The Iowa Finance Authority Board of Directors recently approved more than $2.5 million in homeless assistance grants to assist 28 agencies with homelessness prevention and assistance initiatives during the 2015 calendar year. The funding is made available through the federal Emergency Solutions Grant program, which is administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and by the Iowa Finance Authority in Iowa.

Among the recipients of grant funds was: The Crisis Intervention & Advocacy Center, which serves all counties in southwest, parts of central and southern Iowa. $59, 292 was awarded for Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Rehousing; Heartland Family Service in Pottawattamie County received a $41,175 grant for similar purposes, and, MICAH House, which serves counties in western & southwest Iowa, received $41, 175 for a shelter.

The purpose of the Emergency Solutions Grant program is to help Iowans and their families quickly regain stability in permanent housing after experiencing a housing crisis or homelessness. Types of assistance can include emergency shelter, street outreach and homelessness prevention and rapid re-housing. Examples of eligible initiatives include funds for shelter operations and essential services, short-term rental or utility assistance, case management and housing relocation and stabilization services.

The Iowa Finance Authority received 37 applications which were scored in several categories, including project design and competition priorities, experience and capacity, community partnerships and need, performance, and budget and grants management. Emergency Solutions Grants were awarded to 28 agencies. These agencies serve a total of all 99 Iowa counties.

The Cass County Board of Supervisors today (Thursday) approved by a vote of 4-to-1, a request from the Cass County Child Abuse Prevention Council, to Proclaim the 2014-2015 School Year as “Violence Prevention in Cass County Schools Year.” The lone nay vote came from Supervisor Mark Wedemeyer, who didn’t feel he should lend his support until allegations about a key element of the “Scary Guy” program could be reviewed.

Kristen Templeton, with Unity Point at Home and Cass County Public Health spoke about efforts pertaining to violence prevention in the schools, which begins later this month with presentations by “The Scary Guy,” in each of the Cass County Schools.  The CCCAP has received funding from communities and individuals in the County to bring “The Scary Guy” to the County for his 10-day stay.

A Cumberland resident, Emily Rouse, who has four children who will be entering elementary school this year, said she was opposed to “The Scary Guy’s” presentation, based on a conversation she had and videos she’s seen. She says she received a flier at the end of the year and the name “Scary Guy” piqued her interest. After conducting some research she spoke a school principal in Hermantown, MN, who alleges some less than appropriate behavior took place during a presentation two-years ago.

The principal, according to Rouse, said The Scary Guy is rude, and bit the bald head of the principal. He also allegedly made fun of a kid in a wheelchair and made sexually inappropriate comments a middle school student. She said there is also a You Tube video purporting to show The Scary Guy in other gross or disgusting acts. She urged the Board not to support the efforts of the character in Cass County schools. Rouse said she intends to pull her students out of class the day of his presentation. Kristin Templeton said she spoke with The Scary Guy, who has refuted the allegations against him.

She said she also spoke with a different school administrator in Hermantown, who said a CNN story on the presentation was slanted to provide a negative view of The Scary Guy program. Supervisor Mark Wedemeyer and the rest of the Board, was encouraged by Rouse to research The Scary Guy and decide for themselves if his presentation is appropriate.  Supervisor Chuck Rieken said the request was to ask the Board to support Violence Prevention, not to pass judgment on “The Scary Guy” program, which was not a part of the Proclamation

Rieken said if something inappropriate happens during “The Scary Guy” program, he has “full faith” that school administrators and others responsible, will intervene and stop it.

w/ Ric Hanson

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Police in Creston are warning business owners in the community about scam phone calls pertaining to utility bills. Authorities say they received two calls from local businesses Wednesday, indicating that an “Alliant Energy” employee had called and claimed the business was behind on payments and they were going to shut the power off.

Officials say such calls are an attempt to scam businesses out of money. They advised business owners if they receive such as call, to contact the Iowa Attorney general at 515-281-5926.

With KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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The Atlantic City Council, Wednesday, approved a $400,000 guaranteed loan to local developer Pat McCurdy, for a 24-unit apartment building near the existing Walnut Hills apartment complex on east 10th Street. The funds, at 4-percent interest, would not be paid to McCurdy unless he receives the go-ahead for the $2.1-million dollar project from the State, as part of an application he has submitted for additional, grant or loan opportunities. The loan guarantee also serves to add points to McCurdy’s application, when it comes time to approve the larger grant or loan. It should be known by January 2015 whether or not the process can move forward.

In other business, the Council held a public hearing on a revised Urban Revitalization Plan (URP), during which there were no comments submitted, either written or spoken. The Council then moved forward with approving a Resolution establishing a URP for the City, with the proposed modifications, as explained by Mayor Dave Jones and SWIPCO Community Development Specialist Barb Barrick.

