MONDAY, JULY 13, 2020 | IN THIS ISSUE

• BAE plans $139M defense facility in SW Cedar Rapids
• UI announces new round of budget cuts for FY 2021
• Iowa Children's Museum reopens today - with changes
• GreenState pioneering 'contactless cards' in Iowa
• Linn County grant program promotes history and culture
• Corridor events, KCRG-TV9 headlines and First Alert Forecast
BAE plans $139M defense facility in SW Cedar Rapids
BAE Systems and Ryan Companies are proposing a $139-million classified defense facility in southwest Cedar Rapids that will consolidate military GPS manufacturing operations that Collins Aerospace has long operated in Coralville and Cedar Rapids.

Ryan Companies proposes to develop a 200,000-square-foot building on a site at the southeast corner of Sixth Street and 76th Avenue SW, which is on the opposite side of I-380 from Prairie High School. BAE Systems, which is in the process of acquiring the military GPS business from Collins Aerospace, proposes to have 650 full-time equivalent positions at the facility.

The Cedar Rapids City Council will consider the first steps toward a big incentive package for the project at its virtual meeting on Tuesday, including authorization for city officials to negotiate a development agreement and support for state financial incentives. BAE and Ryan Companies will seek a 20-year, 75% property tax exemption under the state’s High Quality Jobs incentive program, a state RISE grant for unspecified off-site improvements, and a local tax abatement subject to maintaining specified employment thresholds.

The proposal calls for work on the project to begin in October and be completed in September 2022, pending the necessary state and local approvals, according to a memo to the city council from Caleb Mason, economic development analyst in the city manager’s office.

Collins Aerospace was required to sell off the profitable military GPS business to satisfy antitrust concerns surrounding the merger of its former parent company, United Technologies Corp., with Raytheon Technologies, which also has a military GPS business. Products range from handheld GPS devices used by ground troops, to embedded GPS devices used in aircraft, ships and ground vehicles.

BAE, which is based in Farnborough, England, reached an agreement with former Collins Aerospace parent company United Aerospace to acquire the military GPS business in a $1.92 billion deal. The business began in Cedar Rapids and has long been located in the Corridor. BAE said at the time that it planned to maintain operations here rather than relocating or leaving behind hundreds of employees.

About 675 employees worked in the business at the time the deal was announced, the vast majority of them already located in Coralville or Cedar Rapids. However BAE’s consideration of other potential sites for the project outside Cedar Rapids is the main rationale for employment-based incentives to develop the project locally. The Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance is working with BAE and Ryan Companies to bring the project to Cedar Rapids, one of several big projects in its current prospect pipeline.

Separately, the city council will consider a resolution of local support for state incentives for a $15.9-million expansion project for JRS Pharma at 725 41st Ave. Dr. SW. The project calls for a 9,200-square-foot production facility and associated tank farm. It will create an estimated 18 jobs.

The projects are to be considered by the Iowa Economic Development Authority Board on July 17.
UI announces new round of budget cuts for FY 2021
Due to a reduction in state funding, demographic shifts and losses related to the coronavirus pandemic, the University of Iowa has unveiled a new round of budget cuts, including a 50% pay cut for UI President Bruce Harreld, a large-scale salary freeze and a reduction in support for Hancher Auditorium.

The cuts follow a Board of Regents decision to trim support to Iowa public universities by $8 million. Although the UI's share of the pain won't be determined until the board meets again on July 29, the university has nonetheless announced Mr. Harreld will forgo half of his salary, directing a one-time allocation of $270,416 to the  Student Emergency Fund , which supports students through events that negatively impact academic success, such as COVID-19. The UI will also begin a three-year process to transform Hancher Auditorium into a self-sustaining unit, implement hiring freezes for at least 32 positions in different areas across campus, and freeze salaries for about 4,200 employees.

