THURSDAY, JAN. 31, 2019  |  IN THIS ISSUE  

MidAmerican Energy wind turbines in Iowa
CREDIT: MidAmerican Energy
A total of 1,120 megawatts of wind energy capacity was installed in Iowa during 2018, restoring the state to second place in total wind power capacity behind Texas, according to the  U.S. Wind Industry Fourth Quarter 2018 Market Report from the American Wind Energy Association.

The fourth quarter of 2018 marked the third-highest quarter on record for wind energy installations, the association said, at 5,944 megawatts.

Iowa surpassed Oklahoma to regain the second-place ranking, and now has 8,422 megawatts of installed wind capacity. Actual wind output from wind turbines is based on the utilization factor, which varies with the amount of wind a turbine site provides, and other variables.

A total of 1,116 megawatts of wind energy capacity was added in Iowa in the fourth quarter, also second among the states behind Texas, where 2,359 megawatts of capacity was installed. As the year ended, 403 megawatts of additional wind capacity was under construction in the state, and 1,601 megawatts of wind capacity was in the advanced stages of development.

Corporate and other non-utility customers signed contracts for a record amount of wind power in 2018, entering into agreements to procure 4,203 MW of wind capacity. This marks a 66 percent increase over the previous record set in 2015,

 A total of 37 non-utility buyers signed wind energy contracts in 2018, including 21 companies that purchased energy for the first time.

Among developers, NextEra Energy Resources added the most wind capacity of any company, followed by Berkshire Hathaway Energy.
 
One Research Center, Marion

The growing media technology company  Syncbak   has acquired the longtime Marion home of Magid, which will become its new headquarters. 

The $2 million acquisition of One Research Center, a 34,773-square-foot office building near Menards on the south side of Marion, will roughly quadruple Syncbak's space from its current leased location at 1715 First Ave. SE, Cedar Rapids. 
 
"We're really excited about all the broadcast history that comes with the building," said Noreen Thurston, Syncbank's vice president of marketing. She said the One Research Center building offered a good fit for the space needs of Syncbak, and will be convenient for the large number of employees who already live in Marion, helping it "bring the Silicon Prairie here to Marion." 

Syncbak's technology provides OTT (over the top) distribution by streaming video content directly to viewers over the internet, and serves a growing base of customers including KCRG-TV9 owner Gray Television. In December, Syncbak announced it was seeking a new headquarters location as part of its plan to double its workforce to about 80 in 2019.  About 45 employees will initially occupy the new headquarters, which has ample room for expansion.
 
Magid is a business strategy and custom research company founded as Frank N. Magid Associates, Inc. in 1957 in downtown Cedar Rapids. After more than 40 years in Marion, Magid 
will move back to Cedar Rapids, leasing office space at 5825 Council St. NE. 
 
Steve Ridge, Magid's COO, says the new location is more centrally located for the majority of Magid employees.
 
"Our longtime headquarters at One Research Center in Marion served us very well for many years," Mr. Ridge said in an email. "Encroaching residential and commercial development in the immediate area has replaced the original mystique associated with the think tank in the cornfields of Iowa that has become industry lore."

Over the years, Magid hosted a parade of network executives in Marion, along with presidential and congressional candidates. Mr. Ridge said Dick Clark, Barbara Walters, Cheryl Tiegs and Gladys Knight were among the many Magid clients who visited the area, usually sneaking into town quietly to avoid media attention.
 
"Entertainment icon Dick Clark told me that the solitude he found in Iowa was the ideal location to view emerging talent and ponder new show concepts," Mr. Ridge said.  
 
Dramatic growth in local, regional and national media and entertainment, video and gaming prompted Magid to move its corporate headquarters to Bloomington, Minnesota, near the Minneapolis-St. Paul Regional Airport. The need to be close to Magid's largest client base also prompted the addition of major offices on Broadway in New York City and in California near Hollywood and Universal Studios.
 
"Initiatives in the retail, quick-serve restaurants, packaged goods and travel and leisure verticals have resulted in a significant concentration of employees in the Dallas, Chicago and Miami areas," Mr. Ridge wrote.   

