Courier's Annual Progress Edition 2009 by Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier

Sunday, February 1, 2009

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Rising from disaster

progress edition

H1 Sunday

February 1, 2009

WATERLOO www.wcfcourier.com CEDAR FALLS

Illustration by DAVID HEMENWAY / Courier Graphic Artist

Businesses, homeowners resurrect Parkersburg By KAREN HEINSELMAN Courier Staff Writer

PARKERSBURG — The days and weeks after the storm passed in a blur. Kenny Capron of Parkersburg Lumber remembers trying to juggle rebuilding the business and helping others restore their lives. Capron owns Parkersburg Lumber with Kevin Kruger. On May 25, an EF5 tornado wiped out buildings owned by Parkersburg Lumber along Highway 57 along with dozens of other homes and businesses. As builders and contractors flooded into town and residents made plans to start over, Capron and Kruger had an added incentive to bounce back quickly. “Trying to build this building and trying to sell materials and trying to do bids,” Capron said. “It was pretty hectic.” “We were overwhelmed for a while,” he added. Within two months, they were back in business, and Capron kept a demanding schedule that summer. He rose by 5 a.m. and often didn’t return home until 10 p.m. Those seeking his expertise, information and supplies weren’t above calling him in the middle of the night with a need or a question. Pictures of flattened houses and cluttered streets also frequented his thoughts.

RICK TIBBOTT / Courier Staff Photographer

Parkersburg Director of Economic Development Virgil Goodrich, left, and long-term recovery adviser Don Temeyer want to see the town succeed after the tornado.

“And you just couldn’t get it out of your head,” Capron said. “Unless you go through it, you can’t understand it.” Other businesses, like the Kwik Star and banks, have been in operation for months along Iowa Highway 57. Other stores and offices are under construction. So are homes, City Hall and a new high school. Though construction has quieted somewhat over the winter months, activity continues on some projects. The number of new structures going up in the Butler County town is remarkable considering the state of the national economy, said Darrell Van Hall, a contractor working on the Parkersburg

Commercial Building. The owner of Van Hall Builders of Pella also built two homes in town after the tornado. “The whole country is suffering, and it’s a boom town here,” Van Hall said. On a particularly frigid day in January, construction workers put in windows at the Parkersburg Commercial Building. Others put the finishing touches on a dentist’s office. Located on the southeast edge of town, the commercial building will provide retail space for up to five businesses. Parkersburg’s Economic Development Director Virgil Goodrich expects the building will house both new and

returning businesses. Most businesses damaged and destroyed after the tornado have or will return, Goodrich said. The town will have a grocery store again, said Goodrich, considered essential to many. The town also stands to gain new businesses, Goodrich said. A car dealership is planned for east Parkersburg, and Goodrich also has word that other commercial endeavors are coming to town. Goodrich isn’t surprised that investors still find Parkersburg an attractive place to work and live, though he is impressed at the speed and pace of recovery. Before the tornado, Goodrich pitched Parkersburg to prospective entrepreneurs and developers as an affordable bedroom community near a metro area and a major highway. Today, he makes the same pitch. The storm didn’t take away Parkersburg’s most attractive features, Goodrich said. While it destroyed property and even lives — eight residents in Parkersburg and New Hartford died in the tornado — the storm also allowed the townspeople to demonstrated resiliency. Community groups and residents are in the process of restoring and improving the town’s quality of life offerings by raising funds for new playground equipment and trees. “I think there’s enough faith in

the community to know we are coming back,” Goodrich said. Despite successes, recovery still is a work in progress for Parkersburg, said Don Temeyer of Howard R. Green Co. Temeyer is working as an adviser regarding the town’s long-term recovery, funded by the USDA. “It won’t be instant,” Temeyer said. “There will still be quite a lot to do for a while.” While some Parkersburg businesses like the lumberyard have experienced an increase in demand, others report less traffic. Even those reporting a good year still must replace lost inventory and pay for new construction and other miscellaneous costs. Parkersburg has yet to feel the full financial impact of the tornado, Goodrich and Temeyer contend. It will be another year before the city collects property taxes minus homes and businesses yet to be rebuilt after the tornado. “There’s going to be a gap there,” Goodrich said. Temeyer also is concerned for Parkersburg’s existing businesses, including the ones physically untouched by the tornado. After the tornado, some downtown businesses suffered, he said, because shoppers overestimated the extent of the tornado and assumed they were gone.

Sharri Claassen, owner of the Flower Cart, says business has slowed. She doesn’t know whether to blame the tornado or the economy. She is curious how she will fare on Feb. 14, a big day for those in the flower business. “It will be interesting to compare,” Claassen said. Immediately after the storm, Becky Schrage of Schrage’s Cleaners worried if Main Street and Parkersburg would ever be the same. “I think we were all a little scared,” Schrage said. Today, she’s lost some customers who relocated after the storm but also sees new faces as laborers and businessmen swing by her shop to mend, clean or alter suits and coats. “I’ve been real blessed,” Schrage said. “I think I am busier.” On a recent weekday afternoon, cars and trucks filled up parking spaces along Main Street, swinging by the sandwich shop for a bite to eat and the pharmacy to fill a prescription. Schrage thinks Main Street was holding its own before the storm. As more families return home to Parkersburg, Schrage is hoping for the best. “I hope it will be back to the way it was,” Schrage said. Contact Karen Heinselman at (319) 291-1581 or karen.heinselman@wcfcourier.com.

INSIDE

powering up ■ CFU’s Streeter Station comes back to life after June flooding. PAGE H2

water world ■ Neighborhood pride trumps floodwaters in North Cedar. PAGE H2

above the mess

personal passion

disaster dollars

■ Barmuda moves to high and dry home. PAGE H3

■ Jeff Kolb doesn’t need a script to ‘sell’ people on Butler County. PAGE H3

■ Furniture retailers see boom in business. PAGE H4

Sunday, February 1, 2009

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Sunday, February 1, 2009

CFU powers back up after difficult year By TIM JAMISON Courier Staff Writer

CEDAR FALLS — Engineers and technicians at Cedar Falls Utilities were busy in January bringing the Street Station power plant back to life after more than seven months in flood-induced hibernation. The ability to generate local electricity once again is a huge step in the recovery process after the Cedar River rose to record levels June 10, 2008, filling the municipal utility’s headquarters on Utility Parkway with up to six feet of muddy water and causing more than $20 million in damage. Meanwhile, construction crews have been restoring the first floor of CFU’s administration building, which was gutted after the floods, so many employees who were displaced to temporary customer service offices in the industrial park can return soon. “At this point we’re very pleased with where we’re at,” said CFU general manager Jim Krieg. “It’s been a major reconstruction effort, but we hope to have everybody back into our main facility by March.” And despite an admittedly stressful year, Krieg was heartened by his staff’s ability to keep their customers with heat, electricity, water and communications services almost without interruption despite the natural disaster. “We’re very proud of the fact that we could keep electricity going,” he said, noting a few customers were unaware the utility suffered at all. “About the entire first month (after the water receded), they would come to the parking lot and look inside the door and wonder what happened to our facility.” In fact, the only real service lapse came shortly after the waters breached the flood wall protecting the CFU site and knocked out the communications head end, leaving customers without cable television and Internet service for up to six hours. Had electrical power gone out, the dam-

age citywide would have been much worse, because sump pumps would have shut down and the city’s sewage treatment plant could have stopped functioning. “The electricity was a blink,” Krieg said. “We were able to divert electricity around this location because we had the redundancy and the good, strong system outside of this location.” CFU spokesperson Betty Zeman said it has been a methodical process cleaning up and rebuilding after the disaster, while working with insurance representatives and the Federal Emergency Management Agency on financial help. But they still had to carry on regular business, which included a record number of service calls, largely due to flood-related issues. “We’re no different than the (flooded) homeowners, businesses and other people in the community who are working through this process,” Zeman said. “It takes time.” CFU leaders first made the decision to stay at the Utility Parkway location, then hired a contractor to begin remodeling the first floor while some of the utility’s 175 employees continued to work upstairs. Most employees and customer service operations are in a building leased from Team Technologies at 1501 Technology Parkway. “That Team site is a very good site, but it’s not as efficient and we do not provide the accessibility to our customers,” Krieg said. “It’s four or five miles away for some of them.” Ed Shultz, CFU’s director of operations, said the rebuilding process includes measures to avoid similar problems in the future. “We lost numerous pumps, motors, switch gears, batteries and other equipment (in the Streeter Station power plant),” Shultz said. “As we get the unit back in service we’ve raised a number of components above the flood line. If it happened again, the recovery wouldn’t

Photos by RICK CHASE / Courier Staff Photographer

Operators Dan Minikus, Mike Storjohaann and Jim Elliott monitor startup operations in the third-floor control room of the Cedar Falls Utilities Streeter Station power plant. It was brought back online in January after being shut down by June 2008 floods.

be as bad.” Similar efforts are taking place in the administration building, with electrical panels and backup generators being placed on the second floor or roof. The loss of the Streeter Station power plant wasn’t as dramatic as some might think. The coal-fired plant is typically only run during peak generating times and accounts for about 20 percent of CFU’s electrical generation. The largest portion comes from power plants in Western Iowa and the wholesale market. “When there’s volatility in that electric market, we can turn our units on and take that price volatility down,” Krieg said. “This year we’ve been very fortunate with the electric wholesale market. We didn’t have as much dependency on our Streeter units, and it wasn’t as much of a financial burden as it could have been. “We’re hearing our customers ask when rates are going

to increase to pay for this damage, but at this time we anticipate there will be minimum or no rate increases,” he added, noting a combination of CFU’s reserves and insurance coverage, along with FEMA, should suffice. As CFU completes its rebuilding process this year, the utility is also exploring plans to raise its flood wall by a few feet. The existing wall was about one foot shy of containing last summer’s flood. The company also is planning for more upgrades to its electrical substations to serve new customers and increase reliability for existing power needs. Plans are under way to extend telecommunications services to the Peregrine Financial Group building under construction in Beaver Hills, and additional upgrades to the fiber optics system are being studied. Contact Tim Jamison at (319) 2911577 or tim.jamison@wcfcourier.com.

Trent Hill looks over the new reverse osmosis panel installed at the Cedar Falls Utilities Streeter Station power plant after the floods ruined millions of dollars in equipment and shut down the facility for seven months.

Neighborhood pride trumps floodwaters in North Cedar By TINA HINZ Courier Staff Writer

CEDAR FALLS — Northern Cedar Falls has come a long way since the Cedar River jumped its banks in June. The flood-prone neighborhoods had dealt with high water before, but a flood of that caliber was unlike anything they’d ever seen. Some speculated the area would never recover. But determined residents wouldn’t hear it. Carrie Dean isn’t the first generation to live in North Cedar, and she’s not ready to pull her kids, Madeline, 10, and Carter, 7, out of her Joann Street neighborhood. “We’re a small-town community, but we’re connected to a larger community,” Dean said. “Everybody out here knows about everybody. Your kids can just go from house to house and play and have fun.” It was this attitude that immediately drove folks together to clean up and rebuild. Residents who lived and worked in the area soon established the North

Cedar Visioning Committee and claimed a voice with the city. “I don’t think there was even a whisper amongst that North Cedar Visioning Committee that they weren’t coming back,” said Dick McAlister, director of the administrative services department. “There’s a deep-seated sense of pride out there,” he added. “Sometimes that’s worth more than money. That’s the elbow grease that goes into rebuilding.”

Rebuilding

City officials could barely keep folks out for an extra day as waters receded. Neighbors, family, nonprofits and strangers were eager to help clean up. “Where can I go and what can I do?” said Bob Seymour, community services manager. “It still amazes me to this day how people were able to mobilize, how people gave their time, their effort, their money to be down here during those critical days.” The engineering department rushed to put roads back togeth-

er and make them passable, and building inspectors were deployed to enforce the National Electric Code. The City Council elected to waive building permit fees. Several hundred residential building permits were issued in the first couple of weeks, Seymour said. Stricter ordinances require homeowners to build above flood levels, potentially mitigating future problems. “We’ve been working very closely with everywhere from commercial businesses to residential to trailer courts on trying to get everybody code compliant with regard to the building structures that they live in,” said Ron Gaines, director of the city’s developmental services department. About 50 families and 21 businesses have been assisted with state Jumpstart money. Federal assistance is trickling in.

Some businesses have opted to relocate, like Darin Beck’s Reel Deel Holdings, which is moving into a new 54,000-square-foot building in the industrial park. Flooding damaged his facility on Roosevelt Street. The North Cedar Visioning Committee, led by chairman Gary Winterhof, began discussing recovery options. “Four or five of the people on the committee would spend all day building upon their home, rebuilding in the same place ... and then they would come that evening to a meeting and then go back,” Winterhof said. In October, the council was presented with an inch-thick report containing a vision and recommendations for the reuse and redevelopment of northern Cedar Falls. Timelines also have been set. The group’s efforts revealed a sense of small-town pride as

members set out to restore the area’s population, support North Cedar Elementary School, add commercial development

and embrace opportunities.

recreational

See north cedar, page H5

Sunday, February 1, 2009

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K PAGE H3

Barmuda moves to high-and-dry home By JON ERICSON Courier Staff Writer

CEDAR FALLS — When flood forecasts kept growing in June, the Barmuda company jumped into action to save its businesses. At downtown Cedar Falls restaurants, employees moved furniture and equipment to higher ground or out of the downtown area altogether. The corporate headquarters on Roosevelt Street lay in the flood plain, but water had never before risen above the front steps. The company prepared for the worst. “We moved everything up four feet, but we got six feet of water,” said Lori McConville, Barmuda vice president for marketing. The downtown levee held and the downtown bars and restaurants were spared from floodwaters. But after evacuation, disaster had struck the headquarters. Even things elevated above the floodwater eventually were overturned and floated in the muddy water. Darin Beck, chief executive officer of Barmuda, is a partner in Phantom EFX and T8 Design, also located at the Roosevelt Street headquarters. The software company, Phantom EFX, had all of its local personnel based at the building and a large supply of inventory. Beck said they lost about $1.5 million in inventory and equipment to the flood. At Barmuda Corp., where most employees are out in the field at restaurants and bars, the damage wasn’t as devastating. Still, the company took about a $500,000 hit in equipment. Little was salvaged from the flood. In Beck’s temporary office, a decades-old drawing with an original Club Shagnasty’s theme is on display, albeit with a water stain on the matting. Beck and other company executives gave consideration to rebuilding, but soon decided to go another direction. “We knew it was going to be throwing good money after bad

to rebuild,” Beck said. For Beck, it was a perfect opportunity to turn lemons into lemonade. The lemonade, in this case, is a new $4.5 million facility in the Cedar Falls Industrial Park. Phantom Park, a 54,000square-foot combination office and warehouse building, is now taking shape. Beck hopes the warehouse will be open in March and the offices open this summer. “I’m not saying I’m happy we had the flood, but we will came out a stronger company,” Beck said. Even before Phantom Park opens, Barmuda will enter a new phase. The company will franchise its Soho, Beck’s sports bars and Bourbon Street/Voodoo Lounge operations. “I’m not sure we would have done this so soon without the new building,” Beck said. Beck described the future for Barmuda as a “flood of possibilities,” with no pun intended. While some Barmuda aspects have accelerated after the flood, renovation of the Black’s building in downtown Waterloo for a second Bourbon Street/Voodoo Lounge site slowed. Beck had initially hoped to open it last summer or fall, but now it looks like late spring or summer. “A lot of work has been done, but there’s a lot more to do,” Beck said. “We’re ready to rock and roll, but we’re behind schedule. The flood derailed it. It diverted resources and our attention.” Phantom EFX found itself devastated by the flood. The computer gaming company had been on a roll, maintaining a stranglehold as the world’s No. 1 maker of casino games and preparing to launch a first-person shooter game that came with high expectations. “We looked absolutely indestructible when this thing happened,” said Aaron Schurman, Phantom’s chief executive officer. “Now we’re paying on a mortgage, rent and a construction loan all at the same time. The flood right before a recession was a one-two punch.” The company had to quickly

COURTESY PHOTOS

This is the main lobby of the Barmuda Corp. headquarters on Roosevelt Street in Cedar Falls in the days after the historic Cedar River flood in June 2008. Barmuda headquarters will move this year into a new location.

put out $1 million in games in time for the Christmas season, only to see the recession make holiday sales fall. Before the flood, the company had money to publish “Darkest of Days,” the first-person shooter. Now they don’t, and publishers have been cutting back on new developments because of the recession. They hope to join with a publisher soon and get the game on store shelves. “We have struggled, there’s no denying it,” Schurman said. Since the flood, the companies that called 209 N. Roosevelt St. home scattered around the Cedar Valley. Phantom and T8 Design offices have relocated to various places in the Mudd Group’s campus. Phantom has warehoused items at Thunder Ridge Court mall, while Barmuda items have been stored at Porter’s Camera. Barmuda’s headquarters have moved back into the River Plaza building in Waterloo, where it had been before moving to Cedar Falls. “For us, it was really strange because this is where we came from,” Beck said. Employees across the companies have been struggling

to deal with the sense of homelessness. “There hasn’t been a day gone by when we haven’t felt out of place,” Beck said. But sometime this year, the companies will come back together in a more cohesive form than ever before. Each of the businesses will have its own space in Phantom Park, but shared areas will abound. Meeting spaces, a theaterstyle training space and break areas all will be used by each of the companies. Beck envisions a building that accommodates today’s work force. For example, tables will be outfitted for each person to plug in a laptop and have access to put what’s on their screen onto a high-resolution screen for all people gathered in a meeting to see. They can alternate seamlessly between people’s ideas. “It will allow us to collaborate and meet in ways we never could before,” Beck said. Company executives have been getting a crash course in modern office design and furnishings.

