Ten Iowa cities or nonprofits are splitting about 40-thousand dollars worth of state grants for “spruce up” projects. Kathy Ridnour of the Iowa Department of Transportation says the money comes from the Keep Iowa Beautiful program. Ridnour says the state grants will finance a variety of projects. Some grant recipients will launch litter prevention programs, some will plant bushes and flowers; others will start recycling programs. Ridnour says Iowa’s a more inviting and welcoming place to be when it’s litter-free. Fast food containers, empty cigarette packs and snack wrappers are the most common types of trash found along Iowa roadsides. Award recipients include: Burlington Downtown Partners, Inc.; Greenfield Chamber of Commerce; Guttenberg River Front Task Force; Iowa Recycling Association; Keep Scott County Beautiful; Louisa County Conservation Board; Main Street Osceola; Marshalltown Central Business District; Rotary Club of Burlington; andWaste Commission of Scott County. More information’s available at keepiowabeautiful.com