(Council Bluffs, IA) The Iowa West Foundation Board of Directors recently approved $3.7 million in grant and initiative funding to 14 nonprofits and government entities in southwest Iowa and eastern Nebraska. The largest recipient was the City of Council Bluffs, which received $2,000,000 for West Broadway beatification, $500,000 for new signage at the Mid-America Center and $25,000 for holiday lights at Bayliss Park.

The $2 million for West Broadway is the second installment of a $9 million total investment for aesthetic improvements to Council Bluffs’ main thoroughfare. The holiday lights grant is also the second phase of funding to expand the annual tradition at Bayliss Park. New signage at the MAC is a next step in the Foundation’s strategy to reinvigorate the area. With the addition of The Courtyard by Marriott hotel opening soon and the continued success of the Iowa West Field House, as well as the interest of restauranteurs, the area is poised for greater growth and in need of proper signage to identifying amenities and heighten the visibility of the entertainment district.

“These grants are a part of our economic development and placemaking strategies. We believe they will make our community an attractive place to live and do business,” said Pete Tulipana, President and CEO of the Iowa West Foundation. “Whether it be through large initiatives like West Broadway or smaller grants like the holiday lights, placemaking investments are both extremely visible and impactful for both our residents and visitors.”

Healthy families also was a theme of the latest cycle of funding. Heartland Family Service received $160,000 to continue providing mental health services and teacher training at Lewis Central schools while FAMILY, Inc. received $35,000 toward the Raise Me to Read campaign designed to support literacy and early learning in Pottawattamie County. The Charles E. Lakin YMCA was awarded $100,000 to cover costs to merge with The Center in Council Bluffs.

“Our strategic alliance with The Center is going to increase our organizations’ community-wide impact,” said Chris Tointon, CEO of the YMCA of Greater Omaha. “This grant from the Iowa West Foundation is a yet another great show of support from the community for the partnership, representing the belief that the Y and The Center will be better together.”

In the focus area of education, Iowa Western Community College Foundation received more than half a million dollars to continuing implementing Iowa West Foundation’s post-secondary education initiative, Pottawattamie Promise. Now entering its fourth year, the program provides full tuition scholarships and support services in high school and college to Council Bluffs, Riverside, Lewis Central, A-H-S-T-W, and Tri-Center community schools’ students. Approximately 70 new students will begin their college careers at Iowa Western this fall.

Vice President of Student Services at Iowa Western, Tori Christie, said Pottawattamie Promise has been a “game-changer” for many student scholars by minimizing the multitude of obstacles they encounter.

“More young adults are going to college, and more of them are succeeding in that endeavor – an endeavor that many didn’t think was in their future,” she said. “It is amazing to know that we are achieving our goal of improving post-secondary attainment.”

Finally, as part of its ongoing commitment to rural southwest Iowa communities, the Foundation also awarded grants to two fire departments in Pottawattamie County. The Avoca Volunteer Fire Department received $10,000 and Walnut Fire and Rescue received $9,986, both for EMS equipment.

One arrest was reported in both Creston and Glenwood recently.

The Creston Police Department reports the arrest of 68-year-old Katheryn Susan Nelson of Creston on Thursday at 10:31am at a residence for Failure to Abate Nuisance. She was cited and released on Promise to Appear.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports the arrest on Tuesday of 20-year-old Jordan Edward Thompson of Glenwood on a warrant for OWI 1st Offense. Thompson was arrested at 10:08pm on Centre Drive in Glenwood. Bond was set at $1,000.

Page County Sheriff Lyle Palmer reports three inmates at the Page County Jail were hit with additional charges on Thursday.

27-year-old Keith James Land was arrested on a Page County Warrant for Failure to report contraband in a correctional institution. He was in the Page County Jail awaiting bed space at the Men’s Regional Correctional Facility in Council Bluffs for a previous conviction. Bond on this warrant was $2,000.

