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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.

Late fiscal 2022 financial report from Lee Enterprises shows net income down 35 cents per share

on Wed, 03/01/2023 - 03:19   by news

Lee Enterprises, Inc. finally filed its full fiscal 2022 financial report Tuesday (Feb. 27) with the U.S. Security and Exchange Commission (SEC), two months later than normal.

The annual 10-K report showed the company lost 35 cents per share for the 12 months ended Sept. 25, or 14 cents more than preliminary numbers released Dec. 8 as part of its fourth quarter financial results.

Lee is publisher of the Quad City Times and Daily Dispatch/Argus and some 75 other newspapers and online news sites including the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the Buffalo News and the Omaha World-Herald.

Succession plan for Bettendorf city administrator position doesn't include timeline for transition

on Sat, 02/04/2023 - 01:36   by news

The Bettendorf City Council last month approved a succession plan for its city administrator without knowing when the transition would occur.

The week before Christmas, Bettendorf City Council members gathered in groups of three to avoid having to make public their meeting with City Administrator Decker Ploehn and Human Resource Director Kathleen Richlen. The purpose was to discuss a succession plan developed by Ploehn.

Ploehn, 70, had told the council over several years that he planned to retire once the new Interstate 74 Bridge was complete. The bridge opened last fall after a 10-year effort of planning, funding and construction.

But prior to completion of the bridge, Ploehn changed his mind. He now says his retirement might be "in six months or in two years."

Gov. Kim Reynolds’ address highlights private school scholarships, agency restructuring

on Wed, 01/11/2023 - 19:29   by news

by Robin Opsahl, Iowa Capital Dispatch
January 10, 2023

Gov. Kim Reynolds unveiled her latest private school scholarship proposal and plans for a huge restructuring of the state government Tuesday in her 2023 Condition of the State address.

Reynolds delivered her sixth address as governor to the most Republican-dominated Legislature of her time in office and one in which more than a third of the members are beginning their first terms.

“Through natural disasters, a pandemic, a nationwide recession and more, Iowa’s status as a beacon for freedom and opportunity has endured,” she said. “We’ve been recognized as the most fiscally responsible state in the country, we’re ranked in the top ten states to live in America, and we continue to be ranked the #1 state for opportunity.”

Reynolds was reelected to her second full term as Iowa governor in the 2022 election, defeating Democratic challenger Deidre DeJear.

Republicans also strengthened their trifecta control at the Iowa Statehouse, and party leaders in both chambers said they were ready to implement the governor’s agenda quickly. Senate Majority Leader Jack Whitver said the Senate is ready to hold a subcommittee meeting on Reynolds’ education bill yet this week or early next week.

“We are ready to get to work and hopefully make this agenda into law,” Whitver said.

Class action lawsuit accuses Davenport-based Lee Enterprises, Inc. of online privacy violations

on Sun, 12/25/2022 - 01:25   by Clark Kauffman

Iowa Capital Dispatch

The Iowa-based newspaper chain Lee Enterprises is facing a potential class-action lawsuit alleging it has shared readers’ personal information with Facebook in violation of federal law.

Lee publishes newspapers and other media content in 77 markets across 26 states. The company’s 10 Iowa papers include the Quad-City Times in Davenport, the Sioux City Journal, the Mason City Globe-Gazette the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier and the Muscatine Journal.

The lawsuit, filed this week in U.S. District Court, alleges that Lee’s news-media websites offer users the option of subscribing to newsletters or to newspapers that provide consumers with access to articles and video content in exchange for their personal information, including names and mailing addresses.

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