(Atlantic & Audubon, Iowa) – The Cass County Community Foundation reminds Cass County nonprofits that the deadline to apply for grant funds is Wednesday, February 1. The same message is going out of nonprofits in Audubon County, from the (separate) Audubon County Community Foundation. Applications are currently being accepted online for the spring grant cycle with approximately $130,000 available in each county, to support Cass and Audubon County nonprofit organizations and community projects.

Full application details, a fact sheet, and a link to the application form can be found online by selecting Cass County or Audubon County (depending on which county your nonprofit operates in) under County Listing at www.swiowafoundations.org. Applications will only be accepted through the online system.

This cycle of grants is made possible through the State of Iowa County Endowment Fund Program and is funded by a percentage of the state’s commercial gaming tax revenue, which is distributed annually to participating community foundations associated with counties without a state-issued gaming license. Only organizations providing services in Cass County or Audubon County, respectively, are eligible to apply in their separate counties. Organizations may not request funds for counties other than their own, and they must be able to demonstrate broad community/county support and be an IRS-approved 501(c)(3) public charity, a local municipality, or a fiscally sponsored project.

For Spring 2023, the Cass County and Audubon County Community Foundations will entertain requests for capital and program support. General operating support will only be considered for one-time, non-recurring circumstances that improve the capacity of the organization to fulfill its mission.

Please contact Sunni Kamp (sunni@omahafoundation.org) or Sydney Calcagno (sydney@omahafoundation.org) at 800-794-3458 with application-related questions. All completed grant applications will be considered at the March board meeting, with applicants being notified of funding decisions by the end of March.

(Creston, Iowa) – Police in Creston report two women were arrested Thursday night on Assault charges. 24-year-old Kimberlyn Callie Bakerink, of Bridgewater, and 21-year-old Georjia Rain Alizabeth McKown, of Creston, were arrested at the Union County Law Enforcement Center, for Assault with the Intent to inflict Serious Injury. They were taken into custody at around 7:30-p.m., and transported to the Union County Jail. Bakerink and McKown have since posted bond, and were released.

(Waterloo, Iowa) – (Update 8:05-p.m., 1/13/23: A woman from Cedar Rapids died and a man from Williamsburg was hurt, during a collision Wednesday afternoon on Interstate 80, in eastern Iowa. The Iowa State Patrol reports Troopers responded at around 1-p.m. to a multi-vehicle accident on I-80 eastbound, at mile marker 213 (west of Waterloo). An investigation determined a 2019 Jeep Cherokee driven by 64-year-old Joyce Renee Baumgarten, of Cedar Rapids, struck a 2013 International Iowa DOT plow truck that was on the left shoulder of the road, conducting a slow-moving Interstate maintenance project.

The driver of the DOT vehicle was identified as 52-year-old David Dellamuth, of Williamsburg. He was transported to the hospital in Marengo by Iowa County EMS.

The Patrol says Baumgarten died at the scene. She was wearing a seat belt. Other vehicles and drivers involved in the incident include a 2021 Hyundai Sonata, driven by 47-year-old Michael Razo, of Topeka, KS, and a 2013 Ford Edge driven by 23-year-old Alexis Sands, of Solon. Neither was injured in the collision.

The crash remains under investigation.

(Radio Iowa) – The State Board of Education has denied the challenge of a new student club at Johnston High School. Three parents appealed the school board’s decision to approve a chapter of the conservative Turning Point USA group. Andrea McIlwee spoke to the board members during their meeting Thursday, and says their concern is the process that was used — not the group’s philosophy. The lawyer for the Johnston school district, Carrie Weber, told the Board this not whether this was a good decision — it is whether it was supported by reason whether the board followed its policy and adopting this decision, and it cannot be overturned unless it’s unreasonable and contrary to the best interests of education.

The Board of Education voted unanimously to deny the challenge and uphold the club. The parents must now decide if they will pursue action in court.

(Radio Iowa) –  When life gives you lemons, you make lemonade, and when it’s the dead of winter in Iowa, you make ice sculptures. Davenport hosts its annual Icestravaganza this weekend on the Mississippi riverfront. The fest features six expert ice carvers who will be using some 36-thousand pounds of ice to create glimmering, frozen visions under the theme Famous Monuments — everything from pyramids and the Statue of Liberty to the Eiffel Tower.

Each block of ice weighs around 300 pounds and they’re trucking in 120 blocks for the event. Plus, a lighting director will illuminate each completed ice sculpture with a series of colored L-E-Ds, switching them on nightly at dusk. The free event runs Friday through Sunday.