An architect’s rendition of the Phantom Park building shows office space with an abundance of glass in the front and warehouse space in the back.

“It won’t be the typical executives around the outside and a bunch of cubicles in the middle,” Beck said. McConville believes the new facility will serve as a recruiting tool. Reel Deal Holdings, the property company that combines the partner companies in the new project, benefited from a number of state and city incentives to get the new building under way. “I can’t say enough nice things about working with the city staff, working with (city economic development manager)

Bob Seymour,” Beck said. “At the end of the day, they helped us figure out how to get out of the old building and into the new.” Beck said the new facility means the companies need to reach out and expand. In the aftermath of the flood, he primarily sees opportunity. “It really gives our company a chance to do something most never get to do — to start over,” he said. Contact Jon Ericson at (319) 291-1461 or jonathan.ericson@wcfcourier.com.

Kolb does not need a script to ‘sell’ people on Butler County By KAREN HEINSELMAN Courier Staff Writer

ALLISON — When Jeff Kolb took a job in radio after college, he planned to retire in radio. A Charles City native raised in Clarksville, Kolb earned a degree in broadcasting from Brown College in Minnesota. Kolb loved the airways but grew disenchanted with the broadcasting industry during its deregulation in the mid-90s. “Which to me was the death of local quality, locally programmed radio,” Kolb said. In July 2001, Kolb accepted a newly created position for a revitalized Butler County Resource Development Group. Kolb serves as executive director of the group, now called the Butler County Development Corp. Kolb moved into an office donated by the Farm Bureau and set to work. He said he was essentially starting from scratch. “I started with nothing. Zero,” Kolb said. “No contacts. No history.” As it turned out, the transition from radio to economic development wasn’t such an abrupt career switch for Kolb. He was still utilizing his skills and passion but for a different purpose. “It was still doing marketing but from a different angle,” Kolb said. He pitches Butler County as

a place that is rural but not isolated, where people can live and work and have easy access to the amenities of larger cities. The county is unique in that it lacks a dominate town, Kolb said. Rather, 15,000 people live in 10 towns about equal in size. Kolb takes a regional approach when pitching Butler County, sometimes overlooking county lines. If a prospective businessman or resident asks if the county has a hospital, Kolb explains that Waverly is a short 20-minute drive. “I can sell Butler County with no script,” Kolb said. “I’ve lived here all my life.” Kolb’s passion for Butler County impressed Roger Kregel, board president for the Butler County Development Corporation. Kregel, general manager for the Dumont Telephone Company, interviewed Kolb for the executive director position. “He cared about Butler County,” Kregel said. “That was one of the biggest things. He loves volunteering. He loves helping both individuals and communities. He wants to see Butler County succeed.”

New challenges

But since last spring, the county and Kolb have faced new challenges. On May 25, a deadly EF5 tornado hit two major Butler County communities: Parkersburg and New Hartford. In June,

nesses have received about $425,000 to date through the Jumpstart Recovery Iowa Initiative. The development corporation is helping make businesses aware of the Jumpstart fund, Kolb said. As of January, flood and tornado recovery still is very much on Kolb’s radar screen, though he is starting to transition back to “the normal stuff.” Kolb works closely with the development group’s board members and county and community leaders to market Butler County. The group focuses on retaining existing employers and bringing in new companies, Kolb said. RICK CHASE / Courier Staff Photographer

Jeff Kolb serves as executive director of the Butler County Development Corp.

widespread flooding devastated additional towns in the county, ruining homes and businesses, washing out roads and damaging parks and campgrounds. The disasters forced the county to close 90 percent of its tourism-related destinations for the summer, Kolb said. After the storms, Kolb set his sights on helping communities recover. “Everything else got put on the back burner,” Kolb said. Much of his time is spent

researching, tapping into and even creating financial assistance for storm-damaged businesses. Kolb spends a lot of time informing business owners of funding opportunities, helping with the application process and even tracking their requests. The development corporation applied for and received $99,000 from the USDA to set up a revolving loan fund for disaster-affected businesses, Kolb said. Butler County busi-

“Retail and housing follow jobs,” he said. “If you have jobs, people will come.” In addition to his development work, Kolb serves as treasurer of Butler County’s long-term recovery committee. He volunteers for Clarksville fire and ambulance and is a member of the Clarksville City Council. He also serves on a church council and on the trees committee in Clarksville. Kolb, 40, married Cindy in 2007. The couple live in Clarksville. Contact Karen Heinselman at (319) 291-1581 or karen.heinselman@wcfcourier.com.

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Dollars from disaster Furniture retailers see boom in business By JOHN MOLSEED Courier Staff Writer

WATERLOO — The silver lining of the natural disasters that swept through the Cedar Valley shone as strangers pitched in to help clean up, sandbag and rebuild. Some of the good news also comes from retailers who supplied families with what they needed to start fresh. Some are reluctant to tout their successes in 2008, because some of that business came at immeasurable expense to others. “We’re not celebrating,” said Terry Glasgow, vice president of Simpson Furniture in Cedar Falls. He said 2008 was a solid growth year and estimates about half of the growth sales came from flood or storm victims. The June flooding also hit home when the store at 515 Main St. was forced to close for four days as the Cedar River threatened to spill over the downtown levee and flood Main Street businesses. “There was a lot of emotion and a lot of stress on the business,” Glasgow said. The days following the flood were busy as staff worked extra hours and delivery trucks were moving constantly.

“We had a huge influx (of business) for about five to six months,” he said. As orders came in, the store’s warehouse filled up. Often, as rebuilding took longer than expected or insurance checks were delayed, furniture couldn’t be delivered immediately. Storage space quickly ran out despite delivery crews making runs nearly around the clock. For some storm and flooding victims, the gap between insurance checks and their immediate needs was filled by rent-to-own businesses. Bernie Badker, whose rural New Hartford home was destroyed by the May 25 tornado, needed furniture for his family’s new house in Janesville. “We needed everything to furnish a three-bedroom place,” Badker said. Rentown, 2325 Logan Ave., temporarily furnished the house. “They just took care of it, right down to the lamps,” Badker said. Rentown owner John Maitland said business peaked at his store as well. He helped multiple storm victims get the essentials, either temporarily or permanently. “I couldn’t imagine being in their position where everything is gone,” he said.

“We had a huge influx (of business) for about five to six months.” Terry Glasgow

vice president of Simpson Furniture in Cedar Falls

Maitland said many victims who needed furniture immediately didn’t have the means to make purchases. “A lot of it is the gap of time from the time you get your claim to the time you get your insurance check,” he said. Rentown helped Badker furnish his home until his family was able to replace some items. Badker chose to keep and buy some of the furniture he got from Rentown, but he and his wife have also bought furniture over time that better fit their taste for older pieces. While the boon to business was welcome, dealers straddled the line between letting people know they were ready and able to help and a public perception that they were eager to profit from tragedy. At Simpson’s, store officials anticipated the rise in business but chose not to advertise or make references to the natural disasters.

RICK CHASE / Courier Staff Photographer

Furniture stores like Simpson’s Furniture, 515 Main St., Cedar Falls, saw a spike in business as people began to rebuild after the May 25 tornado and June flooding swept through the area.

“We were pretty confident we were going to see some of that business,” Glasgow said. “Peo-

ple know we’re here. We’ve been in the area for more than 60 years.”

Contact John Molseed at (319) 291-1418 or john.molseed@wcfcourier.com.

Waverly continues to fight back months after floodwaters recede By KAREN HEINSELMAN Courier Staff Writer

WAVERLY — Michelle Sager didn’t expect the water to come into the first level of her home. At least not much of it. “Worse case scenario we expected seepage on the main floor,” Sager said. But come it did. An interior door in her home on Seventh Avenue S.E. still shows the watermark at about 19 inches off the floor. Residents went from talking about the storm to evacuating their homes. “Then it hit, and it came up quickly,” said Sager’s husband, Tim. Seven months later, the family of six still is displaced. The Sagers rotated between friends and family as they weighed their options. Once the Sagers decided to forgo a potential buyout and fix up their residence, a full recovery is much closer to becoming a reality. On a recent weekday, Tim Sager stands in his house, a demolition or construction zone since the flood in June. A volunteer crew, spearheaded by friends at Open Bible Church, is helping the Sagers put their house back together. “Now that we see things being done, that helps,” Tim Sager said.

Waverly’s progress

In Waverly, where hundreds of houses and businesses were damaged by flood waters last June, some residents have made improvements and are back home. “Most people, if they can move in, have,” said Ben Kohout, Waverly’s community development and zoning official. Some residents, like the Sagers, are displaced but have a plan. Other property owners are in limbo, hoping to sell their property or receive a buyout. In Waverly, more than 70 residents on the buyout list reported

RICK CHASE / Courier Staff Photographer

Tim Sager of southeast Waverly checks on his house, which is being reconstructed after the June flood. Some residents like Sager are still working to recover from the flood, and city officials are exploring ways to mitigate future flooding.

significant damage, meaning the loss represents more than 50 percent of the property’s assessed value, Kohout said. The goal, he said, is to focus on “the worst of the worst” storm-damaged properties. Despite ongoing challenges, those closely involved with flood recovery and prevention efforts are proud of the city’s accomplishments, though much work remains. The flood damaged businesses along Bremer Avenue, but many Main Street shops were able to rally and pull off the annual downtown celebration Christmas Greetings on Main in December, said Tiffany Kudron, tourism and special events director for the Waverly Chamber of Commerce. “I think for the most part Waverly has done a wonderful job in picking up the pieces and

getting back going,” Kudron said. “And they’ve done it quickly.” Many attribute the city’s progress to date to the efforts of volunteers and the quick organization of churches, businesses, civic groups and community leaders after the flood. “(Volunteers) are the ones that made it work,” said Kip Ladage, director of the Bremer County Emergency Management Agency. The Bremer County Recovery Coalition, in partnership with other agencies and volunteers, still is managing dozens of cases. The coalition continues to leverage resources and works to assess, monitor and meet the needs of flood-affected individuals.

For the hardest hit homeowners, a full recovery takes time, said Dan Kittle, chairman of the Bremer County Recovery Coalition. “I think it’s important for people to realize those that are still struggling are responsible,” Kittle said. “They just have had a life-changing disaster.” Lessons learned during the flood of 2008 will prove useful in the event of future disasters, Ladage said. The Bremer County Recovery Coalition will serve as a long-term disaster response resource, said Ladage, who wants to expand the county’s network.

Flood mitigation

Waverly officials and council

members are weighing proposed flood mitigation measures and are seeking funding for potential projects. Recommendations from the engineering firm Stanley Consultants include deepening and widening the Cedar River in places and replacing the city’s concrete spillway with an inflatable dam. Other suggestions include dredging the Cedar River, adding a relief channel in southeast Waverly and erecting barriers in Kohlmann Park. At a recent strategic planning session, council members expressed a desire to do a thorough job. “We owe it to the community to be a little more conscientious about looking into some of these

(solutions),” Councilman Fred Ribich said. Although the floods added pressure to an already full construction schedule, the city managed to recover and complete all projects on time, City Engineer Mike Cherry said. “Our summer construction season was pretty well loaded,” Cherry said. “It was going to be challenging to begin with.” Jason Passmore, economic development director for Waverly, said businesses affected by the flood should consider tapping into funds available through the Jumpstart Iowa Recovery Initiative. As of mid-January, about $724,000 has been paid out, said Gary Iversen, economic development coordinator for the Iowa Northland Regional Council of Governments. Passmore thinks some qualifying business owners in Waverly likely ignored the aid, assuming others needed the help more. But if business owners don’t claim the money, the community will never see it. “If we don’t use it it’s not like we can use it somewhere else,” Passmore said. As the Sagers wait for their house to be finished — Michelle Sager is hoping for March 1 — the family lives on in two two-bedroom trailers set up on their property, provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The setup is a tight fit for Tim, Michelle and their four children: Alyssa, 15; Andrew, 13; Gabrielle, 4; and Bailey, 1. But the arrangement and circumstances of the past seven months have also helped family dynamics. “I think that it’s taught us to really get along as a family,” Michelle Sager said. Contact Karen Heinselman at (319) 291-1581 or karen.heinselman@wcfcourier.com.

Sunday, February 1, 2009

north cedar Potential buyouts could be converted to lowlands From page H2

“Over my 30-some years here, there hasn’t always been a very clear voice from northern Cedar Falls as to what they wanted to have out of that area,” McAlister said. “I think we have maybe for the first time a plan and a focus and a direction that came out of that committee that never existed.” Of 23 projects currently being pursued, a third of those timelines are on track for completion in the first six months of this year, Winterhof said. Residents can already sign up for cell phone text or e-mail notifications in the event of a disaster.

Physical changes

Soon, few signs of civilization will remain along Lincoln Street and in Cedar City. Development of these floodprone areas dates back to pioneer days, McAlister said. Folks purposely settled close to rivers, their main water source. But the recent washout was a culmination of federal buyouts following major floods in 1993 and 1999. The city was the first in the state to submit its buyout application in late December, about a month before the deadline. Currently 122 residential properties are on the list. “It’ll be much more open space, probably a lot of it converted into lowlands, forest or prairie-type areas,” McAlister said. “And maybe that’s the way that area should have been developed to begin with.” The visioning committee has drawn up long-term plans to grow new neighborhoods and businesses outside of the flood plains. Also, results of the buyout requests will provide insight into where to invest in infrastructure. “We want to encourage those participating in the buyout to relocate hopefully in that same

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area and make space available or make alternative housing available that is affordable to those who might have limited resources to do so,” Winterhof said. Assistance provided by the federal Economic Development Administration has prompted plans for a northern Cedar Falls industrial park, which has been discussed for years, officials said. Several damaged companies, like the co-op, would be likely tenants. Other requests include a dentist office or grocery store. “The co-op has some unique needs that can’t be handled anywhere else in the city, primarily rail and the height of their bins,” Seymour said. And despite the shaky economic times, the committee would like to see commercial development along Center Street to bridge a gap and provide a welcoming lane for visitors. “As homes are removed close to the Cedar River, we don’t want to create a disconnect from those that live in northern Cedar Falls from those that live on the other side of the river,” Winterhof said. Some private investors eyeing the corridor may be waiting to see the future face of the area after buyouts are announced. McAlister said the city is looking into prezoning areas to give property owners an early voice on what would someday be in their backyards. That way, developers won’t get bogged down in controversial site plans. “It’s not going to be done in one year or five years,” McAlister added. “It’s going to take decades.”

Enhancing what exists

Officials quickly learned North Cedar Elementary is a centralized hub that connects the neighborhood. Following the flood, the Black Hawk County Health Department administered tetanus shots at the school. City officials scheduled meetings there to hear residents’ concerns

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and problems. The Red Cross offered food and clothing in the gym. Many improvements such as trails, sidewalks and parks lead to the school, which escaped flooding by inches. But a dense population is needed to justify supporting a school, and to achieve that may mean converting from a rural feel to a more urbanized setting with commercial development. “On the one hand, these people want to live in these areas because they’re very large lots, spacious area, but yet they understand that to continue to have success ... you have to have a population base,” McAlister said. “There will be trade-offs.” Even simple things like replacing private wells and septic systems with the extension of more cost-effective water and sewer services will attract growth, Gaines said. “Many of these wells and septics were not operating as properly as they should be because of the high water table making septic tanks difficult and the flooding perhaps contaminating some of the wells,” Winterhof added. According to principal Jen Hartman, the school has lost 15 students because of the flood. Many of those affected have driven from Waterloo or outside of town until their homes are repaired.

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Above, people watch as the floodwaters rise on June 10, 2008, in Cedar Falls. Left, Mike Hughes helps his wife, Bonnie, into a canoe in northern Cedar Falls on June 10, 2008.

