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Council Bluffs Business AssociationCBBA May MeetingWednesday, May 23, 2012 at 7:00 pm at The Mile Away Hall, 20270 Old Lincoln Highway. Sheriff Danker has agreed to attend. The candidate will have time to introduce himself and then take questions from the audience. The public is invited to attend. CBBA April MeetingTuesday, April 24, 2012 at 7:00 pm Hilton Garden Inn Next to the Horseshoe Casino: Guest Speaker; Al Ringgenberg Candidate for Iowa State Senate from Council Bluffs. Business Links Coralville Credit Downgraded
From the Des Moines Register. Public/Private Partnerships Property Rights and China
Interesting story and photo of a Chinese Landowner Resisting Incredible Pressure to Move How Property Rights Solve Problems
David Henderson at Library of Economics and Liberty More LinksIs State Spending to Entice Data Farms Worth It?
Council Bluffs bar owner likes what Google has done so far. From The Des Moines Register. Can a Town Get By Without its Public Works Department?
Interesting article by The Atlantic A U.S. Manufacturing Renaissance in Our Future?
From Harvard Business Review The Coolest Interactive Guide to Census Information
From The New York Times. (HT to DA) Business LinksSupreme Court May Take Up Rent Control
An opinion piece by Richard Epstein. The article gives a good idea of the negative effect of trying to set prices and how it relates to the takings clause of the U.S. Constitution New Development Has Iowa Cities Debt Piling Up
From The Des Moines Register. A good article on shifting debt from private to public guarantees. Call This Number if This Tag is Missing
Thankfully, this story is not from Iowa Quote of The DayFrom House Speaker Kraig Paulsen's opening day speech; "Once again, we will attempt to overhaul Iowa's property tax system, saving money for all Iowa property owners. Now is the time for real and substantial property tax reform. Over the last ten years, the amount of property taxes paid by Iowans has increased by 1.75 billion dollars. Local budgets have grown by as much as 74 percent during this time. Iowa families and Iowa employers are struggling with this burden and furthermore, it is impeding job growth. It is time for the Governor, the House and Senate; Republicans and Democrats to work together to provide Iowans with meaningful property tax relief." More LinksIowa Bankruptcies Decline; Trouble May Not Be Over
From The Des Moines Register (A good read) A short video depicting the increase of the debt ceiling in a satirical but realistic household view
About 3 minutes Short video describes regulatory capture
Basis for many unintended consequences of regulation (Video is about 2:30) Morning LinksAmazing Short Stories Describe Entrepreneur's Insight
From Forbes Magazine, inspiring stories for small business owners. Get a 22,000% Return On Your Investment
This simple investment advice brought to you by NPR. Will it ever end? Civics Quiz (33 Questions)
How many can you get right? American Civics Quiz puts knowledge to the test. (Interesting and fun) Weekend UpdateAtlas Van Lines 2011 Moving Migration Patterns
Click on individual states to see long term data. Jitney vans are filling in the gaps left by public transportation in NY
Could the same be encouraged here? Predictions From 1900 Are Eerily Accurate
Click on text to enlarge. Business Related LinksAn English City Finds Brick Sidewalks Unsustainable
Perhaps there is a reason our Grandparents embraced concrete. FBI investigates House Demolition by City of Buffalo
Government Protects Life, Liberty, and Property,... except when it doesn't. Best of 2011 Reader Comments from CNNGO
Funny, worth a look More Info15 Businesses That Offer A Funny Combination of Services
These pics explain our need for flexible zoning rules. Businesses do not necessarily end up where they started. Thursday's LinksDes Moines Saves Money Splitting Up Mowing Contracts
From the Des Moines Register Have Farm Prices Peaked?
