Q: My address marker by the road is broken. How do I get a new one?
A: To replace your 911 address marker, call the Guthrie County Environmental Health Office at 641-747-3972. The cost is $25 to not only receive your new sign but also have it installed by the county. These signs are critical for EMS services to be able to find your home in an emergency. If your sign is faded, broken or missing, call Guthrie County Environmental Health now to have it replaced.
Q: When a burn ban is in effect, can I still use my fire pit?
A: A burn ban means conditions are drier than normal and fire risk is much higher. A countywide burn ban may be issued by the State Fire Marshal when a majority of fire chiefs in the county concur. Individual cities or fire districts may also issue a burn ban for specific areas.
During a countywide burn ban, campfires, fire pits and backyard fireplaces are generally still allowed, assuming safe practices are used. Check for city, campground or park regulations to be sure. Penalties for violating a burn ban may include up to 30 days in jail and/or fines of $105 to $800. During a burn ban, local fire chiefs are able to approve permits for controlled burns. More information about burn bans is available from the Adair/Guthrie County Emergency Management Agency or from Guthrie County’s website (guthriecounty.gov).
Q: Is the LPA road embargo over?
A: The five-ton vehicle weight limit on Lake Panorama roads that began on March 10 ended on March 24, as roadbeds have dried out enough to support heavy loads. The Lake Panorama Association (LPA) stated that the seal-coat expense for repair is more than $40,000 per mile.
Q: What is the best way to avoid getting ticks?
A: Tick season is about to begin in Iowa, and deer ticks are a concern due to Lyme disease. Insect repellant is recommended to deter not only deer ticks but also wood ticks and mosquitos. DEET-based products have a proven history of effectiveness. Competing products containing Picaridin are also available and claim to offer a healthier alternative. Regardless of your product preference, now is the time to begin using your insect repellant.
Q: I heard pheasants are not native to this area. Is that true?
A: According to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, pheasants are not native to this area or the United States at all, but they seem to have found a home in the Plains and upper Midwest. Iowa’s birds can be traced back to a wind storm in 1901 that damaged William Benton’s private game farm in Cedar Falls, liberating around 2,000 pheasants. Rumor had it, Benton obtained his stock from a Tacoma, Washington, importer. That unintentional release was followed by intentional stockings in 1908-1909 by private landowners in Kossuth and O’Brien counties that helped the exotic birds get a foothold in northern Iowa. By 1910, the state Conservation Commission got involved, purchasing 6,200 eggs and distributing them to farmers in 82 counties. Farmers would often have hen houses where the pheasant eggs would be placed alongside chicken eggs.