(DES MOINES) – The Iowa Finance Authority Board of Directors Wednesday (today), announced the award of a total of more than $7 million in grants to 27 Local Housing Trust Funds to support local housing initiatives. The grant awards are made available through the Local Housing Trust Fund program and are expected to assist more than 2,100 families. Iowa Finance Authority Executive Director Debi Durham says “The Local Housing Trust Fund program is a highly successful funding mechanism that serves all 99 counties,  ensures local leaders can make critical housing projects a reality and leverages millions in other contributions. Thousands of Iowa families will soon have access to a home in which they can prosper as a result of the outstanding work of Iowa’s 27 Local Housing Trust Funds.”

In the immediate KJAN listening area, the following Trust Funds were awarded grants from the Iowa Finance Authority:

• Council of Governments (Serving Audubon, Carroll, Crawford, Greene, Guthrie & Sac Counties: $235,872 grant.
• Pottawattmie County Housing Trust Fund (Serving Pottawattamie County): $212,132 grant.
• Southern Iowa Council of Governments (SICOG) (Serving Adair, Adams, Clarke, Decatur, Madison, Ringgold, Taylor & Union Counties): $229,482 grant.
• Southwest Iowa Housing Trust Fund, Inc. (Serving Cass, Fremont, Harrison, Mills, Montgomery, Page and Shelby Counties): $253,756 grant.

The grant funds will be used for initiatives such as preserving aging housing stock, subsidizing local rental and down payment assistance programs, providing low-interest loans or grants to assist Iowans with home rehabilitation, financing construction of new single-family housing for low-income Iowans and supporting housing for persons with disabilities and homeless assistance programs.

The State Housing Trust Fund was created by the Iowa Legislature in 2003. The awards announced today will leverage an additional $2.6 million in other financing or $.38 for every dollar of Local Housing Trust Fund program funding. Since its inception, the program has provided $84 million in affordable housing assistance to benefit nearly 29,000 Iowa families. The State Housing Trust Fund helps ensure decent, safe and affordable housing for Iowans through two programs. The Local Housing Trust Fund Program receives at least 60 percent of the State Housing Trust Fund allocation to provide grants for organizations certified by the Iowa Finance Authority as a Local Housing Trust Fund.

The remaining funding goes to the Project-Based Housing Program, which aids in the development of affordable single-family and multifamily housing. The Iowa Finance Authority administers both programs and provides technical assistance to housing-related organizations.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — A Democratic congressional candidate in Iowa who trailed by six votes after a recount says she will forgo further legal challenges in the state and appeal directly to the U.S. House of Representatives for further review. Rita Hart’s campaign had until Wednesday to contest the election under Iowa law following Monday’s certification of results in which Republican Mariannette Miller-Meeks was declared the winner of the closest House race in decades.

Hart’s campaign said the quick timeline for a contest in Iowa would not allow enough time to review the ballots, including thousands of unexamined undervotes and overvotes. Instead, the campaign says Hart will file a challenge with the House under the Federal Contested Elections Act in coming weeks.

The Union County Sheriff’s Office reports a man from Adair County was arrested a little before 2-a.m. today (Wednesday). 38-year old Timothy John Davis, of Greenfield, was arrested at the Union County Law Enforcement Center, on a Union County warrant for Theft in the 2nd degree. Davis was being held in the Union County Jail on $5,000 bond.

At around 4:45-p.m. Tuesday, a man from rural Afton reported to the Union County Sheriff’s Office, that sometime in the last few months, someone entered his residence and took several tools and fishing items. Also, his 1999 red Chevrolet Suburban license plate HJ442 was taken from the residence. The stolen items are valued at $8,650.

The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office reports one person was arrested, early Tuesday north of Avoca. 50-year old Michele Renee McKern was taken into custody for OWI/2nd offense, after a Deputy responded at around 1:30-a.m. to Wings America, to meet with Shelby County Deputies, in connection with a wanted person.

Officials with the Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office, Tuesday, announced the retirement of K-9 “Rage.” Rage, whose handler was shot in the line of service last fall, has served the citizens of Guthrie County for almost 8 years. The Belgian Shepherd has developed age-related hip problems, and will enjoy life on the farm with her former handler. The Sheriff’s Office says Rage put in many hours fighting the war on drugs. She was a valuable asset in the fight against illegal drug usage for Guthrie County. Over the years Rage also did several building searches and engaged in tracking criminals. Rage will be missed by all of us at the Sheriffs Office.

Guthrie County K9 “Rage”

With her retirement, the Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office is in the process of obtaining two, new, dual-purpose K-9’s, in continuance and enhancement of the fight against drugs and crime. The new K-9’s will be used for a variety of patrol duties, will engage in criminal tracking and apprehension, premises searches, finding lost persons, and assisting neighboring law enforcement departments as needed. They will also be used for education and outreach.

Sheriff Marty Arganbright says the Sheriff’s Office is looking for monetary donations to sponsor the K9 program. Any funds received will be used directly for the purchase of the new K9’s, handler training, and any future expenses the program may incur. If you would like to support the program, make your tax-deductible donations directly to the Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office, either in-person or by mail. Checks may be made payable to the:

Guthrie County K-9 Fund, C/O Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office

200 N. 5th Street

Guthrie Center, Iowa 50115

Three people were arrested on separate charges Tuesday, in Creston. Authorities say 36-year old Ray Brunner, of Creston, was arrested at his home, for Simple Assault. Brunner was cited and issued a summons to appear (in court). 37-year old Jaime Torres, of Creston, was arrested at the Creston Dollar Tree Store, Tuesday, on a Union County warrant for Violation of a Protective Order. Torres was being held in the Union County Jail while awaiting a bond hearing.

And, 36-year old Jonathan Jackson, of Orangeburg, SC, was arrested Tuesday night at the Dollar General Store in Creston, for Theft in the 5th Degree. Jackson was cited at the scene and released on a summons to appear.