The modifications include removing the area south of 14th Street from the “blighted” definition. Anyone making improvements on the homes south of 14th Street would be eligible for a tax abatement of up to $75,000 of the actual assessed value of the improvements. Anyone living north of there is eligible for a full abatement, up to $250,000.

Duplexes constructed after January 1st, 2014 are being classified as single-family residences instead of commercial, and would be eligible for tax abatement, if they previously were qualified as “Commercial.”

Following the Public Hearing, the Council approved a Resolution establishing the Urban Revitalization Area, and after some discussion, the first reading of an ordinance designating the 2014 City of Atlantic URP. There was considerable confusion over what time frame the abatements would cover, as far as improvements to structures were concerned. John Lund, Assistant to City Administrator Doug Harris, tried to clarify the matter, citing his conversations with Cass County Assessor Brenda Nelson.

Lund said according to Nelson, it depends on completion of a project. For instance, anyone who applies for a home improvement tax abatement now, must have those projects completed by Jan. 1st 2015, in order to be on the tax roles and receive an abatement next year.

If the project was not complete by Jan. 1, 2015, there won’t be any partial abatements. Instead, the full abatement would come during the following calendar year, if it amounts to a 10-percent increase in valuation of the property.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Board of Regents has a suggestion for its own cost-cutting consultant: start providing receipts to justify employee expenses. Regents said Wednesday they would start requiring Deloitte Consulting to submit receipts, like university employees do, to document claims for travel, lodging and food. The move came after The Gazette in Cedar Rapids reported that Deloitte submitted $220,000 in expense reimbursements without documentation, under its $3.3 million contract to find savings.

Board President Bruce Rastetter says Deloitte’s contract did not require its employees to submit receipts. But he says the regents didn’t want the “relatively small expenses” being questioned to reflect poorly on the larger initiative, which could save millions. He says Deloitte has been receptive to providing receipts going forward, and the contract may be amended to require them.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — When the Iowa State Fair opens its doors for its 11-day run, the ingredients that make it a must-see attraction will be there. Some visitors say they’re drawn to the fair by its unique food, many of which involve fried delicacies on a stick. The Iowa State Fair opens today and runs through August 17th.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Richard Olson, the mayor of Des Moines from 1972 to 1979, has died in a car crash. He was 85. Olson’s wife, Cleojean, tells The Des Moines Register that the former city leader was killed Tuesday night in a two-vehicle crash in Maine. Police say his vehicle crossed a road’s center line and hit another car. Both the driver and passenger of that vehicle were also killed.

MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa (AP) — A judge has denied a Marshalltown teenager’s request to temporarily block a three-game football suspension that was imposed as punishment for the display of what administrators called a white power sign. The Marshalltown Times-Republican reports District Court Judge Steven Oeth on Tuesday denied the temporary injunction request by 17-year-old Blair Van Staalduine.

JANESVILLE, Iowa (AP) — Photos of Iowa veterans killed in the Vietnam War will be on display in a Waterloo museum. The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports the pictures will be on display in a permanent Vietnam exhibit in the Grout Museum District. They’ll also be shown in a 50th anniversary exhibit.

The Atlantic City Council, Wednesday, authorized Mayor Dave Jones to sign a letter of support for a local trails group’s grant application. Dave Chase, with Nishna Valley Trails, Inc., (NVT) approached the Council during their regular meeting saying the letter would help in the processing of a REAP (Resources Enhancement and Protection) Grant from the State of Iowa, for the completion of a section of the T-Bone Trail into Atlantic. Chase said the Iowa Legislature set aside $16-million dollars for REAP-type projects. Applications for a share of that money are due by the middle of this month.

The project will cost $550,000, with half that going to pay for a 162-foot long, 12-foot wide pedestrian bridge that will cross Troublesome Creek.Unlike a previous enhancement grant which required a 20-percent local match and has since been paid back, Chase said REAP does not require any additional funds. He said $780,000 has been set aside for projects in communities the size of Atlantic. Chase said funds from the REAP grant would also serve to enhance the Vision Iowa Grant that the Atlantic Parks and Recreation Department will apply for next year to link existing trail systems.

That means it would be very beneficial enhancement to the Schildberg Quarry Recreation Area and Trail. Only three-miles of the 20-mile T-Bone Trail remains to be completed before it is connected to Atlantic. Chase said the Cass County Resource Enhancement Committee has also agreed to sign-off on the application. And, he said NVT has $124,00 in the bank but will continue to seek sources of revenue to get the project completed. When completed, the T-Bone Trail will extend to the Atlantic Municipal Utilities’ well head trail, as well.