DES MOINES – The unofficial end to summer this weekend is expected to draw thousands of Iowans to their state parks and waterways.

The DNR reminds users to abide by all safety measures to ensure a safe and enjoyable Labor Day holiday weekend.

Boating Safety

Boaters headed out to a lake, river, pond or any other waterway should follow these safety tips:

• Plan ahead and avoid peak hours and large crowds of boaters.
• Park your vehicles and trailers in designated parking spaces NOT in grass areas or they will be ticketed and towed.
• Alcohol and boating don’t mix. Wind, sun glare and heat can enhance the effects of alcohol, hindering the operator’s ability to make necessary decisions.
• The same limit of .08 for operating a vehicle under the influence applies to boating.
• Always have a designated operator that avoids consuming alcohol.
• Wear your life jacket, it floats, you don’t! Any children under the age 13 must wear a lifejacket at all times on a vessel underway in Iowa.
• Every boat or vessel must have a wearable life jacket for everyone on board; a USCG approved throw-able flotation device is also required on vessels 16 feet or longer.
• Make sure there is a charged fire extinguisher on board, as well as a horn/whistle.
• Slow down and watch for other boaters or personal watercraft.
• Avoid dams and other hazards on waterways.
• Obey all posted warning signs and rules.
• Drain plugs and other water draining devices must be removed and/or remain open during transport to avoid the spread of invasive species.

Beach & Swimming Safety

Wherever you choose to swim this Labor Day weekend, whether it’s a backyard pool, a pond or lake, or a public pool, please follow these safety tips:

• Keep young children at arm’s reach at all times. Never, even for a moment, leave small children alone or in the care of another young child while swimming.
• Drowning is silent.
• Learn how to perform CPR.
• Avoid alcohol use while swimming.
• Alcohol is prohibited at some public beaches.
• Glass bottles are prohibited on beaches.
• Stay within the roped area of the lake.
• Swim with a buddy.
• Obey posted signs and flags.
• Wear a life jacket or some kind of personal flotation device.
• Use sunscreen and drink plenty of water as needed.
• Iowa’s public beaches do not have lifeguards on duty.
• Check for bacteria levels at state park beaches at: https://www.iowadnr.gov/things-to-do/beach-monitoring

Because the beaches are busier this summer, staff are encouraging visitors to utilize the non-peak times and days. For the busier beaches/parks, the non-peak days usually include Sundays through Thursdays, and Fridays before 5:00 pm. If you plan to go to the beaches on Saturdays, the non-peak hours are usually before noon.

Parks staff may temporarily close parking lots when they become full and limit the number of visitors at that point. The DNR recommends visitors go to another nearby park or beach that is not as heavily populated. Visitors are reminded to only park in designated parking spaces. All violators will be cited by staff.

This weekend will be another very busy one if you plan to visit a state park and campground, use these safety tips to ensure an enjoyable time:

• Pack snacks, food, water and personal hygiene products, including hand sanitizer, to bring along for hiking and utilizing the state parks.
• Stay hydrated with plenty of fluids.
• Don’t hike alone and always have some way to communicate if you get lost and need help.
• Wear proper outdoor attire for hiking.
• Plan ahead for your visit to our parks and campgrounds. If a parking lot becomes full at a park or campground, staff may temporarily close the parking lots and limit the number of visitors at that point.
• If there is no parking available, do not park in the grass areas or any other area that is not a designated parking spot. All violators will be cited.
• Utilize the parks during non-peak times, which often include mornings and evenings.
• If a park is heavily populated, find another nearby state park that is less populated.
• Don’t transport firewood, buy it locally.
• Be respectful of your neighbors camping around you.
• Slow down on park roadways and obey posted speed limit signs. Families and kids are often walking or biking on the roads.
• “Carry In, Carry Out”—please pick up any trash and carry out what you carry into the park. Be respectful and care for our natural resources.
• Campers should dispose of trash in receptacles, not burn it in the campfires.
• Check the DNR website for all of the latest closures.
• If you plan to fish, be sure to have a current fishing license. You can purchase one by visiting com, or by downloading the Go Outdoors Iowa app on your smartphone through the Google Play store or the App Store. You can also purchase your fishing license at some local retailers.

