(Radio Iowa) – With the Memorial Day weekend just ahead, it’s predicted travelers from Iowa will be on the roads in record or near-record numbers. Brian Ortner, with Triple-A Iowa, says the motor club is forecasting more than three-point-six million people across the Midwest will be traveling 50 miles or more during the long weekend, which is up 136-thousand travelers from last year.

The vast majority of vacationers will be traveling by car, and Ortner says gasoline prices in Iowa are more than a dime a gallon cheaper than a year ago.

For families on a budget, vacations can be expensive ventures, with gasoline being one of the biggest costs, so Ortner says this is welcome news.

For Iowans traveling by air, Triple-A says the average price for a round-trip domestic flight will cost 778-dollars, which is up two-percent from Memorial Day weekend last year.

AUDUBON, Iowa — A boil advisory has been issued for the City of Audubon in Audubon County, following a water main break. The incident happened late this (Friday) morning, when a contractor hit a main near the city water tower, resulting in pressure loss.  Nearly 1200 connections are affected by the break. City officials have isolated the leak, and have shut down the water treatment plant until repairs are complete.

Once repairs are completed the affected area will be disinfected and flushed. City officials are notifying residents via radio, the city website, Facebook, and the Audubon city marquis.

Officials say there is no reason to believe water quality has been compromised, but as a precaution, customers are encouraged to boil water that will be consumed or used for food preparation. Water should be boiled for two minutes and allowed to cool before use. Water is safe to use for showering, laundry, general washing and outdoor use without boiling.

Two sets of bacteria samples will be collected for testing. The boil advisory will be lifted once two consecutive sets of bacterial samples have tested negative for bacteria.

(Radio Iowa) – Senate Majority Leader Jack Whitver announced this (Friday) afternoon that he’s undergoing treatment for a brain tumor. Whitver, in a written statement, said he is remaining in the Iowa Senate and continuing in his role as majority leader. Whitver said he is responding well to radiation therapy and intends to lead Republicans through this election cycle in the same way he has since become leader in March of 2018.

In his statement, Whitver said he appreciates the kind words and prayers he and his family have received. Whitver and his wife, Rachel, are the parents of three children. Whitver, who is 43, was first elected to the Senate in a special election in January of 2011. He grew up in Grinnell and was a starting wide receiver for the Iowa State football team for three years.  Whitver was first elected to the Iowa Senate in a special election in January of 2011 and he earned a law degree from Drake the next year. After the 2016 election, Whitver’s Republican colleagues voted to have him serve as president of the Iowa Senate.

Jack Whitver

Governor Reynolds today (Friday) released the following statement of support for Iowa Senate Majority Leader Jack Whitver and his family:

“Jack Whitver is a strong and capable leader, and a good friend. I admire and support his decision to remain in his role while undergoing treatment, and I am confident in his ability to do so. Kevin and I know this path well, and also the incredible advancements that have been made with treatment. We pray for his full recovery, for his wife Rachel and their children, and for his medical team. I look forward to continuing our work together on behalf of Iowans.” 

DES MOINES – Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds, today (Friday), signed into law, a bill [SF2368] relating to education, which modifies provisions related to the sale of real property by school districts, charter school and open enrollment funding, and the participation in school activities by students enrolled in charter schools, into law. Her signature on the bill came during a ceremony at Horizon Science Academy in Des Moines.

Additionally, the governor announced a new $7 million charter school grant program that will support infrastructure costs, awarding up to $500,000 for new charter schools and up to $200,000 for existing schools. The grant program will be available through the Iowa Department of Education and the application period will open on June 3, 2024.

“Public charter schools provide yet another school choice for parents and guardians looking for the education that’s best suited for their children’s abilities and needs. Charter schools are tuition-free, independently operated public schools that have the freedom to design their curriculum and classrooms to meet specific educational objectives. Some specialize in STEM, foreign languages, and providing at-risk youth with resources and opportunities to succeed in the classroom,” said Gov. Kim Reynolds. “Today, by signing this bill and launching a new infrastructure grant program for start-up and expansion costs, we take a bold step in expanding the charter school opportunities to parents and students across the state.”

(Glenwood, Iowa) – The Glenwood Police Department reports two arrests took place this (Friday) morning:

• 21-year-old Chase Rounds, of Plattsmouth, NE, was arrested for OWI/1st offense. He posted bond and was released.
• 27-year-old De’One Denson, of Glenwood, was arrested for Driving while barred. His bond was set at $2,000.

(DES MOINES, IA) – The Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) Board has approved an application for a data center in Davenport, which will assist in the creation of 35 jobs and result in $800 million in new capital investment for the state. The board also approved innovation funding in support of two startups located in Granger and West Des Moines. Their actions were announced today (Friday). In addition, IEDA approved assistance from Iowa’s State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) Innovation Fund for three startups in Ames, Slater and West Des Moines.

Details…

Meta to construct data center in Davenport: Vemerald, a wholly owned subsidiary of Meta Platforms, Inc., will store and transfer user and customer data for their operating systems. The company plans to construct a data center, which will include office space, servers and support equipment. The project represents a capital investment of $800 million and is expected to create 35 jobs incented at a qualifying wage of $28.76 per hour. The board granted the City of Davenport the ability to utilize the High Quality Jobs (HQJ) program provision for value-added property tax exemption for this project.

Awards made to two startups:

Bovi-Jet, based in Granger, makes devices for cattle producers to aid in animal health. Their product overcomes the time and manual labor required to treat livestock throughout their lifetime by using sensors to detect movement of cattle and pour a stream of medicine along the backs with a farmer’s existing chute system. The company was awarded a $50,000 Proof of Commercial Relevance (POCR) loan for IP development and evaluation, proof of concept work, product refinement, key personnel and equipment, and market planning and entry activities.

West Des Moines’ Incentit is an integrated incentive management platform supporting organizations that implement their own programs along with third party program managers. The software offers program management, tracking and reporting as well as a mobile app, application intake portals and a REST API. The company was awarded a $50,000 POCR loan for product refinement.

Award recommendations for these funds are made by the Technology Commercialization Committee to the IEDA Board for approval.

SSBCI Innovation Fund awards to three startups:

Ames-based biotech company PowerPollen focuses on transforming agricultural productivity and sustainability with hybrid seed and grain production systems. The company developed a revolutionary “pollination on demand” technology for the global seed industry. PowerPollen was awarded a $1 million Innovation Acceleration Expansion Fund loan for IP development and evaluation, prototype development and equipment, product refinement and testing, project team and partnerships, and manufacturing.

Tractor Zoom, located in West Des Moines, offers innovate online solutions for the farm equipment and heavy machinery market. Their primary platform, TractorZoom.com, streamlines the process for buyers to find, value and finance equipment. In addition, their cloud-based business-to-business platforms, Tractor Zoom Pro and Anvil Pro, help value, manage and sell equipment assets. The company was awarded a $1 million Innovation Acceleration Expansion Fund loan for key personnel.

Headquartered in Slater, Gross-Wen Technologies provides a patented algae biofilm treatment system under the RAB™ brand. The technology enables the effective and sustainable use of algae to remove nitrogen and phosphorous from wastewater. It can also be used with clean water to grow valuable algae for various uses that include fertilizers, bioplastics and biofuels. The company was awarded a $500,000 Innovation Acceleration Propel Fund loan for key personnel and equipment.

The SSBCI program’s Innovation Fund increases assistance available through Iowa’s innovation continuum to support entrepreneurs through concept, launch and expansion. Award recommendations for these funds are made by the SSBCI Review Committee to the IEDA director for approval. The committee met on May 14, 2024, to review eligible applications.