From Yahoo Finance. Farm Auction in Iowa Owner of Taco Stand Fights Landmark Status in California
Story From The Daily News More InfoSears/K-Mart Plan To Close Stores (No list yet)
Will Council Bluffs Lose a Store? (From The Des Moines Register) Berkshire Hathaway Now Owns The Nonpareil
Warren Announces Finalized Deal (From The Sioux City Journal) The Magic and Miracle of The Marketplace
Prices of consumer goods from 1964 compared to prices today, adjusted for inflation. From Carpe Diem (scroll up to top of page) CBBA Raises $4900 for MDACBBA members and families raise over $4900 for the MDA. Thanks to everyone who contributed to "get us out of jail." Updated LinksLincoln City Council Rejects Request to Move Up Mandate for High Effeciency Furnaces
Story describes Department of Energy rule to force northern tier states to end use of less effecient furnaces. Casino Takes Over at The MAC
Can taxpayer costs be reduced? Indiana Study Shows Fed Less Than Half as Effecient at Infrastructure Spending as State
The article is a good read on why and how waste occurs Migration and a Costly FOIAForbes Magazine uses Tax Records to Chart Migration Patterns
Interactive Map Riverdale Ordered to Pay for Fighting Release of Video
From The Des Moines Register More LinksIowa Firms Default on Job Creation Pledge after Receiving Tax Credits
From The Des Moines Register Land Owner Meets Urban Planner
5 min. video (Australian I think?) explains how urban planning costs some people more than others. Roads Fit for People
A curious experiment where the removal of traffic signals improved conditions. (about 4 min.) Stop, Drop, and Roll
An economist looks at how prestige may play a part in determining firefighter pay. Pottawattamie PotentialNew Council CandidatesLink to The Nonpareil Election Coverage
Walsh, White, Watson, and Branigan elected. City Council Election Nov. 8thTwo Year Seat: Matt Walsh (unopposed) Four Year Seats: (Choose Three) Lynne Branigan, Ron Cleveland, Jim Nelson, Scott Porter, Sharon White, Nate Watson Updated LinksNovember 2, 2011 Is Our Infrastructure Really Crumbling?
Charles Lane at The Washington Post Doesn't Think So Third Quarter Shows Largest Gain in Homeownership Since 2004
Mark Perry at Carpe Diem says Housing Market may be Improving Tuesday LinksOctober 25, 2011 Coffee Shop Owner Spills The Beans
An interesting story about how hard it is to run a business. Power Swings Back to America
The article is rich with information about the ever increasing energy production in the U.S. as well as the shrinking advantages of moving a business overseas. Worth a look. Rainfall Totals for Missouri River Exceed Hurricane IreneOctober 13, 2011  Sunday BrowserOctober 9, 2011 Iowa Homeownership rates and Vacancies
From The Des Moines Register (Hat Tip to CL) Hot Dog Vendor in Lincoln Wins Right to Store Business Equipment at Home
From The Omaha World Herald  More LinksOctober 3, 2011 Top 20 Countries with the Most Debt
The list may surprise you. Property Rights are The Little Guys Best Friend
(About 3 minutes) Interesting Video about Urban Renewal and its Consequences
(About 6 minutes) Iowa Property Inspector Faces Lawsuit After Fatal Fire
From The Des Moines Register Next CBBA Meeting September 28 at The Hilton Garden InnKeeping in line with our tradition of promoting public information, we will host the candidates for city council positions next Wednesday. Sam Curly has agreed to host. Starts at 7:00 p.m. 9-28-2011 at the Hilton Garden Inn behind the Horseshoe Casino. Hope to see everyone there. Epilogue to the Kelo CaseSeptember 21, 2011 Connecticut State Supreme Court Judge that ruled against Kelo apologizes.
For those of you who follow, Kelo v New London was the case SCOTUS ruled on that allowed governments to use eminent domain for private use. Wednesday LinksSeptember 14, 2011 Four Charts from Focus Explaining the Small Business Credit Crunch
The article does an outstanding job depicting part of the hold up to an economic recovery. 30 Year Mortgage rates, 1978-2011
Could rates get any better? Study About Bass Pro Shop and Subsidies
This study was forwarded to me about Taxpayer investments into Bass Pro. Scroll down to read the brief section on the C.B. deal Afternoon ConnectionsSeptember 9, 2011 Schools in Need of Assistance: Iowa
Enter Council Bluffs into search box. Yikes Measuring Teacher Effectiveness: Credentials Unrelated to Student Achievement
Manhatten Institute Study. Worth a look before the school board election. Twenty Bullish Charts on the Economy
Not to seem Pollyanish, but this blogger finds good news and doesn't think we are headed for a double dip recession. Today's LinksSeptember 6, 2011 I Have Never Known About Forensic Engineers Until Now.
