Thursday, August 8, 2019 N/Warren Town and County News Page Nine
Senate News
Grill Safety Tips
Grilling season is upon us! Whether you're a
seasoned chef or a first time flipper, you know that
By State Senator Julian B. Garrett grilled food in the summer is bliss. But to enjoy that
julian.garrett@legis.iowa.gov bliss we have to remember to grill safely. Here are
some simple grill safety tips to ensure that you and
Supreme Court Upholds Trump Travel Ban your family stay safe as you wow them with your
You may have missed it, but the U.S. Supreme mastery of the ancient art of cooking over an open
Court has upheld, on a 5-4 vote, President Trump's flame. Use caution, planning, and common sense to
travel ban, on travel from five Moslem countries, have a safe and delicious summer at the grill.
Iran, Lebanon, Libya, Somalia and Syria, as well as, 1. Do not let children operate or play near your
North Korea and Venezuela. It did not seem to me grill. Small children may not understand that a grill
that the decision received nearly the coverage that is hot and might get curious enough to touch it. Some
the lower court decisions, ruling against the older children may get a little too rowdy and knock
President received. The Supreme Court mid thatthe the grill over as they play. The key to avoiding
ban was "squarely within the scope of presidential accidents like these is to enact a grill safety rule
authority" under the Immigration and Nationality against playing near the grill.
Act. 2. Keep the grill area free of flammable materials.
Supreme Court Allows Use of Defelse FundsKeep all flammable items at least 5 feet away from
to Repair Wall your grill. Don't lean your charcoal bag up against or
On July 26, the U. S. Supreme Court overturned near your grill while you light it. Keep food packaging
an injunction from the Ninth Circuit that prevented on a separate table instead of on 2he grill shelves if
President Trump from using defense funds to repair you have a gas grill.
part of the wall on the southern border. The 3. Only grillin a well-ventilated space. Never grill
administration will now be able to use the $2.5 billion in an enclosed space like a carport, garage, porch,
that it wanted to use, to replace those sections of the covered patio, or under a balcony or deck. This grill
existing wall. This was another 5-4 decision. The safety tip will keep you from starting a fire and
Supreme Court is not currently is sessiot but it does protect your lungs from smoke inhalation. Keep your
act on some urgent cases. This case doesnot involve grill at least 3 feet away from any walls. Don't grill
another $3.6 billion in military constrtrtion funds near any appliances with pilot lights.
4. Avoid using charcoal in a gas grill. Avoid this
that the administration wants to use, tlat has not because you could lose control of the fire and ignite
been challenged, the fuel tank. This is not only unsafe, but it can ruin
Trump Revives Federal Death Pmalty
The death penalty has been revived at the federal your grill by clogging up the burners.
5. If you live in an apartment, check with the
level. Though federal law authorizes the use of the
manager to learn the requirements and fire codes
death penalty, it has not been used for years, for using a grill in your building. If you're allowed,
Attorney General Barr has directed that a drug called use outside on the ground floor 3 feet away from any
pentobarbital be used in the executions. Five inmates walls or rails. Do not grill on or under balconies made
have been scheduled for execution, one of them here of wood. The safety of everyone in your building
in Iowa. depends on your grill safety habits.
I am the co-sponsor of a bill here in Iowa to reinstate 6. Always keep your grill lid open while you start
the death penalty in very limited cases where a minor
your fire. A buildup of gas inside a closed grill can
is kidnapped, raped and then murdered. Under create an explosion if it ignites. Even if it's windy
current law the penalty for kidnapping had raping a out, it's not worth risking injury to try to start your
minor is life in prison. The problem is there is no grill with the lid down.
additional penalty for murdering the victim. In a way 7. When you're not using your grill, make sure all
there is an incentive to murder the victim so she the knobs and valves are turned off. This grill safety
cannot testify against the perpetrator. This move at rule gets broken a lot. It's easy to forget to turn off
the federallevel will generate more discussion of the the valve on top of the gas tank. It's also always
death penalty, but it is hard to say if it will help get tempting to just skip it so we won't have to crouch
our bill passed in Iowa. and reach down there to turn it off. Turning
U.S Economy Still Growing everything off is worth it; a gas leak can be fatal.