"Cedar Rapids remains our research operations center, but most professional staff who travel a great deal will be based in one of the five major airline hub cities." 

Two of One Research Center's tenants,  Premier Guitar publisher Gearhead Communications and  ICAN, will remain in the building, and Magid will be a temporary tenant until April while Syncbak prepares the space for its use.  
 
Scott Olson of  Skogman Commercial represented Magid, and Tiffany Earl of Skogman represented Syncbak in the transaction. Mr. Olson also represented both the tenant and the landlord on the 6,325 square feet of space Magid leased in Cedar Rapids.

Iowa continued to have the nation's highest high school graduation rate in Digest of Educational Statistics data released by the U.S. Department of Education.

The states with the top five graduation rates are Iowa (91 percent), New Jersey (90.5), Tennessee (89.8), Texas (89.7) and Kentucky (89.7).

The  Digest of Educational Statistics provides insights into enrollment trends and projections, student performance, school staffing levels and other issues vital to public education. Data is still being compiled for the full 2018 report, however data tables are being released as they are completed.

"High school graduation opens the door to postsecondary education and training opportunities that lead to rewarding jobs, so it's encouraging that Iowa continues to lead the nation in graduation rate," said Ryan Wise, director of the Iowa Department of Education, in a news release. "It's essential that all Iowa students not only graduate from high school, but also graduate with the skills they need to succeed in college and in the workplace."

Gov. Kim Reynolds called attention to the graduation rate ranking in news release, but said Iowa still has more work to do in the area.

"Education is a top priority for my administration and I am proud of our record investments in preK-12 education last year and my efforts to build on that with $93 million in additional dollars," the governor said. "While we can be proud of where we are, there's a lot more work to do to ensure our students not only graduate high school but they do so ready to meet the demands of the 21st century."

CREDIT: Neumann Monson Architects
MidWestOne One Place at Riverfront Crossings in Iowa City, designed by Neumann Monson Architects,  has achieved LEED Gold certification from the United States Green Building Council. 

The LEED rating system is the foremost program for buildings, homes and communities that are designed, constructed, maintained and operated for improve environmental and human health performance.

The 60,000-square-foot building completed in 2015 harnesses passive and active energy concepts more commonly employed in Europe than in the United States. High performance insulated windows, a solar panel array and a geothermal heating and cooling system are a few of the features that help the building operate efficiently. The design team incorporated an array of sustainable design strategies, including:
  • Materials sourced within a 500-mile radius of the site to cut down on transportation costs and support the local economy
  • Use of building materials with a high level of recycled content
  • Recycled or salvaged at least 50 percent of all construction waste (landfill deferral)
  • Geothermal HVAC system for additional energy savings
  • Occupancy sensors in offices and other common areas to provide lighting as needed
  • Low-emitting building materials (paints, adhesives, sealants) for improved indoor air quality
  • Daylighting and views to the outdoors in 90 percent of spaces to improve worker well-being
Neumann Monson Architects has designed more than  20 LEED-Certified projects in Iowa with additional projects pending certification.

Mike Naig
Iowa Lt. Gov. Adam Gregg and Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig will take part in an international trade mission to South America led by Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) officials on Feb. 3-9.

The trade mission will be Mr. Gregg's first trade mission since taking office on Jan. 18.

"Trade missions are an important part of strengthening Iowa's economy," Mr. Gregg said in a release. "They help us open and expand manufacturing and agricultural markets, while simultaneously building upon our international relationships. In a new and fast changing economy, Iowans are connected to the global market.  I am honored to represent Iowa in Columbia and Panama on our state's behalf."

Iowa is the second largest ag exporting state in the country with more than $13.2 billion in agricultural exports annually. Last year, over $80 million in Iowa goods went to Colombia, with a 247 percent increase in trade just within the first six months of 2018. 

Adam Gregg
Colombia is a top 25 trading partner with the United States overall, and is America's 11th largest agricultural export market. Panama is a strategic partner for U.S. exports, serving as a crossroads of international trade located between two oceans and two continents.

"One of my top priorities is to focus on expanding markets for Iowa's crop farmers, livestock producers and agribusinesses," Mr. Naig said in a release. "I look forward to joining Lt. Gov. Gregg and Iowa farmers on this trade mission to market Iowa's brand and quality agricultural products.

