Availa Bank has named Mitch Kay as its Council Bluffs market president, putting the longtime southwest Iowa resident in charge of the bank’s local market as it looks to expand its presence in Council Bluffs and surrounding communities. Kay brings about 10 years of previous banking experience to the position along with five years in Pottawattamie County government, where he served as chief financial officer and worked with county leaders during the distribution of federal pand

The Pottawattamie Conservation Foundation will hold its 23rd annual Go Wild for Conservation fundraiser Sept. 10 at The Landing in Council Bluffs, raising money for county park improvements, land conservation and environmental education programs. The event will run from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. and include silent and live auctions, food from Block 16, beer and wine tasting, a wine and spirit pull and several other fundraising activities. Tickets are $75 per person, and the event is

A friendship that began about 20 years ago has grown into a local podcast for two Council Bluffs area women who decided the conversations that kept them laughing for hours might be worth sharing with everyone else. Lynette Peterson and Annette Bracker host “Wine, Wisdom and Wit,” using the names Net and Nettie on the show. The podcast combines a different wine with conversations about relationships, family, changing social habits and other parts of everyday life. Neither clai

What started with the purchase of two bicycles after they were married has turned into a decade-long tradition for Council Bluffs residents Cole and Robyn Epley, who completed their 10th RAGBRAI together this summer. The couple moved to Council Bluffs in 2013 and began looking for something they could enjoy together. Robyn, an optometrist in Council Bluffs, said neither of them knew much about cycling at the time, but they had noticed the local trail system and heard people t

Nearly 100 people took part in the Lake Manawa Sailing Association’s annual Mutiny on Manawa on Sunday, Aug. 23, filling the lake with sailboats, pirate costumes, water battles and a series of challenges that put sailing skills to use in a much less traditional setting. Dozens of boats participated as crews worked their way toward six different challenges placed around Lake Manawa. Sailors maneuvered toward floating objects and other targets while keeping track of nearby boat

After 30 years in business, Bambi Wilson is looking for the right person to take over Bambi’s Green Acres Natural Market in Council Bluffs as she prepares for retirement. Wilson said she intends to continue operating the store while searching for a buyer who can maintain the relationships and services she has built over three decades. If she is unable to find that person, however, she plans to close the business by the end of March 2027. “I know my customers don’t want to hea

Pottawattamie County Emergency Management will bring local agencies and organizations together for its sixth annual preparedness fair in Council Bluffs as part of National Preparedness Month in September. The fair will be held near the Emergency Management office at 5 S. Main St., directly in front of the Council Bluffs Fire Department, while the Council Bluffs Farmers Market is taking place nearby. Public safety agencies, nonprofit organizations and other groups that assist

Entrepreneurs and small business owners have until Sept. 10 to apply for the 2026 REV Pitch competition, with the prize pool now nearing $20,000 and organizers expecting another competitive field. TS Bank’s Kelsey Stupfell said the total had reached $19,750 as of the latest count, with additional support still possible before the event. The money is awarded to winning businesses with no repayment required. “No strings attached,” Stupfell said. “We want folks to use it for wha

Council Bluffs residents will have a chance to take over Werner Park Sunday, Sept. 7, as the Omaha Storm Chasers host a special Council Bluffs community day featuring free tickets, local businesses and activities highlighting the city. The game begins at 2:05 p.m., with free tickets available through the Council Bluffs Area Chamber of Commerce and Unleash Council Bluffs. Lindsay Toussant Brown, who is working with the Growing Council Bluffs initiative, said the goal is to fil

Firefly will return to Ditmars Orchard Sept. 26 for its annual Fall Flannel Fling, bringing together live music, food, family activities and fundraising to support children and families across western Iowa. The event will run from 6 to 9 p.m. and marks the second year Firefly has held the fundraiser at Ditmars Orchard. Firefly Executive Director and CEO Kimberly Kolakowski said the setting is designed to feel like a fall gathering with flannel, a bonfire, tractor rides and ac

NAMI Southwest Iowa will have a new executive director at the end of 2026, when longtime leader Anna Killpack retires and current program coordinator Amy Sherer takes over the organization serving nine counties across southwest Iowa. Killpack announced that she will step down at the end of December after more than six years leading the organization. Sherer, who originally joined NAMI Southwest Iowa as a peer support specialist, will take over following Killpack’s retirement.

Good Neighbor Day returns to downtown Council Bluffs Wednesday, Sept. 9, when Bloomworks Floral will give away 15,000 roses and ask those receiving them to help spread the flowers throughout the community. The annual event begins at 8 a.m. at the floral shop on the 100 Block and will continue until the roses are gone. Owner Alisa Roth said each visitor receives a dozen roses and is asked to keep one and give the remaining 11 to other people. “Come get some roses. Spread some

The Southwest Iowa Association of Realtors will hold its annual golf tournament Sept. 17 at Whispering Woods Golf Club, with proceeds from the event going toward a scholarship for a local student pursuing an education in the trades or a real-estate-related field. The tournament is one of the association’s largest events of the year and is open to more than just real estate professionals. Association President Joe Don Hunter said teams are still being accepted, and participant

Carol Horner of Council Bluffs has added a second title to her list of published works with the release of “Bridging Our Divides: The Spiral Way.” The new book grew out of Horner’s own struggle with anger, disagreement and division. Horner’s first book is entitled “The Spiral of Accountability,” and was released in April of 2024. That was where she first introduced a framework designed to help people recognize destructive patterns in their own thinking and behavior. The local

Pottawattamie County officials are encouraging residents to prepare now for the Nov. 3 general election by reviewing voting options, checking polling locations and learning what will appear on their ballots. Registered voters may submit absentee ballot request forms through Oct. 19. Absentee ballots will begin being mailed Oct. 14, which is also the first day for in-person absentee voting at the Pottawattamie County Auditor’s Office. “We want everyone to get out there and vot

POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY, Iowa - A program designed to help first responders find people at risk of wandering has been used in five call-outs and has helped locate three people since it began operating in Pottawattamie County, officials said during an episode of “Pottawattamie County Routes.” The program uses battery-powered transmitters worn by participants who have cognitive conditions, including Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, autism or other developmental challenges, according