(Neola, Iowa) – NAMI Southwest Iowa, a leading mental health organization, is delighted to announce that it has been awarded a generous grant of $30,868 in program support funding for the fiscal year 2024 from the esteemed Iowa West Foundation. This funding will significantly contribute to NAMI Southwest Iowa’s continued efforts in supporting individuals and families affected by mental illness throughout the region. NAMI SW Iowa serves Cass, Fremont, Harrison, Mills, Monona, Montgomery, Page, Pottawattamie and Shelby Counties.

The Iowa West Foundation is widely recognized for its commitment to enhancing the quality of life for citizens residing in southwest Iowa and eastern Nebraska. Their dedication to supporting organizations and initiatives that promote education, health, and human services aligns perfectly with NAMI Southwest Iowa’s mission of providing education, support, and advocacy to individuals and families affected by mental health conditions.

The grant from the Iowa West Foundation will enable NAMI Southwest Iowa to expand its reach and enhance its programs and services aimed at addressing the pressing mental health needs in the community. The funds will be utilized to sustain ongoing programs, ensuring the delivery of crucial resources, support groups, educational programs, and mental health awareness campaigns.

Anna Killpack, Executive Director of NAMI Southwest Iowa, says “NAMI Southwest Iowa is extremely grateful to the Iowa West Foundation for their generous support. This grant will allow us to further our mission of providing vital services to individuals affected by mental illness and their loved ones. We are proud to partner with the Iowa West Foundation in our shared commitment to improving mental health outcomes in our community.”

The partnership between NAMI Southwest Iowa and the Iowa West Foundation signifies a significant step forward in addressing the mental health challenges faced by individuals in southwest Iowa. By investing in NAMI Southwest Iowa’s programs, the Iowa West Foundation demonstrates its unwavering dedication to building stronger, healthier communities through mental health initiatives.

For more information about NAMI Southwest Iowa and its programs, please visit www.NAMISouthwestIowa.com. To learn more about the Iowa West Foundation and its philanthropic endeavors, visit www.iowawestfoundation.org.

(Sidney, Iowa) – The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office has issued a report (ar_presslog) listing 32 arrests during the month of May. Here are a few of the latest, or most notable arrests:

32-year-old Brittany Ann McCallum, of Sidney, was arrested Tuesday night (5/30), for Possession of a Controlled Substance & Poss. of Drug Paraphernalia. She was released from custody on a cash bond, early Wednesday morning.

43-year-old Amanda Marie Graham, of Imogene, was arrested Tuesday evening, for Assault w/bodily injury. Graham was released Wednesday evening, on a surety bond.

41-year-old Daniel Ryan Thompson, of Hamburg, was arrested Monday night for Domestic Abuse Assault w/bodily injury. He was released Tuesday afternoon on a cash bond.

18-year-old Kaden Leann Payne, of Sidney, was arrested early Monday morning, for OWI/1st offense. She was released a few hours later on a cash bond.

On the 27th of May, 43-year-old Kimberly Mae Fugate, of Shenandoah, was arrested on two counts Poss. of a controlled substance and Poss. of drug paraphernalia. She was released the next day on a cash bond.

On May 25th, 41-year-old Shane William Vandervort, of Council Bluffs, was arrested in Thurman, for the trafficking of Methamphetamine (5gm-100kg). He remains held in the Fremont County Jail.

And, on May 22nd, 33-year-old Brandon Scott McClarnon, of Thurman, was arrested for Child Endangerment/Physical/Sexual Assault. He posted a surety bond on May 23rd.

(Radio Iowa) – The man who owns the partially collapsed apartment building in Davenport has issued a statement, thanking first responders and groups that are assisting tenants who lost all their belongings. Andrew Wold bought the building in downtown Davenport in 2021. In his written statement, Wold said his thoughts and prayers are with the tenants and their families at this difficult time.

The Quad City Times reports Wold had hired a contractor to work on the building, but the contractor told his employees the structure was unsafe and to get out of the building on Friday. Parts of the building collapsed Sunday afternoon. According to several media reports, the city declared the building a nuisance last year and a judge ordered Wold to pay a 45-hundred dollar fine this spring. This week, the city issued another 300 dollar fine against Wold.

Davenport officials say the building is in danger of total collapse. Two people are thought to still be in the wreckage.

(Radio Iowa) – A human trafficking victim who pleaded guilty to killing a man she said raped her when she was 15 has again been placed on probation at a residential facility. Last November, Pieper Lewis cut off her ankle monitor and left a transitional women’s center in Des Moines without permission. Polk County Judge David Porter told Lewis she’s now been convicted of two felony offenses.

