Stephanie Strauss, executive officer overseeing the government affairs program at the Alcoholic Beverages Division, will lead the national group representing regulators in 41 states and the District of Columbia.

The National Conference of State Liquor Administrators is a 501©(3) corporation that “provides a forum for its members to communicate openly and learn about the creation and maintenance of successful systems for regulating beverage alcohol in the service of the public interest “It says his mission statement.

“Stephanie is a dedicated civil servant and has demonstrated leadership in this industry over the past 12 years. I am pleased that she is recognized for this distinguished role and look forward to the initiatives she will launch over the next year as the leader of this organization,” said Stephen Larson, administrator of the Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division, in a press release.

Strauss began working at the state’s Alcoholic Beverages Department in 2010, having previously worked in the State Treasurer’s Office.

DISASTER PROCLAMATIONS: Gov. Kim Reynolds issued a disaster proclamation for Emmet, Hancock, O’Brien and Winnebago counties in response to Tuesday’s severe weather.

The proclamation entitles some lower-income residents in the four boroughs to various grants to help cover costs related to storm damage, including home or car repairs, clothing or food replacements, and temporary housing.

Applications have 45 days from Wednesday to apply for assistance. The application and instructions are available at dhs.iowa.gov.

DISTRICT JUDGE APPOINTED: Robert Tiefenthaler has been appointed district judge for District 3B, which includes six counties in northwestern Iowa, by Gov. Kim Reynolds.

Tiefenthaler, of Sergeant Bluff, currently practices law in Sioux City, according to a press release from the Governor’s Office.

FUNDED PROJECTS: The state Department of Transportation awarded more than $1 million to 18 electric vehicle charging projects with funds from a state settlement with Volkswagen.

The settlement was the result of a federal lawsuit alleging the automaker had installed devices on its vehicle that falsified emissions data. With the settlement, a fund was created for projects intended to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions.

A complete list of projects can be viewed at news.iowadot.gov.

$24 MILLION RETURNED: More than $24 million was returned to more than 25,000 claimants in the past fiscal year as part of the Iowa Treasury Department’s bureau program that returns missing money and abandoned property to its rightful owners, the bureau said in a press release.

Iowa Treasurer Mike Fitzgerald calls the program the “Great Iowa Treasurer Hunt”. Iowans can enter their name online at greatiowatreasurerhunt.gov to determine if they are owed money or property

“Reuniting homeowners with their rightful property will always be one of the most rewarding aspects of my job, and I will continue to provide Iowans, past and present, with a free, easy, and accessible way to find their treasure,” Fitzgerald said in a press release.

HIRING OF AG DEPARTMENT: Travis Knight, Ph.D., has been hired as director of consumer protection and regulations for the state Department of Agriculture, the department said in a press release. Knight will oversee the agency’s Food Safety, Animal Health, Consumer Protection and Industrial Services divisions.

Knight has been with the department since 2005. Prior to that, he was an assistant scientist in the Department of Animal Sciences at Iowa State University, where he received his Ph.D. in biochemistry, the press release said.

ASH BORER MEETS KOSSUTH: Emerald ash borer was recently spotted for the first time in Kossuth County, making it the 92nd of Iowa’s 99 counties where the tree-killing insect was first spotted in 2010 since 2010, the state Department of Agriculture said.

Emerald ash borer is a significant threat to native ash species, typically killing an infested tree within two to four years.