DES MOINES- The Department of Management Division of Information Technology, formerly the Office of the Chief Information Officer, awarded $148,960,000 as part of the Empower Rural Iowa Broadband Grant program. 39 broadband provider applications representing 47 Iowa counties received a Notice of Intent to Award (NOIA) for applications submitted under NOFA #008.

This round of grant funds will be used to incentivize broadband infrastructure build out in the newly established Broadband Intervention Zones (BIZ). Through feedback from 55 public meetings in Iowa communities, 96 BIZ zones were created across the state. These are areas deemed to be in the most need for broadband infrastructure expansion.

Funding for NOFA #008 was made possible through the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Capital Projects Fund. For information on NOFA #008 please refer to the link below. This link provides all application materials.

https://ocio.iowa.gov/empower-rural-iowa-broadband-grant-program-notice-funding-availability-008

DES MOINES – Today, Gov. Reynolds announced a new $6.5 million investment in communities to bolster tourism and quality of life through Destination Iowa. The grant initiative, which launched in 2022 with federal funding, became a state-funded initiative following approval from the Iowa legislature this year.  

“Destination Iowa has inspired communities statewide to dream big about projects that will give tourists a reason to explore and newcomers a reason to call Iowa home,” Governor Reynolds said. “This initiative has advanced 46 projects across the state so far , activating more than $480 million in total investment. Support from the state will open this opportunity for even more communities to boost tourism and quality of life while raising the profile of our state.” 

The IEDA Board approved the Destination Iowa program guidelines and procedures at its monthly board last Friday. Funds will be awarded to projects investing in vertical infrastructure such as land acquisition and construction, recreational trails and water trails. The goal is for Iowa communities to make strategic investments that create or support lasting opportunities to attract visitors and enhance quality of life amenities for residents, thereby boosting local economies and attracting talent.   

Priority will be given to applicants that have not been awarded money from the federally funded Destination Iowa fund or other programs intended to support community attraction and tourism projects after July 1, 2018. Eligible applicants include cities, counties and not-for-profit organizations.  

The program will follow a two-step application process. Pre-applications will be accepted on a rolling basis from October 23, 2023 through January 31, 2024 via a form on IEDA’s website.  For those applicants invited to apply for the full application, the final application deadline is March 1, 2024. 

IEDA will designate a grant committee to review applications and make funding recommendations to the IEDA Board for consideration at the April 2024 monthly board meeting. For more information, visit www.iowaeda.com/destination-iowa-state.

(Glenwood, Iowa) – Sheriff’s officials in Mills County report four arrests, including the arrest of two men on separate drug-related charges. On Saturday (10/28), 18-year-old Addam Aaron Belt, of Carter Lake, was arrested for Failure To Appear (FTA) on a Possession of Drug Paraphernalia charge. His bond was set at $500. And, 35-year-old Johnathon Wayne Graham, of Fremont, NE, was arrested Sunday morning, for Possession of a Controlled Substance. Bond was set at $1,000.

Two men were also arrested on separate OWI charges in Mills County: 35-year-old Deangelo Octobius Riley, of Red Oak, was arrested Sunday morning for OWI/1st offense. And, Sunday evening, 45-year-old James Joseph Springhower, of Glenwood, was arrested for OWI/1st offense. Bond for both men was set at $1,000 each.

Most of us have heard how dangerous distracted driving can be, and how the number-one distraction is our phones, but distracted -walking- can be equally as deadly, especially with Halloween tomorrow (Tuesday). Elizabeth O’Neal, a professor in the University of Iowa’s Department of Community and Behavioral Health, says parents should tell their kids to leave their phones alone while they’re trick-or-treating, or else they may get so distracted, they endanger themselves in traffic.

Most parents have drilled into their kids’ heads to look both ways before crossing a street, but O’Neal says that’s only two-thirds of a vital lesson.

When trick-or-treating — and every day — O’Neal says we need to cross roads at a place where drivers are expecting pedestrians to be.

It’s said there’s safety in numbers, and there’s more visibility in numbers, but O’Neal says if your costumed kids are trick-or-treating in a group, they may be more prone to tricks, and trouble.

If the kids protest and don’t want adult chaperones, parents can keep tabs on the location of their little goblins by using G-P-S phone trackers or Apple Air Tags.

SIOUX CITY (KTIV) – The Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office is investigating an officer-involved shooting and homicide that started on Sunday night. The incident started Sunday after 7:30 p.m. when officials got a 911 call reporting a shooting at 2595 Old Highway 141 near Hornick. Deputies responded to the scene and learned there was a victim of a shooting on the property.

The suspect was located on the property and deputies began speaking to him. That lasted several hours into early this (Monday) morning. At approximately 2:45 a.m. the homicide suspect fired multiple shots at tactical teams who were attempting to take the suspect into custody.

Additional details are expected later this afternoon.

(Radio Iowa) – A new pilot program in a southwest Iowa county will let drivers get some traffic tickets dismissed if they complete a defensive driving course. Fremont County Attorney Peter Johnson says the program is being done in collaboration with the National Safety Council’s Nebraska Chapter. “Most drivers aren’t getting tickets all the time. Sometimes it’s just a temporary lapse in judgement and it’s a minor traffic violation, but we know the effect that can have on people’s licenses and insurance rates,” he says, “so we want to give people an opportunity who through taking a class, through getting educated, would qualify to (have their tickets) be dismissed.”

An individual with a traffic ticket in Fremont County would be eligible to take the course once every three years. “We think just a refresher course on the rules of the road and safe driving techniques will be beneficial to the community at large,” Johnson says.

People who get tickets in Fremont County for minor moving violations, like running a stop sign or driving no more than 20 miles over the speed limit are eligible to apply to take a four hour course and get the ticket waived. There’s an eight hour course for more serious violations, but Johnson says county officials will review ALL applications – and some will not be approved. “There are other factors that we consider — whether the citation was issued in relation to an accident, whether there are other factual circumstances,” Johnson says. “…We kind of give it a once over to make sure that you are eligible and then if you are eligible we’ll let you know you are free to sign up for a class They do a quick screening as well to make sure you qualify with our standards.”

People who have a commercial driver’s license — even if the violation happened in a personal or private vehicle — are NOT eligible for the Fremont County program.