Week in Iowa, July 29, 2024: Recap of news from across the state

UAW reacts to cuts: The United Auto Workers had strong words for John Deere after job cuts have filled headlines the last few weeks. The union called the layoffs "reckless" and said they were an insult to the working class in Iowa and Illinois. The union vowed to fight for justice for its members and communities affected by the cuts.

Iowa Lottery wins big: The Iowa Lottery says it saw record sales of $489.9 million in the just-completed 2024 fiscal year. The lottery released annual unaudited sales results showing sales had increased by 1.7 percent from the previous year, beating the previous sales record. Proceeds from the lottery to the state totaled nearly $107 million.

Funding for crime victims: Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds and Attorney General Brenna Bird announced Monday the state will provide $5.5 million in one-time bridge funding to keep services available for Iowa crime victims after Congress made budget cuts to federal victims services.

They said ...

“I don’t think you can go anywhere and see the quality of bands we have. We can always get better, but you won’t have an experience like this anywhere else. What we need is three days of gorgeous weather.” -- Chad Shipman, director of Iowa Irish Fest, being held this weekend in Waterloo

“There is no question that there is enough profit to go around, and Deere can afford to keep good jobs in Iowa and Illinois. ... The UAW is hard at work trying to minimize the impacts of these cuts and layoffs for our members at Deere." -- UAW statement on recent job losses

Odds and ends

Mental health: The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services revealed its plan to reorganize of the state’s delivery of behavioral health services. It combines Iowa’s total of 32 mental health and substance use regions into seven unified behavioral health districts. Linn and Johnson counties now are in the same 14-county region.

Helicopter crash: A crop dusting helicopter crashed near Nashua on Monday after colliding with power lines. The crash killed the pilot, Eleazar Villafranca Jr. No one else was on board.

A true hero: The principal who helped save students in a school shooting in Perry in January was among Iowans honored Friday for their character during an annual awards ceremony presented by Drake University’s Robert D. and Billie Ray Center. Dan Marburger, 56, was fatally injured during the Jan. 4 shooting.

Water cooler

New Boeing CEO: Kelly Ortberg, 64, the former president of Boeing supplier Rockwell Collins in Cedar Rapids and former CEO of Collins Aerospace, will succeed David Calhoun as Boeing CEO and president effective Aug. 8, the company announced this past week. Ortberg grew up in Dubuque and graduated in 1982 from the University of Iowa.

Higher education merger: The presidents of two Eastern Iowa Catholic campuses -- Mount Mercy University in Cedar Rapids and St. Ambrose University in Davenport -- on Thursday signed a formal agreement to combine their institutions. Once combined, St. Ambrose — as the nonprofit parent organization — plans to maintain the Mount Mercy campus in Cedar Rapids, its historic name and its separate athletics program competing under the Mustangs mascot.

More in the news

Tax-free: Families hoping to save money on back-to-school shopping took advantage of Iowa’s annual sales tax holiday Friday and Saturday. The once-a-year exemption period waived sales tax of 6 to 7 percent on certain items, depending on local options in place.

Communication breakdown: U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, called for answers over the breakdown in coordination between Pennsylvania law enforcement and the Secret Service that led to the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump last month in Butler, Pa.

Huge new high school: Despite objections from some residents, the Waterloo Community Schools Board of Education agreed to move all 10th- to 12th-grade students from two current high schools to a new $165 million building beginning with the 2028-29 school year. Unless a petition is presented demanding a vote, the plan will move forward.