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Friday PM Daily | June 28, 2019
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| A view of the new federal courthouse looking westward from the Des Moines Riverfront. Architectural rendering courtesy of Mack Scogin Merrill Elam Architects.
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Federal courthouse construction to begin mid-July
By Kathy A. Bolten | Senior Staff Writer Construction is expected to begin in mid-July on the federal
courthouse in downtown Des Moines with a groundbreaking ceremony planned for late August, according to the U.S. General Services Administration.
Plans to build a new courthouse are moving forward even though Des Moines officials and civic leaders oppose constructing the structure on prime downtown riverfront real estate.
The GSA last August announced that the courthouse would be built on the site of the former Riverfront YMCA at 101 Locust St. which is along the Principal Riverwalk. Local officials have argued that taking the property off the property tax rolls would have a long-term
negative impact on Des Moines.
In early June, the Des Moines City Council sent a letter to GSA asking for the project to be terminated. It was the second such letter the council has sent to GSA.
The $137 million project "will inflict long-term social and economic harm on [Des Moines] by impairing the Riverwalk, a centerpiece of our long-term plan to attract talent, tourism and investment to Des Moines," the council wrote in the June 5 letter. "We feel this is a careless use of taxpayer dollars as the proposed Federal Courthouse will house 36 fewer employees than the existing facilities
and does not account for the future growth of the Courts."
The GSA has not responded to the letter, city officials said.
In May, Des Moines business and community leaders held a news conference asking for the project to be halted because they believed a new facility was not needed. The current federal courthouse at 123 E. Walnut St. and its nearby annex are still in good condition and have space to accommodate court functions, they said.
A couple of days after the news conference, the GSA released architectural renderings for the new federal courthouse, which will be five stories with large windows. The top four floors sit on columns that go around the building. The first floor is recessed under the other floors.
The GSA plans in mid-July to issue a notice to Ryan Cos. Inc., the project’s general contractor, that construction can begin. Completion is expected by fall 2022.
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BUSINESS RECORD CALENDAR
The week ahead: July 1-7
July 1: Connect 4
Host: Urbandale Chamber of Commerce
About: Attendees will register and split into small groups and answer business-related questions to get to know each other and build relationships.
When: 4-5 p.m.
Where: Stoney Creek Hotel & Conference Center
Learn more
July 2: Terrace Hill Open House
Host: Terrace Hill Partnership
About: Celebrate the 150th anniversary of Terrace Hill, the Iowa governor's residence. Guests are invited to take a free self-guided tour through Terrace Hill. No need to check in at the Carriage House; you can go straight to the north door of Terrace Hill. This open house is being held as part of Terrace Hill's 150th anniversary celebration and will take place exactly 41 years after Terrace Hill first opened to the public on July 2, 1978.
When: 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Where: Terrace Hill
Learn more
July 3: Yankee Doodle Pops
Host: Des Moines Symphony
About: This family-friendly and patriotic concert concludes with the area’s premier fireworks display over the downtown Des Moines skyline. Bring your picnic baskets, blankets and lawn chairs or purchase food from an array of vendors at the concert.
When: 8:30 p.m.
Where: West Terrace, Iowa State Capitol
Learn more
July 3: Yankee Doodle Pops Viewing Party
Host: Des Moines Symphony
About:
Join us for a pre-concert cocktail reception, silent auction, gourmet picnic dinner, a cash bar, and premium reserved parking. Your ticket and all event proceeds support the Des Moines Symphony & Academy’s concerts and education programs.
When: 6:30-10 p.m.
Where: State Historical Building
Learn more
View our full calendar to see the latest curated business and community events, or suggest an event.
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NEWS BRIEFS
Wulfekuhle to lead Women United initiative
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United Way of Central Iowa has named Jaclyn Wulfekuhle as director of Women United. In this role, she will support more than 600 female donors who give $1,000 or more to ensure Central Iowa children up to age 8 have quality child care and education. Women United advocates for and invests in strategies that give families greater access to affordable, quality child care, opportunities to develop reading skills, and wrap-around services to support healthy development. Wulfekuhle has been with United Way for five years, most recently as director of leadership giving and LINC, a young professionals’ donor group of United Way that she created, which has grown to 200 members in its first two years. She also has helped lead the annual United Way campaign, managing large company relationships. "Jaclyn has done a tremendous job of growing engagement of young professionals to make an impact in United Way’s essential needs work," said Melanie Campbell, chief donor engagement officer at United Way of Central Iowa. "We look forward to having her relationship-building and customer service skills inspire more women to lead the charge for all children to have a great start from
birth."
