The Chair of the Audubon County Community Foundation (ACCF) announced today (Monday), that $28,700 in grants were awarded Friday to seven non-profit groups or organizations in the County. Brett Irlmeier said including the latest grant cycle, $762, 746 has been distributed to non-profit organizations and entities within the county, over the past 11years. All grantees met the criteria as Audubon County nonprofit agencies or organizations, and only those groups in Audubon County were eligible for the grants.

Included among them, was:

• The Audubon Chamber of Commerce, which received $1,000 for lighting, to accent the architectural design of downtown structures.
• The Audubon County Hospital Foundation, which received a $3,000 grant to purchase equipment for expanded patient care services.
• The Audubon Stage Committee received a $4,400 grant to build a stage for use by numerous community groups, activities and festivals.
• A $5,000 grant was awarded to the Exira Public Library, for new furnishings to compliment the expansion and remodeling project.
• New Opportunties, Inc./Audubon County Mentoring Program received a $4,800 grant for the purchase of new skates for the Agri-Hall.
• Nishna Valley Trails received a $5,500 grant to erect a sign on the Audubon trail head.
• And, the Little Mermaid Trail Committee received a $5,000 grant for development of Phase 1 Trail Construction.

The total includes: $2,000 from the Leon and Iva Milliman Endowed Fund, which went to the Exira Public Library; $1,000 from the Charles T. and Kathleen Manatt Endowed Fund for the Audubon Chamber and Stage Committee grants; $500 from the Audubon State Bank/Stephen Garst Endowed Fund, $1,000 from the Audubon Masonic Association Endowed Fund, $470 from the Merle and Norman Petersen Endowed Fund, and $470 from the Fred and Evelyn Nissen Endowed Fund, for the the Audubon Stage Committee grant.

All Audubon County agency representatives received their grant checks on November 18th. For more information about donating or establishing an individual foundation/fund, contact any ACCF board member , or Dennis Nissen, Iowa Program Officer, at 1-800-794-3458.

The Page County Sheriff’s Department reports a Taylor County man was arrested Saturday on a warrant for Failure to Appear. Sheriff Lyle Palmer says 19-year old Roberto Hernandez Cruz, of New Market, was arrested in Clarinda by a Page County Deputy. Cruz was unable to post bond and was released to a Taylor County Deputy for transportto the Taylor County Jail, for holding.

The Adair County Board of Supervisors will hold their regular weekly session Tuesday morning, in Greenfield. On their agenda at 10-a.m., is a closed session to discuss matters in litigation with Iowa Communities Assurance Pool (ICAP) Representative & Attorney Michelle Rodamyer, Cass-Adair County Engineer Charles Marker, and County Attorney Mike Maynes.

The regular session begins at 9-a.m., and will include an update from County Conservationist Kevin Blazek on the Orient Lake Safe House/Shower building, and request for a letter of support.  Cass-Adair County Engineer Charles Marker will also present a road closure resolution for the board to sign, and right of way contracts for bridge replacement projects, along with his regular activities and road maintenance reports.

Three western Iowa residents face theft charges following their arrests Sunday afternoon for copper wire theft in Pottawattamie County. Pott County Sheriff’s Department spokesman Sgt. Dwayne Richie told KJAN News 27-year old Sara Lindgren, of Mondamin, along with 28-year old Nicholas Day and 23-year old Dane Larsen, both of Little Sioux, were arrested and charged with Theft in the Second Degree and Criminal Trespass. Lindgren faces additional charges of Possession of a Controlled Substance and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

Sgt. Richie says at around 2:05-p.m. Sunday, a resident who lives along Whippoorwill Road observed suspicious activity occurring near a tower owned by American Power, out of Bellevue, NE. The witness called authorities and was able to provide them with a license plate of the suspects vehicle, which was described as a KIA Spectra. Two of the suspects, a white female and a male were in the car, which was parked behind the towers. A third person, a white male was observed climbing on a tower.

Richie says a deputy responding to the scene saw a vehicle matching the suspect’s vehicle at around 2:16-p.m., and initiated a traffic stop because he observed copper wiring sticking out of the back of the vehicle.

Lindgren, Day and Larsen were being held in the Pott County Jail on $5,000 bond each. They were scheduled to appear in court, this morning.