A consumer watchdog group finds the fees charged by banks continue to rise. Iowa Public Interest Research Group spokeswoman Amber Hard says her group’slatest report on fees covers 1998.The average cost of a checking account nationwide is two-hundred-17-dollarsa year. Hard says it costs about one-hundred-90-dollars a year to maintaina checking account at an Iowa bank.Iowa ranks 9th out of the 34 states surveyed for the cost of a checkingaccount. Hard says smaller may be better when it comes to avoiding bankfees.Hard says Iowans should shop around to get the best deal before opening achecking account.