Des Moines, IOWA – The Iowa Department of Public Safety reminds Iowans heating equipment is a leading cause of home fire deaths during the winter months. Almost half of home heating equipment fires are reported during the months of December, January, and February. Some simple steps can prevent most heating-related fires from happening.

Safety Tips

• Keep anything that can burn at least three feet away from heating equipment, such as the furnace, fireplace, wood stove, or portable heater.

• Only use heating equipment that has the label of a recognized testing laboratory.

• Never use your oven for heating.

• Have a qualified professional install stationary space heating equipment, water heaters or central heating equipment according to the local codes and manufacturer’s instructions.

• Maintain heating equipment and chimneys by having them cleaned and inspected annually by a qualified professional.

• Turn portable heaters off when leaving the room or going to bed.

• For fuel burning space heaters, always use the proper fuel as specified by the manufacturer.

• Make sure the fireplace has a sturdy screen to prevent sparks from flying into the room and burn only dry, seasoned wood. Allow ashes to cool before disposing in a metal container, which is kept a safe distance from the home.

• If you smell gas in your gas heater, do not attempt to light the appliance. Turn off all the controls and open doors and windows. Call a gas service person.

• Test smoke alarms at least monthly.

If you have questions about heating safety, contact the State Fire Marshal Division at 515-725-6145 or e-mail at fminfo@dps.state.ia.us.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The estimated jackpot for Wednesday night’s Powerball drawing has soared to $450 million thanks to strong sales. Multi-State Lottery Association officials on Tuesday increased the expected prize from $400 million because of fast sales for the largest lottery jackpot in nearly a year.

No one has won Powerball’s biggest prize since Nov. 4. The jackpot now is the sixth-largest ever in North America, and if there is no winner after Wednesday night’s drawing, the prize will keep climbing. The biggest jackpot was a $656 million Mega Millions prize won in 2012. The last time Powerball had grown this large was in February 2015, when three winners split a $564.1 million prize.

Powerball is played in 44 states as well as the District of Columbia, U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Water quality funding is among the topics legislative leaders are talking about in the week before the Iowa Legislature convenes. Gov. Terry Branstad is considering a proposal to fund water quality efforts by diverting a portion of a sales tax designed to help schools pay for repairs and updated technology. Some lawmakers oppose the idea that would pit the needs of schools against the need for clean water.

More attention has been focused on water quality as Des Moines Water Works had to spend $1.5 million last year to operate a system that removed record levels of nitrate from the drinking water to remain in compliance with federal regulations. The utility filed a federal lawsuit last year seeking monetary damages and clean water permits for agriculture drainage districts.

More area and State news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (5.0MB)

Subscribe: RSS

• 1 lb. hamburger
• 1 small onion, finely diced
• 1/2 cup uncooked narrow noodles
• 5 to 6 cups water
• 2 beef bouillon cubes
• 1 cup finely diced carrots
• 1 cup finely diced potatoes
• 1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup
• 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

Brown hamburger with onion; drain off fat.  Add noodles, water. bouillon cubes, carrots, potatoes and mushroom soup.  Bring to a boil; cover and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes.  Add salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce and simmer 5 to 10 minutes more.  Makes 6 to 8 servings.

(Diane Dea)

The area’s top news at 7:07-a.m., w/KJAN News Director Ric Hanson

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (4.1MB)

Subscribe: RSS

A reminder today from the office of Iowa Republican U-S Senator Joni Ernst, that the Senator will kick-off of her 99 county tour of Iowa for 2016, this Thursday morning (1/7). Ernst will return to the Montgomery County Courthouse in her hometown of Red Oak to host a town meeting that begins at 8-a.m.  The event is open to the public.

Officials with the Atlantic Community School District (ACSD) will hold an open session Wednesday afternoon. During the 4-p.m. meeting in the library at the Atlantic Middle School, the District’s Administration will receive the Non-Certified Collective Bargaining Unit’s initial proposal for 2016-17. No action will be taken. The District will present the Atlantic Education Association’s initial proposal at 5-p.m. Jan. 13th, in the Media Center at the Atlantic High School.

Former Senator and Republican Presidential Candidate Rick Santorum will be stopping in Atlantic this Saturday (Jan. 9th). Santorum will meet with the public at Noon, at the home of Paul & Sheryl Iekel, 56384 Highland Road (4 miles west of Atlantic on G-30). All who are interested are invited to attend.

During the event, Santorum will share his vision for America, and address the threat of ISIS and the Middle East.

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (AP) – U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa is the featured speaker at a fundraiser to benefit a veterans organization in Fayetteville. Ernest will speak Tuesday evening at the Airborne & Special Ops Museum Foundation. The event will feature a round table discussion with Ernst and North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis and Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown.

Ernst is the only female combat veteran to ever serve in the U.S. Senate and is a member of the Armed Services and Agriculture committees. Brown and Tillis are members of the Senate Veteran Affairs Committee.

The group Veterans Leadership Council-Cares says on its website that it provides temporary housing for at-risk veterans, health and wellness services, professional counseling, vocational education, mentoring and other services.