FRIDAY, NOV. 15 2019 | IN THIS ISSUE

• General Mills union workers ratify new contract
• First Highway 30 Mount Vernon-Lisbon bypass segment opens
• CBJ Report on CBS2/FOX 28: Holiday Inn, Unity Point merger off
• In the CBJ: Your holiday book gifting guide
• Mediacom surpasses 50K gigabit broadband customer milestone
General Mills union workers ratify first contract
After tense negotiations that included a threat to strike, union members working at General Mills' Cedar Rapids plant voted to ratify their first contract with the company Thursday.

Leadership of Local 110 of the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU), announced that more than 500 workers at the plant signed off on their first union contract, which it said "stops the bleed out of long-held needed benefits."

“I am thrilled to know we will all be going to work tomorrow with the peace of mind of a strong union contract," said Tim Sarver, a 37-year veteran of General Mills, in a release, adding that " families can sleep well tonight knowing their needed benefits are secure for the next three years."

The union said the new contract addresses four points of contention in the negotiation: o utsourcing of jobs, maintenance of benefits, unfair scheduling and marginal wage increases.

The contract, ratified after three voting sessions, will be in effect for three years. Under the agreement, workers will receive an additional six days paid time off annually, the company must "meet and confer" with the union prior to any sub-contracting or plant closure, benefits are maintained and the current three-shift system is preserved. The contract also limits the number of temporary employees, and adds several new full-time entry-level positions, which will also be covered by the terms of the contract. As a first contract, workers now have the protections of the grievance procedure and just-cause. In addition, workers will receive a ratification bonus as well as annual general hourly wage increases over the term of the contract.

"The strength of our union during these first contract negotiations was extraordinary," Mr. Saver said. "I am proud to say that a union contract is now part of every balanced breakfast that comes from our General Mills plant."

Workers at the Cedar Rapids facility produce and supply familiar cereal brands including Lucky Charms and Cheerios. Plant workers also produce fruit snacks Gushers, Fruit Roll Ups and Fruit by the Foot, and Betty Crocker ready-to-spread frosting.
Highway 30 Mount Vernon-Lisbon bypass segment opens
The Iowa Department of Transportation has opened the west end of the $105-million, eight-mile Mount Vernon-Lisbon Bypass to traffic.

Traffic on Highway 30 has been routed onto the bypass between Highway 30 just west of Wilcox Road west of Mount Vernon and Highway 1 in Mount Vernon, where traffic reconnects with Highway 30 via bypass ramps and a short stretch of Highway 1, according to Ahmad Abu Afifeh, resident construction engineer for the DOT in Davenport.

The full bypass is expected to open next week at a date to be announced, Mr. Abu Afifeh said, although there will be a short two-lane end section of the bypass remaining until next spring. Keeping the existing two-lane section will keep traffic out of an overpass construction zone during the winter months.

Completion of the bypass has been delayed by the summer's frequent and heavy rainfalls, which left the soil "like marshmallows," according to the construction engineer.

"We probably would be done by now if we hadn't had all that rain, Mr. Abu Afifeh said.

The bypass was built to increase traffic capacity, improve safety and reduce travel times on Highway 30, which is gradually being expanded to four lanes across the state. 
CBJ Report on CBS2/FOX 28: Holiday Inn, Unity Point merger off
In this week's CBJ Report, Editor Adam Moore discusses College Community School District buying 155.3 prime acres across from Prairie High School, a Holiday Inn Express coming to Squaw Creek Crossing in Marion and Des Moines-based UnityPoint Health calling off its merger with Sanford Health of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Watch the full report here .
In the CBJ: Your holiday book gifting guide
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For once, you’re done early with all your holiday shopping – except for that one person. Or two. Maybe four.

So what do you get for that hard-to-buy-for person who never likes anything? Well, as they say, a book is a present they’ll open again and again, so why not head to your local bookstore for these great gifts this holiday season.

FICTION
For the reader who loves a little bit of romance with their ghost story, “The Ghost Clause” by Howard Norman is a good choice to wrap up. It’s the story of a ghost and his reflections on his marriage, as he observes the union of the new owners of his former home. Consider combining it with “The Plus One” by Sarah Archer , a novel about a robotics engineer who needs a date for a wedding. So why not just make one?

The traveler on your list will love “Layover” by David Bell . It’s the story of a man who meets an intriguing stranger in an airport and falls in love – except that what happens next isn’t exactly a love story. Wrap it up with “The Dollmaker” by Nina Allan , which is sort of a love story (and exceptionally, marvelously strange).

For the giftee who loves being organized, wrap up “Careful What You Wish For” by Hallie Ephron , a novel about a professional organizer whose husband is a hoarder. Fortunately, she has a couple of new clients who give her something else to think about, but one thing leads to another, and she soon finds herself in a much, much bigger mess. Wrap it up with another makes-you-think novel: “The Lightest Object in the Universe” by Kimi Eisele , a story of the end of the world, and a chance to rebuild society anew.

Readers who like to lose themselves in crime fiction will love “The Shameless” by Ace Atkins . When a 20-year-old suicide suddenly becomes of interest to a couple of big-city reporters, Sheriff Quinn Colson wonders why – but before he can find out, he’s embroiled in another, more recent crime and an election that could send Tibbehah County into a crime-ridden tailspin.

For the lover of magical novels, wrap up “The Daughters of Temperance Hobbs” by Katherine Howe . It’s a novel about a young woman who’s keeping a secret power from her colleagues and the world, but could it possibly save a loved one’s life?

Read the full members-only story in this week's print or digital editions of the CBJ.
Mediacom surpasses 50K gigabit broadband customer milestone
Mediacom Communications announced yesterday it had reached a milestone in its aggressive three-year, $1 billion capital investment strategy with more than 50,000 combined residential and business customers subscribing to its 1 -gig internet service offerings.

