23 non-profit agencies in Cass County have received a total of $110,139 in grants from the Cass County Community Foundation. CCCF Chair Nicholas Hunt says organizations in Cass County that submitted their applications for funds by the Feb. 1st, 2014 deadline, were eligible for grants.

Grant recipients include:

• Iowa Western Community College Foundation – $18,000 for furnishings & equipment for the student activity center.
• The City of Massena – $9,000 to create a Veteran’s Memorial section in the City Park.
• The Cass County Historical Museum – $8,000 for the continued renovation of Annex #2.
• The Center for the Advancement of Self-Sufficiency, Inc. – $7,000 for computer labs in 4 classrooms.
• The Atlantic Parks & Recreation Dept. – $6,000 for a new softball scoreboard & new water basketball/volleyball equipment for the pool.
• Lewis 1st Responders & Firefighters Assoc. – $6,000 for turnout gear.
• Nishna Valley YMCA – $6,000 for a Scout Hi-Lift, transport cart & pool access chairs.
• The Parkinson’s Support Group – $6,000 for 2 Expresso HD bikes.
• The Anita Foundation’s Health and Wellness Center – $5,000 for weight equipment.
• The City of Griswold – $5,000 to replace a partition in the Community Building.
• The Hitchcock House – $5,000 for siding on the gift shop/administration bldg.
• The Ann W. Wickman Child Development Center – $4,000 for building updates.
• The Cass County Memorial Hospital Foundation – $4,000 to replace fetal monitors and add a cardiac monitor.
• The City of Marne – $4,000 for a retaining wall, safety cover & pea rock for the children’s play area in the City Park.
• The Massena Public Library – $2,639 for  a commercial dehumidifier.
• The City of Anita – $2,000 for carpeting in the Community Center.
• The Griswold Public Library – $2,000 for treadmills and computers.
• Anita Child Care – $1,750 for renovations and equipment.
• and, the City of Lewis’ Public Library – $1,500 for a Heritage Center display case.

All grantees met the criteria as Cass County non-profit agencies or organizations with charitable missions in areas of civic, cultural, health, education and social services. The grant recipients received their checks on Friday, April 18th.

For more information about the Cass County Community Foundation, and/or how you can receive a tax credit for donations to a permanently endowed fund, contact Dennis Nissen, Iowa Foundations Director for the Community Foundations of Southwest Iowa, at 1-800-794-3458.

A three-vehicle collision in Montgomery County late Friday morning caused a total of $25,400 damage, but no one was injured. The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department reports vehicles driven by 41-year old Denise Reed, of Clarinda, 34-year old Gregory Franzen, of Omaha, and 81-year old Robert Randolph, of Council Bluffs,  collided at around 11:50-a.m. near the intersection of Highway 34 and 4th Street.

Officials say Reed’s eastbound 2011 Toyota Camry had slowed and then stopped for a vehicle in front of her that was turning left onto northbound 4th Street. Franzen’s  2013 Ford Fusion came to a stop behind the Toyota, but Randolph failed to notice Franzen’s vehicle was stopped until it was too late. He tried to stop, but Randolph’s  2008 Ford truck hit Franzen’s vehicle in the rear, causing that vehicle to be pushed into the rear of the Camry.

Authorities cited Robert Randolph for Following too Closely.

Authorities in Fremont County report a Shenandoah man was arrested Friday, following an investigation into an accident. Officials say deputies were called to the 2300 block of 330th Avenue for a report of a vehicle in a ditch. Upon arrival, deputies saw a 1996 Dodge Ram pickup on its side in the southbound ditch. The driver, 25-year old Travis Hoyt, of Shenandoah, was taken into custody.

Hoyt was charged with OWI/3rd offense, Use of an electronic communication device while driving, open container, Failure to provide proof of/or hold insurance; and Failure to Maintain Control.

Hoyt was brought to the Fremont County Jail and later released on $6,950 bond.

A retired utility engineer who is a member of the Iowa House of Representatives is raising concerns about a proposed high-voltage transmission line that is to be constructed across Iowa. Representative Ralph Watts, a Republican from Adel, objects to the use of the government’s “eminent domain” authority to seize property along the 500-mile route for the Rock Island Clean Line project.

“Rock Island Clean Lines is a non-utility, private enterprise embarking on a private project for private gain,” Watts says.”…Therefore, it would not serve a public purpose which is required as a justification for use of eminent domain.” Developers of wind farms are not allowed to use eminent domain authority to seize ground for wind turbines, but state law does allow eminent domain authority to be used for power lines. A bill stalled in the House this year that would have set up a new appeal process for Iowa landowners affected by power line projects that stretch 200 or more miles.

The proposed Rock Island Clean Line would export energy from wind turbines in northwest Iowa to Chicago and other electricity customers to the east. Representative Watts says it would be “shamefully negligent” for the Iowa utility board to allow the firm to use eminent domain authority to seize some of the Iowa farm ground needed for its project. “After all is said and done, if Rock Island Clean Lines is allowed the use of eminent domain for their project, it could likely result in the largest unjustified taking of private property in the history of the state of Iowa,” Watts says.

Governor Terry Branstad’s economic development director has called the transmission line “an important infrastructure project that needs to occur” because wind energy has the potential to be a growing Iowa export. Developers of the 500-mile Rock Island Clean Line project have charted a preferred route that would start in northwest Iowa’s O’Brien County and would exit on the east side of the state in Scott County, just north of the Quad Cities.

(Radio Iowa)