Officials with The Sam’s Club Giving Program say they’ve awarded a $500,000 grant to First Children’s Finance to provide finance and management assistance to child care businesses in Iowa and Minnesota. In Western Iowa the new Guided Growth project will focus on child care growth and quality by offering community facilitation, child care provider training, and comprehensive business assistance to help child care providers grow and improve their business quality, viability and sustainability, which leads to high-quality child care and education for all young children and families.

The program launches this month with a series of kick off events. The purpose of the events is to get local child care providers, community members and business leaders together to inform them of the opportunity.

The kick off events hosted by First Children’s Finance, Sam’s Giving Program, and Child Care Resource & Referral will be held:
• Tuesday August 19 in Clarinda
• Wednesday August 20 in Council Bluffs and Harlan
• Wednesday August 27 in Sioux City
• Thursday August 28 in Spencer and Fort Dodge

For more information on the Guided Growth project and specific times and locations for the kick off events, visit www.firstchildrensfinance.org/guidedgrowth or contact Angie Rae Duncan with First Children’s Finance at 515-229-5064.

A semi hauling about 155 hogs to St. Joseph, MO., overturned late Thursday night in Montgomery County, killing at least 60 and injuring the driver. The Sheriff’s Office reports the accident happened at around 10:15-p.m. on Highway 71, about a mile north of Morton Mills.

Authorities say the 2013 Peterbilt driven by 42-year old Ronald William Moore, of Denison, and owned by Sioux Valley Transport, was traveling south on Highway 71 when the tractor-trailer crossed the center line of the road and entered the east ditch before rolling onto its side. Moore suffered minor injuries during the accident, and was transported to the Montgomery County Memorial Hospital by Villisca Rescue.

The hogs were unloaded from the tipped over trailer into another trailer, also owned by Sioux Valley Transport. Damage to the semi’s tractor & trailer was estimated at $100,000 altogether. The hog loss was estimated at $18,000.

The accident remains under investigation. The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office was assisted at the scene by personnel with the Gran Fire Dept., Villisca Fire Dept., Iowa State Patrol, Montgomery County Emergency Management, and area farmers, who lent their equipment to assist in the loading and unloading of hogs.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Republican Governor Terry Branstad and Democratic challenger Jack Hatch sparred over who could best boost job creation, enhance education and improve quality of life during their first televised debate. Branstad and Hatch met yesterday at the Iowa State Fair. It was the first of three debates in the race.

KEOSAUQUA, Iowa (AP) — County officials in southeast Iowa have shorten the treasurer’s office hours because of staffing issues. The Van Buren County Board of Supervisors agreed Monday to shorten the days of operation for the county treasurer’s office in Keosauqua to Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. They tell the Burlington Hawk Eye the regular schedule of five days a week returns in 2015.

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — Members of a church in Dubuque are looking for somewhere to hold services for three to six months while engineers fix serious roof issues at their building. The Dubuque Telegraph Herald reports there are serious issues with the roof at St. Elias The Prophet Church. The Reverend Dustin Lyon says the Greek Orthodox church will have to close while a new roof is designed and built. Crews propped up the roof temporarily this week while parishioners rushed to move valuable hand-painted icons.

AMES, Iowa (AP) —If it’s the middle of August, the Cyclones are in the middle of yet another quarterback controversy. The Cyclones have narrowed their choices down to junior Sam Richardson and sophomore Grant Rohach, and coach Paul Rhoads says that he’ll name a starter by Monday.