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Seizure of 131 dogs from Riverside puppy mill prompts Coralville legislator to call for action

on Fri, 09/01/2023 - 01:21   by Clark Kauffman

by Iowa Capital Dispatch
August 29, 2023

Last week’s seizure of 131 dogs at a rural Iowa breeding operation has prompted one state lawmaker to call for changes in the way the state oversees puppy mills, dog breeders and brokers.

Rep. Dave Jacoby, D-Coralville, wrote to Gov. Kim Reynolds this week asking for her cooperation in holding unscrupulous breeders accountable.

In his letter, Jacoby wrote, “It’s time for us to work together to fix this problem. I look forward to a strong and immediate bipartisan effort to end this wrong. It is as simple as inspection and enforcement. We need to stop unscrupulous puppy mill owners by strengthening the laws that govern commercial breeders, increase inspections, and penalize those who violate the law.”

Jacoby’s letter to the governor comes one week after the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship inspected Sunset Valley Farm, a commercial dog-breeding operation in the town of Riverside.

Operating cost reductions, digital revenue growth boost Lee Enterprises' net income in third quarter

on Tue, 08/08/2023 - 03:02   by news

A 15 percent increase in digital revenue plus a 15 percent decrease in operating expenses led to a $2.1-million profit for Lee Enterprises, Inc. in the third quarter ended June 25.

Lee, headquartered in Davenport, owns more than 70 newspapers and online news sites including the Quad City Times and Daily Dispatch/Argus.

Privacy lawsuit against Lee Enterprises will proceed

on Tue, 08/01/2023 - 18:16   by Anonymous

by Clark Kauffman, Iowa Capital Dispatch
July 31, 2023

A federal judge has refused to dismiss a lawsuit alleging an Iowa newspaper publisher violated customers’ privacy rights through information sharing with Facebook.

The Iowa-based newspaper chain Lee Enterprises is facing a potential class-action lawsuit alleging it has shared readers’ personal information, including the videos they watch on Lee websites, with Facebook in violation of federal law.

Developer wants to convert old library building along Grant Street into neighborhood bar

on Tue, 06/20/2023 - 04:50   by news

The old city library at 2211 Grant Street, Bettendorf, would be converted into a bar under a development plan to go before the planning and zoning commission Wednesday (June 21).

The developer, EPH LLC, has already obtained a variance from the city's board of adjustment for an outdoor patio with alcohol service (outdoor music on the patio is prohibited until adjacent properties are no longer of residential use).

University researcher says senators sought to silence him by threatening stream monitoring funds

on Thu, 05/04/2023 - 19:04   by news

by Jared Strong, Iowa Capital Dispatch
May 3, 2023

A researcher at the University of Iowa says two Republican senators pressed the university to halt his blog — which included unflattering critiques of the state’s agricultural practices and water quality — by insinuating that university funding was at risk, according to the researcher.

Chris Jones, a research engineer for the university’s Iowa Institute of Hydraulic Research, said he agreed with his superiors to cease his writings on the university’s website. He had anticipated some sort of threat from lawmakers who disagree with him, and he was nearing retirement anyway. His last blog post published April 2.

Jones alleges the threat came from Sens. Dan Zumbach of Ryan and Tom Shipley of Nodaway. Zumbach denied the allegation. Shipley did not respond to requests for comment.

Iowa Supreme Court says open records lawsuit against Governor Reynolds should proceed

on Sat, 04/15/2023 - 19:03   by news

by Jared Strong, Iowa Capital Dispatch
April 14, 2023

A lawsuit by three journalists who allege Gov. Kim Reynolds violated the state’s Open Records Law should continue in district court to determine whether her responses to their requests were timely, the Iowa Supreme Court decided Friday.

The suit was filed in late 2021 by the journalists of three organizations — including Iowa Capital Dispatch — after the governor’s office had failed to respond for up to 18 months to their records requests. The office provided the records less than three weeks after the lawsuit was filed.

“The Iowa Supreme Court unanimously determined that Gov. Kim Reynolds cannot violate Iowa’s Open Records Law by failing to respond to journalists’ public information requests,” said Thomas Story, an attorney for the ACLU of Iowa, which filed the suit on behalf of Iowa Capital Dispatch and the other plaintiffs

Lee Enterprises execs get pay boosts despite steep earnings decline, forced furloughs in 2022

on Sat, 04/01/2023 - 02:30   by news

Amid a steep fall-off in earnings, forced unpaid furloughs across its 77 news properties, significant staff cuts and a continued stock price decline, top Lee Enterprise, Inc. executives received increased compensation packages from 7 to 62 percent during 2022.

The executive compensation detailed in the company's proxy to shareholders, shows President and CEO Kenneth Mowbray's total compensation went up 7.2 percent to $2.33 million. Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Timothy Millage had his compensation upped 33 percent to $1.05 million. Operating Vice President and Vice President - Audience Strategy Nathan E. Bekke's compensation package increase 62 percent to $1.12 million.

And, past CEO Mary E. Junck, who serves as executive chair of the board of directors, received a $30,000 hike in her compensation to $430,000 ($250,000 in fees paid in cash and $180,000 in stock awards).

For the company's fiscal year ended Sept. 25, 2022, Lee lost 35 cents per share compared with a gain of $3.98 per share for the previous fiscal year.

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