Tuesday, May 21, 2019

ALTOONA, IA (IRN) – With a ceremonial groundbreaking today, Facebook announced its data center in Altoona is expanding. KCCI-TV reports the social media giant is adding two buildings and some 1 million square feet to its already expansive 2.5-million-square-foot campus. Construction on the new building is expected to start this summer.

WINNESHIEK COUNTY, IA (IRN) – An 86-year-old Decorah man driving a utility vehicle on a highway in rural Winneshiek County was killed in a collision with another vehicle. The Iowa State Patrol reports the man turned in front of an oncoming car. The other driver wasn’t injured.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The property battle continues in downtown Des Moines. WHO-TV reports the former YMCA site along the river is one of the most sought-after pieces of real estate in Des Moines. The federal government wants to use the space for a new $137 million courthouse, but community, business and city leaders say this would be a mistake. Instead, they want an attraction that would bring people downtown and generate property taxes. Federal officials will decide Wednesday if the project will go ahead.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Gov. Kim Reynolds on Monday signed a law aimed at growing opportunities in rural parts of the state by expanding workforce housing tax incentives and grants to boost broadband. Reynolds signed the “Empower Rural Iowa Act” into law at a business in Wilton.

JOHNSON COUNTY, IA (IRN) – A group of Boykin Spaniels is helping a threatened species one hunt at a time. WQAD-TV reports the dogs from Montana are specially trained to sniff out and retrieve turtles for researchers to study. Yesterday, they were at work near Coralville, sniffing out the threatened Ornate Box Turtle. The dogs follow a scent trail left behind by the turtles. Once they find one, they carefully pick it up and bring it back to the researchers. After study, the turtles are returned to the wild.