IOWA HAS SEEN 86 TORNADOES THIS YEAR
It’s shaping up to be a record-breaking year for tornadoes in Iowa.
New figures from the National Weather Service show Iowa’s had 86 tornadoes so far this year, with 44 last month and 42 this month. The average in a year is about 50. The weather service says Iowa’s never seen this many tornadoes by this date, and it’s also among the five deadliest tornado seasons, with six dead and some three-dozen hurt. We still have a month left in the tornado season, though twisters can strike during any month. In 2021, Iowa had a record 63 tornadoes in a single day — in December. That was during the state’s second derecho in as many years, and that December outbreak set another record for most E-F-2 tornadoes in one day — at 21.
IOWA’S SEVERE WEATHER SPARKS RECORFD HOME INSURANCE CLAIMS< PREMIUMS
Tornadoes and other types of severe weather can make life hard on property owners, but also on the companies that insure them. The Insurance Journal says most home insurance companies paid out more in claims in Iowa last year than they collected in premiums. In some cases, the so-called “loss ratio” was well over two-to-one. Iowa Insurance Commissioner Doug Ommen says the last few years have been especially difficult for mutual insurance companies, which are owned by policy holders and write most of the policies in Iowa. Just a few years ago, he says Iowa led the nation in affordability for homeowner’s insurance, but that changed after the 2020 derecho.
FEENSTRA, VIRGIL APPEARANCE
The two candidates for the Republican nomination for Iowa’s fourth congressional district will speak Thursday in Cherokee.
Congressman Randy Feenstra and challenger Kevin Virgil will address key issues impacting rural Iowans in an event hosted by the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association at Cherokee’s Western Iowa Tech Community College .
The forum is a ticketed event and will be moderated by political reporter Dave Price.
It begins at 2 p.m. in Cherokee.
STATE AND FEDERAL OFFICIALS TOUT ELECTION SECURITY
Iowa’s top election official says Iowans can be assured their votes in next Tuesday’s Primary Election will be counted accurately. Secretary of State Paul Pate hosted officials from key state and federal agencies Tuesday at the Iowa National Guard’s headquarters to discuss election security.
Iowa uses paper ballots and Pate says that means the ballots can’t be hacked, plus every ballot tabulator is tested to make sure it’s functioning properly before every election.
Many Iowa counties have been hit with storm damage this spring, but Pate says polling sites are set in areas where tornadoes destroyed homes and businesses.
Pate says every county auditor has developed back up plans to deal with emergencies, like flash flooding and power outages on election days. John Benson, director of Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management, says state and federal experts will gather at the State Emergency Operations Center to monitor Primary Election day activity.
About 10-thousand Iowans have signed up to be precinct workers for Tuesday’s Primary. Cait Conley, who leads election security efforts in the U-S Department of Homeland Security, says the agency’s monitoring cybersecurity threats from foreign adversaries as well as physical threats to poll workers.
NEW GENERAL MANAGER AT REMSEN FIRM
WesTel Systems of Remsen has promoted Kristine Mohning to General Manager. Mohning has served as the Accounting Manager at Westel for the past 11 years. She is also an active member of the community. She’s served in the Remsen Chamber of Commerce, Chaired the city’s Oktoberfest Committee, and is a member of Remsen St. Mary’s Schools Strategic Planning Committee, among other roles. Kristine is a 2020 graduate of the Iowa Communications Alliance (ICA) Leadership Academy and currently serves on the ICA Regulatory Relations Committee. Mohning begins her new role on August 5.
STATE AUDITOR VISITS NORTHWEST IOWA THIS SUMMER
State Auditor Rob Sand announced his schedule of 100 town hall meetings to be held this summer. His northwest Iowa visits are a whirlwind tour of six counties in one day. All of the visits are to take place in city parks. On July 1, Sand will visit Rock Rapids and Sioux Center, in the morning, and Foster Park in Le Mars at noon. then complete the day with visits to Cherokee, Sheldon, and Sibley. The net day, July 2, he will hold town hall meetings in Spirit Lake, Spencer, and Storm Lake. Sand will hold his Ida County townhall on June 26 in Ida Grove. His Woodbury County meeting will be at Mid City Park in Sioux City on July 25.
EPA ANNOUNCES $3.6 MILLION IN REBATES FOR CLEAN SCHOOL BUSES IN 7 IOWA SCHOOL DISTRICTS
The Biden-Harris administration announced the recipients of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) 2023 Clean School Bus Program rebate competition, funded by President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda.
Seven Iowa School Districts will receive 3.6 million dollars in rebates toward the purchase of clean school buses.
Akron Westfield Community School District School District will receive $400,000 in rebate funding to purchase two clean school buses.
Marcus-Meriden-Cleghorn Community School District will receive $690,000 in rebate funding to purchase two clean school buses.
The rebates will help selectees purchase 18 clean school buses in seven school districts across Iowa. The program will also help Iowa accelerate the transition to zero-emission vehicles
A total of 900 million dollars in rebates were awarded to over 530 school districts in 47 states, the District of Columbia, and tribal lands. These rebates will help school districts purchase over 3,400 clean school buses—92% of which will be electric.
EPA’s Clean School Bus Program was created by President Biden’s Infrastructure Law.
