(Des Moines, Iowa) – The Presidential Disaster Declaration issued on March 23, 2019, allows the Iowa Department of Human Services (DHS) to offer the Disaster Food Assistance Program for some Iowans impacted by high water and power outages due to the recent floods in western Iowa. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and DHS have approved the Disaster Food Assistance Program for affected, qualified individuals in the following counties: Fremont, Harrison, Mills, Monona, and Woodbury.

Disaster Food Assistance uses different qualifying rules than regular Food Assistance. If you would not normally qualify for Food Assistance, based on income, you may qualify for Disaster Food Assistance.

“This will help Iowans get their household back on track following this historic flooding,” said Jerry R. Foxhoven, director of DHS. “It can make a big difference for families who may be experiencing food insecurity during this difficult time.”

For more information visit: https://dhs.iowa.gov/.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds has been calling for new approaches to deal with persistent flooding, and now she’s also seeking prayers to deal with the problem.

On Monday, Reynolds was surrounded by evangelical Christians as she signed a proclamation declaring Sunday a statewide day of prayer for flood recovery. Reynolds and the group then bowed their heads together in prayer.

Earlier in the week, Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts signed a similar proclamation.
In response to questions from reporters, Reynolds repeated her call for new approaches to reduce immediate and long-term flood risks along the Missouri River, saying companies and residents will leave if flood threats remain high.

She called on Congress to set aside politics and pass a disaster aid bill. A measure funding Midwest flood relief has been delayed in the U.S. Senate by calls from Democrats to spend more on Puerto Rico, which is still recovering from 2017 hurricane damage.

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports the arrest of a Missouri Valley man for Violation of Probation on Friday. At 2:45pm Deputies arrested 44-year-old Troy A. Myers of Missouri Valley after he was transported from Pottawattamie County to the Montgomery County Jail. He was booked in and held on $5,000 bond.

Genelle Deist, Chair of the Audubon County Community Foundation, is pleased to announce that grants totaling $116,841.19 were awarded to Audubon County nonprofit agencies. The following nonprofit organizations, which submitted applications to the Audubon County Community Foundation by the February 1st deadline, were awarded grants by the Audubon County Community Foundation Board of Directors:

• Audubon County Conservation Board – Littlefield Recreation Area Playground, $20,000.
• Audubon Recreation Foundation – Bowling Lanes, $30,000.
• Exira Community Club – Rec Reno Project, $25,000.
• Exira Parks Committee – Exira Legion Playground Project, $10,000.
• Friendship Home Foundation – Memory Support Unit Improvements, $19,091.19
• The Children’s Nest – Playground Renovation Project, $12,750.

Nonprofit representatives receiving grant awards (left to right): 1st row: Mary Wede, The Children’s Nest; Jess Nixon, Friendship Home Foundation; Lexi Christensen, Exira Parks Committee; Harper and Abby Rasmussen, Exira Community Club; 2nd row: Bruce Haag, Audubon County Conservation Board, Troy Wessel and Jenny Smith, Audubon Recreation Foundation; 3rd row: Audubon County Community Foundation Advisory Board Members Shelley Burr, Genelle Deist, and Bob Blomme.

All grantees met the criteria as Audubon County nonprofit agencies or organizations with charitable missions in the areas of civic, cultural, health, education and social services. Only organizations providing services in Audubon County were eligible. Audubon County agency representatives received their checks on April 5th. During brief check distribution activities, Deist commended the nonprofit agencies for their individual efforts to provide a better quality of life for the residents of Audubon County.

The Audubon County Community Foundation, as an affiliate of the Omaha Community Foundation and member of the Community Foundations of Southwest Iowa, receives funds annually from the State of Iowa County Endowment Fund Program for endowment building and grant-making throughout the county. Created in 2004, the County Endowment Fund Program is funded by a percentage of the state’s commercial gaming tax revenue. These funds are distributed annually to participating community foundations and affiliate community foundations associated with counties without a state-issued gaming license.

Beyond the County Endowment Fund Program, the Audubon County Community Foundation works with individuals, families, businesses and organizations to create permanent funds that address changing, vital community needs and interests. Donating to a permanently endowed fund helps your neighbors today AND you help build a stronger community tomorrow. Not only that, you may be eligible to receive a 25% Endow Iowa Tax Credit for each donation, in addition to any Federal tax benefits for which you may qualify.

For information about donating or establishing an individual foundation/fund, please contact any of the Board Members, or call Stacey Goodman, Iowa Foundations Director, at 800-794-3458.

