AABP EP Awards 728x90

Economic Development

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IowaWORKS Center extends hours

The IowaWORKS Center in Des Moines will be open until 6:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays starting Jan. 9 to accommodate visitors who can’t come during business hours. The center’s new hours are 8:30 a.m. …
By BPC Staff | Dec 28, 2017
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SBA opens award nominations

The U.S. Small Business Administration is accepting nominations for a string of awards to be given during National Small Business Week, including business person of the year and exporter of the year. All nominations must …
By BUSINESS RECORD STAFF | Dec 26, 2017
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Financial self-sufficiency in region inches toward 75% goal

The percentage of families in Polk, Warren and Dallas counties who are financially self-sufficient increased in 2016 to 65.9 percent, after remaining flat for the past three years around 65.2 percent, according to new figures …
By BUSINESS RECORD STAFF | Dec 26, 2017
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State’s unemployment rate dips below 3 percent

Iowa’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased to 2.9 percent for November, the lowest the rate has been since December 2000, Iowa Workforce Development said in a release today. A year ago, the state’s jobless rate was 3.5 …
By BPC Staff | Dec 22, 2017
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Branstad in D.M.: Let’s add U.S. chicken to China dinner plates

U.S. Ambassador to China Terry Branstad met this week with officials at West Des Moines-based Hy-Line to discuss opening China to poultry imports from the United States. 

China banned poultry imports from the U.S. after …
By PERRY BEEMAN | Dec 22, 2017
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DuPont Pioneer lays off employees in Johnston

DuPont Pioneer has laid off an undisclosed number of workers in Johnston, the Des Moines Register reported. DuPont spokesman Gregg Schmidt said the company cut jobs to “integrate our operations and establish a streamlined, efficient, built-for-purpose …
By BPC Staff | Dec 20, 2017
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Polk economy is a top performer

With economic activity of nearly $1.1 billion and an increase of local gross domestic product of 4.7 percent over four years, Polk County has the top performing economy in the state and the 168th in …
By BPC Staff | Dec 20, 2017
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Des Moines will cut property tax levy if local option sales tax is approved

The city of Des Moines will devote 50 percent of an estimated $38 million in revenues that would be generated by an additional 1 cent sales tax to property tax relief, provided in the form …
By BPC Staff | Dec 19, 2017
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United Way outlines ‘aggressive’ legislative agenda

Would any workers in their right minds ever turn down a pay raise? They might — and some Greater Des Moines employees anecdotally have — if they realize it will push their pay above the …
By JOE GARDYASZ | Dec 15, 2017
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Reynolds, SBA’s McMahon see rosy ‘18

Gov. Kim Reynolds (at left in photo) and U.S. Small Business Administrator Linda McMahon (right) tag-teamed an interview with the Business Record this morning in which they were bullish on 2018 prospects for business, especially small business. 

McMahon, who also met…
By PERRY BEEMAN | Dec 13, 2017