Future

It would be difficult — if not impossible — to provide flood protection north of the Cedar River, simply because of the area’s topography, McAlister said. “When the roads close north in the county and to the east and west, it naturally creates an island,” he said. “There’s no way to avoid that. It’s not that we have forgotten the area; we just know that that’s going to be a natural occurrence, and we have to accommodate it.” Portions of northern Cedar Falls are part of an old river channel, McAlister said. The Cedar River’s path has evolved over thousands of years, but

COURIER FILE PHOTOS

during last summer’s flood, the water changed direction and reverted back to its old channel. What the city can do is work with the state to improve stormwater and groundwater controls within the basin. And it will continue to provide police, fire and ambulance services or airlift residents to safety if needed. The City Council has endorsed a mandatory evacuation during floods, as opposed to leaving it

optional. But despite all the work that’s been done, the challenges are not over, Winterhof said. City officials are already looking to this spring. “I have a concern obviously with this much snow,” he said. “The kind of year we’re having is very similar to a year ago when we finished the summer with a high water table. With the continued snowfall like this, it’s going to complicate the problem that already existed at

the end of the year.” Area snowfall totals already have topped last year’s, Gaines noted. The visioning committee plans to follow up with the council on a semiannual basis during the next year. “It’s going slow at this point, but I’m optimistic,” Winterhof said. “We feel good about the progress that’s being made.” Contact Tina Hinz at (319) 291-1484 or tina.hinz@wcfcourier.com.

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Sunday, February 1, 2009

RICK TIBBOTT / Courier Staff Photographer

Aerial Services officials, from left, President Mike Tully, Vice President and COO Walter Ertz and Vice President Kurk Fisher show a projected image of the former Aerial Services buildings in Cedar Falls, which was destroyed by June flooding.

High-flying firm, restaurants rise above floodwaters By JEFF REINITZ Courier Staff Writer

CEDAR FALLS — Aerial Services’ work hit home for the company last summer. The 42-year-old business produces bird’s-eye photographs and maps used by government, sometimes to plot flood plains. In June, flooding from the swollen Cedar River overtook the company’s Cedar Falls headquarters on Center Street. The company slogged out of the murky water and is now looking for a new office. Many other businesses hit by the flood have been able to bounce back. Restaurant owner Chuck Melby was pleasantly surprised

by the support that turned out in his five-month endeavor to reopen the Happy Chef in downtown Waterloo. “It really showed that something good comes out of something bad,” Melby said. “I had never been treated so well by the customers in their sincere regret for what happened,” he said. “It was extremely uplifting, the way that we were received by the customers.” In Waterloo, Melby took on debt in the $100,000 project that replaced the bulk of Happy Chef’s equipment and furniture. “Obviously there was no insurance,” he said. “There wasn’t anything from FEMA.”

Rebuilding after the flood was an obvious choice for Jim Landau of the Cedar Falls Brown Bottle. The 30-year-old restaurant has been Landau’s livelihood. “It would be hard to pack up and do something different,” Landau said. Up the road, the Aerial Services building was swamped by flood. But employees at the techheavy shop, who had just finished sandbagging a co-worker’s home, were able to swoop in and remove the computers before it was too late, said Joshua McNary, marketing manager. They set up in a building on Chancellor Drive. “As we were scrambling,

we still had planes in the air,” McNary said. Based in Waverly, the aircraft were carrying out their scheduled contract work. One even snapped some shots of Aerial’s deluged Cedar Falls headquarters during a flyover, McNary said. The company did lose some old archived negatives to the floodwaters and some work in progress to a bad computer server. Even so, the business was up and running the following week, McNary said. Melby said the Waterloo Happy Chef’s rebound came in no small part with the help of others. Nagle Signs put his sign lease on hold, and landlord Chuck

Henne reworked the building lease so he could rebuild. “You really felt like there was some caring out there to get you off and running,” Melby said. Happy Chef also had a problem finding a contractor to build the counter for the breakfast buffet, which is one of the restaurant’s main attractions. Melby had one custom-built just 18 months earlier, but it was lost to the flood. After the water receded, Ron Nichols of the Countertop Shop in Evansdale stepped forward to take the job that others were too busy to do. “He was real fair with the pricing. It was obvious he did it to help me,” Melby said.

Back in Cedar Falls, Landau wanted to keep the Brown Bottle in its historic location. “It’s pretty hard to lock it up and let it sit there,” said Landau, who owns the building. “This location seems to work for us.” Landau was able to add some changes to make the business run more efficiently as part of the renovation. Throughout the process, the city of Cedar Falls was helpful, Landau said. City officials wanted the restaurant to succeed, he said. The restaurant reopened in August. Contact Jeff Reinitz at (319) 291-1578 or jeff.reinitz@wcfcourier.com.

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Rising from adversity

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WATERLOO www.wcfcourier.com CEDAR FALLS

Better with age

Iowa’s work force growing older, more valuable

By DENNIS MAGEE Courier Regional Editor

WATERLOO — Iowa’s population is getting older, and so are its workers. Those two facts likely will have profound consequences for businesses and for employees approaching the job market — wherever they may be on the age spectrum. Consequently, at least some experts familiar with work force dynamics in the state contend it’s a good time to be a mature worker. “We tell people that come into our office that age is an asset,” said Christi Mason, project director of AARP Foundation Work Search. According to the Iowa Department of Elder Affairs, Iowa has about 554,600 residents 60 and older. The figure represents about one-fifth of the state’s population, but the prediction is the number will rise dramatically as the Baby Boomer generation ages. Iowa is one of the “grayest” states already, but by 2025, the agency predicts people more than 65 years old could represent nearly 1 out of every 4 Iowa residents. Though projections vary, Iowa’s population of working age — defined as people 16 to 64 years old — could decrease by more than 200,000 workers by 2030. As of June 2007, Tama County was among the five Iowa counties with the highest percentage of workers 65 and older. Seven percent of its workers were in that age bracket, according to Iowa Workforce Development. Statewide, certain industry sectors are affected more specifically. Of all the workers in Iowa who are 55 and older, 18.3 percent were employed in manufacturing. Even as the population ages, Donna Harvey, director of the Hawkeye Valley Area Agency on Aging, says businesses are developing an appreciation and understand the advantage of hiring a senior crew. The list of older workers’ assets starts with reliability and maturity. “They bring a lot to the work force,” Harvey said. Including experience. “More companies are looking at ways they can retain some of that intellectual base that they have,” Mason said. What those employees expect in return, however, may vary from younger workers. Seniors may not need — or want — fulltime hours, for instance, or be willing to take on nights and weekends. They might also want to go south in the winter for two months or more. Harvey says businesses must decide a basic question: Is there any way they can match company goals and needs with older workers’ parameters for employment? “There will be opportunities, but along with that there will be challenges to the employer base. But I think the opportunities outweigh the challenges,” Harvey said.

Photos by DENNIS MAGEE / Courier Regional Editor

Denise Smith, 50, has worked for Hy-Vee for many years but says she is in no hurry to retire.

Older workers Actual number of older workers (ages 55 and above) is displayed in each county

As a percentage of total insured employment

Mitchell

Howard

3,079

4,212

Floyd

Chickasaw

5,831

Winneshiek Allamakee

9,832

4,319

3,815

Fayette Franklin

3,521

Gail Noltensmeier, 55, has worked for Menards for 24 years. She says she gets more out of the job than just a paycheck.

Butler

3,783

Hardin

Grundy

7,340

3,640

Source: Iowa Workforce Development, Local Employment Dynamics. Based on 2005 employment.

Bremer

7,168

Clayton

7,115

9,226

Black Hawk Buchanan

71,788

Tama

5,183

6,069

Benton

5,306

Delaware

5,405

Percentage of workers age 55 and older 14.0% - 16.0% 16.1% - 18.0% 18.1% - 20.0% 20.1% - 23.0% COURIER GRAPHIC / JORDAN HANSEN

Mason has seen some businesses willing to make accommodations, like stools so older employees can sit down or installing larger fonts on computer screens. “Employers are typically good about providing those types of things,” she said. That’s doesn’t mean potential hires with gray on the temple can necessarily call all the shots. “Some employers have that flexibility,” Mason said, “but employers have needs, and they have to meet those needs.”

On the job

Iowa has about 2.98 million people. Of those, about 353,000 are 60 to 74 years old, according to the Department of Elder Affairs. Black Hawk County has 14,310 people in that age bracket, representing 11.2 percent of the population. That is close to the state figure, which is 11.8

percent. In Northeast Iowa, only Benton County (11.4 percent) can say the same. Other counties in the region have slightly higher percentages of their populations in that age bracket. Older Iowans return to the work force or stay on the job longer for many reasons. “Obviously the biggest one is people need to supplement their income,” Mason said. “But that’s not the only one.” The recent dip in the economy likely aggravated the situation for some waiting for their gold watch. “At least 1 in 4 older Americans are either postponing their retirement or seeking to return to the work force, while 4 in 10 employers have designed programs to encourage late-career workers to stay past their traditional retirement age,” Art Koff, founder of RetiredBrains.com, wrote on his Web site. Harvey also predicts older

employees will stick around. “A lot of them will probably have to work longer just because their retirement may not be panning out as they expected,” she said. Gail Noltensmeier, 55, may fall into that category. She has worked at Menards in Waterloo for 24 years and has started thinking about retirement. The faltering economy, though, probably will delay those plans by a year or two, she said. Not that all older employees are punching a clock simply because they must make ends meet. Other motivating factors also come into play. “I like being with the people,” Noltensmeier said. Like her, others say they enjoy being active and productive. Denise Smith, 50, is second assistant manager at Hy-Vee on Logan Avenue in Waterloo. She has been a fixture with the com-

pany for many years. “My husband says I can’t retire until I’m 65,” she quips. Not that she really wants to step down. “I’ll be here as long as they’ll have me. I love the people,” Smith said. Older workers know jobs provide more than a paycheck, like a sense they are contributing. Many also explore a second career unrelated to their first because of the opportunity to learn something new. “You get bored staying at home,” Mason said. And then there are those who simply feel the need to leave the house with purpose in the morning. “We talk to a lot of people that just enjoy getting up and going to work,” Mason said. Contact Dennis Magee at (319) 291-1451 or dennis.magee@wcfcourier.com.

Older work force About 11.8 percent of the state’s population is 60 to 74 years old, according to the Iowa Department of Elder Affairs. The percentage in most counties in Northeast Iowa is slightly higher. Allamakee........................... 14.2 Benton................................. 11.4 Black Hawk......................... 11.2 Bremer................................ 13.9 Buchanan............................ 12.9 Butler.................................. 14.6 Chickasaw........................... 14.2 Clayton................................ 14.1 Delaware............................. 12.4 Dubuque.............................. 12.0 Fayette................................ 14.0 Floyd................................... 14.6 Franklin............................... 14.0 Grundy................................. 14.5 Hardin................................. 13.8 Howard................................ 13.7 Mitchell............................... 13.7 Tama................................... 13.6 Winneshiek.......................... 12.2

Resources The Hawkeye Valley Area Agency on Aging serves older Iowans in Black Hawk, Bremer, Buchanan, Butler, Chickasaw, Grundy, Hardin, Marshall, Poweshiek and Tama counties. The nonprofit corporation provides services to people 60 and older and to their caregivers, including senior centers, congregate meals, home delivered meals, nutrition education, preventative health programs and case management. For information about available programs or to learn about how to become a funded partner providing support and services, call (319) 272-2244 or (800) 779-8707. AARP Foundation Work Search also helps older Iowans find jobs. For information, call (319) 234-0206.

INSIDE

the good & the bad ■ Ag economy stumbling but still standing. PAGE I2

banking on business ■ Area institutions exude confidence despite national economy. PAGE I3

going lean

no bubble burst

Shop, shop

■ Economy dictates companies streamline methods. PAGE I4

■ Cedar Valley housing market hanging tough. PAGE I4

■ Local businesses say retail sales remain strong. PAGE I6

Sunday, February 1, 2009

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Sunday, February 1, 2009

“It is difficult for me to believe agriculture is fully insulated from the economic problems we are seeing in the U.S. and worldwide. It appears that Iowa agriculture will be giving back much of the past year’s profits.” Robert Tigner

Iowa State University farm management specialist

Ag economy stumbling but still standing That ranks third all-time in monthly losses, records indicate. “It came from both sides: higher feed costs and the economy weakened lowering demand. We’re seeing some people choosing not to feed (this) year,” Lawrence said. For those willing to remain in the industry, Lawrence said there’s reason for hope. The nation’s hog inventory as of Dec. 1 was down 2 percent from a year ago at 66.7 million head, according to USDA statistics. Cattle placements in feedlots during November totaled 2.2 million head, down 5 percent from a year ago. Lower supplies will eventually lead to increased demand and higher prices. Red ink should turn to black by the latter half of the year, Lawrence said. “2009 looks more promising given ’08 was so miserable. For the first time in history, all commodities — hogs, cattle, poultry and lamb — are decreasing at the same time, and that should help prices,” Lawrence said. Dairy farmers experienced a profitable first half of 2008, but prices tumbled thereafter. Feed costs, declining export markets for nonfat dry milk and increased competition from New Zealand are largely to blame, Tigner said. The farm specialist’s latest dairy budgets show production costs ranging from $14.60 per hundred weight to a little more than $17 per hundred weight. “(Dairy farmers) have seen milk prices drop almost in half and will be in survival mode. This will probably have to go on through most of 2009,” Tigner said. “It may be prudent for dairy operators to lock in some portion of their second half milk prices. “Typically I am not recommending cuts in the dairy market, but this may be the year to do that,” he added.

By MATTHEW WILDE Courier Staff Writer

WATERLOO — Agriculture isn’t immune to the country’s financial woes, but analysts say farmers can expect a better 2009 than other sectors of the economy. As economic bailouts of car manufacturers and major financial institutions continue, ag industry experts believe it will be a challenging year for farmers, but most will survive. However, livestock and grain farmers will struggle to keep red ink off the books. After three years of profitability, economists and grain farmers say some of that money may be returned this year due to high input costs coupled with spiraling corn and soybean prices. “Agriculture is much stronger than the general economy. On the grain side, (farmers) had a very good year,” said John Lawrence, an Iowa State University Extension livestock economist. The same can’t be said for the livestock sector. Recordhigh grain prices early last year sent feed bills through the roof, resulting in losses not seen in decades, officials said. Feed prices have since retreated, and experts say livestock growers will soon see breakeven figures and even profits toward the end of this year. “It is difficult for me to believe agriculture is fully insulated from the economic problems we are seeing in the U.S. and worldwide,” said Robert Tigner, an ISU farm management specialist. “It appears that Iowa agriculture will be giving back much of the past year’s profits.”

Grain outlook

The 2008 growing season and grain markets imitated Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. “2008 was the year of the good, the bad and the ugly for ag,” Tigner said. Last year was one of the most challenging growing seasons in years, farmers say, yet crop yields were surprisingly good. Weather concerns and supply fears contributed to record prices, which eventually collapsed. “We did have an opportunity with price increases (for) those able to capture that. ... 2008 was a good year and will be reflected in income taxes, and ’09 could possibly take it all back,” said Tim Burrack, an Arlington farmer and chair-elect of the Iowa Corn Promotion Board. A cold, wet spring delayed planting by weeks for the vast majority of growers, which ultimately carried through to harvest. Excessive rains and flooding also impacted crops. Yet Iowa farmers produced the fourth largest corn crop in history and fields full of soybeans. Final U.S. Department of Agriculture production figures released Jan. 12 peg the state’s corn production at 2.19 billion bushels and soybeans at 445 million bushels. Nationwide, farmers raised the second largest corn crop and fourth biggest soybean crop ever. By midsummer, prospects for a bountiful harvest looked

On the bright side

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Iowa hog farmers suffered through a financially disastrous 2008, primarily due to high feed prices. Agriculture experts say this year will be better due to lower-priced corn.

bleak. Prices soared to near $8 per bushel for corn and beans surpassed $16. Many farmers were able to sell grain and lock in future sales at very profitable prices. The good times didn’t last long though, as most crops survived and even thrived. Those that were flooded out were replanted. Prices plunged by half or more. “The first half of the year farmers were relatively happy. Flip a switch in mid-July. 2008 will probably turn out to be a decent year with a lot of volatility,” said Chad Hart, ISU

grain economist. It appears Mr. Hyde will haunt farmers in 2009. Escalating land costs, cash rents and crop inputs — fertilizer, seed and chemicals — could put break-even figures for corn and soybeans this year in the $5 per bushel and $10 per bushel range, respectively, ISU officials said. The latest USDA predictions say corn will be worth $3.65 to $4.35 per bushel and soybeans will average between $8.25 and $9.75 per bushel. A bountiful harvest and weakening demand doesn’t give ana-

lysts much hope. “I would say the ag industry is a bit insulated from the economic meltdown. (But) in the long run, we will feel the downturn in the economy,” said Darin Newsom, DTN’s senior analyst.

