THURSDAY, DEC. 6, 2018  |  IN THIS ISSUE  

Cedar Rapids-based Involta LLC has announced the acquisition of IT|Lynk, an IT managed services firm based in Independence, Ohio.

The deal marks the second acquisition this year for Involta and increases the company's Ohio footprint to include four data centers and offices statewide. Involta has retained all 18 IT|Lynk employees, growing the Involta team to 250 employees nationwide.

"Involta has experienced significant growth over the last several years," Bruce Lehrman, CEO and founder, stated in a press release. "IT|Lynk and Involta are very closely aligned, and we're looking forward to blending our teams, strengthening our business relationships in northeastern Ohio and helping our customers with their cloud and IT service needs."

IT|Lynk is a full-service IT consulting firm that offers IT as a service, workload as a service, virtual desktop services, and a suite of hosting services including disaster recovery. IT|Lynk's services will supplement Involta's end-to-end managed service offering and critical enterprise application hosting in the secure Involta CompliantCloud.

IT|Lynk's team of certified technical staff will bring added expertise in managing, hosting and maintaining enterprise applications. IT|Lynk customers will now have access to Involta's full suite of services and highly secure nationwide data centers.

"This is the best way of growing our offerings and support to our clients," said Chris Gurko, CEO of IT|Lynk. "This step allows us to continue to provide efficient, cost-effective and integrated services, while also offering more options aligned to our partners' business goals."

Involta has seen rapid growth over the last three years in Ohio with the acquisition of DRS, the expansion of its Akron Data Center and the new build of its Independence Data Center. 

TLC Associates has officially launched a new website to provide a more engaging experience for potential clients and employees.

"My vision for TLC Associates has always been that everyone, from the customer to the client to our employees, encounters a remarkable experience," TLC Founder and President Thomas L. Cardella stated in a press release. "Our new website clearly and effectively communicates that message, letting potential clients and employees know that we care about their satisfaction."

The more intuitive navigation and improved functionality of the new TLC website highlights the company's people-centric approach. Visitors can find relevant answers to  questions about TLC's multichannel services, capabilities across industry verticals and dedication to the customer life cycle . Testimonials, case studies, metrics and spotlights on TLC team members throughout the site highlight TLC's commitment to service, ROI and relationships.

Additionally, the website's new blog feature enables members of the TLC team to share insights, gained from years of contact center experience, with current and potential clients.

"Our people are genuine experts on the subject of contact center services,"  said Tom Moroney, executive vice president and chief commercial officer at TLC Associates. "Clients value our acumen around customer engagement, and our consultative approach helps businesses to innovate in a dynamic world."

The U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis announced today that the goods and services deficit was $55.5 billion in October, up $0.9 billion from $54.6 billion in September.

October exports were $211 billion, $0.3 billion less than September exports. October imports were $266.5 billion, $0.6 billion more than September imports. 

The October increase in the goods and services deficit reflected an increase in the goods deficit of $0.9 billion to $78.1 billion and a decrease in the services surplus of $0.1 billion to $22.6 billion.

Year-to-date, the goods and services deficit increased $51.3 billion, or 11.4 percent, from the same period in 2017. Exports increased $149.3 billion or 7.7 percent. Imports increased $200.6 billion or 8.4 percent.

For more information, visit www.bea.gov.

The city of North Liberty is launching the Youth Impact initiative, a community partnership to help youth confidently navigate the city and feel safe.

"I saw the knowledge and support my daughter and other kids in North Liberty needed as they grew up," stated resident Anne Aguirre, who approached Fire Chief Brian Platz about the initiative. "I wanted to find a way to work with community members, public safety and the city's other public servants to provide the youth of our community the information they need to be safe and successful."

The Youth Impact initiative aims to give children 9-14 years old critical tools and information to be engaged, contributing members of their community. Program topics will include internet and smartphone safety, self-awareness, self-defense, babysitting topics, CPR, and first aid training, cooking safety and fire safety.

The program is geared toward girls and boys, and will be especially tailored for prospective babysitters or sibling caretakers. Participants will graduate from the program with CPR certification, a take-home guide and a program T-shirt.

The program will be held at the North Liberty Fire Station, 25 W Cherry St., every Sunday at 6 p.m. starting Jan. 13, 2019. The program will conclude with a graduation party on Feb. 17. The class, limited to no more than 20 students, will cost $30 for materials and certification fees. Registration will be available starting Dec. 14 at the city's website, northlibertyiowa.org.
CREDIT SALVATION ARMY - CEDAR RAPIDS
Advisory board members for The Salvation Army in Cedar Rapids will be matching up to $7,074 raised in its Red Kettles on Saturday, along with providing bell ringers throughout the community all day. Funds from all of the Red Kettles go toward helping The Salvation Army reach their goal of $763,000 this year.
 
"The board is happy to show their support to the Red Kettle campaign by matching these funds," Scott Strauss, chair of The Salvation Army Advisory Board in Cedar Rapids, stated in a press release.  "We greatly appreciate the generosity of those who support The Salvation Army's mission in our area."