The U. S. Labor Department says there were 8. Pick a place for the grill and leave it there from
164,000 new jobs created in July, 2019. These the second the fire starts untilit's cold. You risk a lot
numbers were a little higher than expected, of things by trying to move your grill while it's
Unemployment remained at 3.7%. The percentage running or hot. With a charcoal grill, you risk spilling
of the working age population that is employed red-hot coals that can cause severe burns. With a
improved just slightly from 62.9% to 63%, meaning gas grill, you risk breaking the valve connection
that 37% are not employed. The 37% is not counted between your valve and tank, which could damage
in the unemployed figures because they are not your grill and even cause an explosion. While it's not
looking for work. Those included in this group are a grill safety issue, you risk your food rolling or sliding
students, the disabled, stay at home mom and some offthe grates if you try to move your grill while you're
able-bodied people who choose not to work. Those in cooking.
this last group are the ones that we should be 9. Use long-handled barbecue utensils to avoid
encouraging to get jobs. Hopefully some will as wages burns and splatters. They're also much more
increase. Any of them on welfare should be removed, comfortable to use when you're dealing with a hot
Iowaworks.gov fire.
The State of Iowa has set up a web sit for those 10. If you notice grease or other hot material
looking for jobs called Iowaworks.gov. governor dripping from the grill onto the valve, hose or
says there are about 80,000 jobs availabe in Iowa. regulator, turn off the gas supply at once. Find the
By going onto this site you can searm for jobs cause and correct it. Then clean and inspect valve,
requiring particular skills and showing wiat part of hose and regulator before you start grilling again.
the state they are in, and in most cases tie salary. To perform a leak test, fill a spray bottle with equal
As I have pointed out for several years.there are parts water and dish soap and spray it on the hose,
able bodied Iowans who for one reason another valve, and regulator. Any leaks will make small
are not working. They are not counted in the bubbles. Never use a match to check for leaks. If you
unemployment numbers because they are mt looking detect a leak, don't try to light the grill again until
for work. I am pleased to see that some have taken it's fixed.
jobs recently but there are more that ve should 11. Only use charcoal lighter fluid to start a
encourage to go to work. This may be posible with charcoal grill. Gasoline and kerosene are explosive.
wages going up because of the shortage of good Never use them to start your grill. Also, never use
workers. Hopefully we will also attract pmple from lighter fluid to tray to start a gas grill. If your grill is
not starting without lighter fluid, it needs to be
other states to come here for the good jobs that are
available. It seems to me that anyonewants a repaired.
job should be able to find one here in Iowa. I have
always recommended finding a job that you enjoy or
that at least you do not dislike. That should be Share the Fair with IPTV
possible with the thousands of jobs available. Iowa Public Television is asking viewers to share
A word of advice. When you take a job, show up for their pictures from the Iowa State Fair. Fairgoers
work. A complaint that I hear from employers more may submit their photos on Facebook, Twitter, and
often than you might expect, is that they hire Instagram using#IPTVFairPhoto. You can also join
someone who then does not show up for work. IPTV's Iowa State Fair group on Flickr. Photos may
As always please feel free to contact me with your be featured online at Iptv.org/fair or on IPTV's social
ideas or concerns, media accounts as the Photo of the Day!
Second Saturday Stewardship
Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge is hosting the
monthly Second Saturday Stewardship activity on
Saturday, August 10th, from 9:00 a.m. to noon. If
you have thought about volunteering at the Refuge,
this is a great opportunity to do so. The project for
this month will be collecting seed. If you would like
to volunteer at this event, or at any other time, please
contact Nancy Corona at 515-994-3444 or
Nancy Corona@fws.gov.
Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge is located at
9981 Pacific Street in Prairie City.
Iowa Pheasant Population
Survey
The extent of impact that a cold and snowy late
winter and heavy rains and flooding in April and May
had on pheasant nesting success will likely be seen
when the Iowa Department of Natural Resources
(DNR) conducts its annual pheasant counts.
The statewide survey takes place August lst-15th.
The survey is conducted by Iowa DNR staff who drive
218 30-mile routes on gravel roads at dawn on
mornings with heavy dew. Hen pheasants will move
their broods to the edge of the gravel road to dry off
before they begin feeding, which makes them easier
to count.
"Conditions for the survey are important as the
accuracy of the counts depend on the dew conditions
when the routes are run," said Todd Bogenschutz,
upland wildlife research biologist for the Iowa DNR.
What staff see when they drive the routes is
anybody's guess. Winter began mild but ended under
heavy snow and bitter cold temps. Spring wasn't
much better - below normal temperature and heavy
rain across much of the state. Not exactly a recipe
for growing a pheasant and quail population.
"We started receiving reports of staff seeing
pheasant broods in late May and hearing quail calls
through the spring and summer which are both
positive signs," he said. "It will be interesting to see
the survey results."
The August roadside survey has been conducted
over the same routes since 1962. In addition to
pheasants and quail, the survey collects data on
partridge, cottontails, and jackrabbits. Results will
be posted online at www.iowadnr.gov/
pheasantsurvey by September 10th. Iowa's pheasant
season begins October 26th.
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