DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The U.S. Postal Service says its decision not to fill dozens of postal jobs in Des Moines is intended to deal with a shrinking workload. The comment follows picketing Wednesday by more than 100 postal workers, customers, teamsters and others outside the post office near downtown Des Moines to protest recent job cuts. USPS spokesman John Friess says no one has lost a job at the postal service; all cuts have come through attrition.

The Postal Service has seen growth in its package segment. But Friess says overall volume has declined by more than 3 billion pieces. He says cuts are to “reduce costs and remain competitive in the marketplace, to be able to continue to serve the public in the most efficient, cost-effective way possible and keep mail affordable.”

The Iowa West Foundation Board of Directors recently approved $4.4 million in grants and initiatives funding to 22 nonprofit organizations and government entities in southwest Iowa and eastern Nebraska. Here are some of the non-profit and government entities which received IWF grants and initiatives:

• City of Carroll – Kellan’s Kingdom: Carroll’s first all-inclusive playground, $10,000.
• City of Council Bluffs – Bayliss Park holiday lights, $24, 370.
• The City of Council Bluffs also received $2 million for the parking garage to be constructed on the Iowa side of the Missouri Riverfront.
• City of Crescent – Bunker gear (for firefighters), $10,000.
• City of Denison – Audio/Visual Equipment, $4,000
• Iowa Western Community College Foundation – $30,000 for access to performing arts programs.
• Micha House – Shelter Reimiagined campaign, $425,000.
• Pottawattamie Arts, Culture and Entertainment – $600,000.
• Shelby County Historical Society – Military exhibit hall, $8,250.
• Walnut Volunteer Fire Department – $7,567 for Compressed air foam system, pagers, parkas and blowers.

The City of Council Bluffs, as mentioned, will use their $25,000 for holiday lights in Bayliss Park. In the past few years, the city has sought to restore the display to its former prominence. The Iowa West Foundation grant will allow the city to install custom lighting on the trees in the park and continue the forward momentum. This year’s lighting ceremony will be held on Thursday, Nov. 16th from 6-8 p.m. and kick off Winterfest. Attendees can enjoy family-friendly activities in the park and at partnering locations around the park, in addition to hot chocolate and cookies. The hope is to attract visitors from throughout Pottawattamie County and surrounding areas and increase traffic to Bayliss overall during the winter months.

The Letter of Inquiry period for the Cycle 1 of 2018 grant application process opened on November 1 and will close Nov. 15  Applications are due Dec. 15th, Grant application and initiative decisions will be made in February. The Iowa West Foundation is one of the largest private foundations in the Midwest. It has distributed more than $400 million to nonprofits and governmental agencies through southwest Iowa and eastern Nebraska since the inception of its grant program. Funding for the grants comes from investment earnings and the Iowa West Racing Association, which receives contractual fees from casino operators, Ameristar and Harrah’s. IWRA is the license sponsor for Ameristar and Harrah’s and the license holder for Horseshoe-Bluffs Run. The Foundation targets resources into programs and projects that focus on economic development, education, placemaking and healthy families. For more information on the Foundation, visit www.iowawestfoundation.org

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A museum that commemorates military milestones that took place in Des Moines is financially struggling and could close if it doesn’t find additional support. The Des Moines Register reports that the Fort Des Moines Museum and Education Center’s three volunteers only open the facility to the public one day a week or through appointments.

Matthew Harvey is president of the museum’s board of directors. He says the museum has received few monetary donations and some volunteers have given their own money to help pay the bills. The museum opened in 2004 but failed to attract many visitors and donors.

The fort was the site of the Army’s first black officer’s training class in 1917. It was later the first location to train women for the Army.

The Atlantic School District Board of Education met in a regular monthly session Wednesday evening, at the High School. Superintendent Steve Barber said they are continuing with discussion with regard to a name for the former Cass, Incorporated Building the District Purchased for use as the Cass County Educational Opportunity Center (CCEOC) and Links Building. He said the Board wants to see the name centered around “achievement,” so they are working on the final details as to what that might be. They will take ideas from students who will attend courses in the building and derive an appropriate name from those ideas.

The CCEOC students, he said, came up with three ideas, and the Links students another. The Links students came up with the acronym “Achieve.” He says they will work to combine those thoughts for what’s currently there, and a potential career academy or academies, down the road. It was also noted that the newly remodeled building is nearly finalized, with the price coming in very close to the bid price.

Mr. Barber said also, they took action with regard to Open Enroll-Out spending (granting that authority). And, High School Jennifer Gaesser) High School, Vocal Instructor, along with High School Instrument Instructor Jarrod O’Donnell, reminded the Board that four students, two choir members and two band members, will be participating November 18^th, in the All-State Music Festival that runs from November 16^th to 18th.