MONDAY, NOV. 4, 2019 | IN THIS ISSUE

• I-380/Forevergreen Road interchange opens
• eCourt Reporters enters Iowa Startup Accelerator
• Opt-out options finalized for Alliant's smart meters
• Collins Aerospace boosts commitment to STEM education group
• French grain cooperative buys Cargill's malt business
New I-380/Forevergreen Road interchange fully open
The I-380 Forevergreen Road interchange opened fully for traffic on Friday, the Iowa Department of Transportation reported, after the section of Forevergreen Road between Covered Bridge and Jones boulevards was completed.

The interchange will help motorists avoid peak commuter time congestion at the I-380/Penn Street interchange in North Liberty, and will provide a detour route when needed during reconstruction of the I-80/I-380 interchange a short distance to the south on I-380. It is also expected to fuel development in adjacent areas of Tiffin, North Liberty and Coralville.

Motorists will still notice some construction vehicles in the coming weeks as project cleanup and minor work around the interchange is completed, said Hugh Holak, resident construction engineer in IDOT's Manchester office.

The south ramps of the Forevergreen Road interchange have been open for about six weeks and the north ramps have been open for four weeks, Mr. Holak said.

IMAGE: An overhead view of the Forevergreen Road interchange under construction. CREDIT CBS2/FOX28
eCourt Reporters becomes ISA portfolio company
The Iowa Startup Accelerator has added eCourt Reporters as a ISA portfolio company following an investment by the ISA Fund LP in October.

The Burlington, Wisconsin-based company connects law firms, government entities, court reporting firms and agencies with court reporters and legal videographers through its online platform. Its technology makes the scheduling and booking process efficient and cost-effective, and has attracted registered users in all 50 states.

The eCourt Reporters team consists of CEO Karen Renee and Vice President Judy Gerulat.

“We’re thrilled to have eCourt Reporters as a portfolio company because they’re a strong new company with an award-winning platform being built here in the Midwest,” NewBoCo Executive Director and ISA Managing Director Eric Engelmann said in a release.

Accelerator portfolio companies have access to a variety of NewBoCo’s entrepreneurial programming, including accelerator mentors, Agile training with NewBoCo Agile Coach Nate Adams. They also have the ability to work with NewBoCode , NewBoCo’s software and web development team.
IUB rules on opt-out options for Alliant advanced metering
The Iowa Utilities Board issued an order Friday creating customer opt-out options for Alliant Energy’s advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) program for electric and natural gas customers.
 
For the individual opt-out tariff for electric customers, the IUB is requiring Alliant to offer an AMI meter set in the ‘Opt-Out Mode’ as a reduced transmission option. An AMI meter set in Opt-Out Mode will only pulse on one day per month when Alliant reads the meter. When a new customer moves into a residence that was already on the opt-out list, Alliant must offer the existing opt-out option to the new customer before changing the meter to an AMI meter.
 
For the individual opt-out tariff for natural gas customers, the IUB is requiring Alliant to make wording revisions for clarity, changing the term "AMI meter" to "AMI technology" and defining AMI technology. 
 
For the community opt-out tariffs for both electric and natural gas, the IUB rejected those tariffs, and is requiring Alliant to refile new tariffs after meeting with representatives of the Office of Consumer Advocate and the cities of Fairfield and Vedic City within 30 days to attempt to find a more reasonable and less burdensome option, and then file new community opt-out tariffs.

The order also requires Alliant to revise its customer notice regarding the opt-out provision, adding language regarding the privacy policy and a link to the policy on Alliant’s website, and revisions to ensure natural gas customers understand the notice applies to them. Alliant is required to further strengthen its privacy policy by clearly indicating that third parties may only use customer data for work performed on Alliant’s behalf and prohibiting the sale or use of that data for other purposes without a customer’s consent.
Collins Aerospace boosts commitment to FIRST
Collins Aerospace has committed $3.6 million over the next three years to FIRST , a global youth nonprofit advancing Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) education.

The commitment represents a 20% increase in Collins Aerospace's investment in the FIRST program from previous years. The additional funding will help introduce more students around the world to the opportunities available through FIRST.

"As the co-chairman of the FIRST board of directors, I've witnessed how showing kids the fun side of engineering and technology can change their lives and give them a new way of thinking about their future," Collins Aerospace CEO Kelly Ortberg said in a news release. "By investing in programs like FIRST, we hope to enhance diversity in the future workforce and help inspire the next wave of engineers and innovators that will redefine aerospace."

The investment in the FIRST program kicks off Collins Aerospace's Redefining Futures platform. The company will focus on three main strategies: Engaging and inspiring youth, developing and expanding skills of current and future workforces, and strengthening the global communities in which Collins Aerospace, a United Technologies company, conducts business.

