(Council Bluffs, IA) The Iowa West Foundation Board of Directors recently approved $4.4 million in grant and initiative funding to 19 nonprofits and government entities that benefit southwest Iowans. Iowa West Foundation President and CEO Pete Tulipana said the Foundation is dedicated to funding programs and projects that are truly transformational for the city, county and region. In the final cycle of 2018, more than $1.1 million went to education-related programs. Locally, the City of Atlantic received a $30-thousand dollar grant for renovation of the Atlantic Public Library.

The Council Bluffs Community School district received just under half a million dollars for the expansion the International Baccalaureate program into Kirn and Wilson Middle Schools as well as the expansion of BLink, the City of Council Bluffs free Wi-Fi service. In addition, Iowa Western Community College was awarded nearly $500,000 for the Pottawattamie Promise program, which funds tuition and more for qualifying, Pell-eligible students from CBCSD, Lewis Central, Riverside, AHSTW and Tri-Center schools.

In the Foundation’s focus area of “Placemaking,” $1.4 million of a $9 million commitment was awarded to Pottawattamie Arts, Culture & Entertainment. Chanticleer Inc., a subsidiary? Of PACE, received $35,000 for 2018-2019 programming. Several smaller grants were concentrated around inclusion and the prevention of isolation for the elderly. Radio Talking Book Service was awarded $3,200 to bring the printed word to persons with visual impairment in Pottawattamie County; the Intercultural Senior Center received $21,000 for transportation services for Council Bluffs residents; and Inclusive Communities was awarded $8,000 for youth programming.

Finally, as part of its ongoing commitment to rural southwest Iowa communities, the Foundation also awarded a grant to the Crescent Fire Department in Pottawattamie County. The organization received $10,000 for bunker gear. The full list of grant recipients is as follows:

2018 Cycle 3 Grants & Initiatives

• University of Nebraska Board of Regents: MOEC Mathematics at the High School Cohort, $50,000
• Chanticleer Theater: 2018-2019 Operating Funds, $35,000
• Children’s Square U.S.A.: Fund development, $25,000
• City of Atlantic: Library Renovation, $30,000
• Community of Christ Caring Ministries: Beautification Project, $39,299.40
• Council Bluffs Community School District: BLink Phase V, $100,000
• International Baccalaureate – Year 3 Implementation, $365,000
• Crescent Volunteer Fire Department: Bunker gear, $10,000
• FAMILY, Inc.: Raise Me to Read, $100,000
• Fontanelle Forest: Environmental education programming for Iowa, $4,521
• Greater Omaha Chamber Foundation: Council Bluffs Chamber – Workforce Development Initiative, $75,000; Prosper Omaha 2.0: $500,000
• Heartland Bike Share/Heartland BCycle: Electric Bikes for Council Bluffs, $10,000
• Heartland Family Service: Housing and Emergency Assistance Task Force (HEAT), $170,000
• Inclusive Communities: Youth Programming Support, $8,000
• Intercultural Senior Center: Outreach to Council Bluffs residents, $21,000
• Iowa West Foundation: Riverfront Revitalization, $595,000
• Iowa Western Community College: Pottawattamie Promise, $483,928
• Metro Area Planning Agency: Heartland 2050 for Council Bluffs , $14,625
• Omaha Conservatory of Music: String Sprouts in Council Bluffs schools, $22,500
• Omaha Sports Commission: 2020 Olympic Swim Trials, $50,000
• Pottawattamie Arts, Culture & Entertainment: Arts and Culture District, $1,400,000
• Radio Talking Book Service: Outreach in Pottawattamie County,$3,200.

(Radio Iowa) — The long-awaited commissioning of the U.S.S. Sioux City in Annapolis, Maryland is just nine days away. Retired Navy Admiral Frank Thorp is chairman of the commissioning committee for the combat ship.

USS Sioux City

“The commission will happen Saturday, November 17 at 9 a.m. at the Sea Wall on Dewey Field,” Thorp said.  The name of the ship was revealed in 2012 before it was built in a shipyard in Wisconsin. The U.S.S. Sioux City is comparable in size to a World War Two era destroyer. “The littoral combat ship, which is the kind of ship the U.S.S. Sioux City is, is just short of 400 feet,” Thorp said.

Tours of the ship will begin this Sunday, which is Veteran’s Day. Following the commissioning ceremony on the 17th, the ship will sail to its home base in Mayport, Florida. A crew of nearly 100 sailors will spend time training on the ship before its deployed for close-to-shore combat and security missions.

Police in Red Oak today (Thursday) arrested a woman for simple Assault, in connection with an incident involving a worker at the Red Oak Health Care Community. Authorities say 84-year old Evelyn Irene Stebbins, of Red Oak, was not a resident of the facility. Stebbins was taken into custody at around 9:30-a.m., and transported to the Montgomery County Jail before being released.

ATLANTIC, IA (November 7, 2018) – The Cass County Community Center will be transformed into a bustling holiday market on Monday, November 19 from 3-7pm. Stay warm and cozy as you find fresh, locally grown produce for your Thanksgiving gatherings. Get some help with your holiday baking from southwest Iowa bakers .. think pies, quick breads, artisan yeast breads, Danish pastries and more! You will find unique holiday gifts made by local crafters for special people on your gift list. Samples will be available from vendors and cupcake contest entrants for shoppers to enjoy as they browse.