“Miss Lewis, I indicated to you last year — you’ve asked for a second chance, you don’t get a third. I stand by that,” he said. “There are consequences for your actions.” Lewis could have been sentenced to up to 20 years in prison. Polk County Attorney Kimberly Graham says she agrees with the judge’s decision to keep Lewis out of prison.

“My gut instinct and based on my conversation with Miss Pieper Lewis is that she has learned from what has happened,” Graham said, “and that she is more willing than she has been to listen to those around her.” The judge did revoke the deferred judgment he issued a year ago. It means two felony convictions will remain on Lewis’ record after she completes five years of probation.

The case drew national attention after Lewis was ordered to pay restitution to the family of the man she says raped her. The Iowa Department of Corrections recommended that Lewis be sentenced to prison after her escape.

(Radio Iowa) – The four Republicans who represent Iowa in the U.S. House have voted in favor of a bill that raises the federal government’s borrowing limit and outlines future cuts in some federal spending. All four members of Iowa’s U.S. House delegation issued written statements after casting their votes. First District Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks of Le Claire said she was proud to vote yes on a bill that includes spending reforms and policies that are the first step in putting the country on the path toward fiscal responsibility.

Second district Congresswoman Ashley Hinson of Marion said in her statement that House Republicans are pumping the brakes on President Biden’s spending binges and taking a step toward fiscal sanity. Third district Congressman Zach Nunn of Bondurant said by avoiding default, the bill provides certainty to Iowans who receive Social Security and Veterans benefits — and prevents a catastrophic interest rate increase.

Fourth district Congressman Randy Feenstra of Hull said in his statement that the bill avoids financial ruin for farmers, families and Main Street businesses, while setting up long-term federal spending controls.

The bill is likely to be voted upon in the U.S. Senate today (Thursday).

DES MOINES – Today, Gov. Reynolds and the Iowa Economic Development Authority announced a $5 million investment in food banks and food pantry networks to help more Iowans in need get access to fresh, nutritious food.

“Access to fresh foods is a challenge for those facing food insecurity and soaring inflation has made it even harder,” said Gov. Reynolds. “Iowa is making long-term investments to reduce food insecurity in our communities – supporting food banks and their networks to better serve those in need. This one-time infrastructure investment will help improve capacity and distribution at Iowa’s food banks, and ensure more Iowans have access to the food they need.”

The new Iowa Food Insecurity Infrastructure Fund will help eligible nonprofits that have experienced economic hardship build, expand, or remodel facilities to enable them to increase the amount of food, especially fresh food, distributed to local food pantries throughout Iowa. Eligible nonprofits include food banks that are bulk food aggregators or distributors that replenish food pantries across Iowa, as well as nonprofit food pantry networks that serve as primary distribution points.

IEDA will begin accepting applications on June 1 and will continue to review applications as they arrive through July 1 or until funding runs out. Funded projects must be completed by June 30, 2026. For more information, visit https://www.iowaeda.com/infrastructure/food-infrastructure/.

(Corning, Iowa) – The Adams County Sheriff’s Office reports two arrests. Last Saturday, 43-year-old Dustin Ray Kilgore was arrested after Deputies in Adams County were called to a residence in the 400 block of 6th Avenue in Prescott, for a possible assault. An investigation resulted in Kilgore being charged with Burglary in the 1st Degree – a Class B Felony, Domestic Abuse Assault/3rd offense, and Assault while participating in a felony, both of which are Class-D Felony charges.  Kilgore was also charged with five counts of Child Endangerment, each count is an aggravated misdemeanor. He was being held in the Adams County Jail without bond and has been ordered to have no contact with four of his alleged victims. Kilgore’s preliminary hearing was set for June 6th.

On May 7th, Adams County Deputies were dispatched to a residence in the 1300 block of 260th Street in Nodaway, for a possible assault. Following an investigation, 38-year–old Jeffery Allen Knapp was placed under arrest for Domestic Abuse Assault/1st offense. He was transported to the Adams County Jail and held without bond. He has since entered a plea of not guilty. A pre-trial conference in his case takes place August 8th, with a jury trial is set for September 6th.

And, at around 1:45-a.m. on May 7th, a traffic stop was conducted at the intersection of Highways 34 and 148 in Adams County. The 16-year-old driver  of the vehicle was given a juvenile referral for Minor In Possession (MIP) of Alcohol. The juvenile was released to their parents.

(Radio Iowa) – With the unofficial first weekend of summer behind us, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources is reminding Iowans about the multitude of state and county parks that offer camping options. D-N-R wildlife biologist Matt Dollison says the more prominent and popular campsites often fill up quickly, so he recommends checking out the local spots, too. “You might consider looking at some less-used county facilities,” Dollison suggested. “For instance, the Fremont County Conservation Board has eight campsites for plug-in here at the golf course in Fremont County. That might be a nice emergency spot to go. There’s plenty of spots out there like that across southwest Iowa. Just look for those ‘off the beaten path,’ less-traveled places to find a hookup.”