(Ida County, Iowa) – One person died during a collision early Wednesday afternoon between a semi tractor-trailer and a car in northwest Iowa. The Iowa State Patrol reports a 2018 Chevrolet Malibu had stopped at the controlled intersection of Highways 59 & 20, near Holstein.

When the driver failed to yield to oncoming traffic and proceeded into the intersection, their vehicle was struck by a westbound Highway 20 semi. The unidentified driver of the Malibu died at the scene. The driver of the semi was uninjured.

The crash, which occurred at around 12:06-p.m., remains under investigation by the Iowa State Patrol.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – The Red Oak Police Department reports one person complained of neck pain and was transported to the Montgomery County Memorial Hospital by Red Oak Rescue, following an accident that occurred at around 4:30-p.m., Thursday. Authorities say 58-year-old Tammy W. Glasgo, of Elliott, was hurt in the collision at N. Broadway and Cherry Streets. Police determined Glasgo’s 1997 Honda Accord was stopped at the intersection stoplight. A 2018 Chevy Silverado pickup driven by 31-year-old Brent M. Davis, of Villisca, stopped behind the car.

Davis’ proceeded to drive forward when he saw vehicles in the turn lane moving. In doing so, his pickup struck the rear of the Honda, while was waiting for the green light. Damage from the collision amounted to $3,500. No citations were issued.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa’s 43rd governor will take the oath of office for another term later this (Friday) morning. Republican Kim Reynolds — the first woman to serve as Iowa’s governor — has been the state’s chief executive since mid-2017. Terry Branstad chose Reynolds as his running mate in 2010 and she took over the governorship when Branstad resigned. Reynolds won a full, four-year term in 2018 and she was reelected this past November.

Today’s Inauguration Ceremony starts at 9 a.m. in Des Moines. The governor will host an open house at the governor’s mansion at noon and a reception at the statehouse starting at 2 this (Friday) afternoon. Tonight’s Inaugural Ball in downtown Des Moines is scheduled to start at 7 p.m.

(Radio Iowa) – State Auditor Rob Sand held a reception in his statehouse office, Thursday, to officially mark the start of his second term.  “When I started this job four years ago, I had a pretty simple idea of what it was that I wanted to do,” Sand said. “Number one: I wanted to match the passion that I had seen from auditor office employees in my time as assistant attorney general.” Sand spent seven years as the lead state prosecutor on public corruption cases. Sand says in the past four years, the audits and special investigations his office conducted have uncovered a record amount of misspent tax dollars.

“Those dollars must be respected if we are going to maintain trust for the mission of self-governance under our constitution,” Sand said. Sand, who finished ahead of Republican Todd Halbur by fewer than three-thousand votes, was the only Democrat to win a statewide race in November. Sand acknowledged three Republicans in yesterday’s (Thursday’s) audience — State Treasurer Roby Smith, Iowa Ag Secretary Mike Naig and Attorney General Brena Bird.

“Just because we don’t agree on everything doesn’t mean we don’t come at this interested in serving all the people in the state Iowa and I’m looking forward to working with all of you, so thank you all for being here very much,” Sand said. Sand’s current term started January 1st. He publicly recited his oath of office at the start of Thursday’s event. Naig and Secretary of State Paul Pate will hold similar ceremonies in the statehouse rotunda this (Friday) afternoon.

(Radio Iowa) – Hundreds gathered in person and online for the first subcommittee hearing on the governor’s latest “school choice” plan.

Governor Reynolds is proposing state-funded Educational Savings Accounts for low income parents who enroll their children in a private school over the next two years, but in the third year the parents of every Iowa private school student would be eligible for thousands of dollars in state money to cover private school expenses. Arlene McClintock says private school was out of reach when she was growing up and being bullied at school. She’s leading a group called Hispanics Aligned for Choice in Education Reform.

“One of the things that parents want to be able to provide for their kids is a safe learning environment,” she said. “That’s something that I wish that I had had growing up and it’s something that I want to provide for my children.”

The governor’s office estimates when fully implemented, the parents of about 40,000 private school students would be getting at least $341 million in state money annually to cover tuition and other private school expenses. Justin Hollinrake told the senate subcommittee sending that much state money to support private schools like likely weaken schools where his relatives live in rural Iowa.

“Ten years from now, is public school even going to be an option?” he asked. “Will schools even be open? Will private school be the only option?”

The newly-formed House Education Reform Committee will hold a public hearing on the bill on Tuesday at 5 p.m.

(Reporting by Grant Gerlock, Iowa Public Radio)