Richard Pratt's stories

Ashley Vanorny

Ashley Vanorny: Multiple avenues of influence

Ashley Vanorny sees her influence manifesting in a variety of areas. As the second-youngest person ever elected to the Cedar Rapids City Council in 2017 (age 32 at the time), Ms. Vanorny said she tries to represent the millennial and…

Newsmakers: More work, fewer hands

JUN 7 It’s no secret that employers have struggled with workforce issues over the past…

Newsmakers: Eco Lips announces acquisition of Bug Soother

APR 12 Cedar Rapids-based organic lip care manufacturer Eco Lips is acquiring Simply Soothing, a…

Newsmakers: Return to the office?

MAR 29 For certain industries — manufacturing, food production, hospitality and health care, to name…

Newsmakers: Banks rally to the rescue — again

FEB 1 Last year, the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program issued 5.1 million…

Long-planned NewBo housing project proceeding with new name, new developer

A previously-planned 110-unit housing development near Cedar Rapids’ NewBo neighborhood is moving ahead with a…

IUB holds public informational meeting,  hearing on Duane Arnold solar proposals

Dozens of speakers largely supported a pair of industrial-scale solar energy projects near the former…

A career of mission-driven service

Michelle Niermann wasn’t always destined for a career in health care administration. A native of…

Linn County sets public meetings in January to review Coggon Solar proposal

The Linn County Board of Supervisors has set dates for three public meetings to review…

Johnson County supervisors approve preliminary plat for Oak Meadow subdivision

The Johnson County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Dec. 9 to approve the preliminary plat…

Cedar Rapids officials propose major upgrades to Water Pollution Control Facility

Significant upgrades are being proposed for the Cedar Rapids Water Pollution Control Facility (WPCF) near…

TAI sets cybersecurity as top legislative priority for 2022

At the end of each year, the Technology Association of Iowa (TAI) announces a list…

O’Donnell wins runoff in Cedar Rapids mayoral race

Tiffany O’Donnell will be the next mayor of Cedar Rapids. Ms. O’Donnell, CEO of Cedar…

Realtor.com 2022 housing forecast reveals a whirlwind year ahead for buyers

Americans will have a better chance to find a home in 2022, but will face…

Home sales

Linn County commission recommends denial of rezoning request for Coggon Solar project

It’s quite possible that an industrial-scale solar project will eventually be sited somewhere in Linn…

Local nonprofits share their struggles, progress

In-person tutoring services are returning to pre-pandemic levels at the Catherine McAuley Center (CMC), which…