Jim Field speaks about some tips to make your home more energy efficient and cool during hot summer days.
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Jim Field speaks about some tips to make your home more energy efficient and cool during hot summer days.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (6.9MB)
Subscribe: RSS
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Property owners in the Atlantic Community School District will get a break on the amount the District will ask for the 2013-2014 Fiscal Year. Last March, the School Board approved a 10-cent increase per thousand dollars taxable valuation for the Certified Budget based on zero-percent allowable growth. The rate was set at $14.41 per thousand. During Monday night’s meeting of the Atlantic School Board however, Superintendent Mike Amstein said there’s some good news. He said the actual tax rate will be $14.25 per thousand dollars valuation, or 16-cents less than what was anticipated.
The decrease is a result of action by the Iowa legislature and Governor Branstad, which approved setting per pupil student aid (also called allowable growth) in a 2-2-4 formula for the next two years. That’s 2 percent added to the base plus a one-time payment equal to 2 percent for next school year and a 4 percent increase in fiscal year 2015.
In other business, Atlantic School Board approved a Technology Plan for 2013-2014, with the stipulation it can be amended and/or adjusted as needed based on financial or other circumstances. Earlier this year, Technology Coordinator Roger Warne presented the Board in a work session, with a preliminary plan for upgrades and renewal of equipment. During last night’s meeting, Warne said he received some good news which will help to reduce his costs.
He said Apple Computer has reduced the price of its laptops and other computers for the districts 1-to-1 computer program. The cost went from $147,000 to $121,000. And that even includes 5 additional computers. Warne said also, a key component of the technology program is the districts wireless system. The revised plan calls for spending $80,000 for all three of the district’s buildings instead of $280,000.
The reduction in cost comes from changes in technology and what the actual prices were as opposed to the initial estimates. Warne said the current Technology budget for 2013-2014 is $182,000 instead of the proposed $215,750. The 2014-2015 budget is expected to come in less than anticipated as well, due to improved technology and moving some projects for that year to the current school year, based on costs.
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Two state senators want Iowa to investigate whether the state’s dominant health insurer really needs $1.3 billion in reserves. Sens. Jack Hatch and Matt McCoy, both Des Moines Democrats, are skeptical about Wellmark Blue Cross & Blue Shield’s reserves because Wellmark has decided against participating next year in the state’s health insurance exchange. Wellmark did not respond to a request for comment.
The Des Moines Register reports that Hatch delivered a letter Monday to Insurance Commissioner Nick Gerhart, asking for the investigation. Hatch says state regulations require the insurer to have reserves of only $350 million. Gerhart said last month he might investigate Wellmark’s need for the large reserve if the company didn’t take the risk of entering the exchange.
The Freese-Notis (podcast) forecast for the KJAN listening area and weather information for Atlantic….
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OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The recent rains along the upper Missouri River won’t change the plan to conserve water in the river’s reservoirs but they will help improve navigation. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said Monday the river basin is still recovering from last year’s drought.
In June, the rain that fell north of Sioux City was slightly above normal. But officials predict the amount of runoff flowing into the river this year will still be only about 88 percent of normal. So the amount of water being released from the Gavins Point dam on the South Dakota-Nebraska border will remain around 21,000 cubic feet per second. But the Corps now expects to be able to provide enough water for a full navigation season on the river.
338 AM CDT TUE JUL 9 2013
…DANGEROUS HEAT EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON…
.HEAT AND HUMIDITY THIS AFTERNOON WILL COMBINE TO PRODUCE THE HIGHEST HEAT INDEX VALUES OF THE YEAR SO FAR. ACTUAL AIR TEMPERATURES ARE FORECAST TO REACH THE MID 90S WITH DEW POINT TEMPERATURES IN THE MID 70S. THE RESULTING HEAT INDEX VALUES WILL BE AS HIGH AS 105 TO 110 DEGREES AT TIMES.
COUNTIES: AUDUBON-GUTHRIE-CASS-ADAIR-ADAMS-UNION-TAYLOR-RINGGOLD-HARRISON-SHELBY-POTTAWATTAMIE-MILLS-MONTGOMERY-FREMONT-PAGE-CRAWFORD-CARROLL-GREENE-BOONE-DALLAS-POLK-MADISON…
…HEAT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 7 PM CDT THIS EVENING…
* TEMPERATURE…WILL CLIMB INTO THE MID 90S THIS AFTERNOON. WHEN FACTORING IN THE EFFECTS OF HUMIDITY…HEAT INDEX VALUES WILL BE AS HIGH AS 105 TO 110 DEGREES.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
A HEAT ADVISORY MEANS THAT A PERIOD OF HOT TEMPERATURES IS EXPECTED. THE COMBINATION OF HOT TEMPERATURES AND HIGH HUMIDITY WILL COMBINE TO CREATE A SITUATION IN WHICH HEAT ILLNESSES ARE POSSIBLE. DRINK PLENTY OF FLUIDS…STAY IN AN AIR-CONDITIONED ROOM…STAY OUT OF THE SUN…AND CHECK UP ON RELATIVES AND NEIGHBORS.
TAKE EXTRA PRECAUTIONS…IF YOU WORK OR SPEND TIME OUTSIDE. WHEN POSSIBLE…RESCHEDULE STRENUOUS ACTIVITIES TO EARLY MORNING OR EVENING. KNOW THE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF HEAT EXHAUSTION AND HEAT STROKE. WEAR LIGHT WEIGHT AND LOOSE FITTING CLOTHING WHEN POSSIBLE AND DRINK PLENTY OF WATER.
TO REDUCE RISK DURING OUTDOOR WORK…THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION RECOMMENDS SCHEDULING FREQUENT REST BREAKS IN SHADED OR AIR CONDITIONED ENVIRONMENTS. ANYONE OVERCOME BY HEAT SHOULD BE MOVED TO A COOL AND SHADED LOCATION. HEAT STROKE IS AN EMERGENCY…CALL 9 1 1.
**Heat Advisory in effect from Noon until 7-p.m. today for southwest & western Iowa**
Today: Scattered showers and thunderstorms before noon, then isolated showers and thunderstorms after 5pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 95. Heat index values as high as 107. South wind 8 to 13 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Tonight: Scattered showers and thunderstorms, mainly before midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 70. Southwest wind 6 to 11 mph becoming north after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 82. North wind 11 to 14 mph.
Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 61. North wind 5 to 8 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 85. Light east wind becoming southeast 5 to 9 mph in the morning.
Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 66.
Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 87.
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