“Many of our faculty and staff have worked long hours to support the university mission during the current pandemic and we are grateful for their commitment to excellence and to providing a world-class experience for our students despite our current financial situation,” said Mr. Harreld in a statement. “I’m also confident Hancher Auditorium can maintain its standing as national leader among university performing arts centers while transitioning slowly to being self-sustaining.”


“We are disappointed to be in this position, facing challenges from the pandemic and a cut in state support that we could not have imagined just six months ago,” Mr. Harreld said. “Each of us must make budget decisions that protect the core mission of the university and set us up for success moving forward. These decisions directly impact the lives of members of our community and it is a sad moment.”
Iowa Children's Museum reopens today - with changes
The Iowa Children’s Museum (The ICM) will open its doors to members beginning today and to the general public starting Tuesday. But museum officials are reopening cautiously with a number of new policies and procedures to protect health and safety as well as what they describe as "new ways to play."

“Children need opportunities to play, learn and grow, and we’re excited to be a resource for families once again,” said Executive Director Jeff Capps in a release. “While COVID-19 is still a challenge we must face together, we are confident in our reopening plan. We have used the last four months of our closure to learn, prepare, and create a plan that has been informed and supported by a number of local health experts and fellow community leaders.”

Policy and procedural changes include:

  • Timed entry: Online ticket reservations for a specific play session are now required for all guests, including members. Play sessions are Mondays from 10 a.m. to noon and 2-4 p.m. for members only; Tuesday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; and Friday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 3-6 p.m. Buy tickets at theicm.org/tickets.
  • Reduced capacity: Admission is limited to less than 10% of regular capacity, and each exhibit is also limited in how many playgroups can use the space at one time.
  • Enhanced safety and sanitizing: The ICM will be sanitizing high-touch areas throughout the day and completing a thorough, museum-wide sanitizing process between each play session.
  • Masks: Face coverings are required for guests ages 6 and up. Children ages 3-5 are also encouraged to wear masks.
  • Infrastructure investment: The ICM has installed additional hand sanitizing stations, physical barriers at the front desk, directional signage throughout the space, and virus-mitigating air purifiers in the HVAC system.
  • Staff health: The entire ICM team, including front-line floor managers and PLAYologists, are required to wear masks and to complete daily health check-ins before starting their workday. 

To learn more, visit  theicm.org/plan-your-trip. For families who may not be ready to return to The ICM’s physical space, the museum is also launching its ICM2Go program, featuring free and low-cost resources to help them explore nature, learn about STEM, create works of art and participate in other activities from home.
GreenState pioneering 'contactless cards' in Iowa
As businesses learn to quickly adapt to the post COVID-19 landscape, GreenState Credit Union has become one of the first issuers of "contactless cards" in Iowa.

The credit union announced late last week that all new and reissued GreenState credit cards now include this feature. It will go into effect for debit cards in August.

“Merchants across the nation are rapidly upgrading their card readers to accept this new way of transacting business, which is much quicker and helps mitigate the risk of card compromises,” said GreenState Chief Operating Officer Kathy Courtney in a release. “Additionally, in this time of heightened sensitivity due to COVID, it is another way to help keep people and transactions safe.”

Contactless cards use radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology to allow users to simply hold the card near the card reader to process a transaction with no need to insert or swipe. If the store does not have a contactless reader, the member can simply use the conventional methods to process the transaction.

Contactless readers and cards will feature a symbol with four curved lines. When held to a reader, the cards enable secure authentication of card information, sending transaction information from a merchant’s point of sale system to the card issuer for approval in about two seconds.

For more information on contactless cards or to find contactless merchants near you, visit greenstate.org/contactless .

IMAGE: GreenState Credit Union has become one of the first Iowa financial institutions to introduce contactless debit and credit cards intended to keep transactions safe and people healthy.
Linn County grant program promotes history and culture
The Linn County Board of Supervisors is now accepting applications from organizations seeking legacy and community attraction funding.