Could Council Bluffs Benefit from This? 90% of all jobs in U.S. were in farming 210 years ago
Scroll down for the chart. (For Cory) Of InterestSeptember 2, 2011 HUD: Iowa Landlord Wouldn't Accomadate Sick Child
Can a pet be classified for emotional support only when associated with a disability? Some LinksAugust 28, 2011 Cool PicAugust 15, 2011 Getting A Beer in IowaAugust 12, 2011 Interactive Chart Showing Owners of US DebtIowa State Tax Revenue Down $46 Million in JulyAugust 4, 2011 Lemonade Stands Closed in CoralvilleAugust 2, 2011 Coralville shuts down lemonade stands during RAGBRAI. Do permit fees discourage competition? Corps to Reduce Gavin's FlowJuly 29, 2011 Corps of Engineers announces Gavin's Point flow rate to be reduced to 90,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) by the end of August. Further reduction to 40,000 cfs by the end of September. Hang in there. Cool Visualization of Our Federal DebtJuly 25, 2011 Leland Christiansen Sandbags for Two Weeks
Leland Christiansen (center) completes two weeks of sandbagging for the city on Friday. At 81 years young, he thinks sandbagging is good exercise. Leland is a retired carpenter. I thought his efforts were noteworthy. He is joined by his twin brother and a friend along with Frank and Eric from CMET. Sandbaggers Contribute to River FightJuly 22, 2011  Owners, managers, staff and family members filled thousands of sandbags Friday. Some of the companies represented were; CMET, Riley Plumbing Inc., Accurate Lawn Care, C & T Investments, Legacy Homes, Jim's Hauling, I-80 Liquor, Bluffs Service, and Glory Days. Many thanks to all who attended and to all of our members who continue to contribute to the city's flood mitigation efforts through their individual sacrifices. Return From The DamsJuly 23, 2011 I apologize for the absence... but I return from South Dakota with some video of Gavins Point and Fort Randall. Weak stomachs be warned, the Fort Randall video can induce vertigo. Adventure Seekers WantedJuly 15, 2011 Adventurous individuals needed for a CBBA sandbag filling squad. July 22, 2011 8:00 a.m. at the Mid America Center until noon. Close toed footwear, leather gloves and shovels if you have them, if not, there are some available. Red Cross volunteers have water on site. Please contact me at the e-mail or call so I can inform the city how many will attend. Our goal is to help give a boost to community efforts aimed at flood mitigation. Let's help put them over the top. Iowa 2006, 2010 School Assessment ComparisonJuly 12, 2011 Comparison of test results at the local public schools. (Thank you Des Moines Register) More Old Time PhotosPhotos of New York City from the 40's to the 60's from the Business Insider. Worth a look. Good Video About Economic FreedomJuly 1, 2011 Quote of the SummerJune 27, 2011 "The big cities, Omaha, Kansas City, Council Bluffs, I think are O.K." Brigadier General John McMahon, Commander, Corps of Engineers Northwestern Division. He went on to say, "I'm not anticipating any issues with the big cities' levee systems." River WatchJune 27, 2011 River depth at the I-480 Bridge; 35 feet. Gavin's Point: 160,000 cfs Great Rumor ControlJune 23, 2011 Updating a link to the City of Council Bluffs Facebook page. This is an outstanding myth debunking tool for all of the flood rumors. Another River UpdateJune 21, 2011 Heads up, Corps of Engineers announces new forecast release amount at Gavin's Point; 160,000 cubic feet per second. This is up from our current 150,000cfs and is predicted to be achieved by Thursday. River Elevation at 8:00 p.m. is 34.68 feet at the 480 bridge. Some reports of basement water from seepage but pumps are working well so far. The additional pumping power brought into the city helped weather the last two rains o.k. Keeping our fingers crossed. Informative Links About FloodingJune 20, 2011 A link from the National Weather Service with continual updates about river depths at Omaha and a Facebook Page from the City of Council Bluffs with good rumor busting efforts. Levee DescriptionJune 14, 2011 A short (about 3 minutes) video describing a levee. Council Bluffs levee uses relief wells. River UpdateJune 17, 2011 River Depth: 33.12 (7:00 a. m.) Gavin's Point: 150,000 cfs This looks like it is it. The river should stay within a few inches of its current reading without a large amount of precip. The release at Gavin's is the maximum planned amount. Barring any change in activity, I will refrain from adding to the River update for a while. June 14, 2011 Missouri River Depth at 9:30 a.m. : 32.76 feet Gavin's Point at 150,000 cubic feet per second June 13, 2011 Missouri River depth 7:00 a.m. : 32.13 feet Gavin's Point rate of flow: 145,000 cfs. June 10,2011 Missouri River depth 480 bridge at 7:45 a.m. : 30.95 feet Gavin's Point flow: 140,500- 145,000 cfs 9 June, 2011 Missouri River Depth at Omaha: 30.5 feet (This is above the highest level set in 1993) Gavin's Point: 140,000 cubic feet per second. June 8, 2011 Missouri River depth measured today at 6:00 a.m. : 30.3 feet Gavin's Point flow rate this morning: 125,500 - 129,000 Estimated cubic feet per second. June 7, 2011 Missouri River depth measured today at 6:00 a.m.: 30.1 feet Gavin's Point flow rate this morning: 115,500 cubic feet per second Helpful Illustration of Missouri River Reservoir SystemJune 6, 2011  River Depth and Gavin's Point Flow RateJune 6, 2011 Missouri River measured at Omaha, 6:00 a.m. today: 29.9 feet. Discharge from Gavin's Point Dam today estimated at 104,000 cubic feet per second. Could be 145,000 cfs by end of week. Levee Breach Near HamburgJune 5, 2011 
Missouri River levee breach in Atchison County, Missouri Debunking RumorsJune 5, 2011 Sioux City paper is running a column trying to respond to rumors about the flood. Worth a look. Flood Maps (Potential)June 2, 2011 Some detailed maps from The Corps of Engineers. The maps are detailed and take a looonnngg time to load. The cross hatching over the maps indicate the area in Council Bluffs is protected by a levee system. Interesting. Iowa Tax Revenue HigherMay 31, 2011 Tax receipts up year over year. Higher revenue from; Individual Income tax, sales tax, fuel tax, and insurance taxes. Lower revenue from; Corporate income tax, gambling taxes and cigarette taxes. First Quarter Home Prices Fall 4.2%May 31, 2011 According to the S&P Case Shiller data, home prices are down 4.2% for the first quarter. A look at an interactive guide to home prices in major metropolitan areas.
