(Council Bluffs, IA) – The Iowa West Foundation Board of Directors recently approved $3.5 million in grant and initiative funding for more than 20 nonprofits in the southwest Iowa region. The funding will improve and enhance the lives of residents in Pottawattamie and surrounding counties, particularly those of children by way of early childhood services, trauma-informed care training, Wi-Fi access, parenting programs, and music education, among others.

Brenda Mainwaring, President and CEO of the Iowa West Foundation, said “Our goal is to help communities achieve their dreams. By supporting both critical services like access to early childhood development while also funding projects that increase quality of life such as park space and free, family-friendly events, it allows for the next generation to thrive within their community.”

The Iowa West Foundation also continues to address the lack of housing in the area. This follows a series of “Imagine Hour” listening sessions in which participants indicated it was a priority issue for the community. Anawim Housing as well as Metro Area Continuum of Care for the Homeless will receive support to increase the amount of safe housing for Council Bluffs residents. Studies show home ownership increases financial stability as well as a sense of belonging in communities.

Mainwaring noted that the partnerships with local casinos Ameristar, Harrah’s, and Horseshoe make it possible for the Foundation to continue meaningful grantmaking and initiative work in the community. Fees from gaming in addition to the Foundation’s investments enable the organization to award operating, capital, and programmatic grants throughout 14 counties in southwest Iowa.

For this cycle, the rural communities of Carson, Carter Lake, Dunlap, Little Sioux, Treynor, Underwood, and Walnut received funding for placemaking projects or essential fire safety gear. This includes a $500,000 grant to the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation to preserve the Little Sioux Scout Ranch as Loess Hills State Forest.

The Iowa West Foundation now accepts Letters of Inquiry (the first step in the grant application process) year-round with deadlines of Jan. 1, May. 1 and Sept. 1 prior to each of the three grants cycles. For more information, visit www.iowawestfoundation.org and sign up for our e-newsletter.

2022 Cycle 2 Grants and Initiatives

• Anawim Housing: Supportive housing gap, $360,000
• Angels Among Us: Assistance for Iowa families of children with cancer, $10,000
• Carson Volunteer Fire Department: Equipment, $10,000
• Children’s Square U.S.A. : Trauma Informed Care expansion initiative, $50,000
• City of Carter Lake: Mabrey Park enhancements, $45,000
• Council Bluffs Community School District: BLink Phase IX – LC School District Area, $100,000
• Council Bluffs Schools Foundation: STARS Scholarships, $275,000
• FAMILY, Inc.: Expanding Early Head Start, $300,000
• Food Bank of Iowa: Feeding Adams, Audubon, Carroll, and Taylor Counties,  $27,576
• Four County Fair Association: Parking lot improvements, $20,000
• Historic General Dodge House: 2022-2025 Operations, $38,500
• Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation: Little Sioux Scout Ranch addition to Loess Hills State Forest, $500,000
• Iowa West Foundation Initiative: Capacity-building, $100,000
• Iowa West Foundation Initiative: Support to leverage state and federal infrastructure funding, $1,600,000
• Metro Area Continuum of Care for the Homeless: Pottawattamie County housing problem solving, $75,000
• Nebraska Diaper Bank (Pottawattamie County distribution), $8,000
• Omaha Conservatory of Music: Council Bluffs String Sprouts,  $25,000
• Thriving Families Alliance: Coordinated intake,  $85,000
• Treynor Volunteer Fire Department: Gear replacement, $10,000
• Underwood Fire and Rescue: Gear & radio replacement, $10,000
• Union Pacific Museum Association, Railroad Days at Mile Zero, $18,662
• Walnut Volunteer Fire Department: Equipment & gear, $9,720.

(Walnut, Iowa) – The Iowa West Foundation’s grants team is hitting the road! Nicole Lindquist, Director of Communications for the IWF, says on Friday, Aug. 26th, the Foundation will host a free, rural grants workshop in Walnut. Individuals from surrounding communities are more than welcome to attend the in-person event, which will be held at the Walnut Community Center from 1-3 p.m.  Register for the workshop HERE.

Michelle Wodtke Franks, Program Officer, said “Great things are happening in rural southwest Iowa, so what better way to connect and partner than taking the workshop on the road to Walnut. This will be a great opportunity to meet with nonprofit leaders, share more about our grantmaking process, and answer questions about how to apply for funding.”

Topics will include:

Building a successful project: Project evaluation and review
Creating a budget and understanding match requirements
Securing bids and planning for a capital project
Navigating the IWF grants process and policies

There also will be time for attendees to talk to program officers 1-on-1 in advance of Cycle 3 of 2022.

(Radio Iowa) – Governor Kim Reynolds and the five Republicans in Iowa’s congressional delegation are calling on federal officials to release details about the F-B-I’s search of former President Donald Trump’s Florida home. Senator Joni Ernst is skeptical. “It doesn’t seem right,” Ernst says, “and it just doesn’t seem to be on the up and up.” Ernst says the American people deserve answers.

