Posted June 25, 2014in Civic Skinny
“As a community focused non-profit organization led by a volunteer Board of Directors, we value transparency,” Susan Ramsey of the Greater Des Moines Partnership told Cityview the other day. That, of course, meant she’s wasn’t going to answer the question. Sure enough, she didn’t. The question was: How much do
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Posted June 18, 2014in Civic Skinny
The circulation of The Des Moines Register is continuing its free-fall. Combined print and digital circulation of the Monday-Friday newspaper in the six months ended March 31 totaled 86,982, down 6.7 percent from the 93,304 of a year earlier. Two years ago, the figure was 101,915. Five years ago it
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Posted June 11, 2014in Civic Skinny
The state is nuts if it doesn’t try to settle the Chris Godfrey lawsuit right away. And the six present or former state officials who are defendants — who now are at risk for damages and legal fees — are nuts if they don’t demand the state settle. So say
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Posted June 04, 2014in Civic Skinny
Iowa’s elected officials have no trouble asking for money, but by and large they’re pretty stingy at giving it. Gov. Terry Branstad raised $1,157,436.36 between Jan. 1 and May 19, according to records at the Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board. He made one campaign contribution during the period —
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Posted May 28, 2014in Civic Skinny
Gubernatorial candidate Jack Hatch received no significant Iowa money from outside Des Moines in the latest reporting period. Terry Branstad received carloads. That’s a major reason the Republican Governor has such a phenomenal money lead over his Democratic challenger. From Jan. 1 to May 19, Branstad raised $1,157,436.36, spent $748,677.06
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Posted May 21, 2014in Civic Skinny
What is the “appearance of a conflict” of interests? Attorney General Tom Miller is campaigning for Nathan Blake, the assistant attorney general running for the Iowa Senate seat being vacated by gubernatorial candidate Jack Hatch. Blake is “ethical, very bright and able, committed to serving the interests of ordinary Iowans,”
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Posted May 13, 2014in Civic Skinny
Before we get into this, it should be noted that the University of Iowa was voted this year as the top party school in the nation. Just to put things in perspective. Now, with that in mind, the story: the university this spring turned down the request of HBO’s “Girls”
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Posted May 07, 2014in Civic Skinny
A home on Lincoln Place Drive in Des Moines sold for $1.4 million the other day, the highest price for a house in the Des Moines city limits in more than a year and a half. It was only the fourth million-dollar-plus residential sale in the city limits in the
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Posted April 30, 2014in Civic Skinny
A guy told Cityview that Jerry Crawford has sold or is selling the Iowa Energy basketball team. Asked about it, Crawford at first said, “Your question isn’t a yes or no answer.” Then: “There is an expansion of the ownership group under way, and we are going to be able
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Posted April 23, 2014in Civic Skinny
The planned convention hotel near the Hy-Vee center downtown is a step closer to reality. Last week, Polk County completed the purchase of land where the hotel would go. The purchase of the old Allied Building and adjacent grounds was for $3,338,896. The seller was Des Moines Redevelopment Corp., a
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