A crash at around 8:52-a.m. today (Monday), in Sac County, claimed the life of a 21-year old woman. The Iowa State Patrol reports Courtney Graffunder, of Sac City died, after the car she was driving collided with the rear of a semi tractor-trailer on Highway 71. The woman was not wearing a seat belt.

Officials said her 2015 Chevy Camaro was northbound and failed to stop for a 2021 Peterbilt semi in the northbound lane, that was stopped on Highway 71 and waiting to turn left into the drive for 1887 Highway 71.

The driver of the semi, 40-year old Joshua Cordes, of Enid, OK., was not injured. The Sac County Sheriff’s Office assisted at the scene.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — A small group of health care workers were the first people in Iowa to get the coronavirus vaccine, kicking off a months-long campaign to deliver shots to state residents. The arrival of the vaccine marked a milestone in the fight against a virus that has killed one in roughly every 964 residents in Iowa, infected hundreds of thousands more, filled up hospitals and closed many public school buildings.

University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics said on Monday morning it received 1,000 doses of the vaccine manufactured by Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech. The hospital soon started vaccinating employees, saying it anticipated more than 50 would receive the first of two doses of the vaccine on Monday.

(Radio Iowa) – Six Iowans have cast their votes in the Electoral College for President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence. Trump finished eight points ahead of Joe Biden in Iowa and carried all but six of Iowa’s 99 counties. Governor Kim Reynolds was on hand this (Monday) morning to greet the Electors at the State Capitol. “Turn out for the General Election was incredibly high in the State of Iowa and I think that’s something we can all be very proud of,” she said.

Turnout in Iowa was over) “897,672 Iowans voted for Donald Trump for president and Mike Pence for vice president…Those votes were technically and legally votes cast for the six of you,” Pate said. “…I want to congratulate you, the Electors, and thank you for your service.” David Chung of Cedar Rapids is a long-time Republican Party activist, but this was the first time he’s served as an Elector. “It’s kind of bitter sweet,” Chung says. “Obviously I’m a Republican Elector, so I was hoping to be part of re-electing a Republican president, but still happy to be part of the process.”

The Electors signed a number of documents, some of which will be delivered to congress.

(Des Moines) A reminder from the Iowa Department of Human Rights: The CDC’s moratorium on nonpayment evictions ends on December 31, 2020.  The Order protects renters who meet certain requirements and who sign a declaration form and give it to the landlord. Evictions can take place if certain terms of the lease are broken.  Late fees can still be charged, and the obligation to pay rent remains. The process and requirements around the moratorium and evictions can be complex. For information on how to take advantage of the moratorium, visit Iowa Legal Aid’s website.

If you are unable to pay your rent, here are some resources on rental assistance, housing, and other help.

• Iowa legal Aid-Eviction Information/Rights
• Resident Declaration Form – Other Languages
• Eviction Moratorium Information in 18 Asian Languages
• COVID-19 Legal Advice Hotline 1-800-332-0419
• HHS/CDC Frequently Asked Questions
• Houseiowa.org – database of housing resources
• 211iowa.org or call 2-1-1 for resources

Iowa Emergency Solutions Grant CARES Act 
The Emergency Solutions Grant program helps prevent households from becoming homeless due to eviction, and assists Iowans experiencing homelessness to quickly regain rental housing.  Examples of assistance available to eligible individuals include rent and utility payments, including in arrears, legal assistance, application fees, security and utility deposits, moving costs, case management and credit repair. All financial assistance is paid directly to landlords and service providers  The assistance will remain available until all funds are exhausted or September 30, 2022.

For assistance and eligibility, call the Housing Recovery help line at 1-833-739-0065 or use the Regional Coordinated Entry Contact Finder to find a service agency in your area

Officials with the Southwest Iowa Foundation report the Audubon and Cass County Community Foundations are happy to announce that applications are now being accepted from organizations providing separate charitable services in Audubon and Cass County, respectively. As part of this spring grant cycle, approximately $90,000 is available to support nonprofit organizations and community projects in each County. The deadline to apply for funds through the online application process is February 1, 2021.

Beginning December 15th, application details, a fact sheet, and a link to the application form can be found online by selecting your respective County Listing at www.swiowafoundations.org. Applications will only be accepted through the online system. Made possible through the State of Iowa County Endowment Fund Program, this cycle of grants is funded by a percentage of the state’s commercial gaming tax revenue, which is distributed annually to participating community foundations associated with counties without a state-issued gaming license. Only organizations providing services in Audubon and/or Cass County are eligible to apply. They must be able to demonstrate broad community/county support and be an IRS-approved 501(c)(3) public charity, a local municipality, or a fiscally sponsored project.

Both the Cass and Audubon County Community Foundations aim to improve the quality of life in their respective Counties, by supporting community needs in the areas of civic engagement, culture, health, education, and social services. The objective of the grant program is to fund projects that will have a permanent impact on, and in, both counties. Due to the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, for Spring 2021, the two Community Foundations will entertain requests for program and operating support, in addition to the historic focus on items of permanence.

Please contact Stacey Goodman (stacey@omahafoundation.org) or Tess Houser (tess@omahafoundation.org) at 800-794-3458 with application-related questions. All completed grant applications will be considered at the March board meeting, with applicants being notified of funding decisions by the end of March.

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Board members of the Audubon County Community Foundation are Chair, Genelle Deist of Audubon; Vice Chair, Joel Hoegh of rural Brayton; Secretary/Treasurer, Megan Wagner of Audubon; Gina Benton of Exira, Bob Blomme of Audubon; Steven B. Hansen of Audubon; and Donna Olson of Kimballton.

Board members of the Cass County Community Foundation are Chair, Kristi Burg of Massena; Vice Chair, Gary Maas of Anita; Secretary/Treasurer, Roland K. Landsness, Esq. of Atlantic; Royal Bierbaum of Griswold; Sue Hunt of Atlantic; and Mark D. Kyhnn, CPA of Atlantic.