An accident in Creston this (Thursday) morning occurred when the driver of a vehicle dropped his cell phone and reached down to pick it up. The Union County Sheriff’s Office says 25-year old Joshua Winebrenner, of Afton,  was driving east on Howard Street in Creston, when his 1998 Chevy Cavalier hit the rear of a parked 2001 Ford Escape. The accident happened at around 7:10-a.m.

Winebrenner was cited for Failure to Maintain Control. Damage from the collision amounted to $3,500.

The Iowa Department of Transportation reports the right lane of westbound I-80 at the 112 mile marker (Racoon River near Van Meter/Desoto) has been closed by the Iowa State Patrol. Troopers continue to monitor the rising waters in that area and will make further closures if need be. Drivers need to use caution in that area or plan an alternative route.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – One of three veteran Iowa State Patrol officials who were on leave during an internal investigation has been transferred to a new job. The Iowa Department of Public Safety says Maj. Todd Misel is no longer in charge of field operations for the patrol. Instead, he has been moved into a position in the commissioner’s office overseeing the department’s compliance with national law enforcement accreditation standards.

Misel and two other patrol officials were placed on paid leave in April while the department investigated whether they mishandled a state contract to purchase handguns. The department announced earlier this month they had returned to work without discipline. The department has refused to release the findings of multiple investigations but says the three didn’t commit any crimes or violate any policies.

Brett Irlmeier, Chair of the Audubon County Community Foundation, a countywide community foundation, reminds Audubon County nonprofit organizations that the fall grant program is now beginning. The deadline to apply for funds through a grant application process is September 1st. Irlmeier says they have $41,170 allocated for the fall grant cycle.

From the grant funds, $2,500 is available for the Exira area, from the Leon and Iva Milliman Endowed Fund, $2,900 from the Charles T. and Kathleen K. Manatt Endowed Fund, $690 from the Audubon State Bank/Stephen Garst Endowed Fund, $1,200 is available for the City of Audubon area from the Audubon Masonic Association Endowed Fund, $490 is available for the City of Audubon from the Fred and Evelyn Nissen Endowed Fund for Audubon, and $490 for the City of Audubon from the Merle and Norma Petersen Endowed Fund.

The Audubon County Community Foundation grant dollars are awarded for a single year.The ACCF’s grants and program Mission is to participate in funding community betterment projects and nonprofit organizations that have similar objectives. Only organizations providing services in Audubon County are eligible. They must be able to demonstrate broad community/county support and supply a copy of their 501(c)(3) IRS determination letter. Requests for general operational funds will not be considered.

Application procedures and grant guidelines can be obtained online at www.iowacommunityfoundations.org/auduboncef. Detailed instructions are provided in a downloadable form, as well as a link to the online application. Only online applications will be considered.

These grant funds are made possible by the generosity of the Audubon County Community Foundation donors. To inquire about donating to the ACCF, please contact a Board member. Board members of the Audubon County Community Foundation are Chair, Brett Irlmeier of Audubon, 563-2644; Vice Chair, Jonnie Meislahn of Audubon, 563-2009; Secretary/Treasurer, Barbara Johnson of Audubon, 773-5732; Genelle Deist of Audubon, 563-2651; Jay Nelson of Atlantic, 549-2277; Daryl Olsen, DVM of Audubon, 563-2080; and Joseph T. Rasmussen, Esq. of Exira, 268-5357,

Community Foundations in Southwest Iowa are particularly attractive charities because donations to these funds may be eligible for a 25% Endow Iowa Tax Credit.

You may contact Dennis Nissen at 800-794-3458 (dennis@omahafoundation.org) or Denise Cardos at (denise@omahafoundation.org) with grant application specific questions. All completed applications will be considered at the October board meeting with notification of results the end of October.