CLIVE, Iowa — A Cass County man said he was thrilled after scratching off a $30,000 lottery prize. 74-year-old George Evans., of Atlantic, said “Yesterday was one of my highlights of my life.” Evans claimed his prize Thursday at the Iowa Lottery headquarters in Clive. “I go, ‘Woo hoo!’ That’s a woo-hoo moment!”

Evans won the fourth top prize in the Iowa Lottery’s “High Striker” scratch game. He bought a pair of tickets at Casey’s, 701 Poplar St. in Atlantic. The first ticket he scratched won $50, and Evans said he was excited. After he scratched the second, he was elated. Evans said “I thought, you know, everybody’s got the same chance. Someday, I’m going to win a big” prize, he said. “Well, yesterday was that day.”

George Evans, of Atlantic

Evans said after his big win, he tried to tell his family, but they refused to believe him until he showed them the lucky ticket. He also told his grandson, who was quick to offer a suggestion for how to use some of the winnings. “He went right into the other room, got a book that had electric motor scooters in it, and he says, ‘Can you get this one?'” Evans said with a laugh. Evans said he plans to put his winnings toward paying bills and an upcoming family cruise.

George Evans served the City of Atlantic for 39-years, including as Wastewater Treatment Plant Superintendent until his retirement in 2012.

High Striker is a $3 scratch game that features eight top prizes of $30,000 and overall odds of 1 in 3.88. For more information about this game, and the number of prizes still available, visit ialottery.com.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – Montgomery County Auditor Jill Ozuna said Friday, her office conducted a successful post-election audit of the 2024 General Election on November 15, 2024. Ballots in Present 6 were hand- counted by election officials to ensure they matched the totals reported by the ballot tabulator. The precinct was randomly selected by the Secretary of State following Election Day. The races audited were President/Vice President and County Sheriff. The results matched 100%.  Ozuna said “The hand count audit shows that our machines tabulate accurately and further restores integrity of our election process.”

Every ballot tabulator in Iowa undergoes a public pre-election test to ensure it will count votes accurately on Election Day. Post-election audits are mandatory in all 99 counties following each election.

Montgomery County Auditor Jill Ozuna (Official photo)

For the General Election one randomly chosen precinct in each county is required to conduct a post-election audit to verify the machine count. For more information about election security in Iowa, visit the Secretary of State’s website at sos.iowa.gov. Information about the voting process is available at VoterReady.Iowa.gov.

Questions about the post-election audit and other election matters may be directed to the Montgomery County Auditor’s office at 712-623-5127.

(DES MOINES, IA) – The Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) Board has approved a job creation award for a manufacturer in Dubuque as well as innovation funding in support of five startups located in Ames, Des Moines, Klemme and Slater. The board, Friday (today) also approved a Community Attraction and Tourism (CAT) grant in Cedar Rapids.

Universal Tank & Fabrication to lease new facility in Dubuque
Universal Tank & Fabrication Inc. manufactures tanks, vessels and weldments for various industries, including water/wastewater, air, biogas and chemical/energy. The company plans to lease a new 28,000-square-foot facility in Dubuque and will install additional equipment. The project represents a capital investment of nearly $3 million and is expected to create 15 jobs at a qualifying wage of $28.96 per hour. The board awarded the company tax benefits through the High Quality Jobs (HQJ) program.

Awards made to five startups
Ames-based robotics company Invasive Removal, LLC is developing innovative tools to combat invasive species in forests and prairies. The robotic prototype employs a cut-and-spray method to identify and remove harmful non-native plant species, providing a more accessible and efficient solution. The company was awarded a $50,000 Proof of Commercial Relevance (POCR) loan for IP development and evaluation, proof of concept work, product refinement and key personnel.

Des Moines’ Flete, Inc. produced a workflow management tool for businesses operating a fleet of commercial vehicles. The integrated and automated software offers a customized solution for fleets to stay organized. The company was awarded a $100,000 Demonstration Fund loan for IP development and evaluation, product refinement, key personnel and equipment, and market planning and entry activities.

Upvote, Inc., based in Des Moines, developed a program to automate policy discovery, tracking and analysis for government relations professionals. Legible, the subscription-based product, manages the entire policy lifecycle. The company was awarded a $100,000 Demonstration Fund loan for IP development and evaluation, product refinement, key personnel and administrative operations, and market planning and entry activities.

Renner Ag Solutions in Klemme aims to provide a safer and more efficient solution for the grain storage process. AgriNet, the flagship product, uses technology to operate a device that can clean out grain bins, removing the risk of farmers entering the grain bin for bin sweeps. The company was awarded a $50,000 POCR loan for IP development and evaluation, market analysis, proof of concept work, product refinement, equipment and market planning and entry activities.

Slater’s GW Nutrition, Inc. developed technology to improve the acceptance of plant- and algae-based proteins. Their patented CleanSenseTM technology uses a proprietary light delivery system to reduce microbial contamination while also moderating the sensory characteristics (i.e., color, flavor and odor) of alternative proteins. The company was awarded a $100,000 Demonstration Fund loan for equipment and key personnel.

Award recommendations for these funds are made by the Technology Commercialization Committee to the IEDA Board for approval.

CAT grant awarded to NewBo City Market

NewBo City Market was awarded $500,000 to execute the Next Level Local project, which will enhance the nearly 21,000-square-foot existing market and add nearly 9,000 square feet of new construction. The unique gathering space in Cedar Rapids will add a new second floor, indoor stage, processing kitchen and recording studio, among other design updates. The market expects to see a 20% increase in visitors per year.

The CAT program provides financial assistance to communities for the construction of recreational, cultural, educational or entertainment facilities that enhance the quality of life in Iowa. Award recommendations for these funds are made by the CAT Review Committee to the IEDA Board for approval.