Health Care for America Now, led by the Iowa Citizen Action Network, will hold a listening post for area legislators and congressional representatives to hear people’s struggles with the health insurance market Sept. 9 at 6:30 p.m. at the Ames Public Library, 515 Douglas Ave., Ames. The forum is part of the Health Care for America Now (HCAN) Campaign and is open to the public. Panelists include Anne Kinzel, a health-care-reform researcher; Selden Spencer, an Ames physician and Doug Bailey, an independent insurance agent.

Iowa Telecommunications Services Inc. announced it will participate in the Jefferies 6th Annual Communications Conference in New York City on Tuesday, Sept. 9. Craig Knock, vice president, chief financial officer and treasurer, will be speaking at the conference and an online simulcast and replay of the presentation will be available at 1 p.m. Iowa time tomorrow at www.IowaTelecom.com under “Investor Relations.” The presentation will also be available at www.wsw.com/webcast/jeff27/iwa.

Cedar Rapids-based Rockwell Collins Inc. received an $8.4 million contract from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency to develop a new generation of low-cost, micro-displays that will have an extended lifetime and electrical efficiency, the agency said.

Iowa Workforce Development is planning for the first-ever Iowa Workforce Conference. The conference will be held Oct. 1 and 2 at the Polk County Convention Complex and will feature three keynote speakers and five breakout sessions. Keynote speakers include Richard Ferguson, chairman and CEO of ACT Inc.; Richard Seline, president and founder of New Economy Strategies; and Karen Steinberg, senior vice president for the Council for Adult & Experiential Learning. The conference also includes an Iowa Career Access Point (ICAP) Conference within a conference and a reception at Terrace Hill. To register or to get more information, please visit www.iowaworkforce.org/conference2008. The early registration discount ends Sept. 12.

The 15th Annual SummerMusic concerts will take place Wednesday, Sept. 10, and Thursday, Sept. 11, at the Cowles-Kruidenier Auditorium in the Iowa State Historical Building at East Sixth Street and Grand Avenue in Des Moines’ East Village. Free parking is available and admission to each concert is $15. Tickets are available, at the door or by mail and checks can be made payable to SummerMusic, P.O. Box 13241, Des Moines, Iowa 50310.