Iowa

Iowa veteran awarded the Order of the Gray Dragon for service

Published

2 weeks ago

April 29, 2024

Iowa veteran awarded the Order of the Gray Dragon for service

WILLIAMSBURG, Iowa (KCRG) – Saturday, an Iowa man was awarded the Order of the Gray Dragon, recognizing his work in a Navy Nuclear Weapons Program.

Navy veteran Robert Mowry was given the award by the Navy Nuclear Weapons Association in a ceremony in Williamsburg Saturday.

The recognition belongs to one person at a time, the member of the Nuclear Weapons Program with the earliest entry date. With the passing of the previous Dragon, that honor now belongs to Mowry.

“I went into Special Weapons Unit 1233 in January 1953 from boot camp. Had no idea what a special weapons was. Gun that shoots around the corner? What? Had no idea—I had no idea it meant atomic weapons,” said Mowry.

Mowry’s job was to inspect the atomic bombs.

“I did this five days a week for two-and-a-half years,” he said.

He was never able to tell anyone about his service until 1996 with the repeal of the Nuclear Radiation and Secrecy Agreements Act.

“All he said was, ‘I served in the Navy,’” said Mowry’s daughter Angie Daugherty. “It was a big deal to him to be able to finally talk about what he did.”

Kris Hobbs, the president of the Navy Nuclear Weapons Association, said those who worked on nuclear weapons are a dying breed.

“There’s a lot of stuff that’s going on here that they’ve received… radiation exposure and so forth—that the VA is not recognizing it a lot. So it’s good for us to recognize the oldest one here,” said Hobbs.

Mowry watched 17 atomic bombs explode in the Marshall Islands.

“You heard the sound wave come across….watch the mushroom cloud rise and disperse and see if it was going to flow over you or not,” said Mowry.

“Back in the day, they didn’t know anything about radiation,” said Daugherty. “It’s amazing that he’s even still here.”

Mowry is still here, grateful that so many friends and family came to celebrate his service.

“What I did was very unusual. There aren’t many people that did what I did…I’m very proud, very proud of my service,” said Mowry.

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Iowa

Iowa football adds Northwestern wide receiver Jacob Gill

Published

6 hours ago

May 14, 2024

Press Room

Iowa football adds Northwestern wide receiver Jacob Gill

At least one player will follow quarterback Brendan Sullivan from Northwestern to the Iowa football team.

Transfer wide receiver Jacob Gill appeared in four games for Northwestern during his junior season in Evanston. He had one catch for 11 yards.

He appeared in 16 games over three years with Northwestern. Gill totaled 16 receptions for 195 career yards and two touchdowns. His longest reception was for 47 yards and a touchdown against Penn State during the 2022 season.

The 6-foot, 190-pound receiver held offers from North Carolina State, Wake Forest, and Louisville before committing to Northwestern.

Gill is the third transfer player to commit to Kirk Ferentz’s team. He joins Sullivan, his former Northwestern teammate, and former North Dakota offensive lineman and Iowa native Cade Borud.

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Iowa

President Biden approves Presidential Major Disaster Declaration for parts of Iowa after storms

Published

13 hours ago

May 14, 2024

Press Room

President Biden approves Presidential Major Disaster Declaration for parts of Iowa after storms

POLK COUNTY, Iowa (KCRG) – President Biden has approved Governor Kim Reynolds’ request for a Major Disaster Declaration, the governor’s office confirmed Tuesday.

It comes after strong storms impacted parts of the state on April 26.

The declaration authorizes the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) to provide assistance to Clarke, Harrison, Mills, Polk, Pottawattamie, Ringgold, Shelby, and Union Counties.

Homeowners, renters and businesses in these counties can apply for FEMA’s Individual Assistance Program to get help with housing, property replacement, medical expenses and legal services.

Business owners and individuals in these counties can apply by calling 1-800-621-3362, or registering online. The helpline operates from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., 7 days a week.

People can download applications to receive additional disaster assistance information here, or call SBA’s Customer Service Center at 1-800-659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance.

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Iowa

Iowa rivers face record nitrate levels following heavy rains

Published

20 hours ago

May 14, 2024

Press Room

Iowa rivers face record nitrate levels following heavy rains

Recent heavy rains in Iowa have led to record nitrate levels in the state’s major rivers, prompting concerns over water safety and environmental impacts.

Jared Strong reports for Iowa Capital Dispatch.

In short:

Record-high nitrate levels have been detected in the Boone, Cedar, Iowa, and Turkey rivers due to recent heavy rainfall.
Des Moines Water Works has reactivated its nitrate removal system as nitrate concentrations in some rivers exceeded safe drinking water standards.
State efforts to reduce river nitrate levels through voluntary conservation measures have shown little progress over the past decade.

Key quote:

“This is one of the biggest nitrate leaching events in 11 years.”

— David Cwiertny, director of the Center for Health Effects of Environmental Contamination at the University of Iowa

Why this matters:

High nitrate levels can lead to increased algae growth in rivers and lakes, reducing oxygen levels and harming aquatic life. These conditions can also pose a threat to public health, as they compromise the safety of drinking water sources, particularly in heavily impacted areas like Des Moines.

Related EHN coverage:

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