“Obviously no one knew that this was going to happen or occur,” Ernst says. “Like to know what’s behind it. We need clear answers coming from the (Attorney General) Merrick Garland on why this was executed the way it was executed (and) what they were looking for.” Ernst says Republicans are skeptical, in part, because the Department of Justice and F-B-I have been sitting on the sidelines when they should have investigated threats to Supreme Court Justices.

“The great fear and the concern that I’m hearing from the American people and something that I share is that we are now seeing the weaponization of the Department of Justice and the FBI,” Ernst says. Governor Kim Reynolds tweeted that the Biden Administration is taking our nation down a dangerous path. Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks of Ottumwa says it’s time for Washington to focus on the crimes happening at the border and in U.S. cities and not waste taxpayer dollars investigating political rivals.

Ernst says it appears the search may be related boxes of presidential records and classified material Trump took to Florida that should have been turned over to the National Archives.  “If it’s something that simple, then tell us,” Ernst says. “Tell us these are things that should go to the Archive, but we haven’t heard a direct answer on that yet.” Senator Chuck Grassley says Americans have a right to be skeptical about the search of a former president’s home. Grassley says without transparency, the F-B-I and Department of Justice risk damaging their credibility.

Republican Congressman Randy Feenstra of Hull says the F-B-I must immediately provide a full accounting of facts. Republican Congresswoman Ashley Hinson of Marion says if voters elect a GOP majority in the House this November, Republicans will provide rigorous oversight of the Biden Administration and ensure they are serving the American people, not targeting them. Democrats like House Speaker Nancy Pelosi say no one is above the law, even presidents, and the investigation should be allowed to run its course.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Cass County Board of Supervisors met Tuesday morning and heard from Assured Partners representative Katie Schmit, Account Manager with Assured Partners, who discussed the County’s Partial Self Fund Plan with Tristar, and changing to a new self-funding plan. She recommended a company called Auxiant out of Cedar Rapids.

Currently, 26 out of 27 counties do partial self-funding and 11 of those use Auxiant and Schmidt said they are very pleased. Claims will be paid to the providers instead of how it is currently being paid to the employees. They will still be paid on a weekly basis. Employees will have their own portal and ISAC will provide employee training. The new company will integrate with current software that is used with Tristar.

The annual admin fee is $10.00 per employee. The flex plan portion has an annual fee of $200.00 an $5.00 per employee. There is a one time set up fee of $1000.00. A Motion by Mark O’Brien was seconded by Steve Green to approve a contract with Auxiant carried unanimously. It will take effect January 1, 2023.

Engineer Trent Wolken recommended the end of the probationary period for Garrett Schwanke, hired in May 2022, to be ended and payrate be increased. Motion by Hartkopf and seconded by Pettinger to approve that the end of the probationary period status for Garrett Schwanke end effective August 16, 2022, and payrate be set at $23.00/hour. Carried unanimously.

Wolken reported unforeseen circumstances have arisen since adoption of the approved Secondary Road Five Year Program and previous revisions, requiring changes to the sequence, funding, and timing of the proposed work plan. Cass County Engineer presented Resolution No. 2022-39 that initiates and recommends modification of named projects. The Resolution was adopted as presented.

Resolution no. 2022-040 was presented on behalf of the Cass County Sheriff’s Office to authorize specific employees to be named on an account with First Whitney Bank and Trust to conduct transactions. Spencer Walton, Darby McLaren and John Westering will be named on the account as the only authorized users. The Resolution was adopted as presented.

(Thanks to Auditor’s Deputy Sheri Karns for the meeting minutes)

(Glenwood, Iowa) – The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports five arrests from over the past week. Today (Tuesday), 44-year-old Angie Frances Bothwell, of Glenwood, was arrested at the Mills County Sheriff’s Office on a warrant for Theft in the 5th Degree. Bond set at $300. Sunday morning, 21-year-old Christian Joevanny Perez Chavez, of Omaha, was arrested for OWI/1st offense ($1,000 bond).

On Saturday, 21-year-old Alan Giovanni Villalobos Madera, and 23-year-old Ariana Rose Dibernardo, both of Omaha, were arrested on separate OWI/1st offense charges. Bond set at $1,000 each. And, on August 4th, 25-year-old Cody Ray Cloyd, of Omaha, was arrested for OWI/1st offense.

An injury accident was reported August 2nd in Mills County. Authorities say 40-year-old Sean Kinsley, of Red Oak, was driving a 1998 Mazda westbound on Highway 34 at around 5:45-a.m., when he apparently fell asleep at the wheel. The vehicle veered off the road near Highway 59 and into a ditch, before continuing down the embankment into a section of trees. The vehicle came to rest after colliding with a tree. Kinsely was transported by helicopter to the hospital. His vehicle sustained severe damage.

The Glenwood (Iowa) Police Department reports the arrest on Monday, of 39-year-old Kyle Zeigler, from Glenwood. Zeigler was arrested on a Mills County Warrant for 5th Degree Theft. His cash-only bond was set at $300.