(Iowa City, Iowa; Iowa Capital Dispatch) – He sees them nearly every day, Michael Durney said — news articles about companies and their chief executive officers either making or walking back a “controversial stance” on topical issues. These stances can touch on anything from gun control to climate change to immigration, but they generally don’t connect to the business’s operations. Durney, a University of Iowa researcher and assistant professor in accounting, said business leaders who express their personal views on social and political issues are an increasingly “vocal minority.” The Iowa Capital Dispatch reports Durney and other researchers have studied the impacts that statements like these have on investors for more than three years, and recently published their findings in the academic journal “Contemporary Accounting Research.”

The results of their study found that a CEO staying silent on issues garnered the same positive response from investors as when the CEO put out a stance that they would agree with, with a statement going out investors don’t agree with prompting a negative reaction.“I’m not saying that a CEO coming out and taking a stance on a controversial issue is positive or negative, but it’s certainly a growing trend,” Durney said. “And then, since the CEO is saying something that’s in the realm of accounting, because it’s a reporting choice they’re making, how does it affect investors? That’s sort of the natural question that we decided to ask, because we saw the growing trend.”

In order to learn about responses to different stances CEOs could take on well-known issues, or no stance at all, Durney said the team set up different groups of people in hypothetical situations where they had already invested $10,000 in a fake company and had $10,000 more to invest. Using gun control as a topic, each group was told that the CEO had either posted on social media supporting it, expressing a lack of support, or not commenting on it at all and then were asked how attractive the company was as an investment opportunity. While they expected the decreased interest in investing after the CEO made a statement they didn’t agree with, Durney said the response to seeing nothing from the CEO on the topic was surprising. They found that people responded positively to not seeing the CEO express their views, even when prompted to do so online, just like how they responded to a view they agreed with.

University of Iowa Assistant Professor of Accounting Michael Durney. (Photo courtesy of University of Iowa)

“It’s pretty astounding that, if all you care about is investor reactions, the best choice, to say it bluntly, is just for the CEOs to just shut up and manage,” Durney said. However, Durney said business leaders shouldn’t take these results as a directive to never express their views. Investors are only one part of a company that is influenced by its employees, the consumers of their product or service, the general public and more. CEOs should voice what they believe in if there is a change they truly want to make or an issue they think their perspective would aid in, he said. “The takeaway shouldn’t be, don’t take stances on controversial issues,” Durney said. “I don’t want that to be the takeaway, because this is just one small piece of the puzzle.”

Social media has amplified public figures’ voices when it comes to their personal views, Durney said, when before social media became popular there weren’t as many ways for people to share their thoughts on issues with a large, public audience. This study came from the curiosity Durney and his fellow researchers had on a trend they saw growing, he said, and he didn’t have any goals for the research beyond the results it gave. “I think it’s an interesting, surprising result,” Durney said. “The intellectual curiosity is enough for me, but I also think it helps people make more informed decisions, to the extent that they ever read these results, right? It helps people in companies who are coming out and taking controversial stances, they’ll make more informed decisions regarding how investors will react.”

(Radio Iowa) – A Latino civil rights organization has dropped its lawsuit that challenged Iowa election law changes enacted in 2021. Republican lawmakers reduced the period of early voting and moved up the deadline for voting by mail. The law also addressed what critics called “ballot harvesting” and made it a crime for non-relatives from returning a person’s absentee ballot. The League of United Latin American Citizens of Iowa argued the changes made it harder to vote. The group’s recent court filing doesn’t say why the lawsuit has been withdrawn.

(Radio Iowa) – Thousands of Iowa athletes — from toddlers to senior citizens — will be taking part in the Winter Iowa Games, with some events starting next weekend. All ages and abilities are welcome to compete in sports including alpine ski racing, figure skating, trapshooting, hockey and snowshoeing. Games marketing director Cory Kennedy says this marks the 34th year for the annual winter sports festival, which features a range of indoor and outdoor sports.

The venues are spread across the state in almost as many locations as there are events, and several thousand Iowans will be hoping to medal.

Kennedy says it’s always a treat to see the incredible range in ages of Iowa’s athletes.

The events take place over the next few months, with the first being the pickleball tournament January 18th and 19th at the University of Dubuque. The final event is youth ice hockey at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, March 15th and 16th. Other host communities include: Ankeny, Cedar Rapids, Eldora, Harlan, Iowa City, Ottumwa, Peosta and Waterloo.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (Updated) – The Iowa West Foundation has announced a $2.5 million lead gift to Council Bluffs’ Westfair as part of a multi-phased $34 million campaign to revitalize the beloved fairgrounds and amphitheater and enhance the visitor experience for years to come.

