The fire in a Bronx, New York, apartment building that killed at least 17 people was started by a malfunctioning space heater, according to officials there. A door left open in the building also contributed to the spread of the fire.

The Iowa City Fire Department wishes to remind the community that one in every seven home fires and one in every five home fire deaths involve heating equipment, according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).

The U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) and the UL Fire Safety Research Institute have the following tips for staying warm...

Is taking climate action one of your resolutions for the new year? There is still time to apply to the Iowa City Climate Ambassadors program. The application can be found on the Climate Ambassador website and will be accepted through Monday, Jan. 10, 2022.

The program was created to engage climate change leaders within Iowa City to help advance goals identified in the city's Climate Action and Adaptation Plan.

Thirty-nine residents have successfully completed the training since the program began in 2020. As part of the training, Ambassadors:

The City is offering a limited number of small matching grants with priority given to Iowa Targeted Small Businesses (TSB) located in Iowa City.

Businesses without employees may qualify for up to $2,000 while those with employees (and for whom W-2s are filed) may be eligible for up to $5,000. The deadline to apply is Feb. 4, 2022, and grant recipients will be notified by Feb. 11, 2022.

Businesses with an Iowa TSB certification will be given priority in the grant evaluation. TSB certification is designed to help women, individuals with minority status, service-connected...

Are you weighing which climate actions to adopt in 2022? Should you cut down on packaging or invest in a clothesline? Buy an EV or eat less meat? How can you decide what has the most impact and works best for you?

We can help! Join Recycling Coordinator Jane Wilch and Climate Action Engagement Specialist Sarah Gardner for an open discussion of how they weigh options for both City initiatives and individual actions.

As with the previous “Speaking Of” discussion, you won’t see any slides, charts, or graphs. But you will have a chance to take part in an open conversation about...