box 13, Greenfield, Iowa, 50849.

For more information or to volunteer for upcoming events and activities with the Cass County Democrats, contact County Chair Denise O’Brien at 712-249-3197 or casscountyiadems@gmail.com or follow the Cass County Democrats on Facebook
@CassCountyIADems