For 50 years, Westfair has been a cornerstone of the western Iowa community, providing a space for the county fair, concerts, community celebrations, and agriculture events. Much of the infrastructure dates back to 1974 and is at critical end-of-life stages. Addressing outdated power, water, and accessibility needs is paramount for Westfair to achieve an ambition to attract hundreds of thousands of visitors to the fair, concerts, and events throughout the year. (Artist rendition of the proposed improvements are shown below)

A 65,000 square foot state-of-the-art livestock building complete with a show ring and arena will serve as the crown jewel and a versatile space for rodeos, equestrian events, and agricultural showcases, as well as a community hub with space for classrooms. The building will be unique to the metro area, and organizers expect to draw visitors from across the river and throughout the region. A new amphitheater setup will add seating to the existing lawn and will hold 8,000 people for concerts. Other improvements include green spaces and hard-surface parking to accommodate year-round activities.

“These enhancements will enable Westfair to host larger, more frequent events,” said Connie Casson, board member of the Friends of the Fair. “These will include bigger livestock shows, expanded 4H programming, and broader agricultural education while offering a first-rate guest experience that preserves Westfair’s legacy and boosts regional economic growth.” Projections show that the Westfair rejuvenation has the potential to create more than $25 million in annual economic impact.

On behalf of the board of directions, Iowa West Foundation President and CEO Brenda Mainwaring said the organization is honored to provide the lead gift to this cherished western Iowa institution. “We believe in the power of community spaces like Westfair to bring people together, celebrate our regional agricultural heritage, and create lasting memories,” she said.  “Our foundation shares a proud history with Westfair, and we are committed to seeing it thrive for future generations to enjoy.”

For more information on the Westfair capital campaign or to learn how to contribute, please visit www.westfair.org.

(Leon, Iowa) – A man on a motorized wheelchair was injured Thursday evening, when he was struck by a pickup truck. The accident in the Decatur County town of Leon happened at around 6:15-p.m.  According to the Iowa State Patrol, a Ford F-150 pickup driven by 33-year-old Jordan Durell, of Leon, was traveling eastbound in the 800 block of NW 6th Stree in Leon, at the same time a motorized wheelchair operated by 64-year-old Anthony Owens, of Leon was traveling eastbound on the roadway.

Durell failed to see Owens due to it being dark, and the wheelchair was unlit. The resulting impact tossed Owens  from his wheelchair. He came to rest in south ditch. The wheelchair came to rest on the road.

Owens was transported by ambulance to the Decatur County Hospital, and then flown by MercyOne helicopter to Mercy Hospital in Des Moines. A report on his condition was not immediately available.

(Radio Iowa) – The 2025 Iowa legislative session begins Monday and a key lawmaker plans to propose a moratorium on new casinos in Iowa. Representative Bobby Kaufmann’s bill would ultimately block the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission from considering a casino license application from Cedar Rapids. “Planning to pursue it early,” Kaufmann says, “because obviously the elephant in the room is the deadline with the IRGC.”

On February 6th, state gambling regulators are scheduled to vote on the proposed 275 MILLION dollar casino in northwest Cedar Rapids. Kaufmann says the commission’s rules for evaluating casino license applications are too vague. “The bill actually outlines what steps a new casino should take to get a license and the standards which consider things like…saturation levels,” Kaufmann says, “so kind of a roadmap for folks on how to get a casino license.”

The state’s existing casinos support a moratorium — arguing a new casino in Cedar Rapids would draw customers from casinos in Riverside and Waterloo. Last April, the Iowa House overwhelmingly voted for a casino moratorium that would last through 2029, but the proposal was not considered by the Iowa Senate. Kaufmann says there’s growing support for a moratorium.

“A lot of us are getting contacted by folks in our district that work in existing casinos and are asking us to pursue this,” Kaufmann says. A previous moratorium on new casinos expired in July and Cedar Rapids quickly launched its third attempt to land a state casino license. Backers of the Cedar Crossing development in Cedar Rapids say the state’s second largest city has the right to compete for a casino without interference from lawmakers.

The Riverside Casino has asked the Racing and Gaming Commission to reject the application from Cedar Rapids, arguing a Linn County gambling referendum approved in 2021 was incorrectly worded. Recent studies have found a casino in Cedar Rapids would pay 80 million in new taxes, while diverting about 68 million dollars from casinos in Riverside, Waterloo and Dubuque.

AMES, Iowa – Jan. 8, 2025 – The Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) as asking for your input, with regard to a planned bridge replacement on U.S. 30 over Boyer River in Crawford County (Event # 6406).  Construction is scheduled to begin in 2028. Traffic will be detoured during construction. The proposed detour would follow U.S. 59 to County Road E59 into Dow City. Access to properties will be maintained at all times.

