(Radio Iowa) – The deadline is later this month for grocery stores and small food processors in rural Iowa to apply for large state grants to help make themselves more marketable to consumers. Cynthia Farmer, senior policy associate at the Center for Rural Affairs, says the grants are for up to 25-thousand dollars each, which could be especially beneficial for small-town groceries.

Farmer says rural grocery stores are the backbone of many Iowa communities, but they’re facing a host of significant challenges. Those include supply chain troubles, food price inflation, and competition from big box super-stores in nearby towns.

The Rural Innovation Grant Program is being offered by the Iowa Economic Development Authority and applications have to be submitted by October 25th. Farmer says a 50-percent cash match is required to take part, so for a rural grocer to get a 25-thousand dollar grant, they’ll have to put up at least 12-thousand-500.

The program has 200-thousand dollars allotted. To qualify, applicants must be located and incorporated or authorized to do business in Iowa, operate in a community of 20,000 or fewer people, and not be in a community contiguous to a city with a population of 40,000 or greater.

(More info. at iowaeda.com/center-for-rural-revitalization/rural-innovation-grant)

(Clarinda, Iowa) – Clarinda Police Chief Keith Brothers reminds the citizens of Clarinda, and those planning to visit the community, that there will be No Parking on certain city streets this Saturday, Oct. 5th, due to the Southwest Iowa Band Jamboree Parade. The following streets will be closed in Clarinda on Oct. 5th, from 7:30-a.m. until Noon:

• The 100 through 800 block of W. Main Street
• The 100 block of E. Main Street
• The 100 block of N. 15th Street
• The 100 block of E. Washington Street
• The 100 through 300 block of W. Washington Street
• 24th Street (Cardinal Drive) from Garfield Street to State Street (*SCHOOL BUS PARKING*)

The Clarinda Police Department appreciates the cooperation of all citizens in removing their vehicles from the parade route. Vehicles that are not removed will be towed at the registered owner’s expense.

(Radio Iowa) – Le Mars police says the shooting death of a man Monday was a homicide. Officers responding to s shots fired call found 21-year-old Miguel Martinez in an apartment around 2:30 a-m. Le Mars police chief Kevin Vande Vegte says it appears the shooting was not a random act.

Vande Vegte says they could use some help in finding the shooter.

Anyone with info can call the police department at 712-546-4113.

• October 1-5: 1 or more hour of physical activity
  • October 2 – Healthiest State 14th Annual Walk
• October 6-12: 5 or more fruits or vegetables
• October 13-19: 2 hours or less of recreational screen time
• October 20-26: 0 sugary drinks – drink more water!
  • October 23: 5-2-1-0 Healthy Choices Count! Summit

(Red Oak, Iowa) – Sheriff’s officials in Montgomery County, today (Tuesday), said a juvenile was arrested late this morning at the Southwest Valley Middle School in Villisca, on a Threat of Terrorism charge. The arrest occurred a little after 11-a.m. The unnamed juvenile was taken into custody, processed at the Montgomery County Law Enforcement Center, and transported to the Juvenile Detention Center in Council Bluffs.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Vision Atlantic, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, has partnered with the Charles E. Lakin Foundation, to address housing in Atlantic. Christina Bateman, Board President of Vision Atlantic, says the mission of Vision Atlantic is to “Empower growth, enhance lives and create a thriving community together.” She adds, “We’re poised to transform Atlantic for generations to come.”

After thorough research with community partners over recent years, Vision Atlantic has pinpointed three critical areas that are pivotal for stabilizing and enhancing Atlantic’s population: expanding housing, childcare facilities and amenities. Collaborative efforts with community stakeholders, generous donors and foundational support channel an estimated $75.5 million into these vital projects. This includes $48 million directed towards new housing, $11.5 for a new state-of-the-art child development center, and $16 million for the expansion of the local YMCA.

Contributions towards a $30 million fundraising goal have been robust, with over $9.7 million pledged by local donors. The Charles E. Lakin Foundation has committed a remarkable $8.6 million, significantly supporting the new child development center and YMCA expansion. As part of the Foundation’s $165 million contribution to ‘Revitalize Southwest Iowa’, Vision Atlantic has received $23 million, which will serve as capital the organization will use to construct 144 housing units in the new Camblin Hills Housing Development. The $23 million will reoccur yearly, giving Vision Atlantic the ability to accomplish other housing and commercial goals once this project is complete.

Steve Wild, President of the Charles E. Lakin Foundation, remarked, “Atlantic isn’t just waiting for a brighter future, they’re building it. Our investment and Vision Atlantic’s bold leadership are the catalysts propelling this community into an era of prosperity.”

Camblin Hills Housing Development sits on 49 acres and will include single family homes, town homes, duplexes and tiny homes, with lots also available for purchase. A biking/walking trail will be nestled in, offering a safe, family-friendly environment for any buyer. Once the $23 million capital is paid back to the Foundation, 5% of the interest paid will be donated back to Vision Atlantic to be used as an endowment to fund the new child development center, generating an estimated $1.1 million each year.

Christina Bateman said “We are extremely grateful to the Charles E. Lakin Foundation and all our local businesses and residents who have already committed financial support to help make this once-in-a-lifetime project a reality. This incredible generosity from the Foundation is not only going to change Atlantic for the better, but all of Southwest Iowa.”

Infrastructure for Vision Atlantic’s transformative project is slated to begin this fall with construction beginning spring of 2025. All 144 housing units will be completed by the fall of 2030 and will produce an estimated $1.1 million yearly in additional tax revenue to the City of Atlantic and Cass County. The Lakin Foundation Child Development Center of Atlantic is slated to be completed by November 2026 with the YMCA expansion complete by September 2027.

Over the past 11 months, Vision Atlantic’s Project Committee has raised $18.3 million dollars, 60% of a $30 million goal. If you are interested in helping transform Atlantic, whether it’s through monetary donations or acts of volunteerism, please contact Vision Atlantic at visionatlanticiowa@gmail.com.

Follow Vision Atlantic on Facebook for behind-the-scenes access to project updates or www.visionatlantic.org.