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FRIDAY, APRIL 12, 2019 | IN THIS ISSUE
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A bill that would restrict purchases of "nicotine-infused" products, whether cigarettes of vaping products, to those 21 and older has
passed its first hurdle in the Iowa Senate. Radio Iowa reports that Senate President Charles Schneider of West Des Moines introduced
Senate File 607, citing "an epidemic" of vape product use in some of the state's largest high schools, and calling it a bipartisan measure. CBS2/FOX 28 notes that agreement on the problem does not extend to agreement on the bill's solution, however. Danielle Oswald-Thole of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network said keeping other elements of the state's vaping laws in place and simply changing the age "is just not evidence-based." She'd rather see
higher taxes on vaping and tobacco products, and striking a provision that would let members of the military continue to purchase tobacco at age 18.
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A new report says at least 60 Fortune 500 companies avoided paying federal income tax on their 2018 reported income, including several of the Corridor's largest employers. Moline-based Deere managed to avoid federal tax
despite $2.4 billion in profit for the year, according to Crain's Chicago Business; Principal Financial, (then) Rockwell Collins, Honeywell and Whirlpool were among the other large employers that
paid no federal taxes last year. A summary of the report, from the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, proclaims that "corporate tax avoidance remains rampant under new tax law," a reference to the Tax Cut & Jobs Act of 2017.
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Raking in
more travel and tourism dollars from Chicago requires rail service to the Quad Cities, a spokesman for the Quad Cities Chamber told a Senate subcommittee this week. The Quad-City Times reports that the chamber's Tyler Powers testified that adding rail service would have $25 million in economic impact annually and bring 550 or more permanent jobs to the area.
The
Quad Cities Passenger Rail Coalition was formed in 2007, and rail service was expected to be available in 2016, but the lack of an infrastructure bill from the state kept it from coming to fruition. Extending service to the Quad Cities could only help efforts to
extend it further to Iowa City
, as the Des Moines Register previously reported.
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News that the EPA may be reining in awards of waivers exempting small refineries from biofuel blending requirements could be good for Iowa's ethanol and biodiesel producers. Reuters reports that EPA administrator Andrew Wheeler, citing
reduced cost of compliance due to lower prices for blending credits, indicated the agency could be granting fewer waivers in the months ahead.
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Colleges are gearing up with
degree programs in marijuana cultivation as demand for talent in the medical marijuana industry swells. The Chicago Tribune reports that some job applicants list their experience growing marijuana in their basement, but companies like Bedford Grow want employees who've got more than practical knowledge. Southern Illinois University announced plans last year for a certificate program in marijuana cultivation and is also
researching and demonstrating production of hemp, the Sun-Times reported. Northern Michigan University was among the first Midwestern universities to get into the field, reported MarketWatch. Iowa Relief LLC, which has a
medical marijuana facility under construction in Cedar Rapids, has advertised locally for cultivation talent.
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Lead with knowledge
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 Your Morning Commute
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Roads are looking clear, but watch out for lane closures on Collins Road in Cedar Rapids. See the DOT's interactive road conditions map here.
Links as of 7 a.m.
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