29-year-old Joseph Cody Foster of Shambaugh was arrested on a Page County Warrant for Possession of a weapon in a correctional facility. He was in the Page County Jail awaiting bed space at the Men’s Regional Correctional Facility in Council Bluffs for a previous conviction. Bond on this warrant was set at $10,000 cash only.

30-year-old Kennith Alan Cline of Coin was arrested on a Page County Warrant for Parole Violation. No bond on this warrant. Cline was in the Page County Jail on charges of Violation of the sex offender registry 2nd offense with bond at $5,000.

The Red Oak Police reports that a Dodge Ram Quad Cab pickup that was reported stolen on Thursday has been located in Council Bluffs. The Council Bluffs Police Department notified the Montgomery County Communications Center at approximately 1:00am Friday that the stolen truck was found in the city of Council Bluffs. The truck’s driver side window was busted out, as well as the steering column damaged.

Red Oak Police would like to thank the community, county, and surrounding area for their attentive mind set, as they received several calls in reference to the incident after it was released by the media. The investigation into the theft is ongoing.

The Red Oak Police report a vehicle left the scene of an accident on Thursday at 12:10pm. Officers were called to the Feed Lot restaurant for a report of a burgundy Dodge Durango that backed into a 2006 Buick Lucerne in the parking lot. Witnesses stated that a white older male with a beard was driving the Durango that backed into the Buick and then drove off. Officers are searching for that vehicle and driver and the incident is still being investigated by the Red Oak PD. The Buick sustained an estimated $1,200 damage.

The Adams County Sheriff’s Office reports one person was arrested on multiple charges after a search warrant was executed in Nodaway early Friday morning. At 3:14am Deputies executed that search warrant at 500 4th Street in Nodaway. Deputies located various substances including methamphetamine, marijuana, prescription drugs, and drug paraphernalia. Teddi Rattenborg was then placed under arrest for Possession of Methamphetamine, Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Gathering where Controlled Substances Unlawfully Used, and Unlawful Possession of Prescription Drugs. The case remains under investigation and additional arrests are anticipated.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A flurry of unexpected tornadoes swept through central Iowa, injuring at least 17 people, flattening buildings in three cities and forcing the evacuation of a hospital.

Residents — and even weather forecasters — were taken by surprise Thursday as the tornadoes hit Marshalltown, Pella and Bondurant. Ten people were injured in Marshalltown and seven at a factory near Pella, but no deaths were reported.

Alex Krull, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Des Moines, said forecasting models produced Thursday morning showed only a slight chance of strong thunderstorms later in the day.

“This morning, it didn’t look like tornadic supercells were possible,” Krull said. “If anything, we were expecting we could get some large hail, if strong storms developed.”

Marshalltown, a city of 27,000 people about 50 miles (80 kilometers) northeast of Des Moines, appeared to have been hit the hardest. Brick walls collapsed in the streets, roofs were blown off buildings and the cupola of the historic courthouse tumbled 175 feet (53 meters) to the ground.

The only hospital in Marshalltown was damaged, spokeswoman Amy Varcoe said. All 40 of the patients at UnityPoint Health were being transferred to the health system’s larger hospital in Waterloo as well as one in Grundy Center, she said.

The emergency room in the smaller Marshalltown hospital remained open to treat patients injured in the storm, Varcoe said. Ten people hurt in the storm had been treated, she said. She did not know how serious those patients’ injuries were.

Marshalltown resident Stephanie Moz said she, her husband and 2-month-old baby were in the downtown clothing store she owns when tornado sirens went off. The family sought shelter in the building’s basement and heard “cracking and booms and explosions” as the tornado passed.

The storm broke out a window, ruining clothing and hats on display there, and destroyed her husband’s vehicle. But she said she’s relieved.

“We went through a tornado and survived,” Moz said. “I’m happy.”

Additional funnels were reported as the storm moved east of Des Moines past Altoona, Prairie City and Colfax.