"With more than 70,000 employees around the world, Collins Aerospace is uniquely positioned to drive change where it matters most by aligning our efforts across all areas of the company," said Carrie Reeder, director of corporate responsibility with Collins Aerospace. "Working alongside our customers and nonprofit partners, we're rallying behind a common cause to shape a better future for our company, for our communities and for generations to come."
Cargill completes sale of malt business to Axreal
France's largest grain cooperative, Axreal, has announced its acquisition of Cargill's malt business on behalf of its Boortmalt subsidiary.

In a news release, Axreal said the acquisition strengthens its position globally, and makes Boortmalt the world's leading player in the production of malt.

In a news release Axreal Group President Jean-Francoise Loiseau said the acquisition meets two strategic objectives: To invest in the downstream of barley to increase the value of production in France and internationally, and to develop a long-term vision for Axreal's cooperative farmers.  

"This acquisition will help ensure that our trajectory is competitive," Mr. Loiseau said. "We at Axreal are leading the way for the agricultural transition with industrial innovation that provides quality food whilst respecting the environment."

Boortmalt is taking over all Cargill malt activities, including 16 malt houses in nine countries and nearly 600 employees with total production capacity of 1.7 million metric tons.


One last thing
Share your magic wand dream for the Corridor's next 15 years as part of the CBJ's Nov. 18 "Corridor 2.0" issue. It only takes 1 minute!
Short Term Event Planner
Nov. 6
1 Million Cups , by 1MC Cedar Rapids, 8:15-9:15 a.m., Geonetric, 415 12th Ave. SE, Cedar Rapids. Join for community connections, free coffee and presentations by entrepreneurs, established companies, experts and more. Free. For more information, visit  facebook.com/1MCICR .

1 Million Cups , by 1MC Iowa City, 9-10 a.m., MERGE, 136 S. Dubuque St., Iowa City. Join for community connections, free coffee and presentations by entrepreneurs, established companies, experts and more. Free. For more information, visit  facebook.com/1MillionCupsIC/ .

Make Your Mark , by ImpactCR, 5-7 p.m., The Hotel at Kirkwood Center, 7725 Kirkwood Blvd. SW, Cedar Rapids. Celebrate achievements by the Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance’s young professionals group, and preview new things to come in 2020. Free. For information, visit  bit.ly/32jnQMc .

Nov. 7
A Toast to Our Communities Awards Breakfast , by Iowa City Area Chamber of Commerce, 7:30-8:30 a.m., Celebration Farm, 4696 Robin Woods Lane NE, Iowa City. This annual awards ceremony will acknowledge outstanding businesses, organizations and individuals. Tickets: $25-$35. To register, visit  bit.ly/2MnsuBX .

Wake Up Marion , by Marion Chamber of Commerce, 8-9 a.m., Scout of Marion, 725 11th St. Get to know Scout owner Nikki Kettelkamp while enjoying conversation with other Marion Chamber members. Free. For information, visit  bit.ly/2nGpmch .

Direct Mail, The Comeback , by SCORE of East Central Iowa, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., HyVee, 5050 Edgewood Road, Cedar Rapids. Learn how direct mail works, how to obtain a targeted direct mail list, when to use direct mail and more. Free. To register, visit  conta.cc/2MF32ba .
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Headlines from CBS2/FOX 28
These news items are provided by CBS2/FOX 28  
 
The man who allegedly shot and killed Wayne Trabrai Jones of Cedar Rapids has been arrested.
Investigators identified the suspect as 36-year-old Jermaine Walker of Cedar Rapids. Police located Mr. Walker inside a vehicle in the parking lot of the HyVee at 4035 Mount Vernon Road SE and was taken into custody at 9:16 Sunday evening. Mr. Walker is charged with First-Degree Murder, Going Armed with Intent, Intimidation with a Weapon and Possession of a Firearm as a Felon. He was transported to the Cedar Rapids Police Station and will be transferred to the Linn County Jail.

A preliminary hearing is set for Drew Wagner, accused of murdering Chris Bagley earlier this year. Mr. Wagner turned himself into the Linn County Jail Friday night. Investigators say Mr. Bagley went missing Dec. 14, 2018 and a missing person's report was filed several days later. His remains were found February 28, buried outside a home on Soutter Avenue SE in Cedar Rapids. Court records showed Mr. Wagner lived at the home. Friday morning, charges against Mr. Wagner were announced during a hearing for Drew Blahnik, the first person announced as being indicted by a grand jury on charges of first-degree murder, obstructing prosecution and abuse of a corpse. Mr. Wagner faces those same three charges. His preliminary hearing will be on Nov. 12 at 8:30 a.m. He is being held on a $1 million bond.
 
These news items are provided by CBS2/FOX 28  
CBS2 Weather First Forecast
A weak system will move through the area today and lead to a mix of sun and clouds. A few showers will be possible, especially north of Highway 20. Temperatures will be in the mid 40s and it will be a bit breezy. Colder air moves in tomorrow and temperatures will be held in the 30s to around 40 degrees. A weak clipper will move through the Upper Midwest Tuesday night into Wednesday morning. There is uncertainty in the track, but there may be some accumulating snow in parts of the area, particularly north of Highway 20.