DES MOINES, IOWA (March 16, 2020) — Governor Kim Reynolds is proclaiming April as Keep Iowa Beautiful month. The proclamation will encourage all citizens to help plan and participate in local programs that will enhance the cleanliness and beauty of our communities and state. During the Statehouse ceremony Monday, March 23, 1:30PM, she will also be presenting the winners of KIB's annual awards program and three high school scholarships.

Keep Iowa Beautiful award winners are:

DAVENPORT, IOWA (March 13, 2020) — River Action, Nahant Marsh Education Center, Sierra Club Eagle View Group, and Joyce and Tony Singh Foundation have canceled the Environmental Film Series for Sunday, March 15, 4PM, at the Figge Art Museum.

Our decision was based on the warnings and strong recommendations that have come out in recent hours regarding COVID-19.

We hope to reschedule, and we will let subscribers and the general public know all information at that time.

The jury is still out on which of two things — COVID-19 or the panic over COVID-19 — will cost more lives and do more damage to the global economy. My money's still on the latter. In the meantime, I've developed a surefire, Groundhog Day type test for whether the emergency is over: Watch for Nobel laureate economist and New York Times columnist Paul Krugman to start trying to convince us it was, all in all, actually a good thing.

WASHINGTON DC (March 10, 2020) — Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced proactive flexibilities to allow meal service during school closures to minimize potential exposure to the coronavirus.