AMES, Iowa – The Iowa Dept. of Natural Resources reports DNR staff investigated a fish kill along Ioway Creek in Ames, Thursday (July 8th), after a passerby noticed dead fish mid-morning and called the DNR. The impacted area begins near the pedestrian bridge in Stuart Smith Park and continues south approximately a mile. Several different species and sizes of dead fish were observed in the area; however, live fish were observed at the Duff Avenue bridge.

DNR staff believe a water main break that happened late afternoon Wednesday on South Riverside Drive, which discharged approximately 700,000 gallons of drinking water according to the City of Ames, is to blame, but the investigation continues. The drinking water is believed to have entered into a nearby storm sewer that leads directly to Ioway Creek. Drinking water contains chlorine and has a temperature of 55 degrees, both of which can stress fish, especially during times of low flow such as now.

The water main was repaired and there is no on-going discharge. DNR Fisheries staff will be conducting a dead fish count and the DNR will determine appropriate enforcement action.

At least four people were injured in a crash that happened early this (Friday) morning on eastbound Interstate 80 in Cass County. The accident happened at around 3:35-a.m., near mile marker 58. Atlantic Fire and rescue, Cass EMS and Anita Rescue were called to the scene. LifeFlight was requested at the scene but they declined due to storms in the area. Two dogs in the crashed vehicle were transported to the Atlantic Animal Shelter.

Additional details were not immediately available.

In an update to our previous reports, the Iowa State Patrol early this (Friday) morning, said two of three people who were injured in a crash Wednesday evening on I-80 in Adair County, have died from their injuries at a hospital. Two passengers in the vehicle, 85-year-old Harold Willey, and 68-year-old Faye Frolic, both from Rock Springs, Wyoming, died from injuries they sustained when the 2013 Toyota Camry the were in struck the rear of a semi-tractor trailer at around 7:52-p.m. Wednesday, on I-8 eastbound, near mile marker 75.

The driver of the car, 68-year-old Pamela Willey, also of Rock Springs, was injured in the crash and transported by LifeFlight to Methodist in Des Moine. None of the crash victims were wearing a seat belt.  The driver of the semi was not hurt.

(Radio Iowa) – While many Iowans are relieved most of the “Masks Required” signs have come down, there are some who will continue keeping their faces covered well after the COVID-19 pandemic fades away. Epidemiologist Ajay Sethi says the U-S may be on the verge of joining other countries where mask use by those who are sick is much more commonplace.

Sethi says, “There are already people today who are more likely to wear a mask simply because they had the experience of the previous year of witnessing what the benefits can be.” In addition to helping prevent the spread of coronavirus, Sethi says masks work just as well with other respiratory illnesses like the flu or the common cold.

“Maybe folding mask use into ordinary cough etiquette that we already had before COVID,” Sethi says. “To cough into your elbow, to wash your hands frequently, to keep your distance from others if you have symptoms.” Sethi says the extremely low rate of influenza cases during the pandemic can be credited to social distancing and the use of masks.

“Mask use consistently every year will prevent the spread of things like influenza,” he says, “and I think that’s not a bad thing to do particularly since influenza is a virus that is very dangerous for people, particularly the elderly.” While not everyone will be wearing masks all the time, Sethi says you can expect masks to become part of a basic routine for the sick.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Congresswoman Cindy Axne says she’s working to make the temporary federal child tax credit permanent. The new credit was included in the pandemic relief package passed in March and starting next week low and middle income parents of kids under the age of six will get 300 dollars a month through the end of the year, while parents of kids who’re six through 17 years old will get 250. Axne, a Democrat from West Des Moines, says almost 200-thousand Iowa families qualify.

“This isn’t just a handful of people. Eighty-five percent of Iowa families are going to see support on a monthly basis to help them out,” Axne says. “…This is four out of five Iowa children who will qualify for this benefit.” The last federal child care tax credit payment will be made in December. Axne held a news conference outside a Des Moines preschool to tout the program’s potential to help current and future parents.

“We know too many people are deciding not to have kids just because of the cost, so it’s time to support young people. It’s time to support working families and ensure that they can raise their kids successfully and be prepared for the world,” Axne says, “and this tax credit will directly support that.” Tiffany Welch of Clive and her husband have two children. She brought her 13 year old son to the news conference.

Rep. Cindy Axne

“If these expanded tax credits had been available 12 years ago when he was a baby and I was trying to afford child care, I would have been able to keep working in the job that I loved,” she said. “Instead, I had to quit to stay home because it was taking two-thirds of my pay to keep paying child care.” Reverend Robyn Bles, pastor of the Wakonda Christian Church in Des Moines, is a single mom who may use some of her tax credit to pay for swimming lessons.

“It also means for my daughter but also for other single parents households, we can now afford better quality food for our children,” Bles said, “…the apples that my four-year-old will just grab and walk around eating as she is playing.” Some critics have questioned making these tax credits permanent based on the cost, while others say there may be better, more targeted ways to spend the money to improve the economic prospects for low income adults and children.

DES MOINES – More than 200 Iowa organizations and individuals working in arts and culture, film and media, and history and historic preservation will receive a boost from $2.3 million in grant awards announced today (Thursday), by the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs. Among the Arts and Culture Grant recipients, is The New Century Art Guild in Elk Horn received $5,000 to develop a series of public art exhibitions, called “Walls of Honor,” created by military veterans.

Elk Horn, New Century Art Guild

The grants are funded through the annual appropriations passed by the Iowa Legislature and signed into law by Governor Reynolds, effective July 1, 2021. The state’s investment is enhanced by funding from two federal agencies, the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities, and administered by the department’s three divisions: the Iowa Arts Council, State Historical Society of Iowa and Produce Iowa, the state office of film and media production.

“The annual funding has never been more important than this year’s investment, which will help fuel the resurgence of Iowa’s arts, film, heritage, humanities and creative sectors,” Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs Director Chris Kramer said. “Audiences and visitors are eagerly returning to museums and historic sites, concerts and cultural festivals this summer, even as our industry continues to rebound from substantial financial losses from the pandemic.”

In this round of funding, the department made 244 grant awards for community initiatives and creative projects across the state, arts and cultural organizations, individual artists and filmmakers and historic preservation efforts in 46 counties and 71 communities. The department also designated 58 of Iowa’s leading arts and cultural organizations as Cultural Leadership Partners, a competitive process that occurs once every three years. Cultural Leadership Partners receive annual operational support in recognition of their role as community and cultural anchors that maintain high standards of excellence, generate tourism and support high-quality jobs.

The grants are divided into the following three general categories:

• Arts & Culture Grants – This year, the Iowa Arts Council awarded $1,632,495 in grants to 192 projects across the state.
• Film & Media Grants – Produce Iowa, the state office of media production, awarded $164,870 to five Greenlight Grants for film and digital media productions that will be produced in Iowa.  Now in its third year, this program encourages Iowa filmmakers to build a more robust film and media industry in Iowa. The grants can be used to produce features, shorts, pilot episodes or proof-of-concept videos to help propel a script to the screen. Eligible projects must be ready for production and demonstrate public value.
• History Grants – The State Historical Society of Iowa awarded $550,946 in 47 grants for research projects as well as other projects supported by the Historical Resource Development Program, funded through the state’s Resource Enhancement and Protection (REAP) funds, to preserve historical collections, invest in communities through historic preservation and promote Iowa history.

More information is available HERE.