Interesting how all home prices are down except those in the Washington D.C. region. Retired Air Force Officer May Run Against Mike GronstalMay 25, 2011 Al Ringgenberg doesn't live within the district, but will move if he has to. FYI: River Will Rise Higher Next WeekMay 25, 2011 Heads up everyone. Gavin's Point will be releasing record amounts of water on Monday. Takes about three days to arrive here in Council Bluffs. The expected water level rise is between three and four feet from current heights. The resevoirs are full. This release of water may increase the likelihood that ground water will rise. For those of you with businesses in the basement of a building in the west or south end, you may want to plan on preparing for ground water. More on the expected rise of the river from The Omaha World Herald.
The article is under the "premium content" title, so I do not know if the story will pop up or not. FDIC Insured Banks Returning to ProfitabilityMay 25, 2011 Some good news for a change. Parking Fine Reduced if Citizen BehavesMay 24, 2011 Follow up to the story on high parking fine Not Exactly BusinessMay 23, 2011 This isn't exactly business, but they are competing for customers, no? Marketing is important in every part of our lives.
At least the Catholics have a sense of humor Really Cool Color Pics from Great DepressionMay 23, 2011 Worth a look. Rare color photos from the '30s. Library of Congress Color Photographs
Hosted by The Daily Mail Manufacturing Renaissance for U.S.?May 23, 2011Labor costs are rising rapidly in China and India. Faster than the rise in labor costs in the United States. A Boston Consulting Group is predicting a rapid rise in manufacturing demand for the U.S. as China and India lose the disparity in labor costs over the next few years. Couple the increased wages with rising energy costs to transport goods, and the future looks even brighter for manufacturers. The whole story on Mark Perry's Blog.
Worth a look if you are searching for good news. A wise use of space?The zoning board would not approve of such efficient use of land. CBBA Holds Second Public MeetingOn May 11th , the CBBA Held their Second Public Meeting at the Hilton Garden Inn Council Bluffs, an estimated one hundred people attended the second public meeting the Council Bluffs Business Association has held. The interim executive director, Tom Riley, hosted the event. The purpose of the meeting was to announce the interim board members, and to discuss the findings from the questionnaires filled out by attendees at the meeting April 27th. Plurality of stores in a downtown development in CharlottesvilleThis story posted by S. M. Olivia on the Mises website Click for Website Has an interesting response to a reader complaint about the plurality of stores in a downtown development in Charlotesville. A relevant part of the response; Meeting Held April 27th to Discuss ReactivationMore than 125 business men and women attended the Council Bluffs Business Association informational meeting held Wednesday night at the Hilton Garden Inn. The purpose of the meeting was to determine the level of interest in reactivating the CBBA. Information was also solicited to determine the main issues impacting business in Council Bluffs and Pottawattamie County April 15, 2011A group of local business owners and operators may reactivate the Council Bluffs Business Association Some Interesting InfoSubmit a QuestionnaireIn order to be a positive force for change in the City of Council Bluffs, citizens and business leaders must come together and support each other. We are asking you to take a few moments to fill out this brief questionnaire to identify any issues, either positive or negative, that you feel are affecting the members of our community.
Council Bluffs Business Association
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A Funny Image to Remind The People Protesting Against Corporations
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If using a cell phone is made illegal, who will police the police?
Lake Manawa area map.
The western edge of C.B. and Omaha
The rest of the westend and midtown
Click for rest of story on CBBA Holds Second Public Meeting
Are Iowa's income taxes too high for the