OSKALOOSA — The Mahaska and Poweshiek County Extension offices will host a free, one-hour learning session for private well owners on Thursday November 7. The program will help attendees understand their well’s water quality and connect them to resources to manage their well.

The free program will take place on Thursday November 7 from 6-7 pm at the New Sharon City Park Building located at 108 North Pearl Street in New Sharon.  Registration is requested by November 4.  To register, use https://go.iastate.edu/ICGWY1  or contact the Mahaska County Extension office by phone 641-673-5841 or email striegel@iastate.edu or the Poweshiek county Extension office by phone 641-623-5288 or email clents@iastate.edu .

Did you know that Iowa has a unique funding source for free or low-cost annual testing of private wells? Or that some water pollutants are odorless, tasteless and will not be removed by boiling water? If you’re curious about the answers to these questions, then take advantage of the upcoming learning session which will detail how to test your well and who can help, common contaminants, and factors that affect well water quality.

The program will be taught by Catherine DeLong, Water Quality Program Manager for ISU Extension and Outreach. According to DeLong, “About 230,000 Iowans rely on private wells as their home’s main water source, yet many do not know they should be testing once a year and that Iowa has a unique funding source to help cover the cost of testing.”

Des Moines, IA – Iowans have an opportunity to enroll in health insurance for 2025 during the Health Insurance Marketplace Open Enrollment which starts this Friday, November 1^st and goes through January 15, 2025.

Anyone who is not eligible for insurance through Medicare, Medicaid, or employer-based insurance may be eligible to purchase insurance under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) coverage provisions. Iowa Navigator assists people with the process of selecting a plan and applying for financial assistance that helps people pay for their monthly premium. About 90% of those who enroll receive subsidies to make the insurance more affordable. New rules have increased subsidies and make it possible for even most high-income earners to qualify for the lower-cost plans. National trends show that about four in five people across the country could get a plan for less than $10 per month.

Iowa Navigator is a federally funded non-profit organization that helps families and other underserved communities gain access to health coverage options through the Marketplace, Medicaid, or CHIP. They can assist with enrollment applications and help consumers apply for financial assistance through HealthCare.gov. In 2019, First Choice Services, a non-profit agency headquartered in West Virginia, applied and was awarded funding from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to expand its operations so that it could help Iowa residents. From 2019 through August of 2024, the IA Navigator program offered only virtual or phone assistance.

For this Open Enrollment period, IA Navigator has received its highest-ever funding award. CMS recently announced that the organization would receive $1.25 million per year for the next five years. This increase has allowed the program to hire 8 Navigators in Iowa who will work across the state in three offices based in Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, and Sioux City. This expansion will allow for in-person enrollment assistance by Navigators to be offered for the first time since 2018.

Jeremy Smith, Program Director for IA Navigator, says getting help signing up is essential. Many people are overwhelmed by the options or may not realize how to shop for affordable health coverage. Smith says that the increase in funding has really helped the program expand and get the word out about the Marketplace. “This historic increase in funding for our program will help us provide even more assistance to Iowans and will allow us to increase our presence in communities throughout the state.” Smith says. “Our Navigators will be working hard throughout the year to help get the word out to people about the benefits of the Health Insurance Marketplace. We are excited to see how this year goes and to help get the uninsured rate down.”

It is important that Iowans pay attention to Open Enrollment deadlines. For January 1st coverage, sign-up must be completed between November 1^st and December 15th. Open Enrollment will completely end on January 15th. People who already have a plan and need to re-enroll are encouraged to double-check the network and prescription drug coverage for any changes and update their information in case they qualify for additional cost savings. The IA Navigator program is available in-person or by telephone. Call 515-978-9570 or visit www.iowanavigator.com to book an in-person or phone appointment for free assistance.

JOHNSTON – Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate and state and federal election security partners convened at the Iowa Department of Homeland Security’s Emergency Operation Center to remind voters of the many safeguards in place that protect Iowa’s election integrity.

Representatives state and federal election security partners are in regular communication throughout the year to solidify their respective roles in keeping Iowa elections safe and secure. During the leadup to an election, communication is ongoing and consistent, ensuring that Iowa elections are protected from every angle. This week, leaders from these agencies convened at a press conference to share more details on their roles in election security and reinforce the state’s nationally ranked approach to election administration: pre-and post-election audits, paper ballots, physical and cyber security measures, bipartisan teams of poll workers and partnerships with election security partners are all critical components.

