Dave DeWitteDave DeWitte specializes in covering transportation, utilities and workplace issues and developments as a business reporter. He places a special emphasis on translating complex issues into language that consumers can understand, and believes that no business is too small to make big news. DeWitte is a University of Iowa alum and has worked as a reporter, columnist, editor, and reporter in five states. DeWitte has also worked as a database editor specializing in business at an academic publisher, and is proud to call Stone City, Iowa, his home. |
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Iowa corn planting nearly complete
Iowa farmers are almost done with their 2012 corn planting after a week of nearly trouble-free weather. The USDA’s weekly crop report said 98 percent of the corn planting was complete as of Sunday, even though a few farmers have had to replant cornfields damaged by late April showers. Eighty-one percent of the crop had [...]
The “greek place” packs them in during final week in Cedar Rapids
They lined up out the door this week for one final taste of the Vernon Inn. The “greek place” at 2874 Mount Vernon Road SE will close at the end of business on Sunday. News of the impending closure brought a boost to business all week. The Greek restaurant has been a landmark on [...]
Iowa job market continued gradual improvement in April
Iowa’s unemployment rate edged ever-so-slightly downward for the fourth-consecutive month in April. The state unemployment rate edged down another 0.1 percentage points to 5.1 percent from March’s 5.2 percent, continuing a series of four consecutive declines of 0.1 percentage point. The number of unemployed Iowans declined by 1,600 from March levels, to 85,200 and is [...]
Wellmark moving Cedar Rapids operation to new downtown building
Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield of Iowa will move its downtown Cedar Rapids operation later this year into a new downtown office building slated for completion later this year. The health insurance provider has leased 13,000 square feet of space in the new building under construction at Third Avenue and Sixth Street SE by Steve [...]
30 years after Walmart’s arrival, small towns doing better
Iowa State University economist Ken Stone made headlines in 1988 when he released the first academic study on Walmart’s economic impact on the economies of small communities. Twenty-five years later, the professor emeritus, who retired in 2007, has co-authored a new ISU study that could make another splash, but for different reasons. Walmart opened 45 [...]
Alliant preparing to file natural gas rate hike request this month
Alliant Energy will soon propose a rate increase averaging 4-6 percent for its natural gas customers in Iowa. The company’s Interstate Power & Light utility plans to file the rate increase request on May 25 with the Iowa Utilities Board. The increase would apply only to the service costs on the customer’s natural gas bill, [...]
Iowa City cited as ‘Top Turnaround Town’ by REALTOR.com
Iowa City has made REALTOR.com’s list of ‘Top Turnaround Towns’ in the economic recovery. The realty site said placed Iowa City No. 21 on its list of cities ranked on the strength of recovery in their real estate markets. Listing prices are up 6.81% on a year-over-year quarterly basis, a REALTOR.com article said, and inventories [...]
Ruby Tuesday leaves Cedar Rapids
CEDAR RAPIDS — National restaurant chain Ruby Tuesday abruptly closed its restaurant at 2215 Edgewood Rd. SW on Tuesday, laying off about 30-35 employees. Justin Powrie, a services manager for the chain, said the closing was a corporate decision based on the economy. He said the company also was a restaurant at 3805 E. 53rd [...]
New Iowa City industrial park gains ‘shovel-ready’ certification
A 173-acre area of land on the east side of Iowa City has received “shovel-ready” certification that is is expected to make it more attractive to developers with tight project timetables. Iowa City Area Development said the land in Iowa City’s Wind Energy Supply Chain Campus is the third to be designated under the Certified [...]
Ruby Tuesday leaves Cedar Rapids market
The national restaurant chain Ruby Tuesday abruptly closed its restaurant at 2215 Edgewood Road SW on Tuesday, laying off about 30-35 employees. Justin Powrie, a services manager for the chain, said the closing was a corporate decision based on the economy. He said the company was simultaneously closing a restaurant in Davenport. Read more at [...]
