CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — The Cedar Rapids City Council has voted to sell a city park to a corn processing company so it can expand and create more jobs. The Gazette reports the council on Tuesday unanimously approved the sale of 8.5 acre Riverside Park to Penford Products for $1.67 million. Penford employs 250 people at its plant, which processes corn into starch products and ethanol.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — A spokesman for Regent Bruce Rastetter’s investment business has been named the next lobbyist for Iowa State University. The state Board of Regents announced today that Joe Murphy will become ISU’s state relations officer. Murphy has worked as public affairs director for Rastetter’s firm, the Ames-based Summit Group, for more than a year.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — State legislators are allowing the Iowa Board of Parole to go ahead with plans to reduce the number of board votes needed to parole high-risk inmates. The Des Moines Register reports the Administrative Rules Review Committee discussed the proposal Tuesday and opted to let the change take effect next month. The panel could have delayed the new rules so the full Legislature could debate the matter.

UNDATED (AP) — Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad and the governors of other wind energy producing states are calling on Congress to renew an expiring tax break. Branstad and Oregon’s governor said today that uncertainty over the wind energy production tax credit’s future is hurting the industry. House Republicans stalled efforts to renew the credit last summer, calling it wasteful.