(Atlantic, Iowa) – Atlantic Public Library Director Michelle Andersen reports the library was selected for a Public Library Collaboration grant Award totaling $18,042, to bring mental health resources to Cass County, through local libraries and in collaboration with other local organizations. The award is made possible through the National Library of Medicine (NNLM) Region 6. Andersen says “I have been getting NNLM’s newsletters for a while, and this grant opportunity sounded like a good match for our needs in Cass County. I am excited that we received the award, and now it’s time to get to work.”

During the Summer, Andersen asked Cass County Wellness Coordinator Brigham Hoegh if Healthy Cass County (HCC) would support the application and mental health programming. Andersen said HCC was instrumental in completing the Cass County Community Health Needs Assessment in April, 2021, in which mental health was identified as the top health need by both health service providers, and the public. Over 470 people participated in the assessment, representing various income levels, ages, races, and geographic locations across the County.

The Public Library Collaboration Award will provide funding for a three-pronged approach to mental health resources:

• It will assist in the purchase of tablets for use at the Atlantic Public Library. Tablets give a greater sense of privacy for the user to look-up information that may be stigmatized, without concern of someone else seeing what they are doing.
• It will purchase mental health resources to distribute for use at every library in Cass County. A list of books, documentaries, games and kits have been selected, and will be placed in each of the six public libraries.
• It will fund mental health programs that will be available at no charge, to the public.

As part of the application, the library submitted letters of support from COVID Recovery Iowa, Full Circle Therapy, HCC, ISU Extension, Make it OK, Senior Life Solutions,  and Zion Integrated Behavioral Health Services. Andersen said those organizations committed to participating in and supporting, mental health programs available to the public, and that the depth and breadth of support in their letters, demonstrated significantly, the library’s application.

ADEL, Iowa — A woman from Adel was arrested Monday afternoon in West Des Moines, for having drugs and syringes around her 4-year-old child. According to authorities, 31-year-old Heather Marie Harding was arrested at West Des Moines Hy-Vee after police found 13 hypodermic needles in her possession, along with nearly 2 grams of a grey substance that tested positive for fentanyl and heroin.

Heather M. Harding (Dallas County S/O booking photo)

Harding was initially charged with drug possession and child endangerment. She was being held in the Dallas County Jail on a $3,000 bond. Her preliminary hearing will take place Nov. 4th.

(Des Moines, Iowa) – Governor Kim Reynolds and the Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA), Tuesday, announced four competitive funds available for rural communities with a population under 20,000. Specifically, funding of up to $500,000 has been allocated to the following funds for current fiscal year (FY) 2022 through FY 2023:

Rural Innovation Grant Program – Provides up to $200,000 in grants supporting creative, non-traditional ideas that focus on current issues and challenges faced by rural communities associated with the themes of community investment, growth and connection; the
Rural Housing Assessment Grant Program – Provides up to $100,000 to support the use of publicly available online information through the “Profile of Iowa” tool and rural community efforts to interpret this hard data with supplemental information, as well as to implement through changes to development codes, local ordinances and housing incentives specific to their community needs in partnership with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach; the
Rural Child Care Market Study Grant Program – Provides up to $100,000 to support the use of data and analysis by rural communities to determine the specific needs and solutions for their area. In partnership with First Children’s Finance, funding from the program will empower communities to assess their current child care market environment and develop strategies; and the
Rural Return Program – Provides up to $100,000 to support creative programming that attracts new residents to move and/or work in rural communities. Grant funding will support the development and implementation of incentive programs.

Guidelines and scoring rubrics for all programs are available on the Center for Rural Revitalization’s website. The programs, defined in Iowa Administrative Code, are administered by the Center for Rural Revitalization, a division of IEDA, in consultation with the Governor’s Empower Rural Iowa Initiative Task Forces. Applications for FY 2022 are currently being accepted via iowagrants.gov and are due by December 1, 2021. Applications will be scored by volunteer panels that will include the Governor’s Empower Rural Iowa Initiative Task Force members and expert professionals. Successful applicants will be informed in mid-December.

(Villisca, Iowa) – An accident over the weekend in Villisca, resulted in one person being transported to the Montgomery County Memorial Hospital, in Red Oak. According to the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, Deputies responded to the scene at 4th Avenue and 4th Street, in Villisca, at around 9:30-a.m., Saturday. Upon investigation, they determined William Lewis, of Villisca was traveling a 2009 Chevy Malibu westbound on 4th Street, when he failed to yield at the stop sign.

Amanda Johnston, of Villisca, was traveling south on 4th Avenue in a 2017 Jeep Compass. When her SUV entered the intersection, it was struck by the Malibu on the rear driver’s side door. Lewis was transported to the hospital to be treated for minor injuries. No citations were issued.

(Radio Iowa) – Officials say more than 100 people have been displaced by a massive fire that raced through an extended stay hotel in West Des Moines early Tuesday. According to The Des Moines Register, about 130 rooms at the Valley West Inn were occupied when the fire started late Monday night. West Des Moines officials say residents were crawling and jumping out of windows to escape the blaze.

Online records indicate the hotel was built about 50 years ago. The facility was heavily damaged by the fire.

(Radio Iowa) – A 19-year-old and a teenager face charges after an incident that authorities say started at a central Iowa school. The principal at Saydel High School placed the school on lockdown at about 7:40 a.m. yesterday after a student reported someone in the parking lot had a gun. According to a news release from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, deputies tried to stop the vehicle after it left the school, the car crashed into a yard, the occupants ran, but were caught. Officials say drugs, a 22 caliber rifle and three guns that shoot non-lethal, plastic pellets were found in the vehicle.

A 19-year-old woman has been charged with carrying weapons and interference with official acts. The 16-year-old boy is accused of possession with intent to deliver meth and marijuana, carrying a weapon on school grounds and a variety of driving-related infractions, including driving without a license and without the owner’s consent.

There was also a 15 year old boy in the car, but no charged were filed against him and he was released to his parents.