Deere & Co. on Wednesday announced a new vision and operating model which company officials say will accelerate its success in integrating smart technology innovation with Deere’s legacy of manufacturing excellence. The Deere Smart Industrial strategy will be concentrated on three focus areas: Production Systems, Technology Stack, and Lifecycle Solutions.
U.S. Energy Secretary Dan Brouillette was in Iowa yesterday to tour the Ames Laboratory at Iowa State University, and in particular, its Critical Materials Institute. Brouillette told me on KXEL Live & Local it was important for Iowa to be more energy independent from outside sources. You can hear the full interview, including why the Ames Lab is unique among similar facilities across the country, by going to the podcast section of kxel.com.
The famous Aunt Jemima syrup made in Quaker Oats’ Cedar Rapids factory that goes to stores across the country will soon have a different name and logo. PepsiCo, the parent company of Quaker Oats, made the announcement Wednesday in an effort to “make progress toward racial equality” in a news release. The Aunt Jemima brand has been in existence for more than 130 years. New packaging will appear this fall and a new name for the product will be announced early next year.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Community Development Block Grant program has notified the City of Waterloo that it will receive an allocation of $737-thousand to be used to prevent, prepare for, and respond to COVID-19. The allocation was authorized by the CARES Act. A city news release indicates applications will be taken from non-profit public service agencies, and from small and microenterprise businesses seeking direct financial assistance due to the impact of COVID-19.
U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa participated in a senate committee hearing yesterday on policing and law enforcement, and noted that one now-familiar refrain rings hollow with her–defund the police. Ernst cited the bill on police reform passed and signed into law in Iowa last week as an example of how to work in a bipartisan way to effect actual change.
The University of Iowa’s largest college, Liberal Arts and Sciences, is having to identify up to $25 million in cuts following losses tied to coronavirus—that could mean layoffs, cancelled pay raises, furloughs or closed programs and departments. The college accounts for two-thirds of the university’s undergraduate student instruction, and about half of its graduate-level instruction. The college is expecting a drop again this fall in the number of students. The dean of the college conceded that since 86 percent of the college’s budget is committed to salaries and benefits, it will be difficult to identify sufficient cuts in places other than those that impact faculty and staff directly.
Cedar Falls Utilities’ customers can now upgrade to internet speeds that are among the fastest in the world. The municipal utility announced Wednesday that 10 gigabit per second internet service is available in Cedar Falls…that’s 400 times faster than what the Federal Communications Commission officially classifies as broadband. CFU becomes the first city in Iowa to have 10 gigabit internet service available city-wide.
A tick-borne virus has been found in Iowa for the first time and the year’s first West Nile Virus case has been reported. The cases prompted public health officials Wednesday to urge residents to take precautions to avoid tick and mosquito bites. The first case of Heartland virus was found in an older adult in Appanoose County in southern Iowa. The tick-borne disease causes fever, fatigue, nausea and diarrhea; it was originally found in Missouri about a decade ago. Iowa health officials also reported the season’s first case of the mosquito-borne West Nile Virus. The infected person is an adult from Polk County.
Liquidation sales kicked off Wednesday at 136 closing J.C. Penney stores across the United States as part of the company’s bankruptcy reorganization plan…in Iowa, that includes stores in Marshalltown and Carroll. The discounts are expected to range from 25 to 40% off original prices.
Wildlife officials are warning people to stay away from cornfields near Eldridge in eastern Iowa…that’s where a roaming black bear has been drawing crowds of sightseers. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources say those who ignore the warning could end up being ticketed. The bear – a rare sight in Iowa – showed up in recent days and has been spotted munching on corn and taking frequent naps. Wildlife officials say sightseers pose a safety threat to the bear, because they’re interfering with officials’ efforts to guide it back north…and if they’re not successful in that effort, they might have to euthanize the animal.
