Minden, Iowa – Community partnerships continue to drive progress forward in tornado stricken Minden. The latest support comes from the Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) through a Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery award in the amount of $1,172,042.

The IEDA award will support the development of three duplexes near Depot Street and Main Street, creating six new affordable housing units. The units will be developed by Habitat for Humanity of Council Bluffs and Neola-based Cook Construction & Remodeling.

“The support from IEDA is truly laying the foundation for new housing in Minden,” stated Mayor Kevin Zimmerman. “This funding is helping us to meet our community’s needs in a targeted and strategic manner.”

The duplexes will be constructed on land the City purchased with support from the Community Foundation for Western Iowa. The Metropolitan Area Planning Agency, which prepared the successful IEDA application, will administer the grant.

“The collaboration that allowed us to be in the position we are today has been unprecedented,” said Blake Johnson, Habitat for Humanity of Council Bluffs Executive Director. “We are thrilled to be part of Minden’s recovery efforts and are anxious to get started on these six units.”

Construction is anticipated to begin in the spring, with the units expected to be listed for sale in the fall. The two bedroom, two bathroom units will each be nearly 1,300 square feet.

For more information on the City’s overall tornado recovery efforts, visit https://mindeniowa.com/recovery.

February 3, 2025 (DES MOINES) — The Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) today (Monday) awarded $93,846 in Certified Local Government (CLG) grants to historic preservation projects in Des Moines, Mount Pleasant and Red Oak, as well as Benton, Louisa, Madison and Muscatine counties. Also, the city of Keokuk will receive a $13,460 grant to plan for future historic preservation.

The latest awards will support CLG projects that include:

• The nomination of two downtown districts — in Earlham and Mount Pleasant — to the National Register of Historic Places, the official list of the nation’s historic places worthy of preservation. The Madison County Historic Preservation Commission completed a survey in  2020 and determined the area retains its historic and contextual significance.
• A plan for a comprehensive citywide historic survey in Des Moines.
• A survey of Red Oak’s historic East Hill district, which features many homes that were constructed for the city’s founders.

“Historic preservation not only encourages public appreciation locally, but it boosts a community’s visibility to outsiders who want to experience those stories and places for themselves,” said IEDA and Iowa Finance Authority Director Debi Durham. “Giving people reasons to travel and stay longer supports community revitalization and is a vehicle for economic development.”

The CLG program encourages governmental partnerships, provides training and technical assistance and supports preservation of historic resources at the local level. Iowa’s CLG program is one of the largest in the nation and is administered by IEDA’s State Historic Preservation Office in conjunction with the National Park Service. Funding comes from the Historic Preservation Fund administered by the National Park Service.

While not yet part of the CLG program, Keokuk received a Planning for Preservation grant, which aims to help Iowa communities establish a strong foundation for future historic preservation efforts in their community.

Funding for the selected CLG projects will be distributed in the form of matching grants. Download a list of today’s awards.

(Radio Iowa) – The Midwestern economy improved slightly during January, according to the latest Creighton University survey, but Iowa’s economy continued to struggle.

Creighton economist Ernie Goss says supply managers are fearful new tariffs will hurt business, and in anticipation, many firms increased inventory levels during January and boosted imports to a record high. For only the third time since last July, Goss says the overall Business Conditions Index climbed above growth neutral.

“It’s much like what the Federal Reserve had to say last week,” Goss says. “The economy is doing okay, but it’s skimming like a stone, skimming across the water. It goes below the water and above the water, below the water, above the water. That’s the way the manufacturing economy in Mid America is doing, according to our survey.”

Ernie Goss (Creighton University photo)

The survey is based on a zero-to-100 scale, with 50 being growth neutral. For January, Iowa’s economy hit a regional low of 43.1, which was up from December’s score of 40.8. Still, Goss says more employers in the region added to their workforces during the month.

“Hiring, wow, it went up above growth neutral, and this is the first time in some time it’s risen above growth neutral,” Goss says. “We’ve had almost a year of below growth neutral readings, and it rose to 51.1 and that’s up from December’s 46.4 and that’s almost, I won’t call it great news, but it was good news compared to what we’ve been seeing.”

For a fourth straight month, Goss says the wholesale price inflation gauge rose, but it continues to indicate modest inflation. Because of that, he expects the Federal Reserve to pause on any interest rate change at its next meeting in mid-March.

Despite weak manufacturing employment readings over the past year, Goss says about one in five firms reported labor shortages.

“The nation’s lost for 2024 about 93,000 jobs, and that’s about eight-tenths of 1%,” Goss says. “Our Mid America region lost about 7,900 jobs in the year, and that’s about five-tenths of 1%.”

According to the latest U.S. International Trade Administration data, Iowa experienced a $1.5 billion drop in 2024 year-to-date manufacturing exports compared to the same period in 2023 for a 9.6% decline.

(Glenwood, Iowa) – Police in Glenwood report a woman from Malvern was arrested Sunday. 33-year-old Jennifer Schraft was arrested for OWI/1st offense. She posted a $1,000 bond, and was released. Also arrested Sunday in Glenwood, was 32-year-old Rebecca Durr, of Glenwood. Durr was taken into custody on a Pottawattamie County warrant, and held without bond in the Mills County Jail.

(Newton, Iowa) – A man from Mills County faces a trio of felony charges following an incident Sunday, in eastern Iowa. According to the Newton Police Department, a little after 7-p.m., Sunday, Newton Police responded to reports of gunfire during a road rage incident on Interstate 80. Investigators determined that the driver of a blue Peterbilt semi pulling a white grain trailer fired multiple rounds at another semi as the victim attempted to pass near the 164-mile marker. The victim pulled into Love’s Travel Center in Newton, while the suspect continued eastbound on I-80.

