POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY, Iowa (WOWT) – The Southwest Iowa Emergency Relief Fund was started by Pottawattamie county a few years ago.
It started with $50,000 reaching to nearly $900,000 during the pandemic before being given out for COVID relief.
“We’re back to the original investment that was made by Pottawattamie County Emergency Management and now we’re adding back to that fund,” said Donna Dostal, President and CEO of Community Foundation for Western Iowa.
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Now, there’s nearly $100,000 for tornado victims and more is on the way.
“The gifts keep coming in. Right now we’re probably at about $75,000 to $85,000 of new money.”
Money from the fund goes directly to organizations on the ground bringing relief to places like Council Bluffs, Crescent and Minden.
“It can help close gaps and make sure lives are whole cities are rebuilt and better than they were when it started,” said Dostal.
Donations for the Southwest Iowa Emergency Relief Fund are being accepted online.
Iowa Colony police say a caller saw a man go underwater in the Meridiana subdivision and did not resurface.
Police Lights (KPRC/Click2Houston.com)
IOWA COLONY, Texas – Iowa Colony police recovered the body of a man Saturday night after witnesses reported seeing him go underwater in a retention pond in the Meridiana subdivision, authorities said.
Officers were dispatched around 7:04 p.m. to a pond behind the 10400 block of Kahlo Court after a caller reported a man was swimming, submerged and did not resurface, according to the Iowa Colony Police Department.
Police said responding officers immediately began searching the area. The Brazoria County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa Colony Fire Department and Manvel Fire Department assisted at the scene, and the Fort Bend County Dive and Water Rescue Team was called in to help.
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Divers with the Fort Bend County team located the man around 10:10 p.m. and pronounced him deceased, police said.
The man’s identity and the cause of death have not been released. Police said no foul play is suspected and the investigation remains ongoing.
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About the Author
Christian Hudspeth
Christian Hudspeth is a Houston native who joined KPRC 2 News in December 2025. Christian began his news career at KTRK in 2022 before moving to newsrooms in Waco, Texas (KXXV), Las Vegas, Nevada (KTNV), and now back to H-Town. He earned his BA at the University of Houston Jack J. Valenti School of Communication in 2023.
HOUSTON — Freshman Keaton Wagler scored 25 points and Illinois ended Iowa’s underdog March Madness run by dominating in the frontcourt, beating the Hawkeyes 71-59 on Saturday to advance to the Final Four for the first time since 2005.
This will be the sixth trip to the Final Four for Illinois, which has never won a national title. The Fighting Illini will face either Duke or UConn next weekend in Indianapolis.
The much taller Illini (28-8) outrebounded Iowa 38-21 in the South Region final. David Mirkovic led the way with 12 rebounds.
Keaton Wagler, who scored a game-high 25 points, shoots a jumper over Tavion Banks during the Illini’s 71-59 win over Iowa in the Elite Eight on March 28, 2026. Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
Coach Brad Underwood’s emphasis on recruiting in Eastern Europe has paid off in this tournament. Tomislav Ivisic of Croatia, who stands 7-foot-1, and his 7-2 twin brother Zvonimir have shined in March.
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Andrej Stojakovic, who was born in Greece but whose father is Serbian three-time NBA All-Star Peja Stojakovic, scored 17 points for third-seeded Illinois.
Andrej Stojakovic, who scored 17 points off the bench, drives on Cooper Koch during the Illini’s Elite Eight win over Iowa. Maria Lysaker-Imagn ImagesBennett Stirtz, who scored a team-high 24 points in a losing effort, goes up for a layup as Tomislav Ivisic defends during Iowa’s Elite Eight loss to the Illini. AP
His famous father watched proudly as his son punched his ticket to the Final Four, and Wagler’s parents — who met when they played basketball at a junior college in Kansas — cheered wildly throughout for their son, who was named MVP of the region.
Bennett Stirtz scored 24 points for the ninth-seeded Hawkeyes (24-13), who knocked off top-seeded Florida in the second round as part of an impressive run under first-year coach Ben McCollum, a four-time Division II national champion at Northwest Missouri State.
No. 6 seed Tennessee (25-11) defeated No. 2 seed Iowa State (29-8), 76-62, on Friday in the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 at United Center in Chicago, Illinois.
The Vols advanced to their third consecutive Elite Eight under 11th-year head coach Rick Barnes.
“One, very humbled by it,” Barnes said. “Certainly proud of our basketball team. They worked really hard. Defensively, I thought we knew we would have to have a great effort defensively. Certainly Iowa State, outstanding. T.J. (Otzelberger), outstanding program, coach.
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“This time of year is always tough when you lose a key guy like they did, and that’s part of the tournament. That’s the tough part about it, but just really proud of our guys and the effort they made and against a team that they play as hard as any team we played all year. The start of the game, I don’t think we’ve seen anything like that all year, and we were able to withstand it. Again, just really proud of the effort from our entire team. Everybody had a hand in us winning this game.”
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