The Audubon County Community Foundation awarded $42,343 to Audubon County nonprofit organizations and community projects during its Fall 2023 Grant Cycle. Including these most recent grants, the Audubon County Community Foundation has distributed more than $2.8 million in grants and scholarships over the past 25 years.

The following organizations are Fall 2023 Grant Recipients:

All grantees met the criteria as Audubon County nonprofit agencies or organizations with charitable missions supporting community needs in the areas of civic engagement, culture, health, education, and social services. Only organizations providing services in Audubon County were eligible to apply.

These grant funds were made possible by generous donors to the Audubon County Community Foundation and the following charitable funds allocated through the community foundation: Audubon Masonic Association Endowed Fund; Audubon State Bank/Stephen Garst Endowed Fund; Charles T. and Kathleen K. Manatt Endowed Fund; Leon and Iva Milliman Endowed Fund for Audubon County, Iowa; Fred and Evelyn Nissen Endowed Fund for Audubon; and Merle and Norma Petersen Endowed Fund.

The Audubon County Community Foundation works with individuals, families, businesses, and organizations to create permanent and expendable funds that address changing, vital community needs and interests. To learn more about donating to the Audubon County Community Foundation, please contact the Community Foundations of Southwest Iowa staff or any advisory board member listed below. Gifts to permanently endowed funds through the Audubon County Community Foundation may be eligible to receive a 25% Endow Iowa Tax Credit.

Advisory board members of the Audubon County Community Foundation are Chair Pat Kaiser of Audubon; Vice Chair Gina Benton of Exira; Secretary/Treasurer Megan Wagner of Audubon; Bob Blomme of Audubon; Travis Nelson of Exira; Donna Olson of Kimballton, and Doug Carter of Audubon.

For information about donating or establishing an individual foundation/fund, please contact Sunni Kamp (sunni@omahafoundation.org) or Sydney Calcagno (sydney@omahafoundation.org) at 800-794-3458.

The Alzheimer’s Association is celebrating the major landmark of seeing 100-million dollars invested in research initiatives nationwide during the past year, including nearly 500-thousand dollars that targets studies solely at the University of Iowa. U-I researcher Juliana Talarico says the work they’re doing is vital in examining risk factors — like the impact of sleep and stress — on the development of Alzheimer’s.

Talarico is considered a leading researcher in the field of psycho-social stress and cognitive decline within aging populations. Her work identifies opportunities for early prevention that may bring resilience against cognitive health issues that stem from sustained stressors.

While there is no cure for Alzheimer’s, recent advances have produced medications that can slow the disease’s progress when identified early. Talarico says the U-I’s College of Nursing is in the midst of two key Alzheimer’s research studies.

U-I researcher Wen Liu is focused on how dementia patients act and how they’re helped at mealtime. Liu has been studying countless patients in hospitals, nursing homes and memory care settings both in the U-S and China.

Alzheimer’s is the sixth-leading cause of death in the United States. In Iowa, more than 66,000 people have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or dementia, and there are nearly 100,000 family and friends caring for their loved ones with the disease. This year’s unparalleled 100-million dollar commitment to research stands as the largest single-year investment since the organization’s founding in 1980.

(Creston, Iowa) – Sheriff’s officials in Union County say no injuries were reported following a collision Monday morning, at the intersection of Three Mile Creek Drive & US Highway 169 & US Hwy 34 east.  The collision happened at around 6:14-a.m.  The Sheriff’s Office reports a 2014 GMC pickup driven by 65-year-old Ronald Loren Belden, of Dexter, had stopped at a stop sign for the intersection. He looked, but didn’t see an oncoming, westbound 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee driven by 31-year-old Taylor Christian Hunt, of Osceola.

The pickup was struck by the SUV when Belden pulled out into the intersection. Damage from the crash amounted to $10,000. Both vehicles were a total loss. Belden was cited for Failure to Yield to a vehicle on the right.

ALTOONA, Iowa (KCCI) — Three American flags were burned in an Altoona neighborhood Monday morning. Now, police are asking for people’s help in finding a suspect who is believed to be responsible for it. Officials with the Altoona Police and Fire Departments issued a joint statement saying officers were called to the 300 block of 12th Ave SW and 800 block of 12th Avenue NW for three separate reports between 4:30 and 5:30 a.m. on Nov. 13th.

Police say officers discovered the flags destroyed by fire. Due to the nature of the crime, arson investigators were called for a joint investigation. Police say they don’t know for sure if one person is to blame for all three flags. But, they say the three incidents appear to be similar.

Altoona Police say another American flag was burned on Nov. 6. But they don’t believe it’s related to Monday’s incidents. Police said detectives are actively investigating Monday’s incidents.

DES MOINES, Iowa — Des Moines police have made an arrest and identified the victim in a fatal stabbing investigation. Police say they received a report of a stabbing around 2:30 a.m. Tuesday at the Econo Lodge on East 30th Street. Officers say when they arrived, they found 20-year-old Alyssa Anne Maher, of Des Moines, with multiple traumatic injuries. Maher was rushed to the hospital in critical condition, where she died.

