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Sierra Club asks EPA to take over oversight of Iowa waters because of state failures
The U.S. government should oversee Iowa cities, farms and businesses' impact on the state's waters, an environmental group says, arguing the state has done a poor job protecting its rivers, lakes and streams. The Sierra Club Iowa Chapter filed a petition this week, asking the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to pull the Iowa Department of Natural Resources’ authority to enforce the 1972 Clean Water Act, the legal framework for improving and preserving the nation’s waters. ...
Farm field drainage failure leads to creek contamination, dead fish
Underground drainage tiling apparently failed and formed a sinkhole in a corn field in northwest Iowa that allowed manure to flow into a creek, where it killed small fish for miles, according to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. The manure came from Roorda Dairy west of Paullina, which has...
Community college settles the second of two human trafficking lawsuits
Western Iowa Tech Community College has agreed to settle the second of two federal lawsuits alleging the school conspired with others to engage in human trafficking. As reported by Iowa Public Radio earlier this week, WITCC of Sioux City has agreed to pay $2.3 million to settle a lawsuit initiated by 10 students from Brazil. […]
Rock Valley School District finds solutions to start school in September
ROCK VALLEY, I.A. (Dakota News Now) - The now-receded flood waters in Rock Valley left behind a summer’s worth of work for the community, but school district leaders remain optimistic for the start of the school year despite the devastating obstacles. “This is by far the biggest challenge I’ve...
State Auditor Finds Internal Control Deficiencies In Denison FY23 Audit
A recent audit by the Iowa State Auditor’s Office for the City of Denison’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 has revealed several internal control deficiencies and compliance issues. Significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in internal control over financial reporting were identified, though no material noncompliance was found. Key issues included inadequate segregation of duties, unreviewed journal entries, and failure to reconcile utility billings and delinquent accounts. The audit also noted that property tax receipts were not tracked for their specific purposes, and personnel policies lacked clarity on exempt and non-exempt employees. The audit highlighted a material weakness in internal control for the city’s participation in the COVID-19 Airports Program and Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act Program but found no instances of noncompliance for federal awards. The city’s response includes establishing procedures to address these deficiencies. No improper disbursements were noted in the report. Responses from city officials indicate steps will be taken to address the identified issues. A copy of the FY23 City of Denison audit is included below.
Omaha Residents Prepare for Overnight Storms Sunday with 60 MPH Winds Through 2 AM Monday
Omaha, NE – The National Weather Service (NWS) in Omaha/Valley has issued a severe weather alert for Sunday evening, with strong to possibly severe thunderstorms expected to bring wind gusts up to 60 mph. According to the NWS, the threat window spans from 7 p.m. to 2 a.m. The...