Dollison says tent camping sites are typically more readily available and are on a first-come, first-serve basis. However, he adds there are a couple of tent-camping-specific tips to keep in mind.  “If you’re tent camping for the first time ever, try to plan for some shade in the morning,” he said. “If it’s shady at night when you’re setting it up, that might not be shady in the morning. If you set that tent up in the sun, it’s going to be unbearably hot in there generally by about 8 a.m.” Dollison also recommends having supplies readily available, including bug and sun protection.

“There’s plenty of ticks out there at this time of year, and mosquitoes aren’t going to be too bad in most of our area with how dry it’s been, but bug spray is definitely something to consider having, and sunblock if you’re going to be out in the sun,” said Dollison.” Learn more about Iowa’s state parks at iowadnr.gov.

(Radio Iowa) – Opponents of carbon pipelines are asking federal officials to issue a moratorium on new construction. The U.S. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration is holding a two-day public hearing in Des Moines. Kim Junker, a Grundy County farmer, says if state regulators give the go-ahead for construction of the three carbon pipelines proposed in Iowa, the federal agency should adopt new safety standards for the operation of pipelines — and the response to ruptures. “Carbon dioxide is heavier than air. It travels like a cloud to low lying areas, depriving oxygen from everything in its path,” she says. “It’s odorless and colorless. If carbon pipelines are approved in the Midwest, tens of thousands of lives are at risk.”

Three people from Mississippi are in Iowa, testifying before federal officials about a carbon pipeline rupture three years ago near a small town Satartia. Debrae Burns and his family saw the explosion, their car shut off and all three passed out.  “I woke up in the hospital. My symptoms now are headaches, memory loss, having trouble concentrating,” Burns says. Gerald Briggs is the first responder who rescued Burns and had to take him to an ambulance five miles from the site because gas-powered vehicles don’t work in a cloud of carbon dioxide. “I don’t have a pipeline running through my property, but I’d be standing on the street with you if I did,” Briggs said. Briggs spoke at a news conference organized by opponents of the three pipeline routes proposed in Iowa. Jack Willingham is the emergency management director for the county where the carbon pipeline ruptured. Willingham says crews first responded to an initial report of a green cloud in the area.

“We start getting calls from people who can’t breathe, people that need to know what to do in their house — they can’t breathe, they can’t see,” Willingham says. “We have cars that are shutting down.” The director of regulatory affairs for the Summit Carbon Solutions pipeline says the company will use state-of-the-art technology to detect and prevent any potential issues — and will meet or exceed federal safety standards.

(Pottawattamie County, IA) –  This (Wednesday) morning, petition signatures to trigger a special election were submitted to the County Auditor by the Western Iowa Labor Federation (WILF AFL-CIO) and the Concerned Citizens of Pottawattamie County (CCPC) coalition. The petition will begin the process for an August 1st, 2023 vote where Pottawattamie County residents, for the first time, will be given the opportunity to decide how they want to elect their County Board of Supervisors.

In a statement issued following the petition submission, Jennifer Pellant, President of the Western Iowa Labor Federation, AFL-CIO said “In the last few months, we’ve talked to more than 4,000 Pottawattamie County residents about switching to Plan Three, and the overwhelming response to those conversations was ‘that makes sense. Today, we have given the voters of Pottawattamie County the chance to choose for themselves. We have given them a chance to choose a plan where they will get better representation from someone who understands, firsthand, the challenges in their part of the county. That Plan is Plan Three.”

Geri Frederiksen with Concerned Citizens of Pottawattamie County believes that a county [the size of Pott.County], the second largest in Iowa, makes it more difficult to compete as the population density growth of the county has been primarily the Council Bluffs metro – the furthest western edge. “A rural school teacher from Oakland who might want to run for office cannot currently compete with the political machine of Council Bluffs. Districting is an opportunity to let the citizens of rural communities believe it IS possible to run for office and win in a county as big as Pottawattamie County!,” Fredericksen said.

Doug Irwin, Business Consultant and Co-Chair of CCPC said of the petition, “The change that we are asking for is uncomfortable for certain people, primarily the current Board, and voters are asking for more input on how that Board is selected.” Officials say 2,919 total signatures (10% of the previous 2022 general election turnout) were required to activate the election, and the coalition ultimately turned in 3,993 signatures. Most of those signatures were collected through an aggressive canvassing campaign at the courthouse and community events across the entire county in the last three months.

“Plan Three makes the most sense to represent all voters of Pottawattamie County.  We all live here, and we all deserve representation, even rural residents like myself,” says Shawna Anderson, business owner, member of CCPC, and rural Pottawattamie County resident.