Paddling Safety

Whether it be tubing, kayaking or canoeing, paddlers are enjoying the splash of the water, scenic views, and wildlife viewing from Iowa’s rivers, rapids and streams. Stay safe each time you paddle with these simple safety tips:

• Some rivers in northeast and north-central Iowa are swollen and swift with consistent rainfall earlier this week. Stay on lakes and flat-water while the rivers are high.
• With very low water levels in central and western Iowa, due to drought conditions, some waterways are not suitable for paddling, often leaving paddlers stranded.
• Always know your river conditions before you go paddling. For the latest river conditions, contact Iowa DNR Customer Service at 515-725-8200 or your local county conservation board for updates.
• Let others know where you will be paddling, including what access to what access, and when you are expected to return.
• Always wear your life jacket. Kids under age 13 must wear a life jacket at all times. The vessel must have enough life jackets for all members on board.
• Avoid sandbar crowds and “rafting” up together. Tubers are reminded not to go in groups larger than 10 and don’t tie tubes to one another.
• Check the Iowa DNR’s interactive paddler’s map at iowadnr.gov/Things-to-Do/Canoeing-Kayaking/Where-to-Paddle for updates on real-time hazards like downed trees and log jams, strainers and bridge construction. Pay attention to the dam warning signs and know where dams are located before you head out on the water.
• Find individual water trail maps, including access points at iowadnr.gov/Things-to-Do/Canoeing-Kayaking/Water-Trail-Maps-Brochures.

DES MOINES – Iowans can begin requesting absentee ballots for the November general election starting today, Secretary of State Paul Pate announced. State law allows Iowans to request absentee ballots beginning 70 days before an election. County auditors will begin mailing absentee ballots to those that requested them starting October 19. That is also the first day Iowans can vote in-person for the November 8 election.

“It’s important to have a plan when it comes to voting,” Secretary Pate said. “You have multiple options available. If you plan to vote by mail, go ahead and send your absentee ballot request form in now. That will make it easier for you and your county auditor when it comes time to cast your ballot.”

Absentee ballot request forms are available on the Secretary of State’s website. Voters need to download the form and mail it to their county auditor. Providing a phone number or email address on the form is encouraged, but not required.

Military members stationed outside the U.S. and overseas citizens can also begin requesting absentee ballots for the November general election. That request form is available by clicking here.

For more information to help prepare for the general election, Iowans are encouraged to visit VoterReady.Iowa.gov.

By O. Kay Henderson (Radio Iowa)

The number of Iowa prison inmates who’re caught commuting another crime after they’ve been released from prison has been dropping.

“Recidivism went down last year for the first time in six years,” Iowa Department of Corrections director Beth Skinner said of data from state Fiscal Year 2021. “…Recidivism has gone down another 1.7% this year.”

And that would be for the state’s fiscal year that ended June 30, 2022. At one point, more than four out of 10 people being sent to a state prison had been sentenced to a correctional facility before. It’s fallen to 37%, which Skinner says ranks Iowa among the top 10 states at reducing returns to prison.

“Our staff has worked so hard to do evidence based practices, have fidelity to the work they do. Their commitment, their passion for people to have second chances, knowing they’re going back into their communities — they’ve done a lot of work,” Skinner said. “We’ve had a lot of plates spinning. We’ve executed a lot and that’s why we’re seeing that success.”

More than 600,000 people are released from state prisons in the United States each year. Within three years, two out of three of them are arrested and more than half are incarcerated again.

A small portion of Iowa inmates have been sentenced to spend the rest of their lives in prison, while 95% of the people in an Iowa prison today a release date. Skinner said ensuring a period of parole is a priority.

“There are people that flatten out and when we say flatten out, that means that they leave prison with no time. Is that ideal? No,” Skinner said. “We want people to have time in supervision so they don’t fall through the cracks because…reentry can be challenging. If you imagine yourself being incarcerated five, 10 years and get out, the world has changed…so we want to make sure that they have time to get out and someone catches them and they get the wraparound services to address any kind of mental health issue, or substance abuse issue, or transportation, or jobs.”

Six out of 10 people who enter prison have a substance abuse issue and Skinner says the goal is to ensure those with short sentences go into a treatment program when they’re released. Prison entry evaluations include mental health screening as well and up to 70% of inmates have some sort of mental health diagnosis.

“Then we get them the treatment they need and we try to stabilize them,” Skinner said. “And then, once they get out, we make sure they have medication, they have a prescription, so they don’t fall through the cracks while they’re waiting to see a mental health provider.”

About 30-40% of people sentenced to Iowa prisons do not have a high school diploma. The state prison system has programs that help inmates earn a GED, a college diploma or skilled worker certificate while they’re in prison. Skinner said having a degree dramatically reduces the likelihood they will wind up back in prison.

Skinner made her comments this weekend on “Iowa Press” on Iowa PBS.