FRIDAY, AUG. 31, 2018  |  IN THIS ISSUE  
Editor's note: There will be no CBJ newsletters on Monday, as we will be closed in observance of Labor Day. We'll be back at it Tuesday morning. Have a safe and fun holiday weekend!
Story1UI Art Building to house new innovation center
The former UI Art Building is set to be the new home of an innovation center aimed at supporting entrepreneurs. CREDIT UI
The building where Grant Wood created his world-famous art soon will become a place where University of Iowa students and faculty can collaborate and innovate to solve big problems facing the world.
 
The UI announced Thursday it will ask the state's Board of Regents at its September meeting for permission to convert the former Art Building into an innovation center that crosses disciplinary boundaries and brings people together to experiment, learn and build.

"The Art Building will once again become a space for inspiration and collaboration," David Hensley, executive director of the John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center (JPEC), said in a statement. "By bringing together inventors, creators and leaders from a variety of backgrounds and skills, we will significantly enhance the university's ability to support the next generation of innovators and entrepreneurs."

Innovation centers are becoming increasingly common on university campuses, with Iowa State University set to open its own innovation center next year. The idea is to create an environment that gathers collaborators from both on and off campus to bring groundbreaking research and scholarship to the rest of the world through new businesses and social entrepreneurship.

Most often, innovation centers are gleaming, futuristic-looking new construction. But UI planners say the repurposed Depression-era Art Building is a perfect place to encourage innovation and creativity, because the building itself is the result of those skills. 
 
Opened in 1936, the building was originally conceived as an arts colony that would bring to life the Iowa Idea, a then-revolutionary concept that brought the teaching of art history and art creation under a single roof.
 
Programming for the innovation center still is under development. It is being coordinated by Mr. Hensley and Sarah Gardial, dean of the Tippie College of Business.

"We will meet with deans, faculty members and many other campus partners in the coming months to gather their ideas," Ms. Gardial said in a release. "We want to ensure the innovation center is a welcoming place for potential innovators and entrepreneurs from all across campus, students and faculty in every college and department, and from around the state of Iowa."

A rendering of what Bread Garden Market and Bakery's new hospital kiosk could look like. CREDIT UIHC
About two weeks after setting off a 
social media outcry  over its decision to terminate its 14-year-old contract with Java House, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics has named the new operator of four hospital locations: t he Bread Garden Market and Bakery, headquartered in downtown Iowa City.
 
"We are pleased and excited to announce the selection of Bread Garden Market, a locally-owned business, as our new vendor that will operate four kiosk locations here," UIHC said in a statement released this week.

Bread Garden Market will begin service Nov. 1 at locations in the Roy Carver Pavillion, General Hospital, the Pomerantz Family Pavilion and the Stead Family Children's Hospital.

Java House, which has been told to vacate those sites by the end of October, will continue to operate its location in the Pappajohn Biomedical Discovery Building on the health sciences campus and in the Iowa Memorial Union.  
 
UIHC received a total of seven bids during "a fair and open competitive bid process," with the review team unanimously recommending acceptance of the Bread Garden Market bid. 

Under the terms of the two-year contract, Bread Garden will pay upward of $58,000 annually in rent and share profits on a sliding scale ranging from 18 percent on revenue up to $1 million, to 22 percent on revenue over $3 million. Java House paid more than $50,000 in annual rent, with revenue sharing topping out at 17 percent.

In its statement, UIHC, which has faced difficult financial decisions in recent years, emphasized Bread Garden's willingness to adapt and expand for the hospital market: "One of the important features of the winning bid was Bread Garden Market's vision for expanding their service and providing a complete range of menu options for patients, visitors and staff." 

"We intend to create an environment that allows guests to proudly tell their family, friends and associates to Meet Me at the Bread Garden Cafe where they will find fresh flavors served by familiar faces," Bread Garden said in a statement of its own  posted on Facebook, adding that it encouraged current hospital coffee shop employees to join its new team.

 
In this week's CBJ Report on CBS2/FOX 28, Editor Adam Moore discusses the ongoing fallout from the newbo evolve festival, University of Iowa Hospital and Clinics' announcement that Bread Garden Market and Bakery will take over its hospital kiosks, and Foundry IRL, a student-led collaborative retail space coming to the Iowa River Landing in Coralville. Watch the full report here   
 
Tesla Motors' electric-powered tractor-trailer. CREDIT: RUAN
Representatives from Tesla Motors visited with team members of Ruan Transportation Management Systems and several Ruan customers in Des Moines this week for a preview of Tesla's electric-powered tractor-trailer, the Des Moines Business Record reports.  
 
Ruan, which has a location in Cedar Rapids, reserved five of the new semis for delivery and testing in January. 

Prototypes of the semi have been traveling the country, making stops with key companies that have invested in the all-electric semis expected to be released in 2019. During the voyage, the trucks have been charged using Tesla's existing network of Supercharger stations. Tesla expects a 300- or 500-mile range for the trucks, varying by model. 

According to a release from Ruan, the 100 percent electric, battery-powered trucks boast impressive features that could allow them to outperform diesel-powered or hybrid models currently available. Among them are improved aerodynamics, a zero-to-60 mph speed of five seconds without load, and a 500-mile range per charge. According to the company, a 400-mile range will be attainable with just a 30-minute charge from one of Tesla's planned Megacharger stations.

"We are excited to have an opportunity to experience the new electric semis," said James Cade, vice president of Ruan fleet services. "The reservation of these vehicles is part of Ruan's sustainability efforts and commitment to providing our customers and professional drivers with the best technology available."

