Business

Today’s demolition of First Christian Church will become the “poster child,” of sorts, for historic preservation efforts in Cedar Rapids. “I’m going to make sure that nobody forgets this day,” said Beth Chacey DeBoom, as she recorded crews from D.W. Zinser Co. of Walford demolishing the church shortly after 9 a.m. “I don’t want this [...]

John Frew — the venue developer whom City Hall hand-picked to manage its high-profile, $125-million-plus Convention Complex and hotel projects — is leading a group of investors in an attempt to purchase and redevelop the long-troubled, half-empty, 32-year-old Westdale Mall. Frew on Friday said his firm, Willow Creek Ventures LLC , has signed a purchase [...]

WEST DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The president of the Iowa-based Hy-Vee grocery store chain has been named chairman and CEO. The company says its board of directors on Thursday elected 49-year-old Randy Edeker to succeed Ric Jurgens, who’s retiring on June 1 after 43 years. Edeker is a 30-year veteran of the West Des [...]

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 [...]

When John Miller describes where he works to someone unfamiliar with Iowa, he starts by telling them he’s four hours west of Chicago. He then asks if they’re familiar with Interstate 80 and the Mississippi River. Miller is co-owner of Cedar Rapids-based Hybrid Transit Systems Inc., a freight broker that does business nationally and internationally. [...]

When it comes to handling their credit cards, few Iowans are delinquent with their payments and the state has the lowest average “plastic” debt. Chicago-based TransUnion said 0.48 percent of Iowa credit card holders were 90 days or more past duw on their monthly payments in the first quarter. Only North Dakota cardholders at 0.33 [...]

  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’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 [...]

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 [...]