DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — A candy ban has altered this year’s Halloween parade in Dubuque. Police and parade organizers decided to bar participants from tossing candy into the crowd or handing it out to people along the route Monday. Why the change? Safety. Parade organizer Abigail Degenhardt told the Dubuque Telegraph Herald that organizers wanted to prevent children from dashing into the street or pushing each other for the sweet — sometimes sour — treats.

Fifteen-year-old Erica Shireman is not happy about the organizers’ decision, saying “a big part of the reason I liked the parade was getting candy at the end.” Jessica Donath has attended the parade for three decades and understands why the change was made. She finds it disappointing but also says, “Everyone is going to be safe now.”

Halloween Trick or Treaters will be out and about in Atlantic, this evening. Activities begin with Downtown Trick or Treating, and at the Allen Place, from 3-until 5-p.m. The Annual Atlantic News Telegraph costume contest in the Atlantic City Park. Registration is at 3:45, with the winner announced at 4:30.  City-wide Trick or Treating runs from 5:30-until 7:30-p.m.

Be cautious if you’re driving this evening, especially after sunset, from 6:15-to 7:30-p.m.  Some safety tips:

• Plan your route in advance. Stick to paths that you and your child are familiar with to avoid getting lost.
• Cross the street at corners, using traffic signals and crosswalks.
• Always walk on sidewalks or paths. If there are no sidewalks, walk facing traffic as far to the left as possible.
• Put electronic devices down and keep heads up and walk, don’t run, across the street.
• Children under the age of 12 should not be alone at night without adult supervision. If kids are mature enough to be out without supervision, they should stick to familiar areas that are well lit and trick-or-treat in groups.
• Wear comfortable shoes. Girls in dresses should avoid heels, and all shoelaces should be double-tied to avoid tripping in the dark.
• Stay well-lit (Visible). Apply reflective tape to your child’s costume to ensure they are seen by drivers on the road. Also, carry a flashlight with you to keep your child’s path lit at all times.
• Make sure all costumes are short. Long costumes that drag on the ground can be dangerous, especially at night.
• Avoid masks. Masks can make it difficult for your child to see or breathe. If possible, skip the mask altogether and use non-toxic make-up to complete the costume instead.
• Use flexible props. Try to avoid costumes that have weapons as accessories. But if your child’s costume won’t be complete without a weapon, make sure it is rubber or plastic. Choose a prop that won’t cause injury to your child or their friends.
• Check your child’s candy. When sorting through candy at the end of the night, be sure to throw away any candy that is not in its original wrapper, or looks as though it has been opened.

Genelle Deist, Chair of the Audubon County Community Foundation, has announced $45,590 in grants was awarded to Audubon County nonprofit agencies. With the grants monies, the Audubon County Community Foundation has distributed over $1.7 million in grants and scholarships over the last 20 years.

The following nonprofit organizations, which submitted applications to the Audubon County Community Foundation by the September 1st deadline, were awarded grants by the Audubon County Board of Directors:

Audubon Chamber of Commerce – Maintenance of “Albert the Bull”, $3,000
Audubon County Fair Board – Campsite improvements, $10,000
Audubon Recreation Foundation – Complete racquetball & basketball courts at new recreation center, $6,340
Brayton Community Club – Remodel Brayton Legion Park bathroom, new roof, door, paint, $5,000
Exira Fire & EMS Association – Portable fire ground monitor, $2,000
Exira Public Library – Remodel work area for students & patrons, $750
Friendship Home Foundation – Renovations, $10,000
Gray Community Betterment Corporation – Playground improvements, $2,500
The Children’s Nest – Safety equipment, $6,000

The amount available included $2,000 for the Exira area from the Leon and Iva Milliman Endowed Fund, $2,500 from the Charles T. and Kathleen K. Manatt Endowed Fund, $900 from the Audubon State Bank/Stephen Garst Endowed Fund, $1,000 for the City of Audubon area from the Audubon Masonic Association Endowed Fund, $445 for the City of Audubon from the Fred and Evelyn Nissen Endowed Fund for Audubon, and $445 for the City of Audubon from the Merle and Norma Petersen Endowed Fund.  The amount also includes an additional $5,000 in the form of a donation from the Estate of Milo and Dolores Clemmensen.

All grantees met the criteria as Audubon County nonprofit agencies or organizations with charitable missions in the areas of civic, cultural, health, education and social services. Only organizations providing services in Audubon County were eligible. Audubon County agency representatives received their checks on Oct. 26th. During brief check distribution activities, Deist commended the nonprofit agencies for their individual efforts to provide a better quality of life for the residents of Audubon County.

The Audubon County Community Foundation was established in 1997 and works with individuals, families, businesses and organizations to create permanent funds that address the changing, vital community needs and interests. Donating to a permanently endowed fund helps your neighbors today AND you help build a stronger community tomorrow. Not only that, you’ll be eligible to receive a 25% Endow Iowa Tax Credit for each donation, in addition to any Federal tax benefits for which you may qualify. The Audubon County Community Foundation invests and administers these funds and distributes grants to deserving, qualified nonprofit organizations. “This has grown from an annual event to twice a year, with one grant cycle in the spring and another in the fall,” said Deist.

Board members of the Audubon County Community Foundation are: Chair, Genelle Deist of Audubon; Vice Chair, Joel Hoegh of rural Brayton; Secretary/Treasurer, Barbara Johnson of Audubon; Shelley Burr, Audubon; Steven B. Hansen of Audubon; Daryl Olsen, DVM, of Audubon; and Joseph T. Rasmussen of Exira. For information about donating or establishing an individual foundation/fund, please contact any of the Board Members, or call Dennis Nissen, Iowa Foundations Director, at 800-794-3458.

Midwest Partnership Economic Development is working with Western Iowa Advantage to bring Economic Development 101 sessions to each of the region’s counties.  The sessions will provide an overview of what economic development is, the basic concepts and principles of the economic development process, how it works, and the role elected officials and community members play in the process. They should prove to be especially beneficial to County Supervisors, City Council members, Mayors, City Clerks and community development leaders.

Sessions have been scheduled in Greenfield, Audubon, and Guthrie Center, 5:30 – 6:30 pm.  The sessions are free, but RSVPs are requested, as dinner will be provided for attendees.

The session schedule is as follows:

• Tuesday, Nov. 14th, 5:30-6:30-p.m. – Hotel Greenfield (110 E. Iowa St., Greenfield).
• Wednesday, Nov. 15th, 5:30-6:30-p.m. – Audubon County Economic Development (ACED) office (800 Market St., Audubon).
• Thursday, Nov. 16th, 5:30-6:30-p.m. – Guthrie County/ISU Extension (212 State St., Guthrie Center).

For more information or to RSVP, contact Sarah Gomez at sgomez@midwestpartnership.com or (515)523-1262

WESTFIELD, Iowa (AP) — A theft charge against a former city clerk in northwest Iowa has been dismissed. Angela Sorensen, of Westfield, has been accused of stealing nearly $9,000 from a city of Westfield fundraising account that was being amassed for a public park and T-ball complex.

Plymouth County prosecutors asked a judge to dismiss the theft charge against Sorensen because more time was needed for an investigation. The judge granted the request Monday, but the charge could be refiled later. Sorensen resigned her city post in August.