OSAGE, Iowa (AP) — A northern Iowa sheriff says a woman was fatally injured when a tree fell on her. The accident occurred around 3:10 p.m. Thursday in Osage. Mitchell County Sheriff Gregory Beaver says 52-year-old Jacqueline Kapustynski was clearing an area of trees when one that had gotten lodged against another fell, striking her. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Supreme Court has ruled that police departments can keep investigative reports secret even after an inquiry has concluded. The finding is significant because it could be used by municipalities to justify withholding a range of documents, including video, from the public and media. The court ruled Friday that an exemption to the Iowa Open Records Act for police reports does not apply only to ongoing investigations. Instead, the ruling says lawmakers intended to treat those reports — which often include video from police cameras, audio of 911 calls and other records — as confidential indefinitely.

Justice Thomas Waterman says police only have to release the “immediate facts and circumstances” of a crime or incident under the law. The finding came in a dispute between the city of Cedar Rapids and a black motorist who was shot and paralyzed after a struggle with a white officer. The court says a judge didn’t err by ordering the city to turn over some records related to that shooting without a protective order barring their public release.

AMES, Iowa – When dealing with flooding or other natural disasters, Iowans can turn to Iowa Concern for help, says Tammy Jacobs, coordinator for the long-time service from Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. With a toll-free phone number, live chat capabilities and a website, Iowa Concern services are available 24 hours a day, seven days per week at no charge. Iowa Concern provides access to stress counselors and an attorney for legal education, as well as information and referral services for a wide variety of topics.

“If you are dealing with stress, or if you have questions about your insurance coverage or your legal rights after a flood, or whether you qualify for state or federal disaster assistance, Iowa Concern can help, 24/7,” Jacobs said. To reach Iowa Concern, call 800-447-1985; language interpretation services are available. Or, visit the website, https://www.extension.iastate.edu/iowaconcern/, to live chat with a stress counselor one-on-one in a secure environment. Or email an expert regarding legal, finance, stress, or crisis and disaster issues.

“All personal information given to Iowa Concern, whether on the hotline or through e-mail or live chat, is kept confidential,” Jacobs said. She also suggests visiting Human Sciences Extension and Outreach’s “Finding Answers Now” website for additional information and resources on dealing with stress.

DES MOINES – The City of Atlantic was recently honored with the 2018 Tree City USA Award at the 29th Annual Community Forestry Awards Luncheon in Des Moines. The award was presented by the Arbor Day Foundation and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources April 3rd at the Sheraton in West Des Moines. State Forester Jeff Goerndt says “The Tree City USA award is a symbol for communities who have made a commitment to the management of public trees .“The City of Atlantic has provided an outstanding example for other Iowa communities by enhancing our forest resources and demonstrating the great value of trees in providing multiple benefits for future generations.”

Jeff Goerndt, State Forester, Bruce Trautman, Acting Director of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Bryant Rasmussen, Interim Atlantic Parks and Recreation Director and Roger Herring . (Photo courtesy Dolly Bergmann)

Atlantic was one of 80 Iowa communities to qualify for Tree City USA status. To receive the award, a city must, at a minimum, have either a city forester or an active city tree board; have a tree ordinance; spend at least $2 per capita annually for its community forestry program; and have a tree planting and maintenance plan.

The Iowa Board of Pharmacy was made aware of a direct-to-consumer marking campaign, designed to lure unsuspecting Iowans to purchase brand and generic prescription drugs from foreign sources. The Board would like to remind Iowans of the potential dangers of purchasing prescription drugs from unregulated online pharmacies. While there are many established American-based online pharmacies that are properly licensed and operate legally, there are many more—often from other countries—that lure customers with artificially low prices or don’t require a prescription, and sell unregulated products that may be ineffective or even dangerous.

A drug may contain an incorrect active ingredient, the dosage may be wrong, it might not even contain the listed active ingredient, or it could include other ingredients that may cause harm. Pharmacies that ship prescription drugs into the state of Iowa must maintain licensure with the Board. The Board encourages consumers to utilize its online license verification to search for and verify licensed pharmacies when deciding to purchase prescription drugs.

(Radio Iowa) — A Senate committee has advanced a bill that would raise the penalties for abusing, neglecting or torturing animals. However, key lawmakers expect farm interests to seek major changes if the bill is debated in the full senate. Senator Tony Bisignano of Des Moines says he believes the bill, as written now, will not impact the agricultural community. “I mean, there’s something fundamentally wrong when torturing dogs and cats doesn’t seem like something you care about,” Bisignano said. “Tell us what we’re missing, so we can correct it.”

Senator Rich Taylor, a Democrat from Mount Pleasant, voted against the bill in committee. “I think this bill will actually hurt my good pet breeders, which I have several (in my district) and I’ve been to several of their facilities and know that they take very good care of their animals,” Taylor said.

Senator Brad Zaun, a Republican from Urbandale, says public sentiment is behind the bill. “Companion animals are members of our families,” Zaun said. “I know when we lose our pets, it’s devastating.” An animal cruelty bill has never gotten to this point in the Iowa Legislature. It cleared the House by unanimous vote a week ago and was approved by a senate committee Thursday on a 12 to two vote.