CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) – On Wednesday the Iowa Board of Regents—which oversees the state’s three public universities— approved updates to a document outlining its plans for coming years. The Regents needed to make these adjustments to comply with changes to state law. Last year, Governor Reynolds signed a law that bans universities from having an office for diversity, equity, and inclusion. Now, a new House committee will go further and conduct a comprehensive review of higher education. Republican State Representative Taylor Collins told Iowa Capital Dispatch that the amount spent on DEI administrative positions was “appalling.”
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) – In the last few years, finances for many farmers have become more strained. The downturn in the agriculture economy means farmers’ cash net farm income dropped by a third from 2022 to 2023. Now, a new poll says most farmers aren’t feeling optimistic about the future. According to Iowa State’s Farm and Rural Life Poll, 51 percent of farmers expect their economic prospects to worsen over the next five years. And almost a third say their stress levels have increased since 2020. One of the sociologists behind the poll says market conditions have likely fueled these feelings. “When supply starts to outstrip demand, prices go down. So this is really just part of the, you know, the, the roller coaster ride of commodity markets. And so that’s what farmers were seeing.” said J Arbuckle, an Iowa State University Extension Sociologist.
MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa (KCCI/KCRG) – Marshalltown city officials said they’re dropping fire code citations against the owner of the Marshalltown Mall, because a potential buyer could take over the property. The Marshalltown Mall has been without power since 2023 because the building’s owner hasn’t paid the electric bill. The lack of power caused nearly every business to move. It also created problems with the city’s fire code. Marshalltown City Administrator Carol Webb said they dropped those citations so a deal to sell the mall could move along. Both business owners and city officials are expressing optimism about the deal. Webb said Texas-based Reserve Development is trying to buy the property. She said the company has a track record of turning malls around.
WILLIAMSBURG, Iowa (KCRG) – Kinze Manufacturing, Inc., is laying off 53 employees from its operation in Williamsburg, the company confirmed Wednesday. In the announcement, the company cited ongoing economic challenges in the agricultural sector. The January layoffs, which impact 53 of its 550 employees in Williamsburg, come after nearly 200 employees were laid off there in August 2024. Kinze is a global manufacturer of planters, grain carts, and high-speed tillage equipment.