Mr. Cade said that Ruan will continue to be involved with the team at Tesla Motors as they introduce the trucks to the market: "We will work with them directly to ensure the vehicles will serve us and our customers to the level we both expect."

Nominations are now open for the 2019 Iowa Women of Achievement Awards, presented by Iowa Women Lead Change (IWLC). 
 
The award recognizes the contributions of historical (deceased) Iowa women who made outstanding and lasting contributions to the citizens of Iowa or have advanced the well-being of others throughout world. 
 
Nominations will be reviewed by a committee of community judges and up to three awards will be presented, to be commemorated at the Iowa Women of Achievement Bridge in downtown Des Moines with honorary plaques on June 8, 2019.
 
Nominees will be women who were born in Iowa, achieved prominence within Iowa or had been a resident of Iowa for an extended period after achieving prominence elsewhere. They will be selected on merit in the following areas:
  • For making lasting contributions
  • Serving as a role model or change agent
  • Impacting the social, cultural, economic or political well-being of the community, state or nation
  • Inspiring future generations
To nominate an outstanding historical Iowa woman, fill out the online form here. All nomination forms and supporting documents must be submitted by Jan. 15, 2019. 
 
Sept. 4
On the Menu: Winning Websites, by Marion Chamber of Commerce, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., Marion City Hall, 1225 Sixth Ave., Marion. On the Menu is a quarterly lunch and learn series. Each event will feature a topic expert from SCORE of East Central Iowa. Free for members, $10 for non-members. For more information, visit bit.ly/2Mol40b.

Iowa City Roundtable, by Iowa City Area Chamber of Commerce, noon-1 p.m., Hilton Garden Inn, 328 S. Clinton St., Iowa City. Roundtables are social lunches over the noon hour. All are invited to network and keep up-to-date with chamber and community events. Free for members. Call the chamber at (319) 337-9637 if interested and not a member.

Ribbon Cutting: Central State Bank, by Iowa City Area Chamber of Commerce, 4 p.m., 805 22nd Ave., Coralville. Help celebrate the opening of Central State Bank's new branch. Free.

Sept. 5
Cyber Security Breakfast, by Corridor Business Journal, 7:30-9:30 a.m., Coralville Marriott, 300 E. Ninth St., Coralville. This year's edition will cover the latest in cybersecurity trends and threats, managing incident response, cybersecurity insurance, risk assessment and more. Tickets: $40 up to Aug. 29, $55 after; $400 for a table of 10, $500 after Aug. 29. To register, contact Ashley Levitt at ashley@corridorbusiness.com or (319) 665-6397, ext. 311.

1 Million Cups, by 1MC, 9-10 a.m., Geonetric, 415 12th Ave. SE, Cedar Rapids and MERGE, 136 S. Dubuque St., Iowa City. Join for community connections, startup pitches and free coffee. The September theme for Cedar Rapids' meeting is the city of Marion. Free. For more information, visit facebook.com/1MCICR.
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Headlines from CBS2/FOX 28
These news items are provided by CBS2/FOX 28  
 
The Cedar Rapids School Board voted Thursday night to terminate a Metro High School teacher.  Tammy Ryan was accused of inappropriately using an African-American doll in class. The school board held three days of private meetings to discuss the matter. A source tells CBS2/FOX 28 News a teacher's union lawyer defended Ms. Ryan.  In a statement to CBS2/FOX 28 News, Cedar Rapids Community Schools Superintendent Brad Buck said, "We want to thank the board of directors for their time, attention, and thoughtful deliberation. We honor this process and respect that it allows for the board, superintendent, and staff to work toward an outcome after taking into consideration every possible detail as it relates to all involved."  On July 16, Mr, Buck recommended Ms. Ryan's employment and contract be terminated effective immediately. "The recommendation was an early step in a process which allows for a private hearing before the board," Mr. Buck said. "I respect the process and appreciate the opportunity it provides to deeply involve all impacted parties toward an appropriate resolution."
 
A woman  accused of killing a trucker at an Iowa County rest stop last year has been found guilty of first-degree murder.  The Gazette  reports  that 44-year-old Mariana Lesnic was convicted of killing 60-year-old Ernest Kummer inside of his truck cab on Sept. 6, 2017. The jury deliberated for less than an hour.  Prosecutors say Ms. Lesnic shot Mr. Kummer in the head while he was asleep. Ms.  Lesnic represented herself in the trial. She admitted to shooting Mr. Kummer and claimed self-defense during her testimony, saying she felt threatened by Mr, Kummer, who had been pressuring her to date him. Prosecutors noted in closing statements that Ms. Lesnic put shorts over the top of Mr. Kummer's head before shooting him four times.

T hese news items are provided by CBS2/FOX 28 
CBS2 Chief Meteorologist Terry Swails' Weather First Forecast

The weather is going to be very unsettled over the next several days. It will be warm and muggy, which means there will be plenty of moisture and instability for showers and thunderstorms. With high moisture levels there will be the potential for heavy rain. Friday there will be a few showers and thunderstorms, mainly near and south of Highway 20. Then it will be partly sunny, warm and humid with temperatures near 80. Another round of storms develops after midnight and some storms could be strong. Gusty winds and heavy rainfall will be the main concerns. For the Labor Day weekend, a frontal boundary will stall out over the area just as abundant moisture streams across the Midwest. Waves of energy moving across the area will trigger multiple rounds of showers and storms Saturday through Monday. Temperatures will remain above normal in the low 80s.