The Board of Supervisors established the Linn County Legacy and Community Attraction Fund to foster and support long-standing, new, and diverse community events in Linn County. This is a competitive grant process open to nonprofit organizations located in Linn County or that have a branch location in Linn County. This year $150,000 is available.

Grant funds may be used only for events and/or by entities that substantially promote Linn County history and/or culture and/or work to draw in residents and outside visitors alike. Priority is given to requests for events and programmatic and capital projects over requests for operating support. Grant funds may be used only for expenses that have not yet been incurred.

Preferred applications will be for projects/programs that promote Linn County via opportunities for historical education or community attraction; demonstrate a return on investment dollars; and do not duplicate current or long-standing events in the county.

“We’ve created this grant program to help provide funding opportunities for long-standing and new entities or events that provide educational, cultural, or historical opportunities in Linn County,” Linn County Supervisor Brent Oleson said in a release.

The application deadline is 4 p.m. July 31. Application information is available on Linn County’s website LinnCounty.org .
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Short Term Event Planner
 
July 14  
Coffee, Calm, and Community, by Iowa City Area Development, 10-10:45 a.m., online. A time to reflect, share resources and connect with other business and HR leaders. Free. To join the meeting, visit bit.ly/3fsjqsu .
 
Membership 101 – In-Person Option, by Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance, 3:30-4:30 p.m., Economic Alliance, 501 First St. SE. Meet new members, hear from seasoned members and learn how to best utilize your Economic Alliance membership. Free. To register, visit bit.ly/3fAjcjb . 
 
COVID-19 Update and Financial Modeling for Foundations, by CLA, 10-11 a.m., online. Join this webinar to learn how COVID-19 has impacted charitable foundations. Free. To register, visit bit.ly/3dG15Hf . 
 
July 15
Iowa Fraud Fighters - Shield Your Savings Series, by Iowa Insurance Division, 1-2 p.m., online. This webinar will focus on Medicare scams that are circulating in Iowa and elder law issues such as powers of attorney and conservatorships. Free. To register, visit bit.ly/3gBQX41 . 
 
Reimagining Your Workforce, by CLA, 2-3 p.m., online. Attend this four-party webinar series to learn how to attract, retain, engage and grow a productive and healthy workforce. Free. To register, visit bit.ly/3hULDdG .
See something we missed?
Send tips, leads,  corrections,  etc. to  [email protected] .
Headlines from KCRG-TV9
These news items are provided by KCRG-TV9  
 
Some health experts are warning Iowans may see an even bigger uptick in COVID-19 cases following 4th of July celebrations. Doctor Ravi Vemuri at MercyOne in Des Moines says the increase in positive cases could come around July 18, exactly two weeks after the holiday. He expects it to take days for people to get tested and even more time before his team starts seeing patients. “It takes a week or two for people to get sick enough to come to the hospital,” Dr. Vemuri said. “We’re kind of waiting with bated breath.” Right now, the Iowa Department of Public Health reports there are at least 177 patients hospitalized for COVID-19. At least 54 patients are in the ICU and at least 30 have been admitted in the last 24 hours.

A woman was taken to a hospital after a shooting incident on Sunday morning, law enforcement officials said. At around 8:38 a.m., Cedar Rapids Police were sent to a report of gunshots at Oakland Court and Gardens apartments, located at 1500 Oakland Road NE. Officers located a 23-year-old woman who had been shot. She was taken to a local hospital. Police believe that a 24-year-old male shot the woman and fled. Officers have not yet located him. Police described the incident as domestic-related. Anybody with information about the shooting is encouraged to call the Cedar Rapids Police Department at (319) 286-5491.

These news items are provided by KCRG-TV9
Your KCRG-TV9 First Alert Forecast
We'll have a nice day ahead today. Highs will be in the mid-80s, so a bit warmer than Sunday, but overall still a great one to get outside and enjoy. A system will be pushing into the area Tuesday and into Wednesday bringing the chance for rain and storms across Eastern Iowa. Highs will be in the low 80s.