What is the ‘death tax’ in Ashley Hinson’s commercials? Your Call the Courier questions

Q: Can mold be safely removed from a basement by the homeowner and if so how would that be done?

A: The Environmental Protection Agency says homeowners can safely remove mold themselves if the patch is less than 3 feet by 3 feet. The EPA says water leaks should be fixed and then dried completely and mold can be scrubbed off of hard surfaces with detergent and water. Absorbent materials, like ceiling tiles and carpet, should be thrown away.

Q: The black-colored birds that we see flying around, I live on the southwestern part of Waterloo, are they hawks or just blackbirds or crows?

A: It’s hard to say without a photo, but there are some easily noticeable features of common black-colored birds. Red-winged blackbirds have a red spot on their wing, common grackles have an iridescent sheen and crows are all black and bigger. Book stores likely sell bird field guides, or there is a great bird identification app called Merlin.

Q: I would like to know who you would call at the city about the places that people are not mowing. Cars are sitting in the yard and it looks like part of Waterloo looks like the south side of Chicago. Why is code enforcement not tagging these people to get them to mow the Kentucky Fried Chicken on Kimball, they haven’t mowed Popeye’s on San Marnan.

A: The city of Waterloo’s code enforcement department is who you would call for these issues. The number is (319) 291-3820.

Q: What is the death tax that Ashley Hinson’s commercials are talking about?

A: The “death tax” refers to the federal estate tax on large inheritances before money is given to a person’s heirs. The executor of the dead person’s estate must file a form with the federal government if, for someone who died in 2026, the deceased’s individual assets have exceeded $15 million before being taxed.

Call (319) 291-1550 to leave a voicemail or email newsroom@wcfcourier.com with your question.