TUESDAY, MARCH 31, 2020 | IN THIS ISSUE

UTC-Raytheon merger to be final this Friday
HACAP expands to northeast Iowa with merger
CBJ webinar series offering business support during pandemic
Latest coronavirus updates, 3/31/20
• Entre FEST announces keynote speakers for June event
• Corridor events, KCRG-TV9 headlines and First Alert Forecast
UTC-Raytheon merger to be final this Friday
Raytheon and United Technologies Corp. will complete their merger this Friday after receiving all regulatory approvals needed, creating the new Raytheon Technologies Corp. that will trade under the ticker symbol RTX.

The last full day of trading in shares of Raytheon Company will be Thursday, and upon closing of the merger Friday, each share of Raytheon Company stock will be converted into the right to receive 2.3348 shares of Raytheon Technologies. The new stock will begin trading Friday.

The Collins Aerospace business of the new company will continue to operate in Iowa, however its military GPS business will be sold to BAE Systems .

"We are pleased to have received all the necessary regulatory approvals, which clears the way for the successful completion of our merger of equals," Tom Kennedy, Raytheon Chairman and CEO, said in a news release. "We are more than just two businesses coming together – Raytheon Technologies will be uniquely positioned to deliver advanced and innovative solutions to our customers while delivering significant value to shareowners."

The antitrust division of the U.S. Department of Justice filed a civil complaint and settlement with the federal courts on March 26 to address antitrust issues that could affect competitiveness in the marketplace. That required divestiture of the UTC military GPS business, as well at Raytheon’s military airborne radios business and certain space optics business units within each company.

Immediately before the closing of the merger, UTC will split off its Otis elevator and Carrier heating and cooling products businesses into separate publicly traded companies. Carrier will trade under the symbol CARR and OTIS will trade under the symbol OTIS on the New York Stock Exchange.
HACAP expands to northeast Iowa with merger
Hiawatha-based community action agency Hawkeye Area Community Action Program Inc. (HACAP) is merging with Operation: New View Community Action, a nonprofit operating in Dubuque, Delaware and Jackson counties, according to HACAP officials.

HACAP serves Linn, Jones, Johnson, Benton, Iowa, and Washington counties in Eastern Iowa. The new merger will add three more counties expanding HACAP’s service area to the greater Dubuque area, as well as the two rural counties. The plan after the transition is for all current Operation: New View Community Action employees to have a position with HACAP.
 
Prior to the merger, HACAP leadership asked that a $264,000 debt owed by Operation: New View was paid off, according to a release. That debt payment will be settled by Dubuque County, the City of Dubuque, and Jackson and Delaware counties.
 
HACAP plans on continuing current Operation: New View’s programs such as LIHEAP, the home energy heating program; CACFP, the meal program for childcare providers; and weatherization services to provide small home improvements to low-income families that help reduce utility costs.

HACAP's board of directors will address the merger formally at its next meeting, according to the release.
CBJ webinar series offering support during pandemic
The Corridor Business Journal's mission of informing and connecting the region's business community is more important than ever. In that spirit, the CBJ will host a series of webinars over the lunch hour every Tuesday and Thursday designed to support businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Randy Montelius of CEC will kick off the series today with a webinar on "Tele-Business Best Practices and New Tools." As vice president of technology, Mr. Montelius will share his insights to help organizations maneuver the new world of tele-business. Attendees will discover tips to set up their personal conferencing workspace as well as deploying web conferencing service in their organization.

Tune in again April 2 as Dr. Tim Sagers sheds some light on "Helping Stressed and Isolated Employees." Dr. Sagers has been practicing primary care with Mercy Cedar Rapids for 15 years and serves as medical director for the MercyCare Business Health Solutions team. During this webinar, he will discuss coping with isolation and increased stress during this time period, and how to help struggling employees.

Registration is free. Webinars will also be streamed live on the  CBJ's Facebook page . For more information or to register, visit  corridorbusiness.com/events .
Latest coronavirus updates, 3/31/20
Ed. note: The CBJ is working hard to keep you up to date on the latest coronavirus news. We’re publishing a short roundup each day of notable cancelations, closures, changes and more. Send your tips and releases to news@corridorbusiness.com to help us stay up to date. See our ongoing thread with collected updates here .

The Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) has reported 424 confirmed cases of COVID-19 around the state, including 178 in the Corridor. Six have died. As of March 30, there have been 6,162 negative COVID-19 tests in the state. Updated information from the IDPH can be found here .

Johnson County is extending the closure of its buildings to the public, excluding the Johnson County Courthouse, through 11:59 p.m. on April 16. Linn County is extending the closure of most of its facilities until April 7, but that may be modified. County services will remain operational and available to the public either online or via phone or email.