State unemployment, injury benefits to increase in July
Iowa Workforce Development announced an annual increase to maximum weekly benefits paid to unemployed Iowans and to workers injured on the job. The new benefit payment schedules will apply to people who file new unemployment insurance claims on or after July 7, and to workers injured on or after July 1. The rise in benefits was triggered by an increase in average annual wages for covered workers, which increased to $47,290.57 in 2018, up from $45,877.31 in 2017. Information about the weekly benefits will be available in the 2019
Unemployment Insurance Claimant Handbook beginning July 3 at www.iowaworkforcedevelopment.gov.
Meredith names Farah Zaman chief privacy officer
Farah Zaman will be the new chief privacy officer at Meredith Corp., the company announced this week. Zaman will be responsible for leading Meredith’s privacy compliance, education and protection strategies. She previously worked in data counsel for Colgate Palmolive and Nielsen and as an agency attorney in the Office of Data Privacy for the New York Department of Social Services.
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MEMBERSHIP EXCLUSIVE CONTENT
On The Move: Week of June 24
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John Vogelaar (pictured)
Brokers International
Hired as chief financial officer
jvogelaar@biltd.com
Ron Heims
RDG Planning & Design
Promoted to principal - information technology director
rheims@rdgusa.com
Erica Tietz
McClure
Hired as human resources officer
etietz@mecresults.com
Submit On the Moves: Submit announcements regarding company promotions, staff additions and changes, including photos, via our online submission form: Click here
Click here to see all of this week's promotions and job changes.
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NEWS BRIEFS
Apple moves Mac Pro production to China
Wall Street Journal: Apple Inc. is manufacturing its new Mac Pro computer in China, according to people familiar with its plans, shifting abroad production of what had been its only major device assembled in the U.S. as trade tensions escalate between the Trump administration and Beijing.
Chick-fil-A remains America’s favorite fast-food restaurant
MarketWatch: Chick-fil-A has been named the nation’s favorite fast-food restaurant for the fourth year in a row, despite contributing to organizations that have campaigned against marriage equality. The American Customer Service Index polled 23,000 consumers. They ranked fast-food restaurants on quality of food, variety of menu items, customer service and cleanliness. Second place was given to an "all other restaurants" category, or various quick-service eateries that weren’t big enough to be ranked individually. Panera Bread came in third. McDonald’s ranked the lowest on the ACSI list.
Today’s extra briefs:
- USDA reports large U.S. soybean sale to China ahead of Trump-Xi meeting (Reuters)
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BUSINESS RECORD CALENDARNEWLY ANNOUNCED EVENTS
Oct. 22: 2019 Economic Update
Host: West Des Moines Chamber of Commerce
About: Bob Baur, executive director and chief global economist for Principal Global Investors, will speak at the 2019 Economic Update. In his role, Baur establishes and directs global economic policy and strategy, oversees and conducts macroeconomic and quantitative research, forecasts economic trends and anticipates market movements, and advises the investment staff in making economically sound investment decisions.
When: 11:15 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Where: Des Moines Golf and Country Club
Learn more
View our full calendar to see the latest curated
business and community events, or suggest an event.
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Is It Time to Reconsider the C Corporation?
JOE KRISTAN, EIDE BAILLY
CPA, PARTNER
Grandma’s pies were the best pies.
I know, everyone thinks their grandma made the best pies, but my Grandma’s were the best. If she were still baking, she could make a million bucks.
Should Grandma incorporate to save taxes? > FULL ARTICLE
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KCCI TOP STORIES
D.M. libraries to be open additional hours given new sales tax
The local option sales tax increase will first and most visibly affect the Des Moines Public Libraries. Tight city budgets have caused the Des Moines library system to live through a decade of cutbacks. As a result, all six library branches had to close an extra day of the week and cut back hours. The additional 1% tax, starting Monday, will help fund library resources. Read more
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Tonight:
Partly cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 71. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph.
Saturday:
Partly cloudy skies. A stray afternoon thunderstorm is possible. High 92. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph.
Sunday:
Mainly sunny. Highs in the low 90s and lows in the low 70s.
Get the latest KCCI weather.
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BUSINESS RECORD IOWA INDEXThe Iowa Index is an unweighted average of all 21 Iowa-based public companies. Below is a live look at those 21, plus 15 additional companies with large operations in Iowa.
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