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Economic Development

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Ernst proposes paid parental leave bill

Iowa U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst proposed new parental leave legislation Tuesday that would let new parents take paid time off to care for their children by delaying retirement, the Des Moines Register reported. Ernst and Utah Sen. Mike …

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State unemployment rate was 2.4% in January

Iowa’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate remained at 2.4 percent in January, Iowa Workforce Development said. The state’s jobless rate was 2.8 percent one year ago. The U.S. unemployment rate rose to 4 percent in January. …

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Site Selection Magazine names D.M., Ames top metros

Site Selection magazine, an economic development journal, named Greater Des Moines the second-best metro in 2018 among cities with populations of 200,000 to 1 million, up from 10th the year before. Omaha-Council Bluffs stayed at first. The …

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Branstad more optimistic on China trade deal, but wary of previous ‘cheating’

U.S. Ambassador Terry Branstad said he is more optimistic now that a trade deal with China can be sealed, but he and other U.S. officials continue to be concerned about the communist nation’s failure to …

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Plans unveiled for $72 million city center project in Hiawatha

Corridor Business Journal: Plans for a $72 million project that will form a new city center for Hiawatha reached fruition Wednesday when the Hiawatha City Council approved the sale of a 12-acre site near City Hall. …

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Ames chamber hires workforce coordinator

The Ames Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development Commission have hired Allee Wengert as their first workforce development coordinator. The position was added after members listed workforce as a top challenge. Wengert will coordinate the …

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SBA backed loans for nearly $1M in February

The U.S. Small Business Administration backed 14 private loans for Central Iowa businesses that borrowed a combined $966,700 in February. 

The businesses planned to create nine jobs and retain 36.

Among the bigger loans was …

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Global Gridlock

The next few years will be critical to Iowa’s solid but perhaps underdeveloped export markets, and to shoring up international relations, export watchers said.
“The international markets are crucial to Iowa,” said Peggy Kerr, the …

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Ottumwa property receives ‘certified site’ designation

The Helgerson Flats Industrial Center in Ottumwa is the latest industrial site to achieve certification through the Iowa Certified Site Program, the Iowa Economic Development Authority said. The 80-acre property is zoned for industrial use …

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Waukee council approves $87 million budget

The Waukee City Council approved an $86.8 million budget Monday for fiscal 2020, which begins July 1, that maintains the current property tax levy at $13.40 per $1,000 of taxable valuation and provides $26.7 million …