Livestock, dairy outlook

The worst could be over for cattle and hog farmers as 2009 appears to be more promising financially. Instead of hemorrhaging money like in 2008, the state’s leading livestock economist says profitability most likely will return this year.

Record grain prices, while good for grain farmers, spelled doom for feedlot and hog confinement operators in 2008. “It was disastrous. For cattle feeders it was the worst year since 1973 ... and on the hog side, it was the worst since 1998,” Lawrence said. In December, for example, farmers lost $250 per head on fat cattle that were purchased as 750-pounders. It’s the largest single loss on record, Lawrence said. Farrow-to-finish hog producers lost $45 per head, on average, in November, ISU figures show.

Seed corn is picked south of Waterloo as the 2008 harvest begins. Analysts say the agriculture economy was still relatively strong last year, but leaner times are ahead.

Experts indicate there’s still credit available for farmers and skyrocketing land prices appear to be softening. For livestock producers who lost money last year, Lawrence said there’s an opportunity to take advantage of low interest rates and pay off debt. “You can bundle losses into a term note and pay them back over time instead of absorbing a large (loss) at once. It’s a way to free up cash,” he said. The shaky economy also is slowing down escalating land values, said Loyd Brown, president of Hertz Farm Management based in Nevada. Prices have increased for nine straight years, mostly by double-digit percentages. Last year, land increased 14 percent, according to the annual ISU farmland survey. For people looking to buy farmland, now may be the time. “Buyers are more cautious,” Brown said. “We’re still selling farms, but there’s more negotiating room.” Contact Matthew Wilde at (319) 291-1579 or matt.wilde@wcfcourier.com.

Sunday, February 1, 2009

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Photos by RICK TIBBOTT and MATTHEW PUTNEY / Courier Staff Photographers

Officials from area banking institutions, such as those pictured here, say the national economic downturn has not affected them as acutely as it has banks in other regions.

Banking on recovery

Area financial institutions exude confidence in falling national economy By JIM OFFNER Courier Business Editor

WATERLOO — Forget the stories about the plummeting national economy where Cedar Valley banks and credit unions are concerned. Local financial institutions remain resilient, area bankers say. “We continue to be very well positioned here,” said Wade Itzen, president of the Waterloo-Cedar Falls markets for BankIowa. “We’re well capitalized, as defined by the banking standards. There’s really been not much change for us over the past 12 months, but we’re doing our best to try to react to what we hear nationally. We’re well positioned in case we see more stress, and we do see it occasionally as news trickles across the country.” Local and Iowa bankers say they’re not impervious to all effects of the calamitous reports emanating from other parts of the country. Indeed, Community National Bank recently announced a 15 percent cutback in its work force. However, that shouldn’t be construed as a reflection of the banking situation in general, said John Sorensen, president of the Johnston-based Iowa Bankers Association. “I think Community National’s decision was strictly a local business decision for their bank,” Sorensen said in a recent interview with The Courier’s editorial board. “From what I’ve read about it at this point, I don’t see that as a statewide trend.” Nationwide, Sorensen said, there had been some contraction in the bank business. “We had more bank failures in 2008 than in several years,” he said. “You’d have to go back well over a decade or maybe to the mid- to late ’80s. But in each of those cases, the depositors were protected.” Bank failures are not the case in the Cedar Valley, he said. Indeed, the association’s goal for 2009 is to have no further layoffs, Sorensen said. “We’ve made it clear that, while 2008 was a tough year economically for banks, 2009 is likely to be as tough, if not tougher,” he said. “But, we’re pretty well committed to keeping all our employees employed.” Itzen echoed that point. “We certainly don’t plan to have any employment cuts like we’ve heard with other industries out there — Detroit or other parts of the country or even pockets locally here,” Itzen said. He said banks are lending money, as usual.

“Right now is a great time to refinance,” he said. “Rates are down in the 4s for 15- and 30year fixed-rate mortgages,” he said. “If a person hasn’t done any refinancing and they’re up in the 6s or 7s, like some people are, it’s a great opportunity to do some home refinancing. That’s the best way to get your best long-term fixed-rate money.” John Rathjen, market president at Liberty Bank, agreed.

“I’m very optimistic about our local economy,” Rathjen said. “I think we’re looking at ’09 with a great deal of optimism. Our bank and others have strong capital positions and have money to lend.” Rathjen, too, cautioned Cedar Valley residents not to necessarily apply what they hear going on nationally to this region. “Many things you hear from

a national perspective don’t hold here locally,” he said. “It’s business as usual here at Liberty Bank. It’s an incredible opportunity for people to evaluate their financial needs. Rates are very attractive at the moment, and people should be at least evaluating that.” Itzen said 2009 likely would be loaded with opportunity for local banks and their customers.

“We’re excited going forward,” he said. “Obviously, like I mentioned earlier, we’re watching the national thing and as things trickle down, we want to make sure we protect our stockholders and existing customers and make sure we manage our business well so we don’t make any mistakes.” Confidence can be a difference maker, Itzen noted. “What we’ve done in the past

has worked very well,” he said. “We’re fortunate to be in the position we are. Our customers, we tell them that they’re our most important asset. We’re going to treat them with the very highest quality, and we want them to keep coming back. That’s what we’re about.” Contact Jim Offner at (319) 291-1598 or jim.offner@wcfcourier.com.

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Sunday, February 1, 2009

Standard Golf implemented “lean” manufacturing strategies five years ago. Small changes such as faster drying glue and kiln drying paint reduced the time it takes Zach Bass to produce a golf ball washer from four days to a couple of hours. Photos by BRANDON POLLOCK / Courier Staff Photographer

Going lean

Economy dictates Cedar Valley companies streamline methods By JOSH NELSON Courier Staff Writer

WATERLOO — Good golf swings are deceptively complex enterprises — hands, feet, head and club are positioned and moved in precise manners to catapult a small white ball hundreds of yards down a fairway. A similar level of complexity goes into making the machine that shines up that ball. A few years ago, company officials at Standard Golf, a major golf parts manufacturer based in Cedar Falls, desired ways to cut extra steps and cost from that process. “There were a lot of operations we performed around the factory that we did then because that’s the way we always did them,” said Matt Hurley, company vice president. Standard turned to Hawkeye Community College for a course in lean training — a method of reducing waste in processes without necessarily having to cut employees. Lean concepts often can mean the difference between survival and bankruptcy for companies in difficult financial times. “It is absolutely critical to have this kind of philosophy,”

Hurley said. Standard Golf wasn’t on the brink when it went through its training. But it did ensure they would be healthy in the future, Hurley said. In Standard’s case, the company realized they could cut the assembly process for ball washers from days to hours by adding a few new pieces of equipment. Alan Clausen, Hawkeye’s director of industrial training and development, said for many businesses, this could be a good time for a course in lean. A production slowdown means there may be some bodies available for an eight-hour initial training course, he said. It’ll also give them time to implement the new techniques before things pick up. Many of the things learned in that training course are pretty basic, such as organizing a work station like a person would organize his or her garage, Clausen said. From there, it can address issues like reorganizing a manufacturing floor to reduce the time needed to manufacture a part. “I think the (problems) are that obvious, but they’re not that easy to get rid of,” he said. Employees may be resistant

to giving up some long-held manufacturing process in favor of an untested solution. Other times, they may be doing what is easiest for them, but not necessarily best for the organization, Clausen said. There are other, more prominent concerns that also pop up when streamlining discussions occur, he said. “The first thing they think lean means is ‘get rid of people,’” Clausen said. “That’s not what it is.” In fact, he said he won’t advise a company on lean training if it’ll be an excuse for layoffs. Standard Golf had operations that traced back almost to its founding 100 years ago, Hurley said. In 2002, the company began its lean training, eventually having all 50 employees attend a class. Scott Hottle, Standard’s manufacturing director, said one of their big changes was to reorient the factory machines to reduce the distance a product would travel inside the factory. Hottle said raw materials would move almost a quarter mile inside the factory, only to be redeposited as a finished product about 10 feet from where they entered the floor. When the machines were

Small changes at Standard Golf, such as crimping the ends of flag sticks, reduced the amount of glue and drying time needed and ensured a straight final product. David Whiteman loads finished sticks on a cart.

moved around, the distance was cut to 100 feet, Hottle said. Hottle said they learned to rely more on the “push-pull” of supply and demand for products, rather than building up a stock of parts that may never sell.

The training also has meant no one has lost their jobs, though some positions have been lost due to attrition, Hurley said. All of this has helped make Standard a strong enough company to weather the storms

and sunny days of the economy, Hottle said. “It’s critical in good times,” he said. “It’s super critical when the times dictate.” Contact Josh Nelson at (319) 291-1565 or josh.nelson@wcfcourier.com.

No bubble burst here: Cedar Valley housing market hanging tough By MARY STEGMEIR Courier Staff Writer

CEDAR FALLS — The national housing market may be plagued by slow sales and an uptick in foreclosures, but local experts say a solid Cedar Valley economy kept home purchases stable last year. Residential sales totaled 2,300 in 2008, down from the 2,392 reported in 2007. Median sale prices also declined — going from $115,000 to $113,588 — but those small reductions don’t concern Robert Reisinger, executive officer of the WaterlooCedar Falls Board of Realtors. “The market is just as strong as it’s always been in recent years,” he said. “We might be in a little bit of a lull here as people take a wait-and-see approach, but we’ve really got a good market here.” Sales were likely down slightly due to this summer’s tornado touchdowns and floods. The disasters prompted some sellers to take their properties off the market and rent them to

FILE PHOTO

Clint Uhlenhopp, of Parkersburg, worked on the roof of a house under construction last month in Parkersburg. Despite a sluggish national housing market, Cedar Valley home sales declined only slightly in 2008, and local developers say that low lumber prices make 2009 an ideal time to build.

displaced families, explained Reisinger. Another possible sales deterrent? Grim news about the national housing crisis. Since 2006, 2.4 million Americans have lost their homes to foreclosure. Although that crisis hasn’t

affected the Waterloo-Cedar Falls area, gloom-and-doom stories from other states, including Florida, Michigan and Nevada, are trickling into the consciousness of local buyers and sellers, a trend Realtors hope to address in 2009.

“My feeling is that both of them (buyers and sellers) are sitting on the fence,” said Reisinger, noting that low-interest rate loans make 2009 a smart year to buy. “We have to convince people that it’s actually a good time to sell in this market

or buy in this market. You’re going to do OK.” That’s the message local developers have spread to clients, and their efforts appear to be paying off, said Craig Fairbanks, a member of the Northeast Iowa Home Builders Association. “Surprisingly enough, there’s a lot of inquiry about home building,” he said. “People here are pretty astute. It’s really a good time to build because pricing is down severely, especially on lumber products.” Like Reisinger, Fairbanks believes the Cedar Valley’s healthy local economy has insulated the market from challenges faced elsewhere in the nation. “We have a little more of a diversified economy than we had in the ’80s when John Deere was the big employer,” Fairbanks said. “Back then, if John Deere made any moves, the town just kind of went into a shell.” Today, the Cedar Valley is expanding as residents come to the area for jobs at Deere, as well as the Target Distribution Center and the University of

Northern Iowa. Jean Hitchman moved her family to Cedar Falls in 2007 after her husband, Theron, accepted a job teaching mathematics at UNI. The couple and their two children, now ages 3 and 5, rented for a year and purchased their first home this summer. The couple spent three to four weeks house-hunting before closing on a single-family ranch in July. After living in larger metropolitan areas, including Houston and Chicago, the Hitchmans were pleased to find a good selection of starter homes in their price range in Cedar Falls. “It felt like a good time for us with interest rates being low, and we felt like we could get the mortgage we wanted with our financial history and our credit rating,” Hitchman said. “It was actually kind of fun to shop for our first home. We actually had a good experience with it.” Contact Mary Stegmeir at (319) 291-1482 or mary.stegmeir@wcfcourier.com.

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Local businesses say retail sales remain strong By AMIE STEFFEN Courier Staff Writer

Though national retail numbers were down during the holiday season and businesses are closing everywhere, local retailers expressed optimism that the Cedar Valley was riding out the worst of the recession. Nationally, the hopefulness retailers had for a good December didn’t pan out: Sales dropped 2.7 percent between November and December across all retail sectors, according to the U.S. Commerce Department. Compared to the same period of time in 2007, that was a 9.8 percent drop. Some national retailers didn’t make it out alive. Electronics chain Circuit City filed for bankruptcy and is closing all of its 567 stores, while clothing and accessories retailer Macy’s plans to close 11 underperforming stores. That’s also true for some local shops. Walden Photo plans to close its Cedar Falls store at the end of January after shuttering their Ames location in December. The local franchise of Office Depot in Waterloo closed just days before Christmas, along with more than 100 other franchises across the country. But it’s not all gloom and doom. Several local retailers reported brisk sales following the busy Thanksgiving weekend. Steve Dust, CEO of the Greater Cedar Valley Alliance, heard from some local stores that reported “exceptionally good” holiday sales, and he attributed that to residents choosing to stay local with their purchases. “We have a huge, tremendous choice here, and we ask people to support their neighbors,” Dust said. “All of our neighbors work in local establishments and manufacturing operations, and the more we trade with local businesses, the stronger they are, the more likely they are to expand and maintain the level of services we have here.”

Cretia Martin, left, and her mom, Stacy Rolison, were up early to shop at JCPenney for a post-holiday sale.

The GCVA did their part to help retailers with a “Buy at Home” advertising campaign that joined with local businesses. That campaign helped, said Crossroads Center general manager Gary Ogzewalla. “It’s hard to measure — I can’t quantify it — but I suspect that it was positive,” he said. “People took it to heart; people understood what (we) were trying to do.” Snowstorms, ice and freezing rain — prevalent throughout December — probably didn’t hurt any, he said.

“I think the weather probably helped us out, too. It was hard for people to go to Des Moines or to Iowa City or to the Mall of America,” Ogzewalla said. Some businesses also are opening up, moving to other locations and expanding. Ogzewalla noted two new tenants were coming to Crossroads in April — Milroy’s Tuxedos and China Express — and that’s an encouraging sign. “Any new leasing that’s done is good news, because right now on a national scale there’s not a whole lot going on, and

yet in our market we have some,” he said. Stores that sell big-ticket items are finding ways to expand their business by providing more services. Melissa McKean, owner of Classic Kitchen and Bath, said her biggest seller over the holidays wasn’t cabinets or fixtures but gift certificates to the store’s in-house cooking classes held in the full-service kitchen. “When (customers are) here, they see the beautiful kitchens that we have on display and it inspires them to possibly do something in their house,”

BRANDON POLLOCK / Courier Staff Photographer

McKean said. McKean also is planning to open up her own boutique and salon this spring, and said even in hard times small business can flourish. “One of the biggest mistakes is not going in properly invested,” she said. “You have to be ready or prepared not to make money for the first couple of years.” But one thing she warned business owners should never cut back on is their advertising. “I always think, let’s do more advertising in a recession,” McKean said.

It’s easier to be optimistic when business is booming or when a business is still standing while others have fallen, but Ogzewalla and others have no shortage of optimism, however cautious. “I think this community has rallied around,” he said. “I think this community is strong and I think they have faith in themselves and the market. I just see a lot of positive things happening in this community.” Contact Amie Steffen at (319) 291-1464 or amie.steffen@wcfcourier.com.

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WATERLOO www.wcfcourier.com CEDAR FALLS

By EMILY CHRISTENSEN Courier Staff Writer

WATERLOO — Cedar Valley businesses have experienced several good years, but work force experts say 2009 could be a time for retooling internal practices and evaluating employee needs. Linda Laylin, director of commercial and industrial development for the Greater Cedar Valley Alliance, said the group already has planned to invest a $250,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Labor into a long-term work force and economic plan due out this spring. The alliance is joining with the Institute for Decision Making at the University of Northern Iowa and about 50 Cedar Valley business leaders, educators and service providers to assess strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. In the end, Laylin hopes to have a living document that will help bring new businesses to the area and yield improvements for existing businesses. “We have had a need for this for a long time, which is why people were so willing to take the time to do something about it,” Laylin said. “We’re hoping with this lull that others also will take this time to spend on similar plans for their business.” Though many believe the Cedar Valley has been buffered from the devastating job losses felt around the country, the area hasn’t been completely insulated. In September, Eagle Ottawa tannery in Waterloo announced it would be laying off more than 100 employees as it moved the operation to Mexico.

