The top Democrat in the Iowa Senate is blasting Republican Governor Kim Reynolds for how the state has managed federal funds to help low-income Iowans pay overdue rent and utility bills during the pandemic. A Des Moines Register analysis found the state has awarded about two percent of the 195 million in rent relief it received from the last round of pandemic aid approved during the Trump Administration. Senate Minority Leader Zach Wahls of Coralville says that’s unacceptable. “This is another example of the governor saying one thing and doing another,” Wahls says. “She has said that affordable housing is a priority…and obviously they’re slow-walking getting these dollars out the door.”

The State of Iowa is eligible for another 120 million dollars worth of rental assistance. A spokesperson for the state agency that’s managing the program says a final decision has not been made yet on whether the state will apply for those funds. Iowa Congressman Cindy Axne, a Democrat from West Des Moines, says the state should be using all of that money. “I talk to people all the time who can’t afford the roof over their heads. I’ve talked to landlords who are having a difficult time,” Axne says. “Let’s put some rental assistance into those hands so those landlords who have the affordable housing can keep the affordable housing in our communities.”

A federal moratorium on evictions for renters who’ve lost work due to the pandemic is set to end July 31st. State officials have thus far awarded about four million dollars in rent and utility assistance out of the initial 195 million dollar allotment.

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.