DMPD detectives arrested and charged Brantlee Austin Gage Rainey, 24, of Des Moines, with first-degree murder. Police say Rainey was found inside the room where the crime happened and had a knife with apparent blood on it. He also matched a witness’s description of the suspect.

DES MOINES, Iowa — The body of a woman was discovered Tuesday morning along a street in Des Moines. Des Moines Police say officers responded around 7:45-a.m. to a report of a dead person found along the 1100 block of Chautauqua Parkway in Des Moines. Authorities believe there is no ongoing threat to the neighborhood. Officials have not released the identity of the person or any additional details concerning the investigation.

DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Davenport man was sentenced on November 9, 2023, to 27 years in federal prison for Conspiracy to Distribute 50 Grams or More of Methamphetamine, and Distribution of a Mixture and Substance Containing Methamphetamine and Cocaine.

According to court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, law enforcement began an extensive investigation which revealed that Art Eugene Thomas, 35, sold methamphetamine and cocaine. The investigation began in November 2020 when a concerned citizen reported that many individuals came and went from Thomas’s residence and provided law enforcement with security footage. Several witnesses interviewed said that Thomas carried a firearm. At sentencing, the Court found Thomas was a manager or supervisor within the drug trafficking organization based in part on Thomas’s direct connection to an Arizona drug source of supply. In total, Thomas was found to be responsible for approximately 37 pounds of ice methamphetamine.

After completing his term of imprisonment, Thomas will be required to serve five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Davenport Police Department, with assistance from the United States Postal Inspection Service.

This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

(Anita, Iowa) – Following-up on discussion that took place Monday evening in Anita, during the CAM School Board’s regular meeting with regard to the CAM School District’s Facilities, a meeting will be held this evening (Nov. 15th) at the High School in Anita. The meeting at 6-p.m. is open to the public. Superintendent Paul Croghan says the former Facilities Committee and representatives with the SITELOGIQ Architectural Firm will be on-hand to hold a Q&A session.

In other business, the CAM School Board, Monday evening, discussed the District’s Certified Enrollment numbers for 2023 and financial projections.

The CAM School Board approved an Achievement Center Agreement with the Atlantic CSD, Monday.

And, they approved the Corrective Action Plan and authorized the Administration to submit the CAP to the School Budget Review Committee (SBRC).

The Board approved: 41-mid-term graduates of the Connections Academy; a Contract with DirectIT for Technology service; The approved Murry Finn as Green Hills AEA Board Election for District 3, and, with regard to local election results, Superintendent Croghan said…

He mentioned also, the CAM Cross Country Team made a presentation to the School Board, Monday, and recapped their season.

He concluded by wishing everyone a safe and happy Thanksgiving and harvest, as that wraps-up across the area.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – Montgomery County Auditor Jill Ozuna says a successful post-election audit was conducted of the November City-School election on November 15, 2023. Ballots in Precinct 5 were hand- counted by election officials to ensure they matched the totals reported by the ballot tabulator. The precinct was randomly selected by the Secretary of State following Election Day. The City of Grant Mayor Race was audited. The results matched 100%.

County Auditor Jill Ozuna stated: “The hand count audit shows that our machines tabulate accurately and further restores integrity of our election process. I’d like to thank the county auditors and the election officials and poll workers across the state for their hard work this year,” Secretary Pate said. “We conducted another fair, secure election in Iowa, and these hand-count audits are one more way we ensure the integrity of the vote.”

Every ballot tabulator in Iowa undergoes a public pre-election test to ensure it will count votes accurately on Election Day. Post-election audits are mandatory in all 99 counties following each election.  For the City-School Election, one randomly chosen precinct in each county is required to conduct a post-election audit to verify the machine count.

For more information about election security in Iowa, visit the Secretary of State’s website at sos.iowa.gov. Information about the voting process is available at VoterReady.Iowa.gov. Questions about the post-election audit and other election matters may be directed to the Montgomery County Auditor’s office at 712-623-5127.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa’s roads will be crowded next week as it’s projected to be the fourth-busiest travel week since 2005. If you’ll be heading down the highway to see friends or family for Thanksgiving, Triple-A-Iowa spokesman Brian Ortner says it could save you plenty of hassles to give your vehicle a preventative check-up now.) “Get your car ready for that road trip,” Ortner says. “You have plenty of time now to get your routine maintenance done, get your tire pressure checked, get your oil changed, get your battery checked.”

Some people like stay organized and on-task by making lists, and Ortner says travel can be overwhelming, so do what you can to plan ahead. “Leave early and allow yourself extra time,” Ortner says.

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“Whether you’re flying or driving, that’s going to be a big key into less stressful travel plans.” You don’t want to be one of “those” relatives at the dinner table, so Ortner suggests you know when to say when to that holiday cheer. “Keep safety on your mind,” Ortner says. “Never drive impaired and make sure, if you do celebrate a little bit too much, take advantage of the options to get home so you do arrive home safely.”

Triple-A estimates travel next week around Iowa and the five other states in our region will be up two-percent, or about 85-thousand travelers, from last year. Of the estimated four-point-three million people in our region who will be traveling at least 50 miles from home, some three-point-eight million will be going by motor vehicle.