The Iowa Western Department of Economic Development, and Workforce Development, in conjunction with the Iowa Western Small Business Development Center, have announced the top five area businesses in the “Dream Big, Grow Here” contest. Local businesses advancing in the competition include:  The Pudgy Pumpkin Patch Gift Shop in Red Oak, Egg Krate Antiques LLC in Elk Horn, Innovative Strength and Condition in Neola, Willow Creek Glass Chapel and Banquet Hall in Shelby and Kitchen Sisters LLC in Persia.

A wildcard, Valley Drug in Missouri Valley, was also selected by representatives of the Southwest Iowa Dream Big Grow Here contest. Each business was judged based on their creative and strategic approaches to getting votes during the contest, as well as the validity of their business model.

A regional pitch off contest for a chance to win $5,000 will be held on October 29th, 2013 from noon to 3pm at Iowa Western Community College in Council Bluffs. The public is invited to attend the regional pitch off by calling for reservations at 712-325-3350. The winner(s) will have a chance to compete for $10,000 at the statewide EntreFest Conference in 2014.

(Joel McCall/KNOD)

Two southwest Iowa teens were injured during a single-vehicle accident late Wednesday night, about 5-miles east of Shenandoah. Page County Sheriff Lyle Palmer reports 16-year old Brydget Bird, of Essex, and a passenger in her car, 16-year old Sayj Martin, of Shenandoah, were transported by Mercy 1 helicopter to Creighton Medical Center in Omaha, following the crash that happened at around 11-p.m. on E Avenue, a half-mile north of Highway 2. The teens, who were both wearing their seat belts, suffered possible, unknown injuries.

Palmer says the girls were traveling north on E Avenue in 1996 Mercury Mystique, when they met another car. Bird panicked and moved too far over to the right side of the road. Two tires on the vehicle left the pavement causing it to go out of control before entering a ditch and colliding with a large road culvert. The vehicle was totaled in the crash. Damage to the road tube was estimated at $500.

Emergency personnel used the jaws of life to extricate the females, who were trapped in the car. Crews were on the scene for about two-hours. No citations have been issued.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Due to a surge in enrollment at Iowa State University, a record number of students are attending Iowa’s public universities this fall. An Iowa Board of Regents report released this week shows that 76,465 students are enrolled at ISU, the University of Iowa and the University of Northern Iowa. The number is the seventh straight annual increase at the three schools and amounts to 9,000 more than were enrolled just 15 years ago.

This year’s increase was driven by an enrollment count of 33,241 at ISU, more than 2,000 additional students and a 7 percent increase compared to last year. The University of Iowa’s enrollment of 31,065 was a decline of 433 students, while UNI’s 12,159 enrollment was a decrease of 114.