The Cass County Board of Supervisors have approved an application by the local Food Policy Group seeking funds from the USDA to help pay for a part-time Local Food Policy Coordinator. If the application is approved by the USDA, the Rural Business Enterprise Grant (RBEG) Program, would require up to $2,500 in County matching funds, which the Board also authorized by signing the forms. The County would serve as a sub-grantee for the program.

The total amount of the project is $58,450. Harrisdale Homestead has agreed to contribute a third-party, in-kind match of $6,000 for an office space for the part-time person, who has yet to be hired. That person would work out of the office, two-days per week.

Bahia Barry had served as the full-time Food Policy coordinator for Cass County from her office at the Golden Hills RC&D in Pottawattamie County, but her position was eliminated.

In other business, the Board tabled action on appointing a person to fill a vacancy position on the Cass County Zoning Board of Adjustment, as no one has expressed an interest in the post. The Cass County Zoning Board of Adjustment is a five (5) member board that holds hearings and issues decisions on applications for Special Exception Uses, Variances from the requirements of the Zoning Ordinance, and appeals of decisions by the Zoning Administrator. The Board of Adjustment has the final say on matters in which it has jurisdiction.

Thirty-two Iowa students, including two from the Kirn Middle School in Council Bluffs, took top honors in a statewide history contest this week and will represent Iowa at the National History Day competition next month at the University of Maryland. Junior Division qualifiers Sam Hulett and Ben Price, under guidance of teacher Deb Masker, won for their project entitled “Star Wars.”

The 32 students competed against 375 other students in the junior division (grades 6-8) of the National History Day in Iowa contest this week at the State Historical Museum of Iowa in Des Moines. The students join 38 other Iowa students who competed last week in the NHD in Iowa senior division (grades 9-12) in advancing to the 2013 Kenneth E. Behring National History Day Contest held June 9-14, 2013, at the University of Maryland.

The group of 70 Iowa students will compete for scholarships and cash prizes against nearly 2,500 students from the United States, Guam, America Samoa, Department of Defense Schools in Europe, and Shanghai, China.

National History Day is an academic-enrichment program that helps students learn about historical issues, ideas, people and events. The year-long academic adventure fosters students’ enthusiasm for learning and encourages them to use primary, secondary, community and statewide resources on a subject of their choice related to an annual theme. The theme for 2013 is “Turning Points in History: People, Ideas, Events.

Nearly 10,000 Iowa students competed in the program this year, with winners at school and district competitions advancing to the state contests in Des Moines.