Officials at Iowa Western Community College in Atlantic, say a local couple has stepped forward again this year with plans to continue providing scholarships for educational opportunities for students in Southwest Iowa.

Don and Lois Sonntag

The Don & Lois Sonntag Endowment Fund has donated $2,000 to be utilized for nursing scholarships. The Atlantic couple invite others to join with them in supporting area students who are pursuing the profession of nursing by donating to this scholarship fund.

In addition, the Sonntag’s say they will match additional gifts up to $5000 to benefit students attending Iowa Western Community College. The goal is to appeal for funds to match the challenge and to create  scholarship opportunities for students from the Cass County area who are pursuing a career in nursing, especially those serving patients with cancer.

The scholarship fund will provide financial assistance to those enrolled in nursing prerequisites or the nursing program. Matching funds under this endowment program can be in any amount. All funds shall be submitted to Iowa Western Community College Foundation, a 501(c)(3) tax deductible entity.  All donors will be recognized per their request.

Iowa Western Community College will make decisions on all applications according to need and scholarship criteria. The amount awarded to each student will depend on the number of qualified applicants. The scholarships will be for classes starting August 19, 2013, and students from Atlantic and the surrounding area may qualify. All funds from the effort will be used only for students enrolled in the nursing program or prerequisite nursing courses at Iowa Western Community College.

Students who are pursuing the nursing profession, through coursework at Iowa Western, may apply for these scholarship funds by completing and submitting the paperwork to the Cass County Center by August 2.   The scholarship application is available at the Cass County Center, 705 Walnut or on-line at www.iwcc.edu.

For additional information, contact:  Don Sonntag at 712-249-1906 or Ann Pross, Iowa Western Cass County Center Director at 712-243-5527.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — More than 250 people in at least six states including Iowa have come down with a stomach bug that could be linked to foodborne illness. The Centers for Disease Control says 10 people have been hospitalized for the cyclospora infection causing diarrhea and other flu-like symptoms. The illness is usually spread when people ingest food or water contaminated with feces.

HARLAN, Iowa (AP) — A 72-year-old former teacher in western Iowa has been arrested on charges he had sexual contact with a 17-year-old student. The Iowa Department of Public Safety says police charged Lee Nelson, of Harlan, with sexual exploitation by a school employee and assault with intent to commit sexual abuse. Nelson is accused of making sexual comments and inappropriately touching the girl while he worked as a band teacher.

ELKTON, Ky. (AP) — Two Iowa men flying home from Florida escaped unharmed when the pilot tried to land the small plane on a southern Kentucky highway and wound up in a field. The crash happened when the plane apparently experienced mechanical problems. Sixty-nine-year-old Roger L. Pointer of Maxwell was piloting the 1946 Aeronca 7AC. Neither he nor 52-year-old passenger Michael D. Callison of Des Moines was hurt. The FAA will investigate.

BOONE, Iowa (AP) — Some buildings at the Central Iowa Expo grounds near Boone were damaged when thunderstorms rumbled through the area. The storm earlier this week caused structural damage to one building and tore a roof off a domed building. Other building at the expo grounds also had roof damage.

The Atlantic City Council will hold a special session Wednesday evening, to act on the third and final reading of an amended ordinance calling for an increase in the rate property owners pay for a Storm Water Equivalent Service Unit (or, ESU). If adopted during the brief, 5:30-p.m. meeting at City Hall, the ESU, which has not changed in over 10-years, would increase 35-cents per month, to $2.85. The proposed rate increase would generate $25,000 in additional revenues, which will be used to cover the net increase in debt service cost of $15,000 for repairs to the Bull Creek Underground drainage system and continued funding for annual repairs to the City’s storm water management system.

During the Council’s regular meeting last Wednesday, an objection to the raising of the fee was raised by Atlantic resident Charles Griffin, who claims the “fee” is actually a tax on property owners, and is not legal, because the citizens of Atlantic were not allowed to vote on it. Griffin urged the Council to repeal the ordinance altogether. Instead, the approved the second reading, setting the stage for action this week. The ordinance needs to be approved, according to City Administrator Doug Harris, in order to meet the August billing deadline.

Snyder and Associates Engineer Pat Hall, one of the creators of the storm water fee system approved by the Council in 2003, said last week, the whole intention of storm water utility is addressed in Chapter 384 of the Code of Iowa, which spells out the City’s responsibility for utilities, and services provided to the citizens of the community. Therefore he said there is a basis for the fee, and it is not a tax.

Hall said by setting up a utility fee, the City provides itself with a certain amount of flexibility, when it comes to payments for capital improvements, such as the Bull Creek storm sewer improvement project. The ESU is based on the amount of square footage on a parcel of property. Those who have more square footage would always pay more than those who have less.