The latest local news, weather and high school sports from the Heartland

Press release from the Office of Sen. Charles Grassley

WASHINGTON – Senator Chuck Grassley announced today that the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration has awarded two grants totaling $460,525 to Iowa.

“This funding will help Iowa improve safety and service at local airports,” Grassley said.

Iowa will use the funds as described below.

• $388,154 to help update a state system plan by reviewing goals, objectives and system roles, making necessary adjustments.  Iowa will also complete an obstruction analysis of approaches, which will include an overall plan on mitigating obstructions.
• $72,371 to help inspect the pavement conditions at 22 airports to provide recommendations for federal funding of future rehabilitation projects.  Inspections will be conducted at airports in Algona, Ames, Charles City, Cherokee, Council Bluffs, Emmetsburg, Estherville, Forest City, Fort Dodge, Humboldt, Independence, LeMars, Oelwein, Orange City, Ottumwa, Pocahontas, Sac City, Sheldon, Spencer, Storm Lake, Waverly and Webster City.

ALSO:

Senator Chuck Grassley today said that the U.S. Department of Education has awarded two competitive grants totaling $799,421 to Clarke College in Dubuque and Indian Hills Community College in Ottumwa through the Strengthening Institutions program.

 “These funds will help Clarke College and Indian Hills Community College improve their institution’s technologies to make them more user friendly for both students and teachers,” Grassley said. 

The Strengthening Institutions program provides grants to eligible institutions of higher education to enable them to improve their academic quality, institutional management, fiscal stability, and increase their self-sufficiency..

 The funds will be distributed as shown below.

• Indian Hills Community College receives $400,000 to help upgrade technology to strengthen academic programs by increasing student access through technology upgrades that will assure uninterrupted distance learning services  and improved online offerings and provide faculty and staff with training and technical support services to effectively utilize the new technology.  The money will also help strengthen institutional management by purchasing, installing and using imaging software to improve security and efficiency and by replacing the storage area network to increase data storage capacity and guarantee continued maintenance support.