Others participating in the trade mission include: Iowa Pork Producers Association, Iowa Corn Growers, Iowa Soybean Association, Iowa Farm Bureau Federation and Midwest Premier Foods.

Feb. 1
First Friday Coffee Connections, by Iowa City Area Chamber of Commerce, 7:30-8:30 a.m., Country Financial, 655 Liberty Way, Ste. 6, North Liberty. Enjoy an hour of networking before heading off for the daily grind. Free.

Feb. 4
Coralville Roundtable, by Iowa City Area Chamber of Commerce, noon-1 p.m., Buffalo Wild Wings, 2500 Corridor Way, Ste. 1, Coralville. Roundtables are social lunches over the noon hour. All are invited to network, keep up to date with chamber and community events and frequent a member restaurant or business. Free. Contact Emily at (319) 337-9637 or  info@iowacityarea.com with questions.

Feb. 5
TechBrew AM, by Technology Association of Iowa, 8-9 a.m., Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance, 501 First St. SE, Cedar Rapids. TechBrew AM is an informal networking event for entrepreneurs, technologists, businesspeople and funders. Free. For more information visit  bit.ly/2Udt34l.

On the Menu: Understanding Financial Statements, by Marion Chamber of Commerce and SCORE of East Central Iowa, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., Marion City Hall, 1225 Sixth Ave., Marion. Learn about balance sheets, income statements and statements of cash flows, as well as how they interact. Cost: Free for members, $10 for non-members. Lunch included. To register, visit  bit.ly/2QVGGat.

Iowa City Roundtable, by Iowa City Area Chamber of Commerce, noon-1 p.m., MERGE, 136 S. Dubuque St., Iowa City. This special roundtable will be hosted by MERGE and catered by Oasis Falafel. RSVPs required. Cost: $12. Contact Emily at (319) 337-9637 or info@iowacityarea.com to register.

Business Startup Basics, by SCORE of East Central Iowa and Kirkwood Community College, 6-8 p.m., Kirkwood Linn County Regional Center, 1770 Boyson Road, Hiawatha. This three-night series will explore the basic steps in starting a business. The first night will cover entrepreneurship, financing and marketing. Cost: $59, covers all three nights. To register, visit  scorecr.org.
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Headlines from CBS2/FOX 28
These news items are provided by CBS2/FOX 28

Coralville firefighters battled a house fire for several hours this morning in the extreme cold. The Coralville Police Department told CBS2/FOX28 the fire started at 3:29 a.m. and that no injuries have been reported. Dozens of firefighters were on scene on Eastview Drive and even used a city bus to warm up. Several fire departments were on scene assisting. A cause for the fire is still being investigated.

A woman is in the hospital with life-threatening injuries after a crash in Linn County Wednesday afternoon.  The Linn County Sheriff's Office says that around 3:10 p.m., 42-year-old Shavonna Vick rear-ended a slower moving semi-truck driven by 56-year-old Iko Ilija on Highway 151 near Linn Grove Road. Ms.  Vick suffered life-threatening injuries and was taken to St. Luke's Hospital. She  was also cited for failure to stop within assured clear distance. Ilija was not reported injured.

T hese news items are provided by CBS2/FOX 28 
CBS2 Chief Meteorologist Terry Swails' Weather First Forecast

After a bitter start, clouds will start to build into the area this morning. That's ahead of a weak clipper that will move across the area today. Some light snow will develop, mainly after 11 a.m. and move in from northwest to southeast. With the very cold air in place, snow will be very light and fluffy. Accumulations will be around one to two inches, with some locally higher amounts in the extreme eastern part of the area. Otherwise, temperatures will be near and below zero today with wind chills around -30.  Relief from the cold comes Friday. The Arctic air moves out and mild Pacific air will move in. Temperatures will climb above zero (finally) and into the teens Friday afternoon. Temperatures get even warmer this weekend, in the 30s and 40s. With this mild air, snow will melt and there will likely be some low clouds and fog around as a result. Our next storm will then move in and lead to some rain showers Sunday into Monday.