“Voting is the cornerstone of our democracy and ensuring all of Iowa’s eligible voters are able to cast their votes safely and securely in Iowa’s elections is essential,” said Secretary Pate. “Iowa voters should be reassured that through key partnerships at the state and federal levels, we have their backs. We have numerous checks and balances in place and the strongest team possible to keep Iowa elections safe and secure, and I urge every eligible to voter to make their plan to vote in this General Election.”

Potential threats to our election security range from physical to cyber threats, and Iowa’s Department of Public Safety has laid the groundwork to secure Iowa’s General Election.

“Voting is one of our most sacred civic responsibilities, and the Department of Public Safety is committed to ensuring all Iowans can exercise this right safely and confidently,” said Stephan Bayens, Commissioner of the Iowa Department of Public Safety. “We are working tirelessly with our partners to protect the integrity of our electoral process, monitor threats, and combat misinformation. It is crucial for Iowans to rely on trusted information from state or local election officials. We remain vigilant in defending the principle of one person, one vote.”

Election security partners know that it is vitally important to prepare for the worst but hope for the best – monitoring for any possible situation that may impact a voter’s experience. The Department of Homeland Security and Management monitors Election Day activity.

“Iowa’s voters deserve the right to cast their votes in a safe and secure environment,” stated John Benson, Director of the Iowa Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. “We work closely with the Secretary of State’s Office and other state, federal, and local partners to ensure that election security is a priority in Iowa.”

In today’s digital age, election threats have evolved to also encompass cybersecurity threats. State agencies like the Department of Management’s Division of IT (Dom DoIT) are key partners in monitoring for such threats.

“Cyberattacks are a rising danger in today’s digital world, especially during elections,” said Shane Dwyer, Chief Information Security Officer, Department of Management’s Division of Information Technology. “We take these threats seriously with safeguards in place to prevent them, including 24/7 heightened cyberthreat, collaboration with county election offices to protect against threats, and engaging multiple communication channels allowing security partners to comprehend the extent of threats and better recognize indicators of compromise.”

With instances of cyberthreats on the rise, support from the Iowa National Guard’s Joint Task Force Cyber has also been a critical component in the effort to protect Iowa’s elections.

“The mission of our Cyber Team is to support efforts by the Secretary of State’s Office to protect and defend their networks during the General Election season. Over the last year, Cybersecurity Guardsmen trained and exercised with our supported Iowa government agencies. We once again look forward to serving the people of Iowa during this critical time,” said Lieutenant Colonel Erik Howg, 168^th Cyberspace Operations Squadron, Iowa Air National Guard.

Federal partners like the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency work year-round with election officials to offer critical infrastructure support and ensure secure elections nationwide.

“The 2024 election cycle is facing arguably the most complex threat environment ever, but America’s election infrastructure is also more secure and the election community more prepared than ever,” said Phil Kirk, Regional Director, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Region 7. “This is not an accident. It is the result of the hard work across the election security community led by Secretary Pate in Iowa and other state and local election officials around the country who secure and administer the American election process. These public servants are the true frontline defenders of American democracy, and CISA is proud to support them by offering a range of services and support to help in administering safe and secure elections. The American people should feel confident that their votes will be counted as cast, and they should know our election is secure.”

The FBI has a full team of election crimes coordinators who coordinate with partners at all levels to investigate allegations and monitor potential threats ranging from threats against election workers to malicious cyber activity.

“In the months leading up to Election Day, the FBI has been engaged in extensive preparations to secure the election,” said FBI Omaha Special Agent in Charge Eugene Kowel.  “As always, we are working closely with our federal, state, and local partners across Iowa and Nebraska to ensure seamless integration with every entity who has shared responsibility for election security. The FBI stands ready to respond to a host of potential scenarios related to election fraud, voter suppression, foreign malign influence, malicious cyber activity against election infrastructure, and threats to election workers. Our work will continue beyond November 5th. We are committed to protecting the American public’s right to a fair and safe election.”

Secretary Pate and other speakers also urged Iowans to be leery of election misinformation and disinformation. Instead, turn to trusted sources for election information, which are the Secretary of State and county election officials.

“While partnerships with state and federal agencies are crucial to keeping Iowa’s elections safe and secure, so are our partners at the local level,” added Secretary Pate. “When Iowans visit the polls on Election Day, I’d like them to remind to treat local election officials and poll workers with respect. These folks are trusted faces from your community. They put in long hours on Election Day all because they care about securing elections for their neighbors.”

Polls will be open across Iowa from 7 a.m. – 8 p.m. on Tuesday for the November 5 General Election. Voters should visit VoterReady.Iowa.gov or their county auditor’s website to find their polling place and other election-related information.