COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) – The Council Bluffs school board has approved the sale of a former elementary school building that is slated for demolition. The Daily Nonpareil reports the school board approved the sale of Walnut Grove Elementary School Tuesday evening to nonprofit organization NeighborWorks Home Solutions for $104,000.

The nonprofit plans to build 14 new homes on the property once the building is demolished. The district shut down the elementary school at the end of the 2013-14 school year because the building was below standards and the cost to repair it would have been between $12 million and $15 million. Students were reassigned to four other schools.

Superintendent Martha Bruckner said the board decided the nonprofit’s plans for the property was a chance for the school district to do something good for the neighborhood.

Two-time Iowa Caucus winner Bob Dole has endorsed 2016 presidential candidate Jeb Bush. “He’s a great American, a great patriot,” Bush said. “I’m a huge Bob Dole fan.” Bush is campaigning in Iowa today (Wednesday). At about nine o’clock this morning, Bush arrived at Hy-Vee in Johnston where veterans were being treated to a free breakfast. Bush poured coffee and shook hands for about an hour before talking with reporters about last night’s candidate debate in Milwaukee.

“How do you improve on last night’s performance?” he was asked as he walked to the waiting campaign van. Bush replied: “I’ll do better. I thought it was fine. I did well. I talked about issues that are important to people. We need to start thinking about, ‘Who’s the person who can beat Hillary Clinton?’ rather than trying to get into small differences between each campaign. The big different is Hillary Clinton will double-down on a failed economic policy and I have the leadership skills to fix these complex things to allow people to rise up again. That’s what I’m going to focus on.”

As Bush climbed into the van, a reporter asked for the secret to his improved debate performance and Bush quipped: “Smiling more.” Then Bush rolled down the van’s window to reply to a question about playing bocci ball in Wisconsin before the debate. “One bowl and I won. Couldn’t drink the beer with the guy, though. I had to leave. It was in the middle of a hotel lobby,” Bush said. A reporter noted there was a ping pong table in the hotel lobby as well. “Yeah, I don’t get it. Milwaukee rolls differently than we do in Miami.”

Bush’s campaign van then rolled out, headed to a midday town hall meeting in Atlantic. The meeting, at the Atlantic Coca-Cola Bottling Plant, gets underway at 12:30.

(Radio Iowa)

The Iowa State Patrol says deer on the road contributed to an accident early this (Wednesday) morning on Interstate 80, in Adair County. Officials report 42-year old Sean Lee Clapp, of Omaha, was traveling east on I-80 about 1.5-miles west of Adair at around 5:30-a.m., when he swerved to miss deer on the road.

The 2015 International straight truck he was driving – registered to National Everything Whole Sales, in Omaha, went out of control and ran off the right into a high tension cable barrier, before tipping over and coming to rest on the driver’s side. The tractor trailer blocked both lanes of the eastbound interstate for a little more than two-hours, while crews worked to upright the truck and remove the debris. Authorities re-routed traffic south off the interstate to Anita from exit 70, and then back east to exit 75.

Clapp, who was wearing his seat belt, suffered undisclosed injuries. He was transported by Adair Rescue to the Cass County Memorial Hospital, in Atlantic.

Brett Irlmeier, Chair of the Audubon County Community Foundation, has announced that $41,170 in grants was awarded to Audubon County nonprofit agencies. With these grants, the Audubon County Community Foundation has distributed over $1.3 million in grants and scholarships over the last 15 years.

The following nonprofit organizations, which submitted applications to the Audubon County Community Foundation by the September 1st deadline, were awarded grants by the Audubon County Board of Directors (Organization name/Project/$ Award):

• Audubon Country Players Community Theater – Truss system to mount lighting for dinner theater productions in Agri Hall, $750.
• Audubon County Agricultural Society – Add a concession stand and restrooms near Livestock Pavilion, $12,500.
• Audubon Recreation Foundation – Construction of recreation center in Audubon $10,920.
• Exira Community Club – Phase 2 of Exira Rec Center renovations $18,000.
• Exira Park Committee – Renovate brick path in Memorial Flood Park $1,000.00

Of the $41, 170, approximately $2,500 from the Leon and Iva Milliman Endowed Fund went to the Exira Community Club; $2,900 from the Charles T. and Kathleen K. Manatt Endowed Fund, $690 from the Audubon State Bank/Stephen Garst Endowed Fund; $1,200 from the Audubon Masonic Association Endowed Fund; and $490 from the Merle and Norma Petersen Endowed Fund went to the Audubon Recreation Foundation; and $490 from the Fred and Evelyn Nissen Endowed Fund went to the Exira Park Committee project.

All grantees met the criteria as Audubon County nonprofit agencies or organizations with charitable missions in the areas of civic, cultural, health, education and social services. Only organizations providing services in Audubon County were eligible.
Audubon County agency representatives received their checks on November 10th.

The Audubon County Community Foundation works with individuals, families, businesses and organizations to create permanent funds that address the changing, vital community needs and interests. Donating to a permanently endowed fund helps your neighbors today AND you help build a stronger community tomorrow. Not only that, you’ll be eligible to receive a 25% Endow Iowa Tax Credit for each donation, in addition to any Federal tax benefits for which you may qualify.

The Audubon County Community Foundation invests and administers these funds and distributes grants to deserving, qualified nonprofit organizations. For information about donating or establishing an individual foundation/fund, please contact any of the Board Members, or call Dennis Nissen, Iowa Foundations Director, at 800-794-3458.