The Iowa Finance Authority’s (IFA) Board of Directors recently approved a combined total of nearly $2-million in federal grants to assist 25 agencies across the state with homelessness prevention and assistance initiatives during the 2014 calendar year. The funding is made available through the federal; Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) program, which is administered by the U-S Dept. of Housing and Urban Development, and by the IFA. The purpose of the grant, is to help Iowans and their families quickly regain stability in permanent housing after experiencing a housing crisis or homelessness.

In southwest Iowa:

The Crisis Intervention & Advocacy Center in Adel…which serves 19 counties, among them Adair, Adams, Audubon, Cass, Guthrie, Montgomery, Pottawattamie and Shelby… received a grant amounting to $69, 104, for Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Rehousing.

The Catholic Council for Social Concern in Des Moines…which serves Pottawattamie, Audubon, Cass, Fremont, Harrison, Mills, Montgomery, Page, Pottawattamie and Shelby Counties…received $71,984 for Shelter and Outreach programs.

Heartland Family Services/Council Bluffs, which serves Pott. County, received $47, 989 for Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Rehousing.

MICAH House/Council Bluffs, received $47,989 for shelter and outreach programs benefiting the 11 area counties it serves.

And, the YWCA in Fort Dodge receives $91, 564 for shelter/outreach, Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Rehousing. It serves 24 counties, including four in the KJAN listening area.

Those and other agencies can use the grant funds for many purposes, including Street outreach, Emergency Shelters and essential services, short-term rental or utility assistance, case management and other, similar services.

U-S Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today (Thursday) announced funding for projects in seven states, to improve electric service for about 7,000 rural customers. Rural Utilities Service Administrator John Padalino made the announcement on the Secretary’s behalf during a regional meeting of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association. The loan guarantees are made available through the Rural Utilities Service of U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development. They include more than $5 million for smart grid projects and nearly $3 million to improve electric service for Native Americans.

In Iowa, the Farmers Electric Cooperative, Inc., based in Greenfield, will receive $10 million. The funds will be used to serve 305 customers, build 273 miles of distribution line, and make other system improvements. The loan includes $60,000 for smart grid projects. And, the Southwest Iowa Rural Electric Cooperative based in Stanton, is receiving $6 million. The funds will be used to serve 336 customers, build 133 miles of distribution line, and make other system improvements. The loan includes $145,711 for smart grid projects.

Officials say altogether, the more than $136 million in USDA loan guarantees will help build more than 2,200 miles of line, fund more than $5 million in smart grid projects and make other system improvements.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports the arrest on Monday of an Atlantic man. 43-year old Donald Lee Klindt, was arrested on a District Court warrant for Failure to Appear. Klindt was taken to the Cass County Jail and released the following day on $10,000 bond.

And, on Wednesday, deputies in Cass County arrested 39-year old Tara Marie Brosam, of Atlantic. Brosam faces a charge of OWI 1st Offense. She was taken to the Cass County Jail and released later that day on her own recognizance.

(12:40-p.m News)

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Heat and little rain continue to intensify the drought in several states including primary crop growing areas. The national drought monitor report released Thursday says in Iowa, the nation’s largest corn producer, severe drought spread to nearly 42 percent of the state up from 32 percent a week ago.   The drought monitor tracks conditions from Sept. 3 through Tuesday morning.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture says about a third of corn and soybeans are in good or excellent condition in Iowa down from more than half rated in those categories a month ago. In Nebraska, where drought increased in some areas, non-irrigated corn is in similar shape.

Drought worsened in portions of Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, and Wisconsin.

The body of a Nebraska man who disappeared while swimming in a lake near Onawa Wednesday afternoon, was recovered this (Thursday) morning. The Omaha World-Herald, citing a news release from the Monona County Sheriff’s Office, says searchers found the body of 43-year old Garrett L. Grant, of Macy, NE., just before 8-a.m.

Authorities had received a report at around noon Wednesday, that family members were attempting to locate Grant after he went swimming in Blue Lake, at the Lewis and Clark State Park.  Divers and others searched the lake Wednesday until 8:45 p.m.,  when their efforts were suspended due to darkness.