Currently, the campaign has raised approximately 20 percent of the $763,000 goal. The money raised throughout the campaign is used to help those in Linn County with programs like free community meals, supplemental food boxes, rent and utility assistance, emergency disaster services, youth programs and senior programs.

For more information about matching a kettle, making a donation or learning more about the various programs, visit www.sacedarrapids.org  or call (319) 364-9131.  
 
Dec. 7
Tax Law Seminar, by Terry Lockridge & Dunn, 1-4 p.m., The Hotel at Kirkwood Center, 7725 Kirkwood Blvd. SW, Cedar Rapids. Join tax experts from Terry Lockridge & Dunn for a seminar focused on individuals, real estate owners and business owners about the impact of the new tax law. Topics will include Section 199a, itemized deductions versus the standard deduction, changes in tax rates, withholding tables and more. Free. To register, contact Jody Thies at  [email protected], or call (319) 364-2945 in Cedar Rapids or (319) 339-4884 in Iowa City.

Recruiting and Retaining Millennials, by Kirkwood Community College, 2-4 p.m., Kirkwood Center for Lifelong Learning, 6301 Kirkwood Blvd. SW, Cedar Rapids. Learn how to recruit and retain millennial workers to take advantage of all they have to offer. This workshop covers a range of helpful tips, best practices, and organizational psychology theories. Cost: $79. For more information, visit  bit.ly/2KplHGI.

BizMix, by Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance and Marion Chamber of Commerce, 4-7 p.m., Veterans Memorial Building, 50 Second Ave. Bridge, Cedar Rapids. BizMix brings together area professionals for an evening of casual networking over complimentary hors d'oeuvres and cocktails, and is hosted by a different member business each month. Free. For more information, visit  bit.ly/2zbfSr4.

Protecting Your Intellectual Property, by SCORE of East Central Iowa, 6:30-8 p.m., Linn Area Credit Union, 3015 Blairs Ferry Road NE, Cedar Rapids. Learn ways to protect your investment in trademarks, patents, copyrights, and trade secrets. Free. To register, email your name to  [email protected] and mention the Dec. 6 workshop.

Dec. 7
First Friday Coffee Connections, by Iowa City Area Chamber of Commerce, 7:30-8:30 a.m., GEICO, 2320 Landon Road, North Liberty. Join for an hour of networking before heading off for the daily grind. Free. For more information, visit  bit.ly/2JsUkLk.

Ribbon Cutting: Wickwire Chiropractic, by Marion Chamber of Commerce, noon, 955 29th Ave., Ste. B, Marion. Help celebrate the opening of Wickwire Chiropractic's new Marion location. Free. For more information, visit  bit.ly/2znQyis.

Advance in 60, by EDC, noon-1 p.m., North Liberty CoLab, 215 Highway 965, Ste. 1, North Liberty. Join the EDC's Julie Zielinksi to learn how to calculate customer acquisition costs and make better marketing decisions on a limited budget. Free. For more information, visit  bit.ly/2SRTxru.
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Headlines from CBS2/FOX 28
These news items are provided by CBS2/FOX 28  
 
One man has been arrested for a string of indecent exposure incidents reported to both the Cedar Falls and UNI police departments. Deputies with the Black Hawk County Sheriff's Office arrested Benjamin Lewis Williams, 35. of Reinbeck, on Wednesday. He's facing multiple charges including two counts of indecent exposure, a serious misdemeanor. If convicted, he could be facing prison time of up to a year for each charge and possibly thousands of dollars in fines.

Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley and retired Sen. Tom Harkin both worked with President Bush on a number of issues. It all started in 1985 when then-Vice President Bush swore Sen. Harkin into office. Years later, the two men worked together, as a Democrat and Republican, on a landmark bill that addressed a major piece of civil rights in Iowa. The 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act required the nation to make virtually everything more accessible to Americans with special needs. From the entertainment world, to the retail sector and into the workplace, the bill was designed to provide equal protection and opportunity for those living with a disability.  Sen. Harkin, who retired in 2015, called it his proudest day in Congress. In a statement, he said: "From his heroic service in WW II through his Presidency and to now, George H W Bush was the finest example of a true public servant. Decency, civility, intelligence, and patriotism were the guideposts of his life. His words 'let the shameful wall of discrimination come tumbling down,' when he signed the Americans with Disabilities Act echo throughout a more inclusive America for all. It was an honor for me to have worked with President Bush in getting this bill through Congress and signed into law. He never wavered in his commitment to get this law passed." Read the full story here.

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

Clouds will begin to break in the afternoon. A breezy northwest wind will keep temperatures in the mid-20s. By this evening, skies will be mostly clear. Overnight, the main concern will be frost and frigid temperatures with lows in the single digits. The wind will be light, but the subtle breeze will create wind chills near or a little below zero. With high pressure in control skies will remain sunny through the weekend. Temperatures in the mid-20s Friday will rise to the low 30s Saturday. Overnight lows will plunge into the single digits and teens with wind chills near zero.