Mercy Medical Center in Cedar Rapids has shifted the location of its respiratory clinic pilot site to MercyCare Marion, located at 3701 Katz Drive. The clinic, originally located in Hiawatha, as reported in yesterday’s CBJ Balance newsletter, is moving to allow Mercy to serve additional members of the community with increased capacity. All patients with respiratory illnesses, including suspected COVID-19, will be sent (with a physician referral only) to MercyCare Marion Urgent Care. The phone number at MercyCare Marion Urgent Care is (319) 373-3022. Patients who seek care for non-respiratory symptoms at MercyCare Marion can be seen as a walk-in appointment with family practice, which is isolated from the respiratory clinic. Those patients can also be sent to MercyCare North Urgent Care.

Mercy Iowa City is now offering telehealth appointments at all of its primary and specialty care clinics located in Johnson, Iowa, Cedar, Washington and Muscatine counties. Patients from throughout its southeast Iowa service area can now connect with their provider by computer or mobile devices. To schedule a Telehealth appointment, call your provider or Mercy On Call at (319) 358-2767 to schedule a telehealth or clinic appointment. A list of Mercy Iowa City clinics is available at www.mercyiowa.city/mercy-clinics .

Think Iowa City, Iowa City Area Development Group, Iowa City Area Business Partnership and the Iowa City Downtown District have collaborated to create a new website which will provide continuing updates and resources around the COVID-19 pandemic. Visit https://icareatogether.com to learn more. 

The Iowa City Animal Care and Adoption Center , 3910 Napoleon Lane, is accepting donations of food for dogs, cats and small animals to help pet owners who are experiencing financial hardship. To request food, pet owners can call the Animal Care and Adoption Center at (319) 356-5295, leaving name, phone number, and the number and types of pets that need food. Staff will then contact the pet owners when the food is ready and can be picked up. To donate food, drop off items at the side door, facing mostly east, between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Prescription pet food will also be gladly accepted. Financial donations for pet care needs can also be made by contacting local pet store Leash on Life at (319) 354-4334 , info@leashonlife.net , or at http://www.leashonlife.net .

The Salvation Army of Cedar Rapids has announced that its building will be closed to all outside traffic. Staff will be available to answer questions via phone at (319) 364-9131 from 8:30 a.m.-noon and 1-4:30 p.m. Community meals will continue to be served Monday-Friday, breakfast 8-9 a.m. and Lunch noon-1 p.m., available in a takeaway container through our canteen located in the parking lot. The Salvation Army’s food pantry will remain available for drive-thru pickup only.

Discount retailer Dollar General has announced it will provide all medical personnel, first responders and activated National Guard members with a 10% discount until April 30. Individuals can present their employment badge or ID to receive the discount.

Elite Casino Resorts, which voluntarily closed all resort operations on March 16, will be closed through April 7 as mandated by Gov. Kim Reynolds. The ELITE Sportsbook continues to operate for mobile sports wagering and online at www.elitesportsbook.com . Many of the concerts and events have already been rescheduled. Elite Casino Resorts will honor any March and April birthday offers through June.

ImOn Communications reminds citizens that it offers free community internet to those who may not have it. ImOn’s free community Wi-Fi is available at NewBo City Market, McGrath Amphitheatre, and the downtown area of Cedar Rapids, as well as at Guthridge, Tucker and Clark Parks in Hiawatha and the Ped Mall in Iowa City. Users should be able to access these networks outdoors or even from their vehicles to enable social distancing.

The Iowa Insurance Division is alerting investors to be on guard against an anticipated surge of fraudulent investment schemes amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. In particular, investors should be wary of investments specifically tied to the threat of COVID-19. Bad actors can be expected to develop schemes that falsely purport to raise capital for companies manufacturing surgical masks and gowns, producing ventilators and other medical equipment, distributing small-molecule drugs and other preventative pharmaceuticals, or manufacturing vaccines and miracle cures. Scammers also will seek to take advantage of concerns with the volatility in the securities markets to promote "safe" investments with "guaranteed returns," including investments tied to gold, silver and other commodities; oil and gas; and real estate. Iowans can contact the Iowa Insurance Division at iid.iowa.gov or (877) 955-1212.  
EntreFEST announces keynote speakers for June event
The organizers of EntreFEST, scheduled for June 4-5, have released this year's list of keynote speakers.

Event organizers say they "remain hopeful the event will proceed as planned," but they are prepared to postpone the event or hold it via virtual conference.

"This year’s lineup of keynote speakers includes a diverse array of local, national and international speakers representing a wide range of industries, from venture capital and finance to the tech and nonprofit sectors,” organizers said in a statement, adding they planned to implement additional safety precautions this year, following recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Iowa Department of Public Health.