A man from Pennsylvania has entered pleas of guilty to three felony charges stemming from the robbery of a bank in Guthrie County. The Guthrie Center Times reports 29-year-old Wayne Eugene Palmer, Jr., of Carlisle, PA, admitted to his role in the May 20th robbery in Stuart, of the First State Bank. The man appeared in court on Monday.

Hannah Reisinger

Palmer’s accomplice, 20-year-old Hannah Reisinger, photographed in a distinctive green dress and red wig, made off with just over $3,000 in the robbery. She has also agreed to a plea bargain, but has not yet officially done so, in court. Palmer told the judge Monday he and Reisinger hadn’t decided where exactly to commit a robbery until reaching Stuart and driving around town. According to Palmer, they were en route to California to “get married”, but Guthrie County Attorney Mary Benton told the paper Palmer already was married, with a wife and children in Pennsylvania.

Palmer and Reisinger later were apprehended in Los Angeles, CA. In a plea deal with Benton, Palmer plead guilty to robbery in the second degree, going armed with intent, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. He was originally charged with robbery in the first degree, which carries a 25 year prison term. The second degree conviction carries a mandatory 10 year prison term, and the other two offenses carry five year sentences. All will be served consecutively for a total of 20 years. Palmer admitted the robbery was his idea.

Palmer, who was paroled from Pennsylvania prison in 2011 on two other robbery convictions, was still on parole when the Stuart robbery was committed. He had served 10 years on those prison sentences. Once Palmer’s sentence is completed in Iowa, Benton stated he will be transferred back to Pennsylvania to serve six years remaining on the previous convictions.

Sheriff’s officials in Montgomery County say no injuries were reported following an accident this (Thursday) morning, in Villisca. Vehicles driven by 37-year old Niko Marie Hensley, and 51-year old Douglas Lyle Schenck, both of Villisca, collided at around 7:15-a.m. at the intersection of North 3rd Avenue and 1st Street, when Hensley failed to see Schenck’s vehicle approaching, and pulled out into the intersection after stopping at the posted stop sign.  Damage from the collision amounted to $5,500. Hensley was cited for Failure to Obey a stop sign.

An audit of the state’s management of the food stamp program finds — in some cases — a longer overlap in foster care and adoption assistance with food stamp benefits than is permitted by law. Someone who gets “Family Investment Program” or “food stamp” benefits is not to receive any other benefits from the Iowa Department of Human Services. However, there is a one-month transition period allowed for children who go into foster care or are being adopted. It allows the prospective parent or guardian to receive the child’s foster care payments or adoption assistance grants during that 30-day window.

A state audit reviewed over 380 cases and found 28 percent had improperly gotten both foster care and food stamp benefits for up to four months. About 13 percent got adoption assistance and food stamps for too long. Managers for the agency say the error rate may be due to a dramatic reduction in staff handling the cases. In 2009, there were 116 more employees working in the unit. Case loads increased from about 600 per worker in 2009 to 772 per worker in 2012.

The audit of the Department of Human Services also noted several paperwork errors in other programs, including a lack of appropriate documents in some files.

(Radio Iowa)

The Anita City Council, Wednesday, voted to enter into a law enforcement sharing agreement with the Cass County Sheriff’s Office. The Council held a public hearing prior to voting 4-to nothing (with one council member absent), to secure coverage from the County.  A similar agreement was reached earlier this week, in Griswold.

A meeting will take place September 17th to finalize the agreement between the City of Anita and the Cass County Sheriff’s Office. The move by Anita became necessary with the retirement of Police Chief John Larsen, whose last day is September 22nd.

The Adair County Board of Supervisors will meet Friday morning at the Courthouse, in Greenfield. During their 9-a.m. meeting, the Board will canvass the votes from Tuesday’s School Board election. In other business, they’ll hear from County Auditor Mindy Schaefer, with regard to: The Fiscal Year 2013 State Tax Increment Financing Report; Credit Card Policy, and Abatement of Taxes.

At 9:30, County Engineer Nick Kauffman will present a DOT Resolution to add local TIF Projects to the current budget year, a FY 2014 Budget Amendment, and his regular activity and maintenance report.

The Board will also discuss and/or act on an EMS grant contract, a Child Abuse Prevention grant draw down, taxable meals, and other matters.