Sustainable development through smart planning will be showcased tomorrow (Saturday, Nov. 12th), in Greenfield, during the annual meeting of 1000 Friends of Iowa. Part of the day will be spent touring Greenfied’s town square, which has been a Main Street community since 1995, and showcases how the community has not allowed its city core to fall into disrepair.

Jay Howe is one of the backers who have refurbished the Hotel Greenfield, where the meeting will be held. He says it made sense to fix up the facility. “We are reducing the carbon footprint so to speak in contrast, let’s say, to promoting the constuction of a box hotel out on the highway strip.”  Howe says The Hotel Greenfield received $2-million in grants and is now open for business.  “Some of the stimulus money that became available at the time we were shovel-ready, so to speak. The  U.S. and Iowa historic rehabilitation credits are available that we can use to help fund the project.”

Altogether, Greenfield developers have obtained over $6.2-million and are currently rehabbing four other buildings, including the Opera House, turning it into a cultural center.  1000 Friends of Iowa will also be awarding their Best Development Awards, which showcase examples of growth and leadership that incorporate Smart Planning Principles.

For more information, surf to www.1000friendsofiowa.org.

(Courtesy the Iowa News Service)

An Elliott man was being held in the Montgomery County Jail Thursday night, following his arrest for Failure to Appear in court on an original charge of OWI/2nd offense. The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department says 32-year old Joshua Duane Mohn, of Elliott, was arrested at around 10:40-p.m. Mohn was being held in the jail on $2,000 bond.

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is investigating a fish kill south of Vail. The incident was reported by the Crawford County Engineer, Tuesday afternoon. Officials say many dead fish and a strong smell of manure indicate recent manure application may be the cause of the fish kill. The DNR fisheries staff did a fish kill count Wednesday, finding mostly small fish such as minnows and shiners. About one to two miles of Miller Creek have been affected southeast of its confluence with the Boyer River. The DNR is actively investigating the source of the fish kill and will continue to monitor the situation.

Local members of the Cass County Unit of the Salvation Army met this week to launch the “Red Kettle Campaign” for 2011.  JJ Kuzma from Salvation Army in Omaha attended the meeting with Duane McFadden, Chairman of the Red Kettle Campaign and Teresa Kanning Co-Chair of the Cass County Salvation Army unit.  As always, funds raised by the local Kettle Campaign stay in Cass County and are used for projects within the County. Last year the Cass County unit raised $5,827.

Among the issues discussed during the meeting held Wednesday, was the upcoming holiday season and setting up bell ringing for the season.  In the last several years, the unit has collected money by ringing bells for the campaign at Wal-Mart, Hy-Vee and Fareway, as well as at the Grand Holiday Lighting. This year’s Grand Lighting ceremony takes place in the Atlantic City Park on November 17th,  at 5:30.  The bells will also be rung during the Lighted Christmas Parade, on December 3rd.   The funds raised by the campaign stay in Cass County.  During the last year, the funds were made available for such programs as the “Shop with a Cop” program, gift cards to local schools, to assist students in meeting various needs, assisting stranded motorists and transient individuals,  fans for distribution by West Central Community Action Center, and, back packs to be distributed by the administrative staff. This year the Cass County Salvation Army unit also partnered with the Parents as Teachers Program to purchase car seats for the program’s use.

New this year, Salvation Army has the ability to accept donations thru the National Salvation Army website.  Anyone wanting to donate to the local unit can go on the website and specify which local unit they want their Red Kettle donation to go to.  More information will be released on this program at a later date.  Volunteers to ring bells are welcome; any person, family, community group or religious organization who would like to sign up for a shift to ring bells for Salvation Army, please contact Duane McFadden at 712-781-2287.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — A man has been injured when he was struck by a train while watching another train pass by in Council Bluffs. The Daily Nonpareil reported the man, who wasn’t identified, was struck by the train this (Thursday) afternoon. Police say the man was standing near the westbound tracks in the area, watching an eastbound train pass, when he was struck by a westbound train. Police Sgt. Jason Bailey says the man suffered an injury to his arm. It took the train several seconds to stop after it hit the man. It wasn’t immediately known how fast the train was traveling. A bystander says he saw the man under the train after the accident.