Opportunity knocks

Many of those employees, as well as others laid off from Traer Manufacturing, have found themselves working with a rapid response team from Hawkeye Community College in hopes of landing back on their feet, though some may have to wait until the economy rebounds. Until then, some are going back to school to learn new trades. The community college has responded to the need by opening a new 16-week evening welding class that enrolled 12 students out of the gate. Hawkeye administrators said they also have seen an increased interest in their truck driving and CNC

In slow economy, workers may need to refocus skills

programs, though not as much as they first anticipated. “Historically, when the economy makes a downturn, there is a rush to the applied sciences, but that has not been as predictable as in the past,” said Paul Osborn, Hawkeye’s dean of applied sciences and technology. Those who do choose to retool their skill sets could be rewarded with quality jobs when the economy begins turning around, said David Ball, the school’s director of admissions and student life. “The average Eagle Ottawa employee had a high school diploma and 12 years of experience. These are people that should be very sought-after,” Ball said. This newly trained work force also will begin to address the needs of manufacturers in the Cedar Valley and nationwide who say they struggle to find suitable employees in these fields. Fred Kjeld, a senior welding instructor, said many young students aren’t ready for the labor needed in a welding shop the way earlier generations were.

dynamic has changed from six months ago. Employers are still hiring, they are just not hiring as many positions. ... What students are looking for is an entrylevel opportunity to get their foot in the door with a company that they can prove themselves, and professional advancement will follow.” The school also relies heavily on its alumni network to find relevant internship and career opportunities for its graduates.

Focus on the future

Math and science

In just six months, the Iowa Mathematics and Science Education Partnership, housed at UNI, already has helped 20 projects off the ground and planted even more “seeds” that are expected to grow new partnerships before the year is over. “It’s really quite remarkable. I’m sitting here with a 50-page progress report in front of me, and it doesn’t fail to take my breath away,” said Jeff Weld, the partnership director. “The true answer to this won’t be the universities wringing their hands. ... It will be a partnership with the stakeholders who have a lot to gain or lose. That has been such a glaring weakness in what is an otherwise stellar national school model. The weakness has always been the connection between the schools and the relevant constituents the schools are serving.” UNI and Hawkeye are working with area schools to implement Project Lead the Way, a nonprofit educational program that gives middle and high school students access to the skills needed for future careers in math and science, specifically engineering. Educators nationwide have seen the benefit of joining with

RICK CHASE / Courier Staff Photographer

Kendall Williams is one of 12 students participating in the new evening welding course at Hawkeye Community College. Instructors hope the class serves two purposes: to retrain workers laid off when companies recently went under and to fill the void of skilled laborers they have been hearing about for years.

private businesses and organizations to get their students relevant and hands-on opportunities long before they enter the work force. Weld said Iowa is the perfect place for these kinds of relationships to be cultivated. “I am a firm believer in the collaborative answer to this, partly because it is so obvious that old models didn’t succeed, not to the extent we needed them to,” Weld said. “Silo approaches to the problems in Iowa aren’t going to work. In fact, there are people on a national level that I meet who say that if any state

could and should do this, it’s a place like Iowa. There is a modest population, so that means ... all the movers and shakers and so-called doers in math ed and science ed should, and in fact do, know each other. So we are in a position to make a real change.”

The next generation

As the job market continues to tighten, new graduates will have to amp up their experiences to get them noticed for the few positions available, said Derek Solheim, the Wartburg College Pathways Center associate direc-

tor for career services. The college recently started a program called From Residence Hall to Conference Call, which will host events that help students find relevant internships, career and graduate school opportunities. “The job market has retracted. We know there are fewer openings, so the chances you get, you need to be on your A game,” Solheim said. Next month the college will bring in recruiters from several major companies to conduct more than 100 customized mock interviews. “It’s a real challenge. The

The path, though ever changing, has been laid for the businesses and workers of the Cedar Valley. Even with the recession, Laylin said community leaders will continue to lure new employers to the area. And while restaurants, bike trails and cultural opportunities are essential in bringing in new business, the competition is stiff and the Cedar Valley has to be ready to offer one more thing, Laylin said. “Right now, a quality work force is more important than land,” Laylin said. “We can’t recruit new businesses without a qualified work force to draw from.” Though the long-term work force and economic plan is not expected for several more months, Laylin said there are already several ideas being explored as ways of better utilizing the current work force and drawing new workers to the area. Some of the ideas include a new retirement resource committee that will help bring those who have retired back into the work force, finding a way to utilize workers with criminal records who are trained in high-need areas, and a spousal employment network that would help the spouses of those recruited for positions in the Cedar Valley find work in their field. But for now, everyone seems to be taking a wait-and-see approach to education and business. “I think people want to see what the new administration is going to do,” said Kjeld. “Companies are not willing to do anything too drastic until they see what is coming out of D.C.” “We want to see what type of programs we should be developing based on where this administration is going,” Osborn added. Contact Emily Christensen at (319) 291-1570 or

Deere looks to build on record year By JIM OFFNER Courier Business Editor

Courtesy photo

A tractor rolls off the production line at John Deere’s Waterloo operation.

WATERLOO — These days, green seems to be all the more appropriate as John Deere’s color. Thanks to an agriculture economy that featured sky-high commodity prices through much of 2008, the company harvested its first $2 billion year in revenues. That bounty spilled into Deere’s Waterloo operations

in the form of a $200 million infusion of cash for tools, technologies and capacity in key infrastructure pieces, said Dave Rodger, general manager of the local operations. “Of course the expansion program is a very important series of projects for us,” Rodger said. “We’re fortunate in that John Deere customers around the world continue to reinvest in farm machinery of all types, including tractors. So we’ve ini-

tiated a very significant expansion project. Recall that that project is focused on increasing capacity for high-horsepower tractors, and it’s affecting our foundry, our drive-train operations, our local tractor assembly operations and our factory in Coffeyville, Kan.” The company, which in September marked its 90th anniversary in the Cedar Valley, has been revitalizing major areas of its local operations, thanks to

two major cash infusions in the past year, Rodger said. “We’re already seeing some benefits in our operation from the investments, which are more than halfway through, at this point,” he said. “The project is on schedule, and we still anticipate completion in 2010, as originally announced.” Deere’s local work force, now at about 5,500, has been able to See deere, page J3

INSIDE

roller coaster ride ■ Travel gets smoother in downtown Waterloo. PAGE J2

plowing ahead ■ Monsanto moves forward with Independence plant despite delays. PAGE J3

becoming reality

iowa roots

ready to build

■ TechWorks to bring in first tenant. PAGE J4

■ Russ Wasendorf brings restaurant, financial firm home to C.F. PAGE J5

■ 2009 may bring jobs, construction projects to Cedar Valley. PAGE J6

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East Fourth Street in downtown Waterloo received overdue reconstruction this past year.

Ride gets smoother in downtown Waterloo By TIM JAMISON Courier Staff Writer

WATERLOO — The city’s central business district rode a roller coaster last year. There were valleys. June flooding damaged numerous buildings, shut down some businesses and delayed work on Vision Iowa projects; and an East Fourth Street streetscape project dragged on, hurting access to storefronts. There were peaks. Construction contractors completed a portion of the riverfront trail and new river walls. Half of a rubber bladder installed on a downtown Cedar River dam inflated in November. The Phelps Youth Pavilion opened. Work on the downtown Riverloop Expo and Public Market Building progressed enough to host John Deere’s 90th anniversary celebration in September. And several new businesses hung up their “open” signs. Downtown Waterloo boosters say they’ve emerged into 2009 with a head of steam. “There’s a lot of positive momentum going on downtown,” said Melissa McKean, owner of Classic Kitchen and Bath and this year’s president of the Main Street Waterloo board. The Screaming Eagle American Bar and Grill on the bottom floor of the historic Fowler Building was one of the largest businesses opening downtown in 2008. McKean said this year will see the expected opening of Bourbon Street and Voodoo Lounge establishments in the Black’s Building, a new Caribbean-themed restaurant on East Fourth and her own planned beauty salon and spa. Sindee Kleckner, a city planner with experience in Illinois and Wisconsin, is taking over the Main Street directorship following the resignation of Terry Poe Buschkamp. The board also is hoping to hire an events planner to bring more action downtown. David Deeds, last year’s Main Street Board president, also sees room for optimism in 2009. “Downtown made a lot of progress in 2008,” Deeds said. “There were a few bumps in the road with the flood, and the street construction had some bumps, too.

Walsh, daughters focus on redevelopment in heart of city By TIM JAMISON Courier Staff Writer

John Deere marked its 90th anniversary in Waterloo in September with a tractor exhibition and celebration at the Public Market site on Jefferson Street.

Work continued on the Cedar River dam in downtown Waterloo this past year as part of the Riverfront Renaissance downtown revitalization project.

“Once (East Fourth) reopened, people were saying ‘Wow, we’re glad we did this,’” he added. “People will really see that in the spring when the snow comes off.” Contractors will be completing the streetscape work early this spring adding to what is expected to be a large amount of construction equipment in the central business district. Peterson Contractors Inc. of Reinbeck will be back in the river this year finishing construction of river walls and a rubber bladder atop the dam just downstream from Park Avenue, which will be used to raise river levels upstream for boating. It was part of $20 million in projects funded in part by a Vision Iowa grant. Work on the trails will continue this year, including scenic overlooks in

Paramount Park and other locations on the east river banks. Bids should be opened this spring on a lower river plaza and amphitheater near the Waterloo Center for the Arts, which will be used to host outdoor performances. “You’ll see a lot of activity in that area this year,” said Doug Schindel, of AECOM Inc. and the project manager on the Vision Iowa effort. Another downtown project, the $4.5 million Riverloop Expo area under construction between West Third, Commercial and Bluff streets and Park Avenue,

near the Five Sullivan Brothers Convention Center, also will be complete this spring. It is expected to host and compete for a number of large outdoor exhibitions and events, bringing foot traffic downtown. “It will be a boon to the downtown area,” said Jay Stoddard, who developed a business plan for the Expo. “It’s new. It’s exciting. It’s a first-class area.” Mayor Tim Hurley is also upbeat about the Expo’s possibilities. “I think we’re all excited with everything going on downtown and along the river,” Hurley said. “(The Expo) will be a tremendous community venue for outdoor events, and should bring many new visitors to our downtown area.” Hurley said a lot of work remains: finish the Expo, get tenants for the Public Market, revamp parking structures, finish the East Fourth Street reconstruction project, finish flood mitigation projects and more, which are necessary to keep downtown on track. “These will further enhance the position of downtown Waterloo as a destination point,” he added. Contact Tim Jamison at (319) 291-1577 or tim.jamison@wcfcourier.com.

WATERLOO — Jim Walsh has rapidly become a key player in the downtown business scene over the past decade. JSA Develo p m e n t — Walsh and his daughters, Jennifer, Sara and Anne — now own about 25 downtown Jim Walsh properties, which are being redeveloped or are leased to others. “We have concentrated on this area and will continue to do so,” Walsh said. “Maybe that is like the old farmer joke — farm ’til the money is gone — but I don’t think that is the fate of downtown property owners.” Walsh, who has served as city attorney under four mayors since 1991 and is a VGM Group executive, bought the former Union Planters Bank building, 315 E. Fifth St., in 1999. Once The National Bank of Waterloo’s computation center, the building now houses his law office and the Chamber of Commerce. JSA Development’s holdings now include the Jameson’s Irish Pub building, the Fowler, Haffa, Repass and Walker, Walden buildings and others. “Our family company is an enthusiastic supporter of downtown Waterloo and confident that it will continue to improve,” said Walsh. “But it’s still difficult,” he said. “A lot of businesses that are driven by traffic don’t want to come down here. But there’s room for destination retail stores.” David Deeds, past president

of the Main Street Waterloo board, said Walsh’s growing investment in the heart of the city is more than welcome. “Jim has made a dramatic impact downtown and deserves a lot of credit,” Deeds said. “What’s nice is that he understands how downtown works. You’ve got to have wonderful spaces where people feel comfortable and where it’s walkable, and Jim gets that.” Walsh said he’s particularly interested in preserving the historic structure of downtown while maintaining a “density.” “A downtown must, almost by definition, have high density, lots of structures and people in a compressed space,” he said. “We cannot have expanses of ground-level parking and empty space if we are to be successful in achieving a viable commercial situation. “We need to mimic our ancestors and have everything as close as possible to the river crossing points and have the crossing points be attractive and easy to use for both pedestrians and vehicles of all sorts,” Walsh added. Walsh is actively involved in the Waterloo Development Corp., a nonprofit organization of business leaders working in concert with the city to develop an “entertainment/sports zone” on the downtown’s west side around the Waterloo Center for the Arts, Young Arena and new Riverloop Expo and Public Market. “There’s a perceived lack of activities for young people,” he said. “The more of those you have, the more you can convince people this is a place to live and have some fun.” Contact Tim Jamison at (319) 291-1577 or tim.jamison@wcfcourier.com.

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Monsanto plows ahead with Independence plant By MATTHEW WILDE Courier Staff Writer

INDEPENDENCE — Monsanto may be delaying construction of its Independence seed corn production facility by a year, but company and local economic officials remain committed and excited about the project. The St. Louis-based agribusiness giant announced in December it won’t build a $100 million seed plant until 2011. However, site work for the facility and a $2.5 million corn breeding research station will commence as scheduled this spring. Despite the postponement, Greg Halverson said the project already is paying dividends. The Buchanan County Economic Development director said just the fact that a multibillion corporation chose Independence to expand could convince other companies to check out the community. “It will make news, and people track that. It gets you noticed. The news has been in trade journals and media all over the country,” Halverson said. “It shows (Buchanan County) is a good place to do business and can be profitable.” According to a Monsanto statement on Jan. 7, the company recorded record earnings for the first quarter of fiscal

COURIER FILE PHOTO

Light rain brought out the umbrellas at the groundbreaking ceremony for a new Monsanto seed corn production facility and breeding station in Independence on Sept. 8, 2008.

year 2009, which ended Nov. 30. Net income for the company — makers of such products as Dekalb seed, Roundup herbicide and Roundup Ready soybean genetics — was $556 million, up from $256 million during the same time last year. Total ag productivity was $1.55 billion, of which $628 million

was generated from corn seed and traits. Halverson is satisfied with Monsanto’s explanation that a bountiful seed corn harvest last fall and adequate production capacity at this time doesn’t require an immediate expansion. Company officials contend the facility, and the estimated

50 full-time and 1,000 seasonal workers, will become a reality. The facility, near the Heartland Acres Agribition Center north of U.S. Highway 20, will produce Dekalb seed. A groundbreaking ceremony was held in September. Officials said construction of the research facility, roads, gas lines and other infra-

structure work will commence once the ground thaws. “We’re absolutely committed to the project,” said Darren Wallis, Monsanto spokesman. “We’re doing $10 million to $15 million in infrastructure work. You don’t make those types of commitments if you’re thinking about exiting.”

The research facility will create 10 jobs. The Independence project is part of a $231 million expansion by Monsanto in four sites, including Grinnell, Boone and Ankeny. When the entire Independence facility is complete, Halverson said it will be a boon for the entire region. Especially when layoffs at other companies are commonplace. “A project like this can help toward recovery in these economic times,” Halverson said. If the recent financial success of the company and demand for its products are any indication, capacity will be needed and is affordable. Hugh Grant, chairman, president and chief executive officer for Monsanto, said in a statement that business in Latin America also has picked up. “The ongoing demand from farmers for our world-class technologies has allowed us to deliver such strong earnings growth while staying fully invested in our research and development pipeline,” Grant said. “We look forward to having additional opportunities to earn farmers’ business by unlocking more yield power from their crops.” Contact Matthew Wilde at (319) 291-1579 or matt.wilde@wcfcourier.com.

deere

Company keeps focus on completing projects From page J1

expand as the company has prospered, Rodger said. “We’ve increased our work force over 20 percent and over 1,000 people in our Waterloo operations in the past several years,” he said. “The focus now is to have the people continue to work to complete the expansion program and meet production schedules that we have. We feel we have the appropriate number of people for the business at hand, and we’ll be focusing on completing our projects and replacing attrition as needed, as well as working to improve efficiencies, as always.” Peel away the all of the forces behind the revitalization of downtown Waterloo and many developments in the Cedar Valley and discover a Deere influence. Rodger says that is as it should be. “The Waterloo operations are very important to us in the company,” he said. “Our tractor business was born here. It’s grown here. We continue to invest in it. We’ll continue to flourish here. We continue to work not only to support the investments in our own operations in the Cedar Valley, but also in the communities that we have as well. We understand that to have a business that is growing, you must have communities that are growing, and they go together hand in hand.” Partnerships with all communities in which the company has operations is a long-standing tradition with John Deere, Rodger said. “It’s a partnership with all our stakeholders that we understand is important,” he said. “Those stakeholders are our customers and our employees and our shareholders, but (also) our suppliers, our dealers and the communities in which we live. So, we certainly believe in

Tractor assembly at John Deere’s Waterloo operation.

fostering deeper partnerships with our stakeholders because we depend on each other.” Meanwhile, the company continues to invest in its own growth, Rodger noted. “I think there are a number of things we could cite as accomplishments beyond the celebration of 90 years,” he said. “Certainly, the continued investment in our tractor capabilities here is a clear milestone. The continued investment in our work force and our communities are things that are important to us that we would highlight.” The company achieved numerous other milestones that may have been less visible to the public, Rodger said. “We set new safety records in its operations,” he said. “We achieved a number of operating performance achievements, whether it’s delivery or quality or safety, that represent significant improvements. Of course, we continue to try to develop

Dry filter bank in paint cell at John Deere.

new products for the future as well.” Rodger noted the agriculture economy rode high, and the company rode along with it. But, he added, the lows the world economy experienced also presented challenges to Deere. “Our customers and our business are affected by the same things that we read about all the time,” he said. “Some of the basic fundamentals in the ag business remain unchanged, however, with world carryover stocks of grains being relatively low and demand certainly is volatile. But the world population is still growing. … So, we continue to just focus on working closely with our customers. That remains one of our key strengths that continue to drive us, regardless of the economic situation.” Contact Jim Offner at (319) 291-1598 or jim.offner@wcfcourier.com.

