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6 days ago | 
desmoinesregister.com | Kevin Baskins
Sixteen Iowa-made products are vying for the title of Coolest Thing Made in Iowa. Voting for the "Sweet 16" round takes place May 9-14. Call it May Madness as the march toward winning the title of Coolest Thing Made in Iowa enters its “Sweet 16” round of voting.
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6 days ago | 
usatoday.com | Kevin Baskins
• Sixteen Iowa-made products are vying for the title of Coolest Thing Made in Iowa. • Voting for the "Sweet 16" round takes place May 9-14. Call it May Madness as the march toward winning the title of Coolest Thing Made in Iowa enters its “Sweet 16” round of voting.
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1 week ago | 
desmoinesregister.com | Philip Joens |Kevin Baskins
Twenty-four hours before the auction process of the federal courthouse in Des Moines concluded on May 7, the final bidding came in fast and furious. Within 40 seconds, seven bids were made — likely by computer "bots'' programmed to automatically place bids on behalf of prospective buyers — driving the final price up more than $500,000 to a reported final bid of $2.6 million.
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1 week ago | 
desmoinesregister.com | Kevin Baskins
Iowans can now vote for the 2025 Coolest Thing Made in Iowa. 69 nominees are vying for the title, including well-known companies like John Deere and Winnebago, as well as lesser-known companies with innovative products. The initial list of nominees for the 2025 Coolest Thing Made in Iowa has been released and as could be expected, some bona fide, blue blood Iowa manufacturers are on the list, names like John Deere, Winnebago, Blue Bunny and Maytag.
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1 week ago | 
desmoinesregister.com | Kevin Baskins
Plans have been filed to convert two former Wells Fargo downtown Des Moines buildings into a hotel and meeting space. This conversion is part of a larger sale of five Wells Fargo buildings, totaling 850,000 square feet, expected to happen some time in 2025. The process of converting a downtown a office building that was formerly a Wells Fargo office building appears to be proceeding.
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2 weeks ago | 
desmoinesregister.com | Kevin Baskins
Whirlpool Corp. has delayed layoffs at its Amana, Iowa. facility, originally scheduled for June 1. The delay provides a temporary reprieve for 651 workers amidst Iowa's declining manufacturing jobs. Whirlpool Corp. has pushed the pause button on the layoffs of hundreds of workers at its Amana facility.
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2 weeks ago | 
yahoo.com | Kevin Baskins
Organized labor representing public employees had to decide whether to honor their living or their dead at the Iowa Capitol this year. Instead, Iowa labor organizations gathered in blustery winds at Union Labor Park on April 28 to honor the 45 public employees who lost their lives on the job in 2024.
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3 weeks ago | 
desmoinesregister.com | Kevin Baskins
Faced with workforce shortages, employers are increasingly valuing the experience of older workers. Phased retirement, where older workers reduce hours but remain employed, is gaining popularity. Retaining older workers helps companies transfer institutional knowledge and with succession planning. Job sharing and accommodating elder care needs are other strategies to retain older workers. Working longer can benefit older adults' health, finances, and social well-being.
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3 weeks ago | 
desmoinesregister.com | Kevin Baskins
More older Iowans are working past retirement age than the national average. Experts believe the trend will continue due to increased cost of living and the desire to remain active. Iowa businesses, especially in rural areas, rely heavily on older workers to fill labor shortages. Experts warn of a future crisis when these older workers eventually leave the workforce. As a truckdriver, Bruce Chester always had a final destination in mind when it came to retirement.
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3 weeks ago | 
desmoinesregister.com | Kevin Baskins
Italian axle manufacturer ADR Axles is opening a new North American headquarters in Perry, Iowa. The $14.6 million project will create 35 jobs and includes a 54,000 square foot facility. The new facility is a boost to Perry following the closure of a Tyson Foods plant in 2024. Iowa offered a $500,000 forgivable loan and $300,000 in tax refunds to secure the project. An Italian-based manufacturer of axles, braking systems and suspensions for agricultural and industrial equipment is coming to Perry.
