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Government Policy and Law

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Legal action threatened if zoning is changed to allow golf entertainment venue

Local developer Paul Cownie is partnering with a North Dakota group to bring Suite Shots, a golf entertainment facility, to West Des Moines. Some homeowners who live in Glen Oaks, a gated community about a …

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Altoona hires new city administrator

John Harrenstein, city administrator in North Mankato, Minn., for the past nine years, has been hired as Altoona’s city administrator. Harrenstein replaces longtime Altoona city administrator Jeff Mark, who retired recently. Harrenstein, who grew up …

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Iowa Supreme Court won’t weigh in on challenge to long-expired COVID-19 bar closures

Des Moines Register: The Iowa Supreme Court said today that it won’t weigh in on emergency actions Gov. Kim Reynolds took early in the pandemic, noting Reynolds has now backed away from measures she once supported. The …

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DM contractor to pay $125,000 for misclassifying workers, failing to pay overtime

Des Moines Register: A Des Moines contractor will pay about $125,000 after federal investigators accused the company of misclassifying workers and failing to pay them overtime. In a settlement with the U.S. Department of Labor, AJ …

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Bill would reinstate fourth quarter of Employee Retention Tax Credit

The National Federation of Independent Business is advocating for federal legislation that would allow small businesses to claim the Employee Retention Tax Credit for the fourth quarter of 2021. The tax credit, created through the …

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Nationwide wins property tax appeal against Polk County, could receive $875,000 refund

Des Moines Register: Polk County may have to pay Nationwide Mutual Insurance Co. about $875,000. In an order issued Wednesday, the Iowa Court of Appeals ruled that the county’s board of assessors overvalued the insurance company’s …

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Aides can keep substitute teaching after Iowa lawmakers approve an emergency rule

Des Moines Register: Instructional aides may continue to substitute teach in multiple classrooms once Iowa’s emergency pandemic proclamation expires this week after lawmakers met today to approve an emergency rules change. Iowa public schools were worried …

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COVID-19 testing company ran unlicensed centers in Iowa

Des Moines Register: An Illinois-based company accused of mishandling hundreds of thousands of COVID-19 tests conducted around the country, as well as providing inaccurate or fraudulent negative results, operated three unlicensed testing sites in Iowa. The …

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Mason named EVP, general counsel of Freddie Mac

The Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp., better known as Freddie Mac, announced it has appointed Heidi Mason as executive vice president and general counsel. Mason, a Greater Des Moines resident and Iowa State University alumna, brings 25 …

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Bipartisan plan to protect mobile home park residents clears House panel

Radio Iowa: Iowa Lawmakers working for the past few years on legislation to protect mobile home residents from being priced off the properties have reached a bipartisan compromise. Republican Rep. Brian Lohse of Bondurant said the …