At approximately 7:36 p.m., Jasper County Deputies located a matching blue Peterbilt with a white grain trailer parked on the off-ramp at the 179-mile marker exit off I-80. The driver, identified as 56-year-old Patrick Lee Miller of Malvern, Iowa, was detained. A search warrant was executed on the semi, leading to the discovery of a handgun and multiple spent shell casings.

Miller was arrested and transported to the Jasper County Jail. He faces charges of:

• Attempted Murder (Class B Felony)
• Intimidation with a Dangerous Weapon (Class C Felony)
• Going Armed with Intent (Class D Felony)
• Reckless Use of a Firearm (Aggravated Misdemeanor)

The victim was not injured. Authorities confirm this was an isolated incident, and there is no ongoing threat to the public.

Note: A criminal charge is an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.

(Glenwood, Iowa) – The Mills County Sheriff’s Office says three people were arrested on separate charges over the past few days. On Sunday (Feb. 2nd), 21-year-old Jace Andrai Merriett, of Omaha, was arrested for Public Intoxication, Assault with Bodily Injury, and Interference with Official Acts. His bond was set at $1,600.

Mills County Deputies arrested 42-year-old Bradley Gene Olsen, of Griswold, last Friday, for Violation of Probation. His bond was set at $500.

And, on Jan. 28th, 22-year-old Zachary Lee Still, of Council Bluffs, was arrested in Mills County for Violation of Probation. His bond was set at $25,000.

(Des Moines, Iowa) – Gov. Reynolds today (Monday) authorized a disaster proclamation for O’Brien County, Iowa effective immediately through March 5, 2025. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has confirmed a positive case of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in commercial layer chickens.

This proclamation allows state resources from Iowa Homeland Security, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, and other agencies to assist with tracking and monitoring, rapid detection, containment, disposal, and disinfection. The proclamation also waives regulatory provisions related to commercial vehicles responding to affected sites.

The recent HPAI detections in birds do not present an immediate public health concern, and it remains safe to eat poultry products. If producers suspect signs of HPAI in their flocks, they should contact their veterinarian immediately.

(Radio Iowa) – Republicans in the Iowa Senate are proposing a two percent increase in state per pupil funding for pubic schools, the same level Governor Reynolds proposed last month. It would amount to about 79-hundred dollars per student — and the parents of private school students who’ve signed up for state tuition assistance would get that amount, too. Senate President Amy Sinclair says the goal is to get the plan enacted by late next week.  “We believe that we should do timely funding of our school districts so that they know what numbers they’re working with,” Sinclair says, “so they can finish their budgets on time.” School districts must hold public hearings on budget plans and school boards must adopt a budget for the next academic year by April 30th.

Republicans in the Iowa House, led by Speaker Pat Grassley, have not released a proposal on per pupil funding for the fiscal year that begins July 1st. “We’re waiting to see whether the Senate can get us that bill,” Grassley says. “Right now our conversations are looking at what additional things we may have interest in.” Grassley suggests House Republicans may propose additional state funding for rural school districts with long bus routes. Democrats say schools should get a five percent boost in per pupil spending. Senate Democratic Leader Janice Weiner says due to the state’s per pupil funding formula, schools with declining enrollment will take a hit.

“Governor Reynolds and Republican lawmakers have proposed a school funding number that would force many Iowa schools into significant budget cuts,” she said, “resulting in fully half of our school districts getting less funding…a first that we do not want to have.”

Democrats say schools need a five percent increase in per pupil funding. Weiner says that would be a 315 MILLION dollar increase — the same amount the state sent this year to the Education Savings Accounts for private school students.

(Greenfield, Iowa) – Adair County Sheriff Jeff Vandewater reports three arrests took place last week. At around Noon on Thursday, 59-year-old Michelle Renee Evans, of Lorimor, was picked-up at the Cass County Jail in Atlantic. Evans was wanted on an Adair County warrant for Violation of Probation/Failure to appear in court on Dec. 6th, 2024 – an Aggravated Misdemeanor. She was being held in the Adair County Jail until seen by a Magistrate Judge.

On January 27th, 20-year-old Moises Gabriel Torrealba-Rodriguez, of Chicago, IL, was arrested by Stuart Police in Interstate 80 eastbound in Adair County, following a traffic stop near Stuart, for speeding 102 in a 70 mph zone. When the Stuart Police Officer approached the vehicle, he saw a baby inside, who was unrestrained in the back seat. The one-year old was later identified as Rodriguez’ daughter. The child was released to the custody of her mother, who was a passenger in the vehicle. At the Adair County Jail, Moises Rodriguez was charged with Reckless Driving and Child Endangerment. He was released from custody Friday morning, on a $2,000 bond.

And, at around 1:17-a.m. on January 26th, Stuart Police arrested 25-year-old Jaylen Nigel Cuba, of Grand Blanc, MI, following a traffic stop on I-80 near Stuart, for traveling at a high rate of speed in a SUV. When questioned by Stuart Police, Cuba admitted to having marijuana inside the vehicle. A probable cause search of the vehicle resulted in the discovery of the marijuana, along with a baggie with a white powder-like substance that tested positive for cocaine. Cuba told police the baggie was his. He was arrested for Possession of a Schedule II Controlled Substance (cocaine), and later released on a $1,000 bond.