DES MOINES, Iowa (August 27, 2019) — The Wellmark Foundation has notified 19 Iowa organizations they will receive Matching Assets to Community Health (MATCH) grants up to $25,000, contingent upon securing the matching funds. To ensure community support for these projects, organizations are challenged to match this grant at 50 percent. Organizations have until Nov. 8 to secure their matching funds. Becky Wampler Bland, The Wellmark Foundation executive director, said “Each of these grant recipients submitted projects that can help individuals, families and communities achieve better health through built environment initiatives that encourage physical activity and also by providing access to and encouraging the consumption of healthy foods. The next step is for the organizations to secure the required match for the grant. Based on the community support they noted in their applications, they are well on their way to securing those funds.”

The organizations selected to receive the grant have demonstrated their projects are sustainable and will help to improve the well-being of the communities they serve well into the future. The organizations include (locally):

• City of Afton, $25,000 – Afton Safe Routes to Schools; This project will extend the existing trail and provide a safe off-street walking/biking option for students and residents. The sidewalks will be paved and made four-foot-wide to accommodate bi-directional traffic. While doing this work, culverts and curb cuts with ADA ramps will be installed. Permanent paint markings and signage will also encourage safe crossing of city streets.
• City of Carroll, $25,000 – Pickleball courts; The city of Carroll is constructing a six-court pickleball complex which is in close proximity to a large number of residential properties. These courts will be open to the public and will promote healthy lifestyles by providing a free, readily available physical activity option.
• City of Creston, $25,000 – McKinley Park Trail Expansion; The city of Creston is building a trail around Lake McKinley. The trail expansion will be about a half-mile in length. The project will also include lighting to provide safety for the residents who like to walk around the lake in the evening hours.
• City of Mount Ayr, $9,963.50 – Judge Lewis Park Trail; This project will complete a half-mile trail around Judge Lewis Park. It will provide residents with a readily available option to engage in physical activity. With strategically placed benches, it also provides users with an opportunity to socially connect with one another.
• Nodaway Valley Community School District, $25,000 – Elementary School Playground; The school is updating its existing playground equipment. The new equipment will be all-inclusive meeting the needs of all children. This will help children interact and play together for a more fulfilling play experience.
• Shelby County Wellness Alliance, $25,000 – Free Fitness 4 All — Harlan; The project will install outdoor fitness stations in Pioneer Park. These outdoor stations will increase the frequency and length of time spent in the park. It is also anticipated that friends and neighbors will connect socially with one another.

Since 2011, The Wellmark Foundation has provided more than $11 million in grant funding to communities across Iowa and South Dakota. To view previous Wellmark Foundation MATCH grant recipients, visit Wellmark.com/Foundation.

A Special Meeting of the Atlantic School District’s Board of Education will be held 5:30-p.m. Wednesday, in the High School Media Center. During their session, the Board will discuss the district’s Strategic Plan. They will also act on the resignation of Food Service Worker Lisa Andersen, and Contract Recommendations for Ernie Hawthorne, Mark Vavricek, and Dale Retallic – Special Education drivers.

In other business, the Atlantic School Board will discuss and/or act on Open Enrollment applications, and a Construction Invoice from Allender-Butzke Engineers, Inc., of Urbandale, with regard to Geotechnical Exploration of the District ballfields and Trojan Bowl Improvements. The invoice amounts to $23,600.

Following their regular meeting, the Board will enter into a Closed Session to conduct Superintendent Steve Barber’s annual evaluation.

A five-year reunion will be held in October for those who attended the Cass County Honor Flight to Washington, D.C. in 2014. October’s event organizer Steve Livengood says 150 veterans and 12 non-veteran guardians went on the trip. He says many of those who went on the trip didn’t have a lot of time to discuss their experience on the way home. The reunion gives them a chance to share their memories. Sadly, many of those who went on the trip aren’t around now, to relive the experience.

He said at least 27 participants have passed away since the trip was held. The reunion will take place from 2-until 6-p.m. Saturday, October 19^th, at the American Legion Memorial Building (the former armory. Livengood said he sent out e-mails about the event August 19^th, but the response hasn’t been what he expected. He said 14 have responded to his announcement, but if people spread the word about the reunion, hopefully more will attend.

The informal reunion for veterans, guardians and their families includes snacks and drinks. If you can attend, please contact Steve Livengood by e-mail at aplewood@q.com, or call 712-243-5445.

Listen to the full interview with Livengood can be heard under the Programs tab at kjan.com, and the “Heartbeat Today” page.

(Radio Iowa) — One person was killed last night (Monday) in a car-motorcycle crash in Davenport. Police say a motorcycle was speeding as it approached an intersection just north of downtown Davenport. A car had stopped at a stop sign, then entered the intersection, into the motorcycle’s path. The motorcyclist tried to stop and lost control, sliding into the driver’s side of the car. The motorcyclist, from Rock Island, Illinois, was critically injured and died a short time later at Genesis East Hospital.

His name wasn’t released. The car’s driver wasn’t hurt.

(from our sister station KNOD in Harlan) — Two people from Shelby County face jail time and fines associated with drug charges. 47 year old Andrea Christine Wyatt faces six years in jail and fines of up to $6,500 if she is found guilty of possession of a controlled substance – methamphetamine and gathering where controlled substances are unlawfully used. A search warrant was executed at a residence in Harlan on July 26th, where Wyatt was allegedly leaving a bathroom where 1.45 grams of meth was attempted to be flushed. There were also a number of drug paraphernalia items located throughout the residence. Seven other people were in the residence when the warrant was executed.

And Brett Ballantyne, of Harlan, was charged in Shelby County District Court with delivery of marijuana. Ballantyne allegedly sold marijuana on two separate times on July 24th. He faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in jail with additional fines of $10,000 if convicted of the Class D felonies.

Separately, 30-year old Jonathan Sparks, of Woodbine, allegedly caused injury to another individual in Harlan on August 5th, resulting in a fractured leg to the victim. Sparks was charged with assault causing serious bodily injury. He faces a fine of $5,000 and jail time of 5 years in jail if found guilty of the Class D felony.

All three have their trials set for October 29th.

Creston Police, Monday night, arrested a woman on a Union County Class-D Felony warrant for Forgery. 31-year old Kayla Hoffman, of Creston, was taken into custody at around 8-p.m. and transported to the Adams County Jail, where she was being held on a $5,000 bond.