The U.S. Department of Agriculture has awarded $1.45 million in grants and nearly $3.9 million in loans to a host of projects across rural Iowa. USDA Rural Development Acting Under Secretary Doug O’Brien says that includes a $300,000 grant that’ll benefit the central Iowa town of Gilbert. The grant will help finance the construction of a building that will be used as a fire station, city hall, and community center. Other grants and loans will help build a fire station in Waukon, finance renovations to the Knoxville Hospital and Clinic, and help the Monogram Prepared Meats plant in Harlan expand its food processing capacity. The Iowa Foundation for Microenterprise and Community Vitality, headquartered in Boone, is also getting a $200,000 loan and a $50,000 grant to help what O’Brien calls micro-businesses. “Businesses with 10 or fewer (employees),” O’Brien says. “This is another example of how the USDA is able to partner with entities in a rural place and help serve small businesses, improve the quality of life, and create jobs.” O’Brien is a native of Dubuque County. He says, across the country, the USDA is awarding $59 million in grants and loans to projects similar to those in Iowa.

The state Office of Drug Control Policy is asking you to take some time and look through your home for outdated and unused medications. Spokesman Dale Woolery, says this weekend is the second “Drug Take Back Day.” This Saturday will provide Iowans with an opportunity to clean out medicine cabinets and get rid of medicines they may not be using, but could cause problems if left around,” Woolery says. Woolery says the U-S Drug Enforcement Administration started sponsoring the days about four years ago after prescription drug abuse started becoming an issue. The diversion of prescription drugs, in particular controlled prescription drugs like pain relievers, has led to an increase abuse and addiction. And unfortunately, tragically, event some overdose deaths. And we’ve had more of those than ever before,” Woolery says. “It can start innocently with someone who takes a pain reliever for a broken arm, but it can lead to a dependence. It depends on how it is used and for how long.” The Iowa Department of Public Health show overdose deaths in the state related to methadone, other opioids and other synthetic narcotics –primarily pain relievers– increased to an all-time high of 77 in 2013. Heroin deaths jumped from eight in 2012 to a record high of 20 in 2013. Woolery says the drugs have become a target. “We’ve had reports in Iowa of young people getting in to medicine cabinets of parents, grandparents, other relatives and friends and taking meds that weren’t theirs,” according to Woolery. “We’ve also had reports of people maybe going into and open house and pretend to be interested in buying a home that was for sale. Maybe go into the restroom and take medicine. Now, it doesn’t happen very often, but we are trying to safeguard against that.” The O-D-C-P’s concerns have been supported by the amount of prescription drugs turned in each year. The numbers have been rising. We’ve seen about 21 tons of unused medicines disposed of at these various Take Back events over these last three to four years. The most recent event this last spring, netted over four tons,” Woolery says. Woolery says this will be the last event that is sponsored by the D-E-A due to some changes in regulations. Most Iowa sites collecting unused medicines will be open Saturday from 10 a-m to 2 p-m. To find the Iowa Take Back drop-off site nearest you, or to get more information on how to prevent or get help for prescription drug abuse, go to: www.IowaMedicineTLC.org.

Radio Iowa

A rate plan approved by state regulators will hold the line on electric rates for the 530-thousand customers of Alliant Energy Company. Alliant spokesman, Justin Foss, says the rate plan came out of a new agreement to purchase power from the Duane Arnold Nuclear plant that began in February of this year. We are going to get a lot cheaper energy, a lot less expensive energy from the plant. So, that’s a great thing, so that lowers rates,” Foss says. Foss says the plan has a couple of parts, one is the rate freeze. The base rate — the majority of the price of energy — is going to stay the same, that it has been since late 2010, and it’s going to stay that way all the way through 2016,” he explains. The rate plan also includes 105 million dollars in customer credits, which began showing up on electric customer’s bills May 1. In 2014 we are going to be able to give back about 70 million dollars in credits to reflect that lower cost,” Foss says, “but, because our other costs are rising, the credits will be less in 2015 and 2016.” He says it’s hard to say how much credit each electric customer sees on their monthly bill. “It depends on how much you use. So, people who are seeing a lot of usage are seeing a little bit more credit on that, and people who are not using as much are not seeing as much credit,” according to Foss. “So, it’s really tough to put an average amount on that.” Foss says customers with questions can go to: alliantenergy.com/iowarates.