National Weather Service meteorologist Rod Donavon said two primary storms spawned the series of tornadoes. One developed in the Marshalltown area, causing damage there, while the other started east of Des Moines and traveled through Bondurant and into Pella.

The exact number of tornadoes and their strength will be determined later.

Iowa State Rep. Mark Smith, who lives in Marshalltown, told Des Moines station KCCI-TV that the area likely will be declared a disaster area. Smith said much of downtown was damaged. He said his house and neighborhood were spared, but surrounding homes were hit.

“There are houses with windows out, houses without roofs,” he said. “It’s just an absolute mess.”

Another tornado hit agricultural machinery maker Vermeer Manufacturing in the town of Pella, about 40 miles (64 kilometers) southeast of Des Moines. People were still working at the plant at the time. The storm scattered huge sheets of metal through a parking lot and left one building with a huge hole in it.

Seven people injured at the plant were taken to Pella Regional Health Center, hospital spokeswoman Billie Rhamy said. They all were released after being treated for their minor injuries, Rhamy said.

Gov. Kim Reynolds told WHO-TV in Des Moines that two of Vermeer’s buildings in Pella were demolished in the storm. She said Vermeer was hosting 500 customers for an appreciation day when the weather hit. She credited the company’s security team with moving them all to safety.

Reynolds added that in Marshalltown, the state is providing a communications trailer and workers to help maintain emergency communications there. She said Marshalltown’s building housing its local communications system was damaged.

On July 19, 2018 at approximately 5:15 a.m. officers at the Red Oak Police Department were summoned to the 1200 block of East Corning Street for a reported stolen vehicle. Upon arrival and investigation into the incident, it was determined that a two-tone blue over silver 2003 Dodge Ram 1500 Quad Cab pickup owned by William Guyer had been stolen from the driveway. The 2003 Dodge Ram 1500 was bearing Iowa License EGF 227 and stolen from the residence sometime between the hours of 22:00 on July 18,2018 and 05:00 on July 19,2019. Anyone who may see or encounter this vehicle is encouraged to contact your local authorities or the Red Oak Police Department at 712-623-6500 or Montgomery County Crime Stoppers at 1-888-434-2712.

Also during the overnight hours on July 18, 2018 there were two other vehicles that had been entered and steering columns broke in attempt to steal the vehicle.

The first attempt was in the 200 Block  of East Grimes St, the unknown person(s) did enter into an unlocked 1998 Ford F-150 owned by Amanda Serna. The Vehicle was entered, steering column broke, as an attempt to get the vehicle started but were unsuccessful. Nothing was stolen from the vehicle and only thing damaged on the vehicle was the ignition/steering column.

The Second attempt was in the 800 Block of East Nuckols St, the unknown person(s) did enter into an unlocked 2001 Dodge Ram 1500 Quad Cab pickup owned by Dale and Christina Johnson. This vehicle was also entered, a center console had been rummaged through and the steering column had also been broke, in an attempt to start the vehicle, but was unsuccessful. Nothing was stolen from the vehicle and approximately $100 Damage occurred to the vehicle.

It is believed that all three incidents are related, anyone who may have observed any suspicious activity are encouraged to contact The Red Oak Police Department at 712-623-6500 or Montgomery County Crime Stoppers at 1-888-434-2712.

The Glenwood Police Department reports the arrest of a homeless man on Wednesday. 18-year-old Dillon Weaver was arrested on a Mills County Warrant for Disorderly Conduct. He was held on $300 cash or surety bond.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Authorities have released the name of a man whose body was recovered from the Iowa River in downtown Iowa City.

He’s been identified as 42-year-old Mohammad Albaghdadi. Test results to confirm the cause and manner of his death are pending.

Pedestrians on a bridge spotted the body amid tree branches around 12:30 p.m. Tuesday. Sheriff’s deputies used boats to take the body to shore.