The Atlantic Police Department reports two arrests in the past two days.

On Thursday, July 13th Atlantic Police arrested 37-year-old Dicey Christensen of Atlantic on two Cass County Warrants for Unauthorized use of a Credit Card. She was taken to the Cass County Jail and booked in.

Today (Friday, July 14th) Atlantic Police arrested 54-year-old Larry Will of Atlantic for OWI and Driving While License Denied or Revoked. He was taken into custody and booked in to the Cass County Jail.

A two-story structure fire was occurring in downtown Exira early this morning. According to an Exira firefighter, the page went out at around 2:20-a.m., for the blaze at Jerry’s Bar at 100 W. Washington Street. Atlantic Fire Department’s quint (Ladder truck) and Anita Fire’s tanker truck were requested at 3:25-a.m.

KJAN News arrived on the scene not long thereafter. Even though there wasn’t much of  a breeze, smoke from the blaze could seen and smelled as far south as Brayton. Downtown Exira was filled with a thick, acrid smoke, as calls for help from the Audubon, Kimballton and Adair Fire Departments. The main problem was with the water supply, according to the fireman we spoke with. Cumberland, Massena and Marne Fire Department’s tanker trucks were also called to provide extra water between 5:30-and 5:40-a.m.  Griswold, Lewis and Coon Rapids Tanker trucks were requested as well just before 6-a.m..  Other personnel were on hand as well, including Exira Rescue, Portsmouth Fire, and the Audubon County Sheriff’s Office.

Jerry’s bar recently underwent a renovation, from what we were told. Crews were working feverishly to contain the blaze to the bar. It’s expected they’ll be on the scene for at least a couple of more hours.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:35 a.m. CDT

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A county prosecutor in Iowa who was sued for threatening to charge a 14-year-old girl with sexual exploitation of a minor for sending suggestive photos of herself to a boy has agreed to drop the case. The girl and her parents filed the federal lawsuit in November, aiming to block Marion County Attorney Ed Bull from bringing charges. An agreement to dismiss the case was filed Thursday.

OSKALOOSA, Iowa (AP) — State officials are testing fur found at the site of a black bear sighting in southeastern Iowa. The Oskaloosa Herald reports that the Mahaska County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a black bear strolling through a soybean field on Wednesday. Officials say there have been multiple bear sightings reported in the area in recent weeks.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Five people in Iowa are among more than 400 people charged with taking part in health care fraud and opioid scams that federal prosecutors say totaled $1.3 billion in false billing across the country. U.S. Attorney Kevin VanderSchel in the Southern District of Iowa says the five were indicted in two schemes involving the distribution of opioids. The charges range from possession with intent to distribute hydrocodone and oxycodone to conspiracy and distribution of the drugs.

KEOKUK, Iowa (AP) — A school board member has pleaded not guilty to a charge of domestic abuse assault. The written plea and a demand for a jury trial were electronically filed Wednesday in Lee County for 40-year-old Carlita “Carrie” Steele. She’s a school board member for Keokuk schools. A criminal complaint says Steele’s husband, Christopher, told officers that his wife had threatened to shoot him and herself Tuesday night.

Fire fighters from Atlantic and Anita were dispatched to provide mutual at the site of a large structure fire in Exira this (Friday) morning. According to dispatch reports, the fire was at Jerry’s Bar (100 W. Washington St). Anita’s tanker was request at the scene. The call went out at around 3:25-a.m.

No other details are currently available.

Nicholas Hunt, Chair of the Cass County Community Foundation, and Genelle Deist, Chair of the Audubon County Community Foundation, have announced that the fall grant program is now beginning for both Cass County and Audubon County nonprofit organizations.  The deadline to apply for funds through the online grant application process is September 1st. In Cass County, $29,000 has been allocated for the fall grant cycle. In Audubon County, the amount allocated was $40,590.

In Cass County, of the amount available, $2,500 is from the Griswold Community Development Endowed Fund, and $500 is from the Triumph Endowed Fund for Cass County. The Cass County Community Foundation grant dollars will be awarded for a single year.

In Audubon County, approximately $2,000 of the funds are for the Exira area, and are from the Leon and Iva Milliman Endowed Fund. The rest of the allocated fund include: $2,500 from the Charles T. and Kathleen Manatt Endowed Fund; $900 from the Audubon State Bank/Stephen Garst Endowed Fund; $1,000 is for the City of Audubon area from the Audubon Masonic Association Endowed Fund; $445 is for the City of Audubon from the Fred and Evelyn Nissen Endowed Fund for Audubon, and $445 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.

Both the Cass and Audubon County Community Foundation grants and program’ Mission is to participate in funding community betterment projects and nonprofit organizations who have similar objectives.  The Goal is to improve the quality of life in the respective counties, by supporting needs that are not being met in the areas of civic, cultural, health, education and social service.  Their objective is to fund projects that will have a permanent impact for our county that people can take advantage of for many years.

Only organizations providing services in Cass County and Audubon County are eligible IN THEIR RESPECTIVE COUNTIES.  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.  The CCCF’s mission is to provide funds to those nonprofit and governmental agencies that are involved in community betterment through their organizations.

After July 15th, application procedures and grant guidelines will be available online at www.iowacommunityfoundations.org/casscef for Cass County non-profits, or www.iowacommunityfoundations.org/auduboncef for organizations in Audubon County.  Click on the Grant Information tab or contact any board member for additional information.  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 Cass and Audubon County Community Foundation donors.  To inquire about donating to either Foundation, please contact a Board member.   Community Foundations in Southwest Iowa are particularly attractive charities because donations to these funds may be eligible for a 25% Endow Iowa Tax Credit.

Please contact Dennis Nissen at 800-794-3458 or 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.