SHARE YOUR FEEDBACK

• Share your comments (by Jan. 20)

PROJECT PLANS

• Project plans

For questions about the project or for free translation services, contact:
Sarah Tracy, P.E. Transportation Planner
Iowa DOT District 3 Office, 6409 Gordon Drive, Sioux City, Iowa 51106,
Phone: 712-276-1451 or Email: sarah.tracy@iowadot.us

(Radio Iowa) – The two gun seasons for deer are now over and the D-N-R’s Conservation Division Administrator Pete Hildreth says the numbers are still on pace to match last year, which was 104-thousand deer. “To date, hunters have reported 87-thousand deer. And during the 2024 combined firearm season, approximately 52-thousand deer were harvested,” he says. There are still chances for hunters yet this year.

“With the two regular gun seasons now in the books, Iowa’s deer hunting shifts to a more solitary endeavor with the opening of the late muzzleloader season,” he says. The archery season also reopened and will close on Friday (January 10). There are a couple of other seasons remaining that are used to keep deer populations in check. “The final deer seasons are the two January antlerless deer only seasons,” he says. “The population management January antlerless season and the excess tag January antlerless season. Both of these seasons run from January 11 through the 19th.”

The population management January antlerless season is available only in Allamakee, Appanoose, Decatur, Lucas, Monroe, Wayne and Winneshiek counties. Hunters may use bows, muzzle loaders, handguns, shotguns, crossbows or rifles in that .223 caliber. The excess tag. January antlerless season is available in all counties with unsold county antlerless tags on January 11th, but license sales will only be available over the counter and not online until the quota is filled.

Hunters participating in the excess tag January antlerless season can only use .223 caliber to .500 caliber rifles. Hildreth made his comments during the Iowa Natural Resources Commission meeting.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Cass County Local Food Policy Council has released the dates for upcoming mobile food pantries in Cass County. The first 2025 mobile food pantries in the county will take place on Wednesday, February 12, at locations in Atlantic and Massena. The mobile pantries are hosted by community partners across Cass County.

A mobile pantry is a traveling food pantry that delivers food directly to families in need for a one-day distribution. People from surrounding towns and communities are welcome. Mobile food pantries are available free of charge. Anyone in need is welcome, and no documentation is required. Each car can take food for up to two households at a time. For any additional information or questions, please contact Grace McAfee, Community Wellness Coordinator, at (712) 250-8170 or by email at mcage@casshealth.org.

Additional mobile food pantries have been scheduled for Atlantic, Anita, Griswold, and Massena. (See below for details)

Atlantic 2025 Mobile Food Pantries

Where: Cass County Fairgrounds (1000 Fair Ave. Atlantic, IA 50022)
2025 Dates: February 12, April 9, June 11, July 9, September 10, October 8
Time: 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm

Anita 2025 Mobile Food Pantries

Where: Anita Food Pantry (208 Chestnut St. Anita, IA 50020)
2025 Dates: February 19, May 21, July 16, October 15
Time: 4:30 pm – 5:30 pm

 Griswold 2025 Mobile Food Pantries

Where: Central Church of Christ (51 Harrison St. Griswold, IA 51535)
2025 Dates: April 26 and August 2
Time:  10:00 am – 11:30 am

 Massena 2025 Mobile Food Pantries

Where: East Side of Massena’s City Park (500 5th St, Massena, IA 50853)
2025 Dates: February 12, April 9, June 11, July 9, September 10, October 8
Box Pick-Up Time: 4:30 pm – 5:00 pm

Mobile pantry dates, times, and locations are subject to change. For the latest information on mobile pantries in the county, visit https://foodbankheartland.org/food-resources/find-food/. For information on local food, farmers markets, and food access, follow the Cass County Local Food Policy Council’s Facebook page @CassCountyLocalFood.

(Radio Iowa) – Nominations are now being taken for the 2025 Iowa Character Awards, to recognize Iowans who go above and beyond as leaders, volunteers and role models in their communities. Amy Smit is spokeswoman for Character Counts and Drake University’s Robert D. and Billie Ray Center.

“We are bringing back our categories of citizens, of organizations, businesses, athletic teams,” Smit says. “We’re looking for all of the people in your community who show the Six Pillars of Character: Trustworthiness, Respect, Responsibility, Fairness, Caring and Good Citizenship.” Since the program’s launch, more than 100 individual Iowans and businesses have been recognized with an Iowa Character Award. Smit says nominating a person or business is simple.

“You have until May to get your nominations in. So I’d say, let’s get started now. That way you have plenty of time to put together your nomination,” she says. “You could ask around for some letters of recommendation. Our nomination forms at IowaCharacterAwards.org are very easy to complete.” The winners will be announced in June.