AMES, Iowa – May 17, 2012 – The Iowa Department of Transportation, in coordination with the Federal Railroad Administration and Illinois Department of Transportation,...
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Eastern Iowa’s smallest rural towns had a rare moment of shared celebration Wednesday when the U.S. Postal Service announced plans to slash hours at more than 3,000 rural post offices instead of closing them. Residents of Onslow in Jones County will see the hours at the community’s post office slashed from eight to four...
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DES MOINES – An Iowa legislative conference committee has reached an agreement on a mental health redesign policy, but details of how it will be funded have been left to another House-Senate conference committee. The conference committee report on Senate File 2315 must be approved by both chambers, but the committee chairs, Rep. Renee...
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DES MOINES – The split-control Legislature on Tuesday faced the prospects of ending its second straight session without resolving a commercial property tax relief issue that has dogged lawmakers since the beginning of the 84th General Assembly in January 2011. Hope for a compromise plan to reduce by up to 40 percent of the...
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CEDAR RAPIDS — A city of Cedar Rapids lobbying campaign that has extended for more than a decade has led the Iowa Transportation Commission to tentatively approve full funding for a 7.5-mile extension of Highway 100 from Edgewood Road NE west and south to Highway 30 at a cost of some $200 million. A triumphant Mayor...
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CEDAR RAPIDS — The city’s largest sale ever of new bond debt was a little smaller Tuesday than expected because of interest rates “close to 40-year lows,” the city’s bond consultant told the City Council last night. The city had expected to sell almost $86 million in new general obligation bond debt, but needed to...
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CEDAR RAPIDS — On a unanimous vote, the City Council agreed last night to head into negotiations with Penford Products Co. to see if an agreement can be reached to sell the city’s 11-acre Riverside Park to the company for its possible expansion. The most important council vote will come, likely in June, to...
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A roundup of legislative and Capitol news items of interest for Tuesday, May 8, 2012: SMALL CLAIMS COURT: State court officials say Iowans who choose to represent themselves in small claims court will find it easier to do so with the help of new, easy-to-use forms. The Iowa Supreme Court approved a large number...
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The city of Coralville appears to be ready to allow indoor firing ranges within city limits. City Administrator Kelly Hayworth said Tuesday that he knows of plans to build at least one facility, pending the city council’s approval. “There is a regulation that you have to be a certain distance from schools, churches, all of those...
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Two of Linn County’s longest sought-after highway projects — the Highway 100 Extension and Mount Vernon bypass — are poised for funding in a draft state highway plan presented Tuesday. The plan provides about $185 million for completion of the first 3.8-mile leg of Highway 100 from Edgewood Road to Covington Road and grading...
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DES MOINES – Lawmakers approved and sent Gov. Terry Branstad an agreement Tuesday on an education reform package that seeks to bolster student reading skills in early grades and allows high school students who demonstrate competency to advance, but takes a go-slow approach to online academies while the concept gets further study. The 10-member...
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