Thirty-nine grants totaling $97.5 million have been awarded under the state’s Empower Rural Iowa Broadband Grants Program, which was created this year by the Iowa Legislature to expand high-speed internet statewide. According to a news release from the governor’s office, 178 applications were received from broadband providers requesting nearly $300 million. In the release issued Tuesday, Gov. Kim…
Collins Aerospace, a Raytheon Technologies company and the largest employer in Cedar Rapids, will acquire FlightAware, a digital aviation company operating the world’s largest flight tracking and data platform, according to its website. Founded in 2005, FlightAware combines data from air traffic control systems and its own network of ground stations…
Mahaska Communication Group, based in Oskaloosa, announced on Aug. 20 that broadband internet service with speeds up to two gigabits per second will soon be available to Newton residents and businesses. MCG’s residential and business customers will also be eligible for television and telephone services. Construction on the underground network…
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened a formal safety probe Monday into Tesla’s driver assistance system, Autopilot, after identifying 11 crashes involving Tesla cars and first responder scenes since 2018. The NHTSA reported 17 injuries and one death resulting from the crashes. A 2017 NHTSA investigation into Autopilot concluded…
After its second-ever cancellation in 2020 due to the pandemic, it’s official: The Iowa State Fair is back, starting today. Even better, the typical wad of cash that often accompanies fairgoers can stay at home. The fair announced in July that all food and drink vendors will accept credit and…
At least $107 billion worth of homes across the U.S. have two things in common: The properties are at high risk of flooding in the next 30 years, and they sit in neighborhoods permanently affected by the racist 1930s-era practice known as redlining, a new analysis by Redfin and the First Street…
Fourteen broadband providers received $15,542,302 in Empower Rural Iowa broadband grants from the state of Iowa this week, the office of Gov. Kim Reynolds announced on Monday. The funding is the remainder of the $50 million in CARES funding designated for broadband grants from a previous round, and cover 21 counties…
The city of West Des Moines filed a motion Dec. 31 asking the court to dismiss a lawsuit brought by Mediacom, which claims the city is improperly financing a nearly $50 million citywide conduit network through the state’s Urban Renewal Law. In an open letter posted to the city’s website…
Each year the Business Record gets the pulse on key issues affecting the region’s business community from our audience. Our annual survey asks business leaders to share what they feel are some of the top issues affecting business in Central Iowa, and in particular the Greater Des Moines region. Below, we’ve…
Johnston city leaders approved plans by telecommunication company MetroNet to begin construction on a network for high-speed fiber optic internet, TV and phone service through the city, Johnston announced this week. MetroNet, based in Indiana, provides fiber-optic connections to homes and businesses with speeds ranging from 100 megabits to 1…