(Radio Iowa) – All the recent rain has helped keep pollen counts down in Iowa, but soon enough, the state’s allergy sufferers will be red-eyed, sneezing and sniffling. Dr. Ravi Johar, at UnitedHealthcare, says while the chilly winter weather may be gone, that pesky pollen will force some Iowans to remain indoors. “Unfortunately, when you get outside, it can be a miserable time for a lot of folks. They can get what are called seasonal allergies, allergic rhinitis, things of that sort,” Johar says. “In fact, about 50-million Americans suffer from allergies like that and that costs over $3 billion in medical costs per year.”

Johar says seasonal allergies are typically at their peak during April, May and June. For now, he recommends that people with allergies try using air purifiers indoors, and limit their time outdoors. “We’re really talking about things like all the outdoor triggers, things like tree, grass, and wheat pollen,” he says. “Those would start to increase as all those plants are growing, and when we have dry, windy days, that spreads the pollen everywhere and so you have much, much higher pollen counts.” A wide variety of allergy medications are available without a prescription. Everyone’s a bit different, so if one drug doesn’t work for you, another might.

“Things like pseudoephedrine, which can help provide temporary relief from nasal stuffiness, those are different nasal sprays also that can help,” Johar says. “There’s combination medications that combine both antihistamines and the decongestants. If those over-the-counter ones don’t work, it’s probably really time to start talking to your doctor to see if there’s any prescription medication that you may take.”

He recommends running your air conditioner in your home and car to keep the pollen out. Johar also says to avoid leaving your clothes out to dry on a clothesline as they can collect pollen.

(Radio Iowa) – Lawmakers have directed the Iowa Natural Resources Commission to review how accessible state parks are to people with disabilities and recommend improvements. Governor Kim Reynolds signed the bill into law at Big Creek State Park. “It’s hard to imagine a better way to experience the natural beauty Iowa has to offer than by making a trip to one of our many outstanding state parks,” Reynolds says. “Every Iowan, regardless of physical ability, should have the opportunity to experience them first hand.”

The bill passed the legislature unanimously. Representative Adam Zabner, a Democrat from Iowa City, made the proposal in January.”It was because I’ve heard from so many Iowans about challenges finding outdoor opportunities that are accessible,” Zabner said.

The new law directs the Iowa Department of Natural Resources to come up with a list of opportunities for persons with disabilities in state parks and public recreation areas and put that list on the department’s website. “Iowa is such a beautiful state and I know that access to the outdoors can be transformative,” Zabner said. “This time of year, all I want to do is get out to Lake Macbride in Johnson County, so very, very excited that we were able to get this done.”

Iowa Department of Natural Resources director Kayla Lyons says new construction projects at the parks over the past dozens years have met Americans with Disabilities Act standards. Over the past five years, engineering interns traveled to all state parks with D-N-R staff to audit accessibility issues. “We want to provide facilities and experiences for everyone,” Lyons says. “…With more accessible facilities, better information on our website about accessible trails, bathrooms, fishing piers and other items.”

The agency has purchased an electronic track chair that will help Big Creek visitors with limited mobility get around the park. “It will be available to anyone now, free of charge to anyone. It’s on a first come, first served basis through our concessionaire here at Big Creek. It’s the only one we have so far, but hopefully we’ll have more in the future,” Lyons says. “We’re excited to have the combination of the track chair and our infrastructure improvements to address accessibility in our state parks.”

A grant from the Ford Motor Company’s Bronco Wild Fund paid for the track chair and a person named Jack used it to move from sidewalks to grassy areas and the beach after the bill signing ceremony. Senator Annette Sweeney, a Republican from Iowa Falls who led senate debate of the bill, says it shows how making state parks accessible will open up new adventures for some Iowans.  “With this bill being definitely a bipartisan bill, we got to work together because we believe all Iowans should be able to enjoy our great outdoors,” Sweeney said.

The legislature appropriated 250-thousand dollars to finance some of the fixes, including sidewalk and curb repairs, needed to make state park facilities more accessible to people with disabilities.