Vendor spaces are still available, and any local farmers, bakers, artisans or crafters are invited to sign up. The event has been very well attended the last several years and has received excellent reviews from attendees and vendors alike. Vendors interested in participating can find details and a registration form online at www.atlanticiowa.com or www.produceintheparkatlanticiowa.weebly.com/harvest-market. Vendor booth spaces are available at $20 each.

Local bakers of all ages are invited to participate in our Fall Flavor Cupcake Contest where they could possibly win a prize! Entries will be judged by their use of local, seasonal ingredients as well as creativity and quality of the cupcake. Recipes will be judged by a panel of local celebrities and a 1st and 2nd place will be awarded in each of 2 categories, Youth & Adult.

A full list of vendors, information on the cupcake contest, as well as other activities and special events will be posted online at the Produce in the Park website www.produceintheparkatlanticiowa.com and updated regularly. You can also follow the Produce in the Park facebook page (www.facebook.com/ProduceInThePark) for current event information and updates on vendors.

Harvest Market is sponsored by Farmers Markets of Cass County, Cass County Local Food Policy Council, and the City of Atlantic Community Promotions Commission. The event is endorsed by the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce.

(DES MOINES) – Gov. Kim Reynolds ordered all flags in Iowa to be lowered to half-staff effective immediately until sunset on Saturday, November 10, 2018, to honor the murdered and injured in Wednesday’s tragedy in Thousand Oaks, California. The governor’s order is issued in conjunction with President Donald Trump’s order to lower all United States flags to half-staff for the same length of time.

Flags will be at half-staff on the State Capitol Building and on flag displays in the Capitol Complex. Flags will also be half-staff on all public buildings, grounds and facilities throughout the state. Individuals, businesses, schools, municipalities, counties and other government subdivisions are encouraged to fly the flag at half-staff for the same length of time as a sign of respect.

DES MOINES – Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate and Hy-Vee are joining forces to pay tribute to Iowa’s military veterans. Hy-Vee stores celebrate Veterans Day each year by offering a free breakfast to all veterans and active-duty military members as a way of thanking them for their service. On Monday, November 12, Hy-Vee stores in Iowa will distribute the Secretary of State’s “Honor a Veteran” postcards during the breakfast and throughout Veterans Day, encouraging customers to pay tribute to a loved one who served our country.

Honor a Vet postcards and lapel pins

Pate says “This program is a way to recognize the sacrifice of our veterans and I’m honored to partner with Hy-Vee once again. Iowans have always stepped up when they country needed them. These brave veterans risked their lives to protect our freedoms and our right to vote. We cannot thank them enough.”

Approximately 50,000 “Honor a Veteran” postcards will be distributed to Hy-Vee stores across the state. Hy-Vee’s Vice President of Communications, Tina Potthoff, says “Together with our customers we have the opportunity this Veterans Day to show our support to those who have served us. This program is one more way we can thank our veterans for serving our country and show our appreciation to these brave men and women.”

Veterans receiving the postcards at Hy-Vee can write a tribute to a fellow soldier, submit their own information to receive recognition from the State of Iowa, or give the card to a loved one to post an acknowledgement. The postcards will be returned to the Iowa Secretary of State’s Office and tributes will be posted online at HonorAVet.net and Facebook.com/HonoraVeteran.

The person making the tribute and the veteran being honored, if they are still with us, will both receive an ‘Honor a Veteran with Your Vote’ lapel pin in the mail. The lapel pins are red, white and blue, and in the shape of the state of Iowa. Secretary Pate encourages recipients of the lapel pins to wear them on Election Day as a tribute to the sacrifice veterans made to provide Americans with the right to choose our elected leaders and form of government.

Assistant to the Secretary for Rural Development Anne Hazlett today (Thursday) announced that USDA is investing $1.6 billion in 46 rural electric utility infrastructure projects to improve electric reliability and resilience in 24 states. Among the projects is the Western Iowa Power Cooperative, which is receiving $9-million in a Rural Development Incentive to add 22-miles of line, improve 104-miles and make other system improvements, including $2.8-million for smart grid technologies. WIPC serves more than 5-thousand residential and commercial consumers in an area that is primarily agricultural, including grain farming, corn processing and meat process plants, as well as poultry and other livestock operations.

Secretary Hazlett said “Reliable and affordable power is an underpinning for economic development and quality of life. Under the leadership of Secretary Sonny Perdue, USDA is committed to being a strong partner in building prosperity in rural communities through the sustainment and modernization of rural electric infrastructure.”

The 46 projects are being funded through USDA’s Electric Program. Officials say the investments will help contribute to a stronger rural electric system by improving operations and reliability. USDA’s funding will help build or improve 5,833 miles of line. It includes $307 million in smart grid technologies, which improve system operations and monitor grid security. The investments will benefit 7 million rural business and residential electric consumers across the country.