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Area 15 Regional Planning Commission receives federal funding
Iowa Senator Charles Grassley has announced the U. S. Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration has awarded a 61-thousand dollar investment to the Area 15 Regional Planning Commission that serves Davis, Jefferson, Keokuk, Mahaska, Van Buren and Wapello counties.
The commission will use the funds to establish an economic development planning framework, process and strategy that supports private capital investment and job creation in the counties it serves.
Grassley says "these funds should help area counties establish a roadmap for bringing economic development to the region".
City taking final applications for Neighborhood Stablization Program
The City of Ottumwa has funding for one final homebuilding project under the Neighborhood Stabilization Program. The Program assists middle and moderate-income families with new home construction by providing a 15 year forgivable home loan. Households making at or below 120% of the Area Median Income who qualify for a home loan through a participating lender are encouraged to apply for the program. The grant funding cycle ends in September, so persons considering applying need to do so as soon as possible.
Applications and information about the program are available at Room 300, third floor of City Hall. Office hours are 8:00 a.m.until 12-noon and from 1:00 until 4:30 p.m. Applications are taken on a first come, first served basis.
Davis County Mustang's season comes to an end
It was a game that went down to the wire, but in the end...... the Davis County Mustangs lost a heart breaker at the State High School Baseball tournament at Principal Park in Des Moines.
Carroll Kuemper defeated the Davis County Mustangs Thursday night by the final score of 5 to 4. The Mustangs became the victims of errors during the game. The Mustangs end their season with a respectable record of 34 and 2. The score card shows the Mustangs committed five errors through the eight innings.
Investigation continues into Albia derailment
An investigation continues into a train derailment that occurred in Albia early Thursday morning. Shortly before 4:30 a.m. 20 cars from a Burlington Northern freight train experienced a partial derailment in Albia.
The cars involved in the derailment remained upright derailing only one set of car wheels. Jay Andrews Albia Police Chief says for the most part the cars were open top hauling cars which were emply. In addition, Andrews says there was no hazardous material involved in the derailment and there was never any danger to the public.
Initially the derailment blocked the intersection of North D Street, North 3rd Street and North 8th Street. However Burlington Northern crews separated the section of cars that had not derailed and moved them to clear the streets.
Murder Trial of Southeast Iowa Man Changed
The trial of a southeast Iowa man accused of killing his wife has been delayed.
70 year old James Blum of Washington, Iowa is charged with second degree muder in the death of 67 year old Patricia Blum.
Online court records for Washington County show his trial which had been scheduled for August 24th is now set for October 5th.
Investigators say in January Blum was charged after smothering his wife on a couch in their home after she backed their car into a garage door.
Ottumwa Firemen Investigate car fires
The Ottumwa Fire Department has been busy lately investigating a rash of car fires. All of the fires began over the past weekend.
The first fire was reported early Saturday followed by another car fire Monday afternoon. Another fire was reported early Tuesday followed by another car fire Wednesday.
Fire officials says that four car fires are unusual,but at the same time it could be just a coincidence. Bill Trout Assistant Fire Chief says most of the fires started under the hood with another fire starting under the dashboard.
Ottumwa Police say there doesn't appear to be a connection between the fires.
Senior Babe Ruth Raising Funds
The Ottumwa Senior Babe Rath Baseball team has announced it will host a benefit rummage sale at the former Greenbriar building at the intersection of Jefferson and Pennsylvania Avenues today and Saturday.
The Purpose of the rummage sale is to raise funds for team members who will travel to Newark, Ohio next week to take part in the Senior Babe Ruth World Series. The team won the right to go to the world series after beating out a Minnesota team in a tournament played last weekend in Willington, Kansas.
The rummage sale will be held Friday (today) from noon until 6:00 p.m. and Saturday from 8:00 a.m. until everything is gone.
Southeast Iowa counties included in Presidential Disaster Declaration
Iowa Governor Culver has been notified that President Obama has authorized a Presidential Disaster Declaration for 32 iowa counties including several in southeast Iowa as the result of flooding and storms since June 1st.
The declaration by the President will provide federal funding under the Public Assistance Program which provides aid to public entities and select nonprofit agencies to rebuild damaged infrastructure such as roads and bridges and other public facilities or to cover the costs of debris removal or emergency work during storms.
Included in the Declaration are Davis, Lee, Monroe, Van Buren and Wapello counties.
