Richard Pratt's stories

BHFO headquarters at 4520 20th Ave SW Cedar Rapids.

BHFO, Cedar Rapids-based online fashion retailer, closing

BHFO, the discount fashion retailer headquartered in Cedar Rapids that helped revolutionize online apparel sales, is closing its doors, company CEO Stacie Sefton confirmed Friday, Oct. 31. “It is with a heavy heart we are announcing the closure of BHFO,…

Linn County officials look to develop zoning standards for gas-fired power plants

As Alliant Energy continues to evaluate possible Linn County sites for a new natural gas-fired…

Marshalltown natural gas power plant

Linn County officials review land use considerations for data center zoning code

Members of the Linn County Planning and Zoning Commission voiced a number of concerns regarding…

QTS data center Cedar Rapids construction

Collins Road Square shopping center for sale

Collins Road Square, one of the largest shopping centers in the Cedar Rapids area, is…

Collins Road Square aerial

Waypoint campaign to establish apartments for residents without homes

As Waypoint Services works to transition the 30-year-old Madge Phillips Center from a shelter to…

Waypoint Apartments homeless

Final building in The Fountains under construction

A mixed-use building under construction in The Fountains in northeast Cedar Rapids will serve as…

Fountains development final building

Local restaurateur Jade Luter flips concepts for Pregame Brew & Chew, Mas Margaritas

A number of new developments are in the works for several locations in local restaurateur…

Pregame Brew & Chew Jade Luter

QTS speaker at CBJ symposium: Data centers, AI are already central to modern society

Data centers, and their AI processing capabilities, have grown to become an integral part of…

QTS speaker David McCall CBJ Symposium

Hiawatha leaders hail Igram Village as ‘monumental development’

Hiawatha leaders hailed the Igram Village project as a “monumental development” in the city’s history…

Igram Village Hiawatha groundbreaking

As Google considers Linn County data center, county leaders seek water resource study

As Google reportedly considers building its second data center complex in Linn County, county supervisors…

Construction continues at Google’s data center project, near the intersection of 76th Avenue and Edgewood Road SW, Cedar Rapids.

Alliant Energy ‘deprioritizing’ proposed Fairfax site for new power plant

UPDATED WITH FAIRFAX CITY ADMINISTRATOR COMMENT: In the wake of concerns raised by Eastern Iowa…

Alliant power plant proposed location

Sierra Club: Restarting Duane Arnold would be ‘a mistake’

Restarting the Duane Arnold Energy Center nuclear power plant near Palo would be “a mistake”…

Duane Arnold Energy Center nuclear

EntreFEST to be held in Iowa City in 2026

The 2026 edition of EntreFEST will be held in Iowa City, organizers announced Wednesday, Sept.…

Alex Taylor NewBoCo EntrreFEST

Juliet Abdel talks Cedar Rapids’ appeal, development strategy and more

Juliet Abdel began her tenure July 28 as president and CEO of the Cedar Rapids…

Juliet Abdel speaks at the grand opening ceremony for EIHC's new pharmacy Thursday, Aug. 21, 2025. CREDIT RICHARD PRATT

Utilities, advocacy groups united in support for renewable energy development

Iowa utility companies and advocacy groups are largely united in their support of developing large-scale…

Nordex reopening West Branch

Burlington Trailways laying off Iowa workers as company discontinues intercity bus service

Burlington Trailways will be laying off a number of employees in Eastern Iowa, including in…

Burlington Trailways bus