Archive for March 2021
Nearly $3.7M in Central Iowa SBA loans backed in February
The U.S. Small Business Administration in February backed 16 loans totaling nearly $3.7 million to Central Iowa businesses. Central Iowa is defined as Polk, Story, Boone, Dallas, Madison, Warren, Marion, Jasper and Marshall counties.
Those …
NOTEBOOK – ONE GOOD READ: Dr. Seuss books are pulled, and a ‘cancel culture’ controversy erupts
The estate of Theodor Geisel – more commonly known as Dr. Seuss – made a decision to discontinue sales of six of his books this week because of racist depictions in them, the New York Times reports. …
Read MoreIowa Republicans say anti-racial profiling bill appears dead for the year
Des Moines Register: Iowa lawmakers are not moving forward this year with Gov. Kim Reynolds’ proposal to ban racial profiling by law enforcement, even as they advance several pro-police measures Reynolds had put forward as part …
Read MoreCOLA freeze for qualified retirement plans pulled from stimulus bill
The American Retirement Association said Thursday it has successfully lobbied for a provision to be pulled from the COVID relief bill that it said could have undermined retirement savings plans. The nearly $2 trillion American Rescue Plan …
Read MoreDMACC announces plans for ‘new normal’ operations with fall 2021 classes
Des Moines Area Community College administrators are making plans this month to start a “new normal” in college operations when fall classes resume on Aug. 25, including a return of most face-to-face classes at all …
Read MoreSBA lenders in Iowa pass 50,000-loan mark in second PPP round
Iowa financial institutions have made more than 53,000 Paycheck Protection Program loans to small businesses in the second round of funding, according to the latest data from the U.S. Small Business Administration.
A spreadsheet of loan …
Little change in number of weekly unemployment claims filed in Iowa
The number of Iowans who filed unemployment claims in the week that ended on Saturday changed little from the previous week, according to Iowa Workforce Development. The state agency reported that 53,592 Iowans filed unemployment …
Read MoreIWD, secretary of state streamline business reinstatement process
Gov. Kim Reynolds and Secretary of State Paul Pate have announced a new interagency partnership with Iowa Workforce Development to assist Iowa businesses with the reinstatement process through the secretary of state’s Fast Track Filing system. Business …
Read MoreTreasury announces $9B available for Emergency Capital Investment Program
The U.S. Treasury announced that it is opening the application process for the Emergency Capital Investment Program, a new initiative designed to support access to capital in communities traditionally excluded from the financial system and that have …
Read MoreIowa City schools implementing nonbinary, LGBTQ health curriculum
Cedar Rapids Gazette: As part of an equity initiative, the Iowa City Community School District is implementing a health and puberty curriculum that’s inclusive of LGBTQ and nonbinary students. The new curriculum — called 3Rs for …
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