A chassis paint booth ventilation system at John Deere.

Courtesy photoS

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Sunday, February 1, 2009

TechWorks to bring in first tenant By JIM OFFNER Courier Business Editor

RICK TIBBOTT / Courier Staff Photographer

Progress continues on the Target store on Viking Road in Cedar Falls.

New Target facilities staying on schedule By JIM OFFNER Courier Business Editor

CEDAR FALLS — This city will take on a decidedly red hue this summer. That’s when Target Corp. opens its new perishables distribution center and, less than two miles away, a new retail store. The 425,000-square-foot perishables facility, built at a cost of $32 million, is located south of the 1.6 million-square-foot dry-goods distribution center Target opened in 2003. The center, which will employ about 150 workers, is scheduled to open by late June, company officials said. The new 133,000-square-foot store, which will be the second in the Waterloo-Cedar Falls area, will serve as the anchor tenant of a new $40 million East Viking Plaza retail development, at the southeast corner of the Iowa Highway 58-Viking Road intersection. The store is scheduled to open in the late summer. The building has been slowly, steadily rising on the site since late November. “In general, between the initial distribution center, the perishable foods center and the retail store, Target Corp. will have an investment in Cedar Falls of more than $200 million, excluding payroll,” said Bob Seymour, community services manager and economic development director with the City of Cedar Falls. “Once all three facilities are up and running, there will be more than 800 employees.” Although the perishables distribution center isn’t scheduled to open until early summer, the process to fill its approximately 150 job openings has been under way since December. The company held a job fair Dec. 3. “That turned out pretty well,” said Carson Landsgard, who last fall shifted from his old position of general manager of the established dry-goods warehouse to GM of the new facility. “We’ve hired most of our management positions.” The center still is looking for industrial mechanics and soon will be filling out its roster of warehouse workers, Landsgard said. “We haven’t advertised for warehouse workers yet, but we continue to get applications in general.” Another recruitment event is scheduled for March, he said. “So combination of that and other (advertising means) are getting us good interest,” he said. “So everything is on

“Target Corp. will have an investment in Cedar Falls of more than $200 million.” Bob Seymour

economic development director

schedule.” Construction on the distribution center is now complete and all the equipment installed, Landsgard said. “We’re starting a month of testing of all the systems and conveyors and technology and all that between now and March,” he said. “We have three months of that. Then, we start getting ready to bring product in. Training people takes some time, too.” The facility already is buzzing with activity, even six months ahead of the first shipments. “We plan on shipping in July, and team members will be reporting in June, pretty much,” he said. “We’re still busy. We’re spending most of our time on recruiting, making offers and hiring.” Target’s already weighty presence in Cedar Falls will get that much more important, Seymour said. “Not only on the property tax base but the payroll side, obviously, will a have a huge impact not only on Cedar Falls but on the entire Cedar Valley,” Seymour said. The company always has gotten stellar marks from city officials, Seymour added. “One thing I’ve found, having dealt with Target on a corporate level, they are a great corporate citizen,” Seymour said. “They’ve been a first-class organization to deal with.” He noted that Cedar Falls will be the only community in which Target has both drygoods and perishables food distribution centers. The new store, which will not be a SuperTarget, is on schedule to open in the late summer, Landsgard said. “They start displaying signs announcing their opening about 14 weeks prior to that opening date, so probably in May, they’ll start advertising for (employees for) the store,” Landsgard said. “They’ll start hiring leadership positions three or four months ahead, in April.” Recruitment for other employees will take place one or two months ahead of the opening, he said. Contact Jim Offner at (319) 291-1598 or jim.offner@wcfcourier.com.

WATERLOO — For more than half a decade, Cedar Valley TechWorks has been a vision into the future of the Cedar Valley economy. But that’s all it was. This year, it becomes a living, breathing, functioning reality, when the project, which will cost nearly $40 million from conception to completion, welcomes the University of Northern Iowa’s National Ag-Based Lubricants Center as its first tenant. Admittedly, there have been some delays. NABL originally was scheduled to move into Tech 1, one of two six-story buildings donated by Deere Inc. as anchor structures, in February. Now, occupancy is scheduled for late spring or early summer, said Cary Darrah, TechWorks’ general manager. There’s plenty of work ongoing to bring in more tenants, Darrah said. “We continue to work actively recruiting new tenants to complement our anchor tenant and proceed with building a bio-based innovation campus,” Darrah said. “We’ve spent the last few weeks putting together our (financial) request we think fits well with the federal stimulus package.” Darrah said representatives of TechWorks would be going to Washington, D.C., at the end of January to meet with Iowa’s congressmen and senators to discuss funding requests. “This is going to be a tough year; on the other hand, I think TechWorks holds opportunities that have become important for this (Obama) administration, with renewable energies, bio-based product commercialization and ag-related efforts,” Darrah said. “TechWorks holds all those opportunities. So, we’re optimistic that we can provide a good investment, an opportunity for those dollars to be invested wisely here in the Cedar Valley.” TechWorks also has been working to recruit companies that have their focus on green-based agriculture

RICK TIBBOTT / Courier Staff Photographer

These former John Deere buildings on Westfield Avenue will become the home of Cedar Valley TechWorks.

technologies. Last fall, Cedar Rapids-based MCG Biocomposites LLC, headed by Waterloo native Sam McCord, was brought in as a recruiting consultant. MCG BioComposites is a consulting firm that focuses on sales, marketing and commercialization of bioresin and brokering of recycled plastics to the plastics industry. Among the firm’s clients are JER Envirotech, Thermoplastics biocomposite compounds & sheeting, which has locations in North Carolina and Canada; and Composite Products Inc., long fiber thermoplastic composite materials, Winona, Minn. TechWorks also has hired Terry Johnston, who has 22 years of ag marketing experience to help with its marketing arm. “With the help of MCG, we’ve revealed a lot of interest in the project,” Darrah said. “What I wanted everyone in the industry to understand from the beginning is what would make TechWorks most responsive, and we’re getting that.” Darrah added that she understands that seeing the project through to completion — and full occupancy of both Tech 1 and its twin, Tech 2, which will be developed on an asneeded basis — will take some time. “We understand after recruiting in the ag and biomass industry what that needs to look like,” she said. “I was

reminded this morning, this is an economic development project, not a real estate deal. Hence, it takes longer.” She noted it’s also a community development project. “It includes education, innovation and connecting all those things together,” she said. “It has to be thoughtful and deliberate.” Dave Rodger, general manger of John Deere’s Waterloo operations, said he sees astounding progress in the project. “We continue to feel it’s exactly the type of project required to encourage invention, innovation, incubation of biotechnology and biobusinesses for the future,” Rodger said. “The progress is quite visible at TechWorks. The demolition of the buildings on the site is complete. The construction of the building shell for TechWorks is well under way and continues.” Rodger noted that a recruiter in place and interest voiced in the project are indicators of that progress. “And there’s other projects

under consideration that will continue to help us attract and retain core skills for the community,” he said. “TechWorks continues to receive excellent support from business and government agencies and excellent guidance from the Cedar Valley Alliance. And we continue to have high hopes and aspirations for what it will achieve.” Rodger said TechWorks can be a fertile training ground for future Deere employees. “When you talk about incubating and fostering biotech businesses, it can take a number of forms,” he said. “Whether it’s intellectual capability for invention and innovation, whether it can be a home for suppliers or other biotech businesses, whether it can be a place to help attract or retain types of innovative people we will need in the future, I think it can help support a number of those things.” Contact Jim Offner at (319) 291-1598 or jim.offner@wcfcourier.com.

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Grainger to move into Country Club Business Park By JENS MANUEL KROGSTAD Courier Staff Writer

WATERLOO — When Grainger Industrial Supply looked for a location for its new service center, it wanted easy transportation access and high visibility in a growing part of town. It also wanted to honor its 200 local employees and stay in Waterloo after 18 years in the city. After considering four locations, one stood out above the others: The new Country Club Business Park at Ansborough Avenue and U.S. Highway 20. “We wanted to honor our commitment to Waterloo and our commitment to our employees. Country Club Business Park provided us an opportunity to do this in a quick and effective fashion,” said Tim Cuvelier, manager of Grainger’s Waterloo service center. The company plans to move in the spring, a year after the

development opened to businesses. It will be moving just down the road from its current location on Tower Park Drive, also adjacent to Highway 20. Grainger’s service center is not only a new construction, it is certified as an environmentally friendly design. In industry language, it is called “LEED gold certified.” The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design is a voluntary green building rating system. Grainger’s gold rating is the second-highest certification available. It means the company met a high number of sustainable building and design practices, as well as efficient water, energy and indoor environmental quality standards. “We wanted to diminish waste and reduce use of local resources,” Cuvelier said. “As part of our LEED gold certification, we’ll be working to educate employees and the community

Construction continues on the Grainger Waterloo service center on Fisher Drive in Waterloo.

on what constitutes sustainable development. The new location will offer immediate access from the highway. It’s an important feature because its neighboring competition, the business park on Tower Park Drive, also offers visibility from the highway. “It isn’t as complicated coming off Ansborough as it is (Iowa) Highway 21,” the exit for Tower Park Drive, said Gene Leonhart, president of

Wasendorf calls move a return home By JOHN MOLSEED Courier Staff Writer

CEDAR FALLS — Whenever a business relocates to the Cedar Valley, at the very least it brings jobs and adds to the area tax base. As Russ Wasendorf prepares to move the PFGBest.com headquarters to Cedar Falls, another effect will include a boon to the area culinary scene. As part of his company’s relocation from Chicago, Wasendorf opened My Verona, an Italian restaurant at 419 Main St. Allen Sternweiler, who was the executive chef at former fourstar Chicago restaurant Allen’s New American Cafe, brings his classically trained skills to Iowa by taking charge at My Verona. The restaurant is open to the public but also offers Wasendorf and his company an important asset. “Owning a restaurant is not the brightest investment in the world,” Wasendorf said. The restaurant opened to the public in November. Economically, Wasendorf said he hopes My Verona breaks even. As a company asset, it will do more than that, he said. The space and cuisine will give executives a place to meet and help the company put its best foot forward for business meetings and interviews. “Being able to do that and give your clients and prospective employees that experience can go a long way,” he said. The menu will reflect the diverse and eclectic setting of Verona, Italy, Wasendorf said. It is the setting for “Romeo and Juliet,” and if the restaurant name also brings to mind a 1979 pop song by the Knack, Wasendorf said that isn’t a coincidence. Verona also is the site of one of the last performances by the Knack, who sang the hit “My Sharona.” While the restaurant is open, the PFGBest headquarters building still is under construction. Once complete, it will be a unique structure in the Cedar Valley. It was designed to meet green building standards under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program. Wasendorf said he want-

DAWN SAGERT / Courier Staff Photographer

Russ Wasendorf stands in his new Cedar Falls restaurant, My Verona, 419 Main St.

ed to build an environment that would attract employees from Chicago and leave little impact on the environment. The building will have geothermal heating and cooling, its own wastewater cleaning system and will rely heavily on natural lighting. “For me ‘green’ is not necessarily a fad word,” he said. “Green is not something that has come into my thinking in the past few years.” He said traveling when he was younger made him appreciate buildings that have a lasting legacy. “We live in a disposable society,” he said. “I was struck by the fact that the Parthenon was in near perfect condition up into the middle of the 19th century.” He said he hopes other builders follow his example. “Some one has to be the lead cow,” he said, drawing on Midwestern imagery. “I think the best way to cause change, to promote change, to start a revolution, is to do it yourself.” Wasendorf isn’t requiring any PFGBest employees to relocate. He hopes the environment will sell the area. A Cedar Rapids native, Wasendorf is confident employees will be enticed to relocate to the Cedar Valley. “(The Cedar Valley) is an ideal place to raise a family,” he said, pointing to the area’s relatively low crime and cost

of living and quality school systems. “Some people who have never lived anywhere else but Chicago are the most interested in relocating.” He said most of his employees have young families or are at the age of starting families. When Wasendorf became a father, he returned to Iowa. “If you have Iowa roots, you always want to return,” he said. Wasendorf originally started a publishing business in Cedar Falls. The brokerage part was a secondary venture from a publishing company. He said he originally was reluctant to go into the business in which his mother had worked. “Having grown up in that environment, I thought ‘Gee, I wouldn’t want to go into that business,’” he said. He named it after the Peregrine Falcon, which attacks its prey at more than 200 miles per hour. The aggressive name reflected the business as it grew. “Maybe there’s a gene there,” Wasendorf joked. From his office at the Peregrine Financial Group in Chicago, Wasendorf can see the Chicago skyline and the Chicago Board of Trade — a main reason he located the brokerage business there in 1994. Since then technology has evolved enough that trade is done online. “I don’t need to see these things every day,” he said. The company has more than 700 offices in 25 countries. Wasendorf said returning to Iowa kept him grounded. He said the state is open to new people, cultures and experiences they bring with them. “We can bring all these elements home with us and in some ways pass them on to our children,” he said, adding that Iowa has plenty of room for anyone, regardless of background — or political affiliation. “It’s always tickled me that Iowa always has one of the most conservative senators (Charles Grassley) and one of the most liberal senators (Tom Harkin).” Contact John Molseed at (319) 291-1418 or john.molseed@wcfcourier.com.

Cardinal Construction, one of the developers of the Country Club Business Park. Another big selling point for the development: The VGM Group, a home medical equipment provider, recently expanded its gleaming campus, providing added traffic and visibility. “It’s a little bit of a symbiotic relationship,” he said. That relationship, Leonhart said, has helped attract

BRANDON POLLOCK / Courier Staff Photographer

big employers like Grainger in tough economic conditions. Businesses and banks are delaying big decisions as they wait to see what happens to the economy, he said, which in turn slows the pace of his business. Even so, the development is half full. Other businesses that have already relocated or have agreed to do so include: Physical Therapy Partners, Liberty Bank and Financial Resource

Advisers. “While the local economy isn’t as rocked as the national one, I think everybody still takes a little bit longer to make a decision,” he said. “We certainly aren’t running for cover at this point. While ’09 will be a challenge, I think things will turn over.” Contact Jens Manuel Krogstad at (319) 291-1580 or jens.krogstad@wcfcourier.com.

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Sunday, February 1, 2009

2009 may bring construction projects, jobs to Cedar Valley

By JENS MANUEL KROGSTAD Courier Staff Writer

WATERLOO — If proposals from Democratic leaders are any indication, the Cedar Valley could see a few more hard hats around town in 2009. Democrats won big last November, and now they’re proposing federal and state funding for infrastructure projects on a massive scale as a way to jolt an economy hard-hit by a recession. Gov. Chet Culver has proposed borrowing $700 million to fund construction and repair of roads and bridges. President Barack Obama wants to pour billions into transportation, renewable energy and other public infrastructure. The proposals would update the nation’s roads, bridges, train systems and ports. Obama proposed immediately spending $25 billion for infrastructure projects already in progress and to help schools meet energy and repair costs. The idea behind the plans is to create jobs that will trickle down to many sectors of the economy. The hope is that construction workers, truck drivers, accountants and even the local diner would see a boost in business. Rep. Bob Kressig, D-Cedar Falls, said upgrading Iowa’s grid system is essential to achieve ambitious goals to build more wind farms. “If we had a more efficient grid system, then we could expand our wind power possibilties,” he said. One road project he said should be fast-tracked with federal funding is the reconstruction of University Avenue. The main connector between Waterloo and Cedar Falls has long suffered from neglect. Potholes, ruts and seemingly yearround repairs plague the artery.

BRANDON POLLOCK / Courier Staff Photographer

A federal economic stimulus package could mean millions of dollars for Iowa’s roads and bridges, such as the Brandon Road bridge northeast of La Porte City.

