(DES MOINES) - The Iowa Department of Management today released the following costs associated with the collective bargaining proposal put forth today by the union. If the union proposal were extended to all state employees, the costs from all funding sources would be as follows:

Overall:

Year 1 (FY '14): $122 million increase

Year 2 (FY '15): $159 million increase

Across-the-Board salary increases:

Year 1 (FY '14): $35 million increase

Year 2 (FY '15): $72 million increase

Step salary increases (4.5% average salary increase):

Year 1 (FY '14): $47.4 million increase

Year 2 (FY '15): $45 million increase

Benefits (Health care, retirement, etc.)

Year 1 (FY '14): $39.5 million increase

Year 2 (FY '15): $42 million increase

Sen. Chuck Grassley and Sen. John Thune made the following comment on information provided by A123 Systems, Inc., in response to the senators' Oct. 9 inquiry about a federal stimulus grant provided by the Department of Energy:

"The very day A123 filed for bankruptcy, the Department of Energy sent the company a check for nearly $1 million. The Department of Energy was aware of A123's pending transaction with a foreign company, Wanxiang.  In fact, the Energy Department was informed on August 3 and still gave the company more federal tax dollars. In addition, A123 confirms it has a federal government contract with a 'secret' security classification.  All of this paints a disturbing picture.  One, the Department of Energy is writing checks to a company literally as it is declaring bankruptcy.  Two, a private company and federal grant recipient has provided more disclosure about its operations and assurances about intellectual property and national security than our own Department of Energy.  The Department of Energy needs to answer for why it appears to put federal grants on auto-pilot to the detriment of U.S. taxpayers.  This can't stand."

A123 Systems, Inc.'s response to the senators is available here.

The senators' letter to A123 Systems is available here.

Three times as many fires occur on Thanksgiving

November 16, 2012 - While most people consider overeating the greatest peril of Thanksgiving, cooking the day's feast presents its own risks, too.

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) says Thanksgiving Day is the leading day for home cooking fires, with three times as many occurring on Thanksgiving as any other day of the year. In 2010, there were 1,370 fires on Thanksgiving, a 219 percent increase over the daily average.

"Thanksgiving is a fun, festive holiday, but it's also very hectic," said Lorraine Carli, vice president of communications for NFPA. "All the entertaining and distractions make it easy to forget about what's cooking on the stovetop."

Video - "Kitchen for Trouble" stars cartoon character Dan Doofus. Dan has to learn the hard way how to prevent cooking fires.

Sparky's Safety Spots - Kitchen Fires - World renowned chef (the late) Julia Child cooked up some memorable advice about how to prevent fires in your kitchen.

Home cooking fires peak on major U.S. holidays that traditionally include cooking, such as Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas and Easter.

Overall, U.S. fire departments responded to an estimated average of 156,400 home fires involving cooking equipment in 2010. These fires caused 420 civilian deaths, 5,310 civilian injuries, and $993 million in direct property damage.

By recognizing the risks of the holidays and making simple adjustments, people can greatly reduce their chance of home cooking fires.

NFPA recommends the following safety tips:

1.       Always stay in the kitchen while frying, grilling, or broiling food. If you have to leave the kitchen for even a short period of time, turn off the stove.

2.       When simmering, baking, roasting, or boiling food, check it regularly, remain in the home while food is cooking, and use a timer to remind you that you are cooking.

3.       Stay alert. If you are sleepy or have consumed alcohol, don't use the stove or stovetop.

4.       Keep anything that can catch fire such as oven mitts, wooden utensils, food packaging, towels or curtains away from the stovetop.

If you have a cooking fire...

1.       Just get out! When you leave, close the door behind you to help contain the fire.

2.       Call 9-1-1 or the local emergency number from outside the home.

3.       If you try to fight the fire, be sure others are getting out and you have a clear path out of the home, and that someone has called the fire department.

4.       Keep a lid nearby when cooking to smother small grease fires. Smother the fire by sliding the lid over the pan and turn off the stovetop. Leave the pan covered until it is completely cooled.

5.       For an oven fire, turn off the heat and keep the door closed.

About the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)

NFPA is a worldwide leader in fire, electrical, building, and life safety. The mission of the international nonprofit organization founded in 1896 is to reduce the worldwide burden of fire and other hazards on the quality of life by providing and advocating consensus codes and standards, research, training, and education. Visit NFPA's website at www.nfpa.org for more information.

• Consumer protections: Simon supports House Bill 5248, which would require all degree-granting institutions that operate in Illinois to publish online College Choice Reports. The reports would contain information such as net costs, average debt and completion rates in an easy-to-read and easy-to-find format. Unlike the federally proposed "shopping sheet" which provides cost information after a student applies to a school, the College Choice Report would be available to students online before they apply, to help them find a college or university that fits their needs and their budget.

• Targeted assistance: To better use state resources, Simon wants to strengthen the Monetary Award Program and ensure MAP grants promote college attendance and completion, and reduce the achievement gap between low-income and higher-income students. MAP grants are currently awarded on a first-come, first-served basis to students based on financial need, but that means state funding reaches only about half of eligible students. Simon currently serves on a MAP Eligibility Task Force that is evaluating ways to improve distributional equity and encourage timely degree completion. A task force report to the General Assembly is due Jan. 1, 2013.

• Tax credits for tuition payments: More than 9 million students and families are taking advantage of the American Opportunity Tax Credit, saving them up to $10,000 over four years of college. Simon supports making this federal tax credit permanent and preventing it from expiring at the end of this year.