Business and Industry Information

Local News

FREE Tax Assistance available in Winnebago County
(Posted on 1/6/2012)
Free tax preparation and e-filing will be provided by the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program (VITA) to low- to moderate-income (generally, $49,000 and below) people who cannot prepare their own tax returns. Certified volunteers receive training to help prepare basic tax returns. VITA sites are located at the Iowa State University Extension offices located in Winnebago, Worth, Hancock, Cerro Gordo, Franklin, and Butler County and at the Senior Center in Charles City and at the Education Center in Lake Mills. To make an appointment at any of these locations, call ( 888) 408-6606 after January 10. The call center will make appointments at the VITA site nearest you. Trained volunteers can help with special credits, such as Earned Income Tax Credit, and Child Tax Credit and in addition to free tax return preparation assistance, your return will be electronically filing (e-filing) free of charge. Individuals taking advantage of the e-file program will receive their refunds in half the time compared to returns filed on paper – even faster when tax refunds are deposited directly into one's bank account.

"Click" Conference- So you got an ipad...now what???
(Posted on 1/6/2012)
So you got an IPAD...now what??? Learn the many fun and integrating possibilites you can get out of your new IPAD!

News from Iowa State University Extension

Videos Demonstrate Internet Supply/Demand Tool for Farmers, Markets and Consumers
(Posted on 11/30/2011)
Take a tour of the MarketMaker website by viewing recently released videos highlighting everything MarketMaker has available. MarketMaker is an online tool connecting family shoppers with farmers and everyone in between – including restaurants and grocery stores.

Bowman to Keynote 4th Annual Veterans’ Procurement Conference
(Posted on 11/9/2011)
Retired U.S. Army First Class Sergeant Dana Bowman's motto is “it’s not the disability, it’s the ability,” and he’ll be sharing his message of conquering adversity at the 4th Annual Veterans’ Procurement Conference Nov. 30 in Ames. The conference will provide vital information to assist Iowa businesses in winning government contracts, while educating veteran-owned businesses on issues critical to their success in this market.

Survey of Western Iowa Manufacturers Details Flood Impacts, Ongoing Recovery Challenges
(Posted on 8/12/2011)
As the Missouri River flood waters slowly begin to recede, western Iowa manufacturers continue to deal with major ongoing challenges such as transportation logistics and workforce issues. ISU Extension and Outreach Center for Industrial Research and Service (CIRAS) surveyed manufacturers in the six-county Presidential Disaster Declaration Area that includes Fremont, Harrison, Mills, Monona, Pottawattamie and Woodbury counties.

Work Begins on Iowa’s New Local Food and Farm Initiative
(Posted on 8/11/2011)
Craig Chase, ISU Extension farm management specialist and interim marketing program leader at the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, will coordinate the Local Food and Farm Initiative, a new statewide program that aims to boost production, processing, distribution, marketing and consumption of Iowa-grown food.

Wanted: Photos for ISU State Fair Exhibit
(Posted on 8/3/2011)
Iowa State University (ISU) is giving Iowans the chance to display photos at the Iowa State Fair. As part of the university's exhibit in the northeast corner of the Varied Industries Building during the fair, Iowa residents are encouraged to submit photos to illustrate how Iowa State and ISU Extension and Outreach are making a difference in their communities.

ISU Extension Support for Those Dealing with Flooding
(Posted on 7/21/2011)
Iowa State University Extension and Outreach is working with local agencies, media and local businesses to provide resources to families, communities and businesses dealing with the flooding in western Iowa.

Iowa Youth Population Declines According to 2010 Census
(Posted on 6/24/2011)
Iowa’s 17 and younger age group decreased according to 2010 census results. According to the Community Vitality Center report, “Population 18 and Older and 17 and Younger in Iowa’s Counties, 2000 – 2010,” Iowa’s youth population has decreased by 5,645 in the last decade.

Iowa’s Unincorporated Areas Lose Population in 2010 Census
(Posted on 6/22/2011)
Iowa’s unincorporated areas — the countryside outside any town or city limits — lost population according to the 2010 census, reversing a gain seen in the 2000 census, as detailed in the report “Countryside and Town: Population in Iowa’s Counties Within and Outside of Incorporated Places, 1990 – 2010."

Search New Website, Visit Iowa Farms
(Posted on 5/19/2011)
The newly redesigned Visit Iowa Farms website features detailed descriptions of Iowa farms and the ability to map out locations of interest in a select area.

Courses Offer Employees Leadership Training
(Posted on 5/2/2011)
With the Iowa Public Employees Leadership Academy, public sector employees have a convenient and easy-to-access way to gain training that will benefit them as supervisors.