Mediacom began systematically launching gigabit internet services in 2017. By the end of that same year, it had become the first major U.S. cable company to launch 1-gig internet across its national network.
“The growing popularity of gigabit internet in our markets is proof positive that our fiber-rich network has become a true economic and social engine for the small cities and towns we serve across America,” said John Pascarelli, Mediacom’s executive vice president of operations, in a release. “Whether Mediacom’s network is incubating tech start-ups, supporting tele-medicine initiatives, connecting growing businesses to the global marketplace or providing senior citizens with the tools to continue living comfortably in their own homes, we are proud that our private investments have become a catalyst for public good.” 
Earlier this year, Mediacom joined with NCTA – The Internet & Television Association , CableLabs and other industry partners in announcing plans to expand beyond the current gigabit offerings to a more powerful 10G technology platform . The next great advancement in broadband, 10G will combine greater capacity and lower latency with symmetrical 10 gigabit per second speeds. Field trials are planned for 2020.
“Our rapid deployment of 1-gig internet demonstrated Mediacom’s ability to deliver ultra-fast speeds in the communities we serve more quickly and economically than other providers,” said Mr. Pascarelli. “The scalability of our fiber-rich network is perfectly situated to harness the incredible power and promise of 10G.”      
Short Term Event Planner
Nov. 18
Coralville Roundtable , by Iowa City Area Chamber of Commerce, noon-1 p.m., Wig & Pen Pizza Pub, 1220 Highway 6 W., Iowa City. Members are invited to network and keep up to date with chamber and community events. Free. For information, call (319) 337-9637.

Stellar Women Achieving Greatness (SWAG) , by U.S. Small Business Administration, 4-6 p.m., SBA Branch Office, 2750 First Ave. NE, Suite 350, Cedar Rapids. SWAG offers women who are in business, or who are thinking about starting a business, the opportunity to meet, connect with and provide mutual support to each other. Free. For more information, contact Jo Eckert at (319) 362-6535 or jo.eckert@sba.gov .

Nov. 19
Women’s Entrepreneurship Day , by Iowa City Area Development Group, 8 a.m.-6:30 p.m., MERGE, 136 S. Dubuque St., Iowa City. Enjoy free coworking for women from 8 a.m.-5 p.m., followed by a Women's Entrepreneurship Day Happy Hour event from 5-6:30 p.m. Free. For more information, visit bit.ly/2WQPTAt .

Iowa City Roundtable , by Iowa City Area Chamber of Commerce, noon-1 p.m., Mosley’s, 525 S. Gilbert St., Iowa City. Members are invited to network and keep up to date with chamber and community events. Free. For information, call (319) 337-9637.

Nov. 20
1 Million Cups , by 1MC Cedar Rapids, 8:15-9:15 a.m., Geonetric, 415 12th Ave. SE, Cedar Rapids. Join for community connections, free coffee and presentations by entrepreneurs, established companies, experts and more. Free. For more information, visit facebook.com/1MCICR .

1 Million Cups , by 1MC Iowa City, 9-10 a.m., MERGE, 136 S. Dubuque St., Iowa City. Join for community connections, free coffee and presentations by entrepreneurs, established companies, experts and more. Free. For more information, visit facebook.com/1MillionCupsIC/ .

Leading Edge Workshop , by Clickstop, 9-11 a.m., Clickstop, 202 Blue Creek Drive, Urbana. During this workshop, “Leading Different Personalities: Explore How Your Team Works Best,” learn how each individual employee can drive value for your company. Cost: $90. To register, visit bit.ly/2OQ7Ayr .

Marion YMCA Groundbreaking , by Marion Chamber of Commerce, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Marion YMCA site, 3740 Irish Drive. Renderings will be available for viewing and a short program will begin at 11:45 a.m. Free. For more information, visit bit.ly/2pM1ncA .

Walgreens Pharmacy Ribbon Cutting , by Iowa City Area Chamber of Commerce, 4-5 p.m., 1029 S. Riverside Drive, Suite 100, Iowa City. Free. For more information, visit bit.ly/2BVo4NP .

Investing on Tap , by Hills Bank, 4:30-6 p.m., White Star Ale House, 305 Second Ave. SE, Cedar Rapids. Learn about retirement planning from experts at Hills Bank. Free. To register, visit bit.ly/2Pfbp0a .
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Headlines from CBS2/FOX 28
These news items are provided by CBS2/FOX 28  
 
The Benton Community School District is cancelling all classes on Friday, due to a threat of violence made by an "unidentified individual". CBS2/FOX28 News did reach out to the school district, but have not heard back. A post on their Facebook page made shortly after 3:30 p.m. says the threat indicated something would happen at a school district building on Friday. The name of the school was not made public. In the post, the district says they have been working with local authorities and the FBI to figure out the best plan of action. After school activities scheduled from Thursday through Sunday are cancelled. You can find a list of those events here .

A new tree now stands where an iconic 70-year-old tree was ripped out of the ground at the University of Iowa Pentacrest during a storm in September. Campus officials say a 15-year-old European Larch tree was planted in the open space on Thursday. The tree is expected live at least 100 years.

These news items are provided by CBS2/FOX 28  
CBS2 Weather First Forecast
We'll have partly cloudy skies today and temperatures will be a bit warmer in the upper 30s to low 40s. This should help melt away more of the snowpack. There will be the possibility of patchy fog tonight, otherwise temperatures fall into the low 20s. Temperatures will be near 40 degrees both Saturday and Sunday with more clouds than sun. There will be more clouds Sunday as a weak system passes through. There will be the chance for some light showers in the afternoon and evening.