Sidewalks don’t exist around College Square Mall and little landscaping and little space exists between frontage roads and the avenue, creating traffic problems. “It would create a significant number of jobs in the area,” he said. Sen. Bill Dotzler, D-Waterloo, said it has long been known

that Iowa’s bridges, in particular, are crumbling. Many rural bridges are more than 100 years old, and the number of projects waiting is continually growing. “We have bridge problems all over. It would take no effort at all to find worthy projects. Some county bridges, heck, they were built in the 1890s,”

he said. But perhaps the most direct way Iowans will see a newlyelected government at work is in tax cuts. The Obama administration has proposed $275 billion in tax cuts that would reach 95 percent of filers. The most recent proposal to come out of the House includes $145 billion in income tax cuts,

$500 per year for individuals and $1,000 per year for famlies with another $32 billion for expanding child tax credits and creating a college tuition credit. Also on the table is a $41 billion proposal for small businesses to write off up to $125,000 in capital expenditures. Rep. Bruce Braley, D-Waterloo, said he supports any tax

relief for middle-class families. “Congressman Braley is definitely supportive of tax cuts for the middle class, including the Making Work Pay tax credit,” said Jeff Giertz, a Braley spokesman. Contact Jens Manuel Krogstad at (319) 291-1580 or jens.krogstad@wcfcourier.com.

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K1 Sunday

February 1, 2009

WATERLOO www.wcfcourier.com CEDAR FALLS

Brooklyn Gray steers a tractor through a Grant Wood landscape during a visit by McKinstry Elementary third-graders to the Phelps Youth Pavilion in Waterloo. The pavilion opened in April.

Culture infusion By MELODY PARKER Courier Arts / Special Sections Editor

WATERLOO — With the opening of the Sullivan Brothers Iowa Veterans Museum and Phelps Youth Pavilion in 2008, downtown Waterloo is realizing its potential as one of best cultural destinations in the state. “We’ve raised the profile of the Cedar Valley,” says Cammie Scully, director of the Waterloo Center for the Arts and Phelps Youth Pavilion. “There’s a lot of excitement in the community. There’s a whole renaissance that’s happening in Waterloo. This community is blossoming, and everything feeds into everything else, and the better we get, the more develops around us.” The completion of the Public Expo, the reopening of the Dan Gable Wrestling Museum after devastating flood damage, new dining and entertainment venues and the eventual completion of the Riverfront Renaissance project are helping to poise downtown Waterloo for an additional increase in tourism. “It’s obvious that it’s happening when you stand back and look at what’s been done already,” Grout Museum District director Billie Bailey said. “At our end, the Grout Museum District has opened the Sullivan Brothers Iowa Veterans Museum. A block away is Expo Plaza and the public market. Go

The Sullivan Brothers Iowa Veterans Museum in Waterloo opened in November.

another two blocks or so and there’s the Phelps Youth Pavilion. Go down Fourth Street and you’ll see that the streetscape is changing. There are fine places to eat with CU Restaurant and Galleria de Paco and a Mexican restaurant, Jameson’s Pub and Barmuda bringing a restaurant and entertainment downtown. It’s fun to have that

start happening in your own downtown.” More than 28,000 visitors have enjoyed hands-on activities and exhibits at the Phelps Youth Pavilion since its grand opening in April. More than 9,000 people have visited the Sullivan Brothers Iowa Veterans Museum since its November opening.

Courier File Photos

Museums add vibrance to downtown Waterloo

The $11.5 million addition to the Grout Museum of History and Science culminated a major fundraising effort that included more than 700 individual and business contributors, as well as a $1.5 million state Vision Iowa grant. Bailey said reaction to the new museum has been phenomenal. “One local person told me, shortly after we opened, ‘This is wonderful. I don’t even feel like I’m in Waterloo.’ I take that in a positive way, that good things are happening here. Another visitor said the museum is as good or better than anything they’d seen in Washington, D.C.” The museum devotes exhibit space to every major war in which Iowans have served from the Civil War to the present conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Displays also commemorate the five Sullivan brothers who died serving together aboard the USS Juneau during the Battle of Guadalcanal. Bailey said what also has put the museum “on the map” is the breadth of Iowa veterans’ war stories found in hundreds of hours of interviews. “It’s not just about the battles and military equipment, but about the people who went to war and the people at home,” Bailey said. The Phelps Youth Pavilion is at the forefront of children’s art museums in Iowa and the nation, Scully said. Other museums may be installing children’s

areas or adding activities, but the Phelps is totally devoted to children’s art. It is filled with interactive exhibits that are models for other institutions. Visitors have come from throughout the United States to see the $6.3 million addition to the Waterloo Center for the Arts, Scully said. “We’ve had people from Chicago, Minneapolis and Omaha say they’ve never seen anything like this. In the Cedar Valley, children come with their school groups and then return with their families.” Traffic also is steadily flowing through the Waterloo Center for the Arts’ exhibits and cafe, and the center’s profile has been raised. “We’re booked two years out for weddings and receptions and rentals. The cafe is catering lots of events. The gift store has a higher profile because it is a storefront and absolutely beautiful,” Scully said. Adding strength to the downtown renaissance is a partnership attitude. “We’re supportive of each other, and there’s a lot of joint promotion and partnering on projects,” Scully said. “We’re all part of the mix, plus the historic homes and state designation as a Cultural District, and it’s a pretty rich environment filled with opportunities.” Contact Melody Parker at (319)291-1429 or melody.parker@wcfcourier.com.

Upcoming events ■ Waterloo Center for the Arts / Phelps Youth Pavilion Now through May 31: “Spring Sprockets & Pulleys: The Mechanical Sculptures of Steve Gerberich” Now through May 31: “Spellbound: 30 years of Collecting Haitian Art” February through May 31: “Sculpture by T.J. Erdahl” Opening in June: “Dreaming Cows” by Betty LaDuke Ongoing: Selections from the Waterloo Center for the Arts’ Permanent Collection February 3,4 and 5 — Open House: Sneak Peek at Upcoming Classes and Workshops, 6:30 to 8 p.m. Feb. 5, Feb. 19, March 5, March 19, April 2: Film Series: John Wayne, Fictionalized Cowboy Hero 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Feb. 19, March 19, April 16, May 21, June 18, July 16, Aug. 20: Phelps Youth Pavilion Dollar Days, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. March 5: Culture Fest & All-School Art Exhibit, 5:30 to 8 p.m. March 7: ArtiGras, 6:30 to 11 p.m. March 12, April 9, May 14: Sound and Vision: Open Mic Night, 6:30 to 9 p.m. June 17, July 15: Riverside Luncheon, noon to 1 p.m. June 24, July 22, Aug. 26: Jazz on the Cedar, 5:30 to 8 p.m. July 4: Rooftop Jazz & Blues, 6:30 p.m. ■ Grout Museum District / Iowa Veterans Museum Now through April 30, “Stitched by the Greatest Generation: World War II Era Quilts” Now through Feb. 28, “Cornerstones: Iowa’s first state capitol” “Night of 200 Lincolns,” Feb. 6 Continuing programs: History Unplugged, Weekly Wonders, themed activities, Saturday film series.

INSIDE

networking ■ Young professionals connect to plug the ‘brain drain.’ PAGE K2

full of character ■ Cedar Falls Parkade is not your typical downtown. PAGE K3

working to play

active imaginations

arts and culture

■ North Cedar adjusts after playground floods. PAGE K4

■ Changing educational needs take schools in new directions. PAGE K5

■ Stay entertained with community performances. PAGE K6

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Sunday, February 1, 2009

Young professionals connect to plug ‘brain drain’ ■ Iowa has second-worst out-migration rate of skilled young people. By META HEMENWAY-FORBES Courier Life Editor

CEDAR FALLS — If Iowa is to stay vibrant and progressive, it must plug the leak in the talent pool. A 2006 report from the Iowa Civic Analysis Network shows Iowa has been experiencing the gradual out-migration of young professionals for more than a decade. In fact, a December 2008 report by the Generation Iowa Commission found that from 1995-2000 Iowa had the second-highest net out-migration rate of young professionals. North Dakota had the highest rate. The phenomenon is called brain drain, defined by the U.S. Census Bureau as the outmigration of people ages 2529 who are single and college educated. “I’ve been in management, and I’ve lost a lot of professionals who worked for me because they didn’t feel like they fit or felt there was nothing in this community for them,” said Lisa Smith, owner of LKS Career Connections in Cedar Falls.

Networking

Through a new group, Cedar Valley Happenin’ Young Professionals, Smith and dozens of other local young professionals are banding together to change that mind set. They hope to lure others like them to the Cedar Valley and keep them here. The organization launched June 5 of last year through the efforts of Smith, 43, and Brett Tjaden, 35. “Myself and another individual had been talking about this for the last two years,” said Tjaden, chief operating officer for Iowa Metal Spinners. “It never really clicked with me until I took a Cedar Valley Chamber business leaders class. I grew up in Denver, so you’d think I’d know all there was to know about this community. But I learned a lot. Then I thought, ‘Where do I go now and how do I apply what I learned?’ “There is a need for a continuation of that to be exposed to what the community has to offer. There was no one outlet for me to have that. So we did a lot of brainstorming and research. There are other YP organizations throughout the state, and we were the largest metro area to not have one of these.” So Tjaden and Smith set to work, meeting with local business leaders to talk about the feasibility of creating a group for young professionals. The group would have to address three key areas: mentorship and leadership; community outreach; and networking opportunities. “It’s to make them feel like a part of the community, whether leadership development or mentoring opportunities, business networking or philanthropy growth,” Smith said. “Of course there’s the whole social outlet, too. It’s those things that are going to attract and retain a young work force, and that’s really our overall mission.” The group meets quarterly at area businesses, and members represent a diverse group of businesses and industries. Members must be at least 21. After that, age is just a number. “You can be young in age, young in your profession or young in heart,” Smith said. “Our oldest member is 56. There’s a real benefit to not putting a cap on age. Different generations can get to know each other and learn from one another.” HYP membership has doubled to more than 70 members since the first meeting last year. The rapid growth was not a surprise to Smith, who said it proves the need for a group like this in the Cedar Valley. “And we are on par to double in size within the next six months,” she added. Kate Miller, 33, has seen the same kind of growth in the young professionals group she helped found. Miller, director of business development for Team Technologies, was instru-

VGM Group’s Chief Financial Officer Mike Mallaro, left, speaks at the quarterly meeting of the Happenin’ Young Professionals group in Waterloo recently.

Young professionals Cedar Valley Happenin’ Young Professionals meets quarterly. For more information call Brett Tjaden at 266-1771 or visit www.cedarvalleyhyp.com. IT Happy Hour group meets the second Thursday each month. For more information contact Kate Miller at 266-1700 ext. 1234 or e-mail kate.miller@teamnet.net.

mental in getting the IT Happy Hour group off the ground. She and several fellow information technology professionals sent out e-mail invitations to their IT peers and were happy when between 10 and 15 people showed up for the first meeting. Today, the group boasts nearly 80 members and a number of corporate sponsors. “It’s a great opportunity for

business leaders to see what the employment pool is,” Miller said. The group meets the second Thursday of the month to socialize and network.

“The people who come to these are our future community and business leaders, and I think we’re seeing more and more that in order to climb that corporate ladder our genera-

tion needs to have face-to-face communication and one-on-one personal experiences. In the high-tech world, people are getting used to hiding behind their computers, and we are starting

RICK TIBBOTT / Courier Staff Photographer

to see that isn’t always the best way to communicate.” Contact Meta Hemenway-Forbes at (319) 291-1483 or meta.hemenwayforbes@wcfcourier.com.

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Photos by MATTHEW PUTNEY / Courier Photo Editor

Community Main Street leaders see great things on the horizon for the entire Cedar Falls Main Street District.

Cedar Falls Parkade It’s not your typical downtown

■ Community support has helped area flourish, some say. By EMILY CHRISTENSEN Courier Staff Writer

CEDAR FALLS — The shops and restaurants in the Cedar Falls Main Street District have changed in the past year, but the differences have done little to impact the feel of the area, according to Main Street supporters. “First and foremost, Main Street is a very cultural, mixeduse destination,” said Darin Beck, president of the Community Main Street board. “You can eat, drink, shop. We offer services from a massage to a comedy show. It’s not like anything you see anywhere else in this town. It’s not a typical downtown. The area has matured nicely over the years.” While Beck credits the Cedar Valley Main Street organization with recruiting the right blend of businesses for the neighborhood, he also noted that it is the community’s support of the district that has allowed it to flourish. “People want to be back in their downtowns. There is heritage and character there that you can’t find at a shopping mall,” Beck said. The district suffered through the loss of some cornerstone businesses this year, including

Schilling Jewelry and Cathy’s Hallmark. Though those buildings are still unoccupied, several other entrepreneurial endeavors found a new home along the Parkade and the surrounding streets. Jan Andersen, interim director of Community Main Street, said nine new businesses opened in 2008 and negotiations are under way with several other small business owners. The new businesses brought about 20 new full- and part-time jobs to the community. Investment in the district totaled a record $4.5 million, which included the renovation of the Black Hawk Motor Lodge and a new facade and interior overhaul for the building that now houses LSB Financial, PetersonHill Insurance and Century 21 Real Estate. The Parkade also saw its first new construction in years with the in-fill building at 208 Main. Projects already planned for 2009 include a 700-square-foot expansion at Basket of Daisies and a facade restoration project at the old Oster building, which houses Kinetic Energy, Runway and An Elegant Affair by Amy. That project also will include an interior renovation of living space on the second floor. Kim Buenzow opened Runway, a specialty clothing store, in October 2007. She hadn’t heard about the planned renovations for her building but was excited to know they were on the horizon. “The exterior of the build-

“People want to be back in their downtowns. There is heritage and character there that you can’t find at a shopping mall.” Darin Beck

president, Community Main Street board

ing is what intrigues people to come inside. I think we are one of the only sections left that hasn’t been updated, so this will be nice,” she said. Despite the successes counted by the Community Main Street organization and board, they also note that the area is weathering its share of this economic storm. The increasing desirability of the Main Street district has driven up property values and increased rent, out-pricing some of the small businesses that once called Main Street home. “The No. 1 thing working against growth in downtown is the banks willing to lend money to a startup business,” Beck said. “In general, downtown businesses are niche businesses, and banks aren’t as willing to lend to them. But, the odds of a downtown store filling before an empty store in the shopping mall is still good.” Buenzow said even though

the downtown storefronts may fill up faster, it is still sometimes difficult to bring shoppers to the district. “It would be nice to see some more retail shops downtown. We have a lot of restaurants and bars, but we need more to encourage people to come down here during the day,” she said. “People still think, when they need to shop, that they have to go to the mall. It’s just a matter of reprogramming, and everyone I’ve talked to, once they come down here they are happy about it.” Beck said some downtown property owners also will use this down time to renovate their storefronts to make them more attractive to potential buyers when the market begins looking up again. “We all wondered how long Dutcher’s would sit empty, and look at it now,” Beck said. The building has been transformed into an upscale Italian dining establishment, My Verona. Community Main Street leaders are open to bringing in any businesses that fit with the district’s overlay, but Beck said he would especially like to see a bookstore and niche grocery store, similar to a Roots Market, find their way to the district. “Those additions could make this an even better place to work and live,” he said. Contact Emily Christensen at (319) 291-1570 or emily.christensen@wcfcourier.com.

Downtown Cedar Falls continues to be an attraction for the community, boasting the Oster Regent Theatre, several restaurants, bars, a comedy club and specialty shopping.

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“We’re really kind of at a standstill until spring now. We’re just hoping Mother Nature will cooperate.” Doug Nefzger

district’s director of business affairs

BRANDON POLLOCK / Courier Staff Photographer

North Cedar Elementary School third-graders, from left, Olivia Schatzle, Kenneth Lind and Karly Pagano build a snow chair Jan. 20 in front of playground equipment that had to be sanitized after being submerged in floodwaters.

North Cedar adjusts after playground floods By TINA HINZ Courier Staff Writer

CEDAR FALLS — North Cedar Elementary School’s building was spared from flooding, but their playground needs work. Students had limited outdoor play space when school resumed in the fall. Last summer’s record events caused $63,281 in damages to North Cedar’s playground equipment and ball fields. A $50,801 reimbursement grant was secured through the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and the school district will cover the rest with physical plant and equipment levy dollars. District staff scrubbed and sanitized the playground equipment for the first day of school, which is not eligible for FEMA money because it was done as part of employees’ normal workday. Also, pea gravel and wood chips were removed and replaced underneath. However, the baseball diamond and football field still were drying out when winter came. A temporary fence has been erected to keep students and the community off the flooded property. “It was still so spongy and soft that we couldn’t proceed,” said Principal Jen Hartman. Water covered both fields, submerged basketball hoops and covered the play equipment to the east and south of the building. As of midAugust, between 1/2 and 1 foot of standing water still covered some of the playground. It didn’t recede from the baseball field until midfall. “It was a lot longer than anybody thought it would be,” said Doug Nefzger, the

district’s director of business affairs. Hartman said outdoor recesses haven’t been modified much. A good amount of greenspace is available for kids to play football or soccer. Physical education classes also have accommodated to the limited space. A walking track surrounding the football field, for example, is still out of commission, so teachers plotted a course around the building for students to run a mile. “It didn’t work out too badly, but I’m sure everybody will be ready to be back to normal,” Hartman said. District administrators have looked at long-term solutions to the flooding problem. A civil engineer has inspected the property and given the district ideas on how to address the problem. In August, Nefzger said one possibility would have been to bring the playground up to curb level, a project that would require about 25,000 cubic yards of fill and 28,000 cubic yards of top soil and would cost about $186,000. Another option would have built the playground up to three feet above street level, which would get the area out of the 100-year flood plain, and would cost about $262,000. “We’ve looked into it, but it is expensive and may be cost prohibitive,” Nefzger said. All the land that was under water will be reseeded in spring, and shrubbery and trees will be replaced, Nefzger said. Lime for the baseball diamond and track will be removed and also replaced. A sinkhole in the driveway leading to the street on the south

side has already been fixed. “We’re really kind of at a

standstill until spring now,” Nefzger said. “We’re just

hoping Mother Nature will cooperate.”