Radio Iowa

A new federal report finds fewer Iowans are falling behind on their house payments, but for those who are still struggling, new programs are being put in place to help keep Iowans in their homes by lowering payments. Tim Bowler, a deputy secretary at the U-S Treasury Department, says the numbers are improving and home foreclosures are dropping.  “The amount of delinquencies in the state of Iowa has dropped significantly over the last few years,” Bowler says. “Right now in Iowa, approximately one out of every 20 households is delinquent on their mortgage and that’s a number that’s been trending down pretty consistently over the last 5 to 6 years as the economy and the housing market has gotten better.” The national average is about one in 17 homeowners are behind on their mortgage payments, while he says countless others are one paycheck away from missing a payment. While Iowa’s delinquency numbers are falling, Bowler says the figures are still too high, so he’s touting what are called “Making Home Affordable” programs. Bowler says, “Our programs are designed to help those folks that have been paying their mortgage and face an unexpected financial hardship that’s resulting in that mortgage becoming unsustainable for that family.” He says homeowners who undergo mortgage modifications through the program are saving a median of more than 500-dollars per month on their mortgage payments.  Bowler says, “They might be able to find assistance through our programs in helping find a mortgage solution for them that will make their housing payments more sustainable in order to help them manage through their hardship.” For more information, call 888-995-HOPE or visit www.MakingHomeAffordable.gov.
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Radio Iowa

(AP) – A western Iowa cross country team is running to raise money for their coach’s son, who was diagnosed with a brain tumor.

The Exira-Elk Horn-Kimballton team has gathered pledges for each mile they run this fall.

The proceeds will benefit their coach, Terry Weisenborn, and his family. Weisenborn’s 2-year-old son, Hayden, has been diagnosed with a brain tumor.

The fundraiser was inspired by Julie Hays, the mother of runner Savannah Hays.

Savannah Hays said she thought the fundraising effort was a good way to help the coach.
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(AP) – A 17-year-old faces two counts of homicide by vehicle after investigators say he killed two teenagers in a car crash in western Iowa.

Trevor Ray Feauto, of Clarksville, was taken into custody on Wednesday.

Sac County Sheriff Ken McClure said Feauto was driving a 1996 Dodge Ram pickup that crashed into a 2009 Chevy Impala on Aug. 23 near the town of Breda.

Bailey Jacobsen, 16, and Lindsey Quirk, 16, were both killed in the crash.

McClure said a report from the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation’s Crime Lab found that Feauto’s blood alcohol level was 0.133 percent.

Feauto was being held at the Northwest Iowa Youth Emergency Shelter in Cherokee.

The Creston Police Department arrested and charged a Creston man for driving while suspended. 45 year old Danny Bird was arrested and released from the Union County Jail on 3-hundred dollar bond.

The Red Oak Police Department are investigating a report of a rear window of a Dodge Caravan owned by Wilda Hall of Red Oak being broken. Officials say the window was broken out while the vehicle was parked at her residence in the 4-hundred block of East Grimes Street in Red Oak. Loss is listed at 150-dollars.

A Glenwood man has died as the result of a traffic accident Thursday afternoon in Council Bluffs. Police Officers along with fire personnel from Council Bluffs responded to a single vehicle roll over accident on Interstate 80 eastbound at mile marker 3 just to the east of the South Expressway. Police say it appears the driver Patrick Jack of Glenwood lost control of his vehicle and apparently struck the center cable barrier and slid sideways down the center ditch and roll an unknown amount of times before coming to rest on its roof in the ditch.

Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield have announced its award winners of its 75th anniversary celebration. The Villisca Swimming Pool received 75-hundred dollars for enhancements and repairs to the existing swimming pool to make much needed improvements and to ensure the community the community pool is accessible for people of all ages to encourage exercise and recreation. The projects were chosen because they demonstrated a long-lasting impact on making the healthy choice the easy choice, and improving overall community health and wellness in their communities. Sixteen other projects were chosen throughout Iowa and South Dakota.