Iowa Ideas 2024

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Economic and Community Development

Pathways to financial success for urban and rural Iowa.

SESSION 1
Addressing the needs of homeless populations

A recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling made it legal for cities to cite activities necessitated by homelessness, such as sleeping in public, as punishable offenses. How do we balance the needs of those who are unsheltered while addressing challenges in plain sight? This session will explore what communities, cities and the state could be doing to address these issues.

October 10, 2024 at 9:35AM
SESSION 2
Putting out the (authentic) welcome mat

Welcoming newcomers, especially ones from diverse backgrounds, can look different on paper than it does in practice. Who is leading the work to help everyone feel like they’re part of a community? This discussion will explore how local resources are working to build inclusive, accessible space for people new to Iowa, and how lack of effort may counteract less welcoming tones all the way to the state level.

October 10, 2024 at 10:40AM
SESSION 3
The property tax tug of war

State property tax reform has challenged local government budgeting and limited the amount of growth communities can capture from a growing tax base. Communities must figure out how to extend public services to more people without being allowed to fully tap into that same growth to pay for themselves. This session will discuss how communities can move forward to offer services that attract and retain residents,despite constraints.

October 10, 2024 at 11:45AM
SESSION 4
Creating age diverse communities

A recent University of Iowa study shows Iowa now has the highest percentage of residents over 80. By 2030 those 65 and older could outnumber people 18 and younger. How are social service providers across the state adapting to ensure the state can accommodate an aging population? How are communities working to engage elderly residents without neglecting the needs of other age groups?

October 10, 2024 at 1:55PM
SESSION 5
The future of public transit

Iowa lacks the robust public transit options that are essential for Iowans without cars and to reduce carbon emissions amidst a climate crisis. From micro-mobility to bike trails to free-fare transit, this session will explore what Iowa communities are offering for getting around, and what more sparsely populated rural communities can do to get better connected.

October 10, 2024 at 3:00PM
SESSION 6
New life in old buildings

Finding alternate uses for aging public or private buildings can prevent an eyesore and even lead to a win-win for the developers and the community. We'll talk about how developers, community leaders and others have worked together to find ways to put new life into old buildings across the state.

October 11, 2024 at 9:40AM
SESSION 7
Collaborative economic development

Some communities are served by multiple economic development entities. How can they – or should they – work together to ensure a cohesive strategy? How does this change for local and state level organizations? This session will discuss the best way to get multiple entities moving in the same direction.

October 11, 2024 at 11:50AM

Economic and Community Development Articles

The Iowa Photo: Summer nights

When I think of summer in small-town Iowa, I think of county fairs and street festivals such as the annual Solon Beef Days. To me, this photo taken earlier this month at Beef Days captures that feeling of small-town America in the summer. The blur of the rides’ lights (emphasized with a slow shutter speed) and the silhouettes of those standing i...
High price of digital content forces tough choices at libraries

The Iowa City Public Library this month changed what materials are available to patrons through one of its digital library services in an effort to conserve its funds. That service, called Hoopla, allows library cardholders to borrow content like movies, TV shows, music, audiobooks and e-books for free. It’s available any time of day and doesn’...
Iowa hospitality shines as RAGBRAI nears end

Thousands of cyclists streamed Friday into their last overnight stop of Mount Pleasant as they neared the end of their 434-mile trek across the state in the Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa — the hilliest route in the event’s 51-year history. The southern route this year bypassed the Corridor, bringing cyclists instead through th...
New cricket league passes Indian tradition on to next generation in the Corridor

MARION — When Yuva Raju grew up playing cricket near Chennai in southern India, it was with more rudimentary means than his children have today. Using sticks from coconut trees, players would carve a bat on the spot and find some sort of ball to hit with it. With no infrastructure needed, kids could play a pickup game any time they wanted.
Sale of guns decreasing in Iowa

Gun sales in Iowa, and across the country, dropped notably in 2023 after hitting record highs during the COVID-19 pandemic, and metro-area gun retailers say they aren’t seeing a return to those high numbers this year. Iowa doesn’t have a system in place to track annual gun sales, but most firearm sales require a background check through the Nati...
Prove private scholarship skeptics wrong

When the Republican-controlled Iowa Legislature approved using public money to fund private school scholarships, one of the main concerns raised was a fear that there would be little or no transparency in how the money is spent. This week, we found out a contract with New York-based Odyssey, the firm administering the scholarship program, was ch...
South Sudan's Olympic dreams can help war victims

One of the inspiring stories for this year's Olympics comes from South Sudan and its men's basketball team. South Sudan is one of 12 teams that has earned a chance to win an Olympic basketball medal in Paris. South Sudan's Olympic dreams can also raise awareness of the war and famine in their region of Africa. South Sudan almost beat the United ...
Green and state gold: Cedar Rapids Kennedy captures 4A state baseball title with 7-3 win over West Des Moines Dowling

CEDAR RAPIDS – Colton Duerling tossed his glove into the air, jumped up and pumped his arm to the deafening Cedar Rapids Kennedy crowd. Then came the rush of teammates that squashed him at the bottom of a dogpile, consisting of no less than 20 teammates in the middle of the infield.
Political Cartoon
Photos: North Polk vs. Sioux City Bishop Heelan in Iowa Class 3A state baseball championship - (7/26/24)