Contact Tina Hinz at (319) 291-1484 or tina.hinz@wcfcourier.com.

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Active imaginations Changing educational needs take school districts in directions parents never dreamed of By ANDREW WIND Courier Staff Writer

WATERLOO — Karen DeSerano’s fifth-grade students want to come up to the board. The Kittrell Elementary School teacher is among those in Waterloo Community Schools piloting Promethean Activboards this year. Instead of messy chalk, students use a wireless pen that can interact with the electronic white board, which essentially has a large computer screen projected onto it. “Everybody’s hand is up, because they all want to try it,” Aldijana Melkic said during a December math class where fellow students were creating graphs at the board. DeSerano said students “stay more actively engaged” during class, thanks to the new technology. The Activboards in 129 district classrooms and libraries are the first sign of the new direction local educators are taking as they introduce reforms and respond to changing student needs. Waterloo’s Board of Education will decide this spring whether or not to bring the technology into all district classrooms. “The school board made it very clear to me at the time they were hiring me that we wanted to increase student achievement and close the achievement gap,” said Gary Norris, who became the district’s superintendent last summer. “What’s driving the effort is having all kids — heavy emphasis on ‘all kids’ — to be productive citizens.” Norris’ administration is writing a strategic plan to be unveiled this spring that will guide the school district until 2015 in areas of classroom engagement, student assessment practices, drop-out prevention and high school reform. “With that plan lies a lot of exciting things and a lot of change and a lot of new direction,” he said. While Cedar Falls Community Schools is not in the midst of a long-term planning process, Superintendent David Stoakes recognizes that certain types of changes are necessary for the district. “When you look at the world our kids are entering into now, it’s vastly different than it was even five years ago,” he said. “We do need change, and we need to create a sense of urgency around the rate at which we change.” Stoakes agreed with Norris that high school reform is necessary. Along with that, he said, the Cedar Falls district must gain a better understanding of what helps students succeed after high school. It also must address needs related to changing student demographics.

Engagement vital

Norris believes increased student engagement is a vital part of the change needed in Waterloo. He said some research suggests 30 percent of students are highly motivated with up to 70 percent not engaged and “treading water” by high school. Properly using the features of an interactive white board — including occasional video clips — can go a long way to engaging students, said Norris. It is not the only component, though. “The technology is a piece of engagement, but engagement comes from redesigning the lesson to make it more of a project,” he said, that includes an investigative process. “Students are assigned to work in teams, just like they are out in the real world.” Norris added that “a very robust professional development plan” for teachers is necessary to make an impact on student achievement. Activboard technology also plays into revising district assessment practices. Students have hand-held devices for simultaneously choosing a multiple choice answer or texting a short written answer to the teacher’s questions. The focus is on frequently checking how students are doing so further teaching of a concept can occur, if necessary. Teachers at each grade level

Photos by RICK TIBBOTT / Courier Staff Photographer

Peggy Nicol, a special education teacher at Black Hawk Elementary School in Waterloo, takes time after the demonstration to experience the activboard white board system firsthand.

“When you look at the world our kids are entering into now, it’s vastly different than it was even five years ago. We do need change and we need to create a sense of urgency around the rate at which we change.” David Stoakes

Cedar Falls Schools superintendent

are developing “common formative assessments” to determine what students should have learned in a subject by a certain point. These short tests are given more frequently than the end of a chapter or semester. “Teachers right now all over the district are using common formative assessments to monitor weekly or monthly progress,” said Norris. “You’re looking at student progress so that an adjustment can be made.” As part of the new approach, the district stopped giving students standardized tests in the fall. Instead of testing students twice a year, they will now only be tested in the spring. “The fact is a teacher can’t make weekly or daily decisions based on a once-a-year or twicea-year test,” said Norris. Next fall, he expects to introduce the Performance-Based Diploma program at the high schools to bolster Waterloo’s drop-out prevention efforts. The program has academic, career and technical education and counseling components. “In Performance-Based Diploma, your achievement and your advancement is on the basis of mastery,” said Norris, rather than the amount of time in class. Students complete the academic component at their own pace through an interactive computer program aligned to the district’s curriculum. The career and technical education will include classes developed by the district or in partnership with Hawkeye Community College. “The beauty of it is not only do these kids not drop out of high school, but they can go to work immediately if they want to,” said Norris, after completing appropriate technical classes. Group counseling sessions will help students resolve conflicts with family, friends and employers. They also will be assigned a mentor. “They learn the art of relationships,” he said, calling it “the most overlooked” component of any drop-out program. In Cedar Falls, Stoakes said, the student body is getting more diverse, which presents some challenges. Minority stu-

dents have risen from 10 to 14 percent of the enrollment during the last five years. “What the folks at the Education Department tell us is that’s the highest percentage increase of any school district in the state.” Stoakes noted that minorities would make up 18 to 20 percent of students in five years if that rate of increase continues. “We know that we have to better educate ourselves in cultural competencies,” he said, which means training educators to understand cultural differences from their students that can impact the learning process. “The focus so far in some of our buildings has been on poverty, and I think you’ll see us expand from there.”

Reforms necessary

High school reform is on the radar for both Stoakes and Norris, though each district is in a different place with the concept. “By age 23, only 18 percent of kids have an (associate’s) degree or a (bachelor’s) degree across the country, and so something’s not working,” said Norris. “Our high school staff is trying to focus on two main elements: rigor of academic coursework and relevance,” said Stoakes. As part of that, 12 high school teachers are involved in a statesponsored pilot program developing the concept of “authentic intellectual work.” “It’s just another way of looking at critical thinking and transferring some of that thought process to make it more student-centered,” said high school Principal Rich Powers. The emphasis is on helping students understand the realworld application of the skills they are learning. Stoakes said the district is seeking to understand what students need to succeed after high school by developing stronger relationships with colleges, universities and employers. They also want students to better understand what opportunities exist in their own community. “We’ve got some good hightech companies out in the

industrial park,” said Stoakes. “The brain drain in Iowa is still pretty real. It would sure be nice to keep those kids.” The district is expanding concurrent courses, where advanced students can take college classes at the high school and earn credit at both levels. Along with that, the high school is developing career pathways that allow students to take a series of classes exploring a particular field. “Absolutely, we want them to be thinking about the future,” said Powers. He noted there’s still a value when students take a class and find they really aren’t interested in a particular career field. Waterloo’s high schools are talking about going a step beyond career pathways to

career academies by fall 2010. Along with focusing classes to get students thinking about careers, this approach also segments students by broad areas of interest. Remodeling areas of the high schools would be required to create these smaller learning communities. “The way you make learning more relevant is to make young people see their learning in a context,” said Norris. The academies would ideally include about 300 students attending classes in the same section of the school with a focus on a broad area of interest. Students would continue to have common core subject requirements, but classes would be tailored to focus on the career area. “We’re never asking kids in the ninth grade to decide

between careers,” said Norris, noting students could switch academies and take classes outside of theirs. “It’s that we give the teachers that are in those academies the opportunity to make it relevant.” In addition, students in an academy would have a smaller group of teachers in common for their classes. Creating smaller learning communities helps students who would otherwise lack direction in a large urban school. “It begins to feel like a 300student high school rather than an 1,800 (-student school),” said Norris. “I see it as a way to reinvent what we’re all about in the Waterloo area.” Contact Andrew Wind at 291-1507 or andrew.wind@wcfcourier.com.

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Stay entertained with community performances By MELODY PARKER Courier Arts / Special Sections Editor

“Rumplestiltskin,” BHCT, April 24-26.

Cedar Falls Community Theatre

Bob the Builder — kids’ favorite Mr. Fix-it — brings his cando crew to the Gallagher-Bluedorn Performing Arts Center stage for performances at 1 and 4 p.m. today. Cedar Valley residents will be as busy as Bob in Bobsville as winter wanes and spring picks up steam with the many entertainment events being offered at GBPAC, Waterloo-Cedar Falls Symphony Orchestra, the Wartburg Artist Series, Theatre UNI, Waterloo Community Playhouse, Cedar Falls Community Theatre and more. Grab your calendar:

“The Importance of Being Earnest,” Oster Regent Theatre, Cedar Falls, Feb. 13-22.

Theatre UNI “A Day in Hollywood/A Night in the Ukraine,” Theatre UNI, Strayer-Wood Theatre, 7:30 p.m. Feb. 27-28, March 6-7 and 2 p.m. March 1-2.

Waterloo-Cedar Falls Symphony Orchestra

GBPAC/UNI Spotlight Series Concert: Faculty Artist Chamber Music Showcase, 7:30 p.m. Feb. 3. Flute Choir and Flute Studio Concert, 8 p.m. Feb. 4. Faculty Artist Recital: Yu-Ting Su, horn, 8 p.m. Feb. 7. Northern Festival of Bands, 7:30 p.m. Feb. 13 and 2 p.m. Feb. 14. Czech Symphony Orchestra, 8 p.m. Feb. 14. UNI Suzuki School of Music Faculty Recital, 6 p.m. Feb. 17. Chris Buckholz, trombone, faculty recital, 8 p.m. Feb. 17. Tallcorn Jazz Festival and Sinfonian Dimensions in Jazz Concerts, 7:30 p.m. Feb. 20-21. Montana Repertory Theatre, “To Kill a Mockingbird,” 7:30 p.m. Feb. 22. Ronald K. Brown Evidence, 7:30 p.m. Feb. 28. “The Pajama Game,” 2 and 7 p.m. March 1. Jazz Combos Concert, 7:30 p.m. March 2. The Fascinating Gershwin, Metro Community Concert Association, 7:30 p.m. March 2. Marek Kudlicki, organ, 8 p.m. March 3. Percussion Ensemble, Kaji-Daiko & West African Drum Ensemble, 8 p.m., March 4. Great Big Sea, 7:30 p.m. March 5. UNI Concert Chorale and Chamber Singers, 7:30 p.m. March 9. Spotlight Series Concert: UNI Symphonic Band, 7:30 p.m. March 10. Spotlight Series Concert: UNI Symphonic Band, 7:30 p.m. March 10. Northern Iowa Wind Symphony, 7:30 p.m. March 11. Merz/Washut Duo, Graham Hall at Russell Hall, 6 p.m.. March 12.

“Arms and the Man,” March 27-April

Courtesy Photos

Great Big Sea

Ronald K. Brown Evidence dance troupe Halgedahl/Botkin Duo, 8 p.m. March 12. “RAIN The Beatles Experience,” 7 p.m. March 15. “Chosen: A Chamber Theatre Reading,” 8 p.m. March 23. Northwind Quintet, 7:30 p.m. March 24. Jeongwon Ham, piano, 8 p.m. March 25. Spotlight Series Concert: Northern Iowa Symphony Orchestra, 7:30 p.m. March 26. Iowa Days of Percussion, March

27-28. Cantus, 3 p.m. March 29. Spotlight Series Concert: Performance Competition Finals, 7:30 p.m. March 30. Jean McDonald, mezzo-soprano & Korey Barrett, piano, 8 p.m. March 31. Amanda McCandless, clarinet, Julia Bullard, viola & Robin Guy, piano, 8 p.m. April 1. Philippa Davies, flute, 8 p.m. April 2. UNI Jazz Band One, 7:30 p.m. April 3. “Favorites, Old and New,” 7:30 p.m. April 4. Salzburg Chamber Soloists, 3 p.m.

April 5. UNI Varsity Men’s Glee Club, 7:30 p.m. April 6. UNI Brass Choir, 8 p.m. April 6. “The Drowsy Chaperone,” 7:30 p.m. April 7-8. UNI Trumpet Ensemble Concert, 8 p.m. April 7. UNI Choral Invitational, April 10. Kui-Im Lee, organ, 8 p.m. April 10. UNI Student Composer’s Concert, 8 p.m. April 13. Barbary Coast Dixieland Band, Metro Community Concert Series, 7:30 p.m. April 14. UNI Jazz Panthers, 7:30 p.m. April 14. Percussion Ensemble, Kaji-Daiko & West African Drum Ensemble, 8 p.m. April 15. UNI Singers and Women’s Chorus, 7:30 p.m. April 16. Hunter Capoccioni, bass, 5 p.m. April 17. Northern Iowa Wind Symphony, 7:30 p.m. April 17. UNI Faculty String Quartet, 8 p.m. April 18. Community Music School Spring Festival and Recitals, 1 p.m. April 19. Northern Iowa Junior Orchestra, 3 p.m. April 19. UNI Horn Choir, 8 p.m. April 19. Steven Mead, euphonium, 8 p.m. April 21. UNI Student Chamber Music Concert, 8 p.m. April 22.

UNITUBA Concert, 8 p.m. April 23. UNI Opera Gala, 2 p.m. April 26. UNI Jazz Band III, 7:30 p.m. April 28. Thomas & Friends Live on Stage, McCleod Center, April 28-29. UNI New Horizons Band Spring Concert, 7:30 p.m. April 30.

Waverly National Acrobats of China, Wartburg Artist Series, Neumann Auditorium, Wartburg College, Waverly, 7:30 p.m. Feb. 5. “The Vagina Monologues,” McCaskey Lyceum, Saemann Student Center, Wartburg, 8 p.m. Feb. 6-7. Daria Rabotkina, Waverly Community Orchestra, Neumann Auditorim, 7:30 p.m Feb. 7. “Pal Joey,” Wartburg Players, Neumann Auditorium, 7:30 p.m. Feb. 19-21. The Spencer Theatre of Illusion, Wartburg Artists Series, Neumann Auditorium, 7:30 p.m. March 10. Darwyn Apple, Waverly Community Symphony Orchestra, Neumann Auditorium, 7:30 p.m. March 21.

Waterloo Community Playhouse “Bell, Book and Candle,” Hope Martin Theatre, Waterloo Center for the Arts, Feb. 6-14. “The Velveteen Rabbit,” Black Hawk Children’s Theatre, March 6-8.

“B Surprised,” featuring Wolfgang David, GBPAC, Cedar Falls, 7:30 p.m. Feb. 7. “American Places, American Bassinet,” featuring Edgar Meyer, 7:30 p.m. March 7. WCF Symphony Lollipop Concert, 10 and 11 a.m. March 28. WCF Symphony Lollipop Concert, Bluedorn Imaginarium, 10 and 11 a.m. April 11. WCF Symphony’s ”Oz with Orchestra,” 2 and 7:30 p.m. April 25.

Other Second Annual Beers to You and Gourmet Too, Five Sullivan Brothers Convention Center, 3 to 7 p.m. Feb. 8. Jeff Dunham, “Spark of Insanity,” UNI-Dome, Cedar Falls, Feb. 13. Eastern Iowa Home Improvement & Landscaping Show, Five Sullivan Brothers Convention Center, Feb. 13-15. “Death Perception: The Science of Forensic Anthropology,” UNI Museum, Cedar Falls, Feb. 16-May 16. “Celebrate Main!,” downtown Cedar Falls, Feb. 19. Maple Syrup Festival, Hartman Reserve Nature Center, Cedar Falls, 7 a.m. March 7-8. International Harvester Collectors National Convention , Five Sullivan Brothers, March 12-14. “Hormonal Imbalance,” Hawkeye Celebrates the Arts! Artists Series, Tama Hall, 7 to 9 p.m. March 12. Eastern Iowa Sportshow, UNI-Dome, March 13-15 Antique & Collectibles Show, UNIDome, March 20-22. Black Label Society in Concert, featuring Sevendust, Dope & Infinite Staircase, McElroy Auditorium, NCC grounds, 7 p.m. March 24. David Seebach’s “Wonders of Magic,” Hawkeye Celebrates the Arts! Artists Series, Tama Hall, 7 p.m. April 7. Earth Fair 2009, Hartman Reserve Nature Center, 1 to 5 p.m. April 19.