**New grants for Anita, Atlantic, Blanchard, Clarinda, Creston, Corning, Fontanelle, Lewis, Orient, Red Oak, and Ringgold County**

Anita, Iowa – Iowa 3rd District Democrat Representative. Cindy Axne, today (Friday), announced $611,360 in new USDA Rural Development grants for cities across Iowa’s Third Congressional District to support a range of municipal improvements, including new equipment for Iowa hospitals, police departments, and fire departments. The new grants cover Adams, Adair, Cass, Montgomery, Page, Ringgold, and Union counties.

The grant amount, (local) recipient and purpose can be found below:

• $136,000 for the City of Anita: $44,000 for the City to assist with the replacement of the roof of the existing fire station. The existing roof has developed leaks and moisture is causing the ceiling insulation to collapse;  $50,000 for the City to purchase essential equipment for the city’s volunteer fire department. This grant will allow the city to purchase a CPR chest compression system and power cot to more efficiently conduct rescue services, and purchase 10 sets of fire protection gear to reduce safety risks for volunteer firefighters. Currently, volunteers manually conduct chest compressions and lift individuals in and out of rescue vehicles, and are using expired fire protection gear; $42,000 for the City to renovate city hall’s restrooms and install a new security window to the city clerk’s office.
• $50,000 for the City of Atlantic to purchase equipment for the city animal shelter. Since July of 2021, the shelter has been constructing an addition to its facility to enable the separation of cats and dogs. The investment will support the addition of an entry way for customers and staff, an office, a public restroom, a holding room for cats and a room for individuals to meet cats before adoption.
• $50,000 for the City of Clarinda to purchase surgical equipment for Clarinda Regional Health Center in its surgical and radiology departments to ensure care continues to meet patient needs. CRHC currently provides medical services to nearly 16,000 patients per year.
• $19,660 for the City of Creston to purchase a law enforcement vehicle, an SUV patrol vehicle, and replace the oldest model in its fleet in order to continue providing public safety services.
• $100,000 for Corning, Iowa: $50,000 for the City of Corning to purchase a new skid steer and trailer to assist with street repairs, snow removal and loading sand into trucks during winter weather conditions; $50,000 to purchase 4 vans for Imagine the Possibilities, a non-profit organization in the Creston area that serves individuals with disabilities throughout rural Iowa. This project will allow the nonprofit to purchase four vehicles to replace those currently not running at full capacity and improve its transportation services for the residents.
• $7,000 for the City of Fontanelle to purchase a portable Automated External Defibrillator (AED) machine for the fire department and local Emergency Medical Transportation unit. The existing AED device is 25 years old and out of service.
• $75,000 for the City of Lewis to replace the sidewalk and curb area serving the city block of City Hall and the public library. A portion of the existing sidewalk has collapsed, creating a public safety hazard for pedestrians.
• $21,000 for the City of Orient to purchase a skid loader. The skid loader will be used by the public works employee to maintain city infrastructure needs.
• $50,000 for the City of Red Oak to make street infrastructure improvements and allow the city to more effectively handle storm water runoff in heavy rainfall events, and provide a safe walkway for pedestrians.
• County of Ringgold: $41,800; $33,000 for the County to purchase a detachable semi-trailer to haul large equipment such as dozers, excavators, track loaders cranes and other off-road construction machinery needed to maintain the secondary road network. The county currently owns a semi-trailer that is beyond useful life; $8,800 for the County to purchase a mower to manage roadside ditch and shoulder vegetation for the city’s residents. The Secondary Roads Department has several pieces of old equipment, including a mower that has reached the end of useful life.