WILDFIRE GRANTS
138 Iowa rural fire departments, including a dozen in northwest Iowa, have been awarded federal grants for the purchase of specialized equipment to fight wildfires. The Iowa DNR made the awards. D-N-R forestry fire supervisor Jason Walker says Iowa fire departments are normally set up to fight structure fires in burning homes or commercial buildings.
The gear for wildfires is specialized for the challenges they provide.
Walker says the grants are a good way to help departments be prepared for anything.
Walker says Iowa wildfires are not like the ones you might see on T-V where they consume, forests, homes and anything in their path. But they are still a concern.
Walker says we saw one of the busier wildfire seasons in Iowa this year.
The Iowa volunteer fire departments received a total of 416-thousand dollars in grants. The fire departments receiving grants include: Alta, Cherokee, Meriden, Granville, Hawarden, Orange City, Inwood, Larchwood, and Sibley.
LE MARS BRIDAL EXPO
One of the first events in Le Mars in the new year is the annual Le Mars Bridal Expo. It will take place on Friday, January 3. This time, there is a new location for the expo – Century Hall at the Plymouth Couny Fairgrounds. Dozens of bridal vendors will be on hand to help with wedding plans. There will also be door prizes and a 500-dollars Grand Prize will be given away after the bridal show. The event is Friday, January 3, from 5 to 8-30 p.m.
GRASSLEY PRIORITIES
US Senator Chuck Grassley recalled his legislative and oversight work for Iowans in 2024. He says he backed action to keep foreign adversaries from purchasing U.S. farmland. He also sought to expand overseas markets.
Grassley was an advocate for year-round sales of E-15 blended gasoline, and the expansion of wind energy.
On health care, Senator Grassley supported rural pharmacies and fought the Opioid Epidemic.
He also fought to secure and protect the U.S. border, and worked to protect unaccompanied migrant children.
Not all of these priorities were solved in 2024. In 2025, Grassley will advance legislation to secure the border, lower prescription drug prices, and pass a five year Farm Bill.
FIRE RENDERS SIOUX CITY HOME UNINHABITABLE
A Sioux City house that had been home to eight people has been heavily damaged by a fire today. Authorities say a resident of the home and someone passing by called 9-1-1 to report the house was on fire. Sioux City Fire Rescue responded 1913 George Street. Heavy smoke was pouring out of the house upon arrival. There were 8 people in the house. No one was injured, but city officials say there’s so much fire damage, the house is too dangerous to be lived in.
IMPROVEMENTS TO IOWA’S COMMERCIAL AIRPORTS MOVE AHEAD
Several improvement projects at Iowa’s commercial airports are moving ahead on schedule. The D-O-T’s Shane Wright says the governor allotted 100 million federal dollars from the American Rescue Plan to the state’s Commercial Aviation Infrastructure Fund. Money was awarded based on traffic volume, and the Des Moines International Airport got the largest chunk.
The the Sioux Gateway Airport in Sioux City was awarded three-point-one million dollars.
Wright says this project is farther ahead than some of the others.
Airports in Cedar Rapids, Waterloo, Fort Dodge, Mason City and Burlington received awards from the American Rescue Act funds.
LAWMAKER CHEERS ACADEMIC ADJUSTMENTS AT U OF IOWA
A Republican lawmaker says a recently announced University of Iowa plan shows the institution is already responding to the creation of a new committee in the Iowa House. University officials are proposing a new “School of Social and Cultural Analysis” — and the closure of the Gender, Women’s and Sexuality Studies Department and the Department of American Studies. Republican Representative Taylor Collins of Mediapolis will be chairman of the new House Higher Education Committee when the legislature convenes in January. The proposed changes are to be discussed at the Board of Regents meeting in February, with the plan to go into effect for the next academic year. The university will no longer offer a major in Social Justice. Representative Taylor, who has led efforts in the legislature to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion programs, has criticized that major in the past.
IRS: DON’T HEED TAX ADVICE FROM SCAMMERS ON SOCIAL MEDIA
With just a few business days left in 2024, some Iowans may be scrambling to shore up their tax picture before the year is out and there’s plenty of advice on the internet, though much of it is bad. Christopher Miller, the Iowa spokesman for the Internal Revenue Service, says the agency has been tracking a significant boost in the amount of bogus tax advice that’s been appearing on social media lately. Miller says you should only be getting your tax advice from a licensed professional, and he adds, online crooks are really ramping up their game. Milller says social media influencers are likely offering up their tax tips for a couple of basic reasons, none of which are altruistic. Find a variety of tax tips and a wealth of more information at I-R-S-dot-gov.
COALITION LOBBIES FOR EXPANSION OF IOWA’S STATEWIDE VOLUNTARY PRESCHOOL PROGRAM
A coalition of groups is urging the governor and legislators to provide state funding for a full-day of preschool for four-year-olds who live in low-income households. The statewide Voluntary Preschool Program currently covers a half day for each four-year-old. Des Moines School Board chair Jackie Norris says four hours of preschool is difficult for working parents to navigate. The coalition proposes providing full-day, state-funded preschool to four year olds who live in households with an annual income at or below 185 percent of the federal poverty level. In addition to public school districts, the Iowa Catholic Conference, the Iowa Association of Christian Schools and the Iowa Association of School Boards are part of the coalition calling for this preschool expansion.