This year's keynote speakers include:

  • Arlan Hamilton, founder and managing partner of Backstage Capital, a fund dedicated to investing in high-potential founders who are people of color, woman, and/or LGBT
  • Scott Case, CEO and co-founder of Upside Business Travel, which uses new software and systems to reinvent the business travel experience
  • Aaron Proietti, former chief innovation officer, chief customer advocate and head of marketing innovation at Transamerica, and author of Today’s Innovator, a coaching guide for pioneering professionals
  • Kerry Shrader and Ashlee Ammons, co-founders of Mixtroz, a networking app that helps event attendees connect to like-minded individuals, strike up meaningful conversations and engage with their surroundings

Find more information at entrefest.com .
Connect with the CBJ

The CBJ’s mission of informing and connecting the Corridor’s business community is more important than ever. Our news operations will continue researching and reporting on the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic through our multiple distribution channels. Here’s how you can connect with us today and moving forward:

  • You can reach our newsroom directly with leads, updates, cancellations, etc. at news@corridorbusiness.com.
  • Our comprehensive, deep-dive content continues in our weekly CBJ. If you are not a digital subscriber, you can sign up here.
  • Our daily news coverage solution is spread throughout the week with our free e-newsletters. If you have not already signed up, you can do so here.
  • Updated coronavirus information will also be published on our website, corridorbusiness.com/latest-coronavirus-updates, and through our Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn channels.
  • All of our staff members remain available to assist you. You can find our full contact information at www.corridorbusiness.com/cbj-contact.

Remember: Subscribers can access the digital CBJ anytime and anywhere. Don't remember your password? Please email  jean@corridorbusiness.com for a password reset.

The CBJ print subscribers can also temporarily have the CBJ mailed to their home. To temporarily switch your address, please send your full temporary mailing address to  jean@corridorbusiness.com. Please include start and stop dates for the temporary address.

Thank you for your continued support of the Corridor Business Journal.
Short Term Event Planner

Ed. note: We are working hard to update our calendar with virtual and web-based events pertaining to Corridor businesses. If your organization is hosting either of these, please contact us at  news@corridorbusiness.com  so we can update our calendar.
 
March 31
Tele-Business Best Practices & New Tools , by Corridor Business Journal, noon-1 p.m., online. Facilitated by Randy Montelius, vice president of technology at CEC, this webinar will share insights to help organizations maneuver the new world of telebusiness. Free. To register, visit https://bit.ly/2wN0vId .
 
Dental & Healthcare Industry/Expert Panel Q&A , by BerganKDV, 1:30-2:30 p.m., online. Join Jamie Katz, shareholder and professional practices expert, for an overview and Q&A on how the recent changes and legislation are impacting the dental and health care industry. Free. To register, visit bit.ly/2WQjOuV .
 
Distress Loans: Lessons from the 2008 floods, by UNI Center for Business Growth and Innovation, 2 p.m., online. Join SBDC Regional Directors Scott Swenson and Amy Dutton as they look back at the lessons learned from disasters lending from the 2008 floods. Free. Join the webinar here .

April 1
RSM Business Resources Webinar, by RSM US LLP, noon, online. These weekly update webinars will be geared toward business leaders hoping to learn how to weather the coronavirus crisis. Topics will include its economic impact, preparing for the future and mitigating risk. Set for every Wednesday through April 8. Free. To register, visit rsm.us/39kOfvA .
 
State of the Community, by Iowa City Area Business Partnership, 2 p.m., online. Local human services leaders will discuss the challenges of nonprofit agencies and the most vulnerable populations during this pandemic. Free. To register, visit bit.ly/3bDuD7M .
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See something we missed? Send tips, leads, corrections, etc. to  news@corridorbusiness.com.
Headlines from KCRG-TV9
These news items are provided by KCRG-TV9  
 
The Cedar Rapids Police Department said it's investigating a report of shots fired on the southeast side. It happened just before 10:20 p.m. Monday at the corner of Fourth Avenue and 18th Street SE. When officers got to the scene, they found a vehicle has been hit in the 1700 block of Fourth Avenue SE. While officers were on a scene, a 23-year-old woman reportedly walked into the hospital with a non-life threatening gunshot wound to the lower body, police said. She had been dropped off to the hospital in a private vehicle.
An investigation is underway. Anyone with information is asked to call the Cedar Rapids Police Department.

Gov. Kim Reynolds is trying to reassure Iowans that a shelter in place order is still not needed. On Monday, she emphasized that Iowans need to keep "social distancing" and stay at home unless they need to get the basics, like groceries and prescriptions. "For now, we must adjust to a new normal, one that's uncomfortable, inconvenient, and this is not an easy time," she said. "I know something about Iowans, it's that we are at our best when times are tough." Updated recommendations on school closures and other state-ordered changes due to the virus are expected toward the end of this week. The Johnson County Board of Supervisors sent a letter to Ms. Reynolds requesting she issue a shelter-in-place order for Iowa. The supervisors say if the governor doesn't want to issue a "shelter in place," they request she allow the counties the power to issue these orders.
The governor said she has no intention to give up this power.

These news items are provided by KCRG-TV9
Your KCRG-TV9 First Alert Forecast
We began the week with nice weather and there is more where that came from. Our sky is partly to mostly sunny today although temperatures will be a little bit lower than yesterday, mostly in the lower 50s. Wednesday looks like another winner with partial sunshine and highs in the middle 50s. There is a slight chance of a brief, light shower around the Waterloo area in the morning, but those odds are pretty low. Winds pick up on Thursday, helping push highs to around 60 as clouds increase.