Siouxland businesses awarded 2025 ‘Choose Iowa' grant funds
The grant recipients include four businesses in the Siouxland region.
Iowa Gov. Reynolds signs bill to help 2024 flood, tornado victims
Country Pines Tree Farm in Marcus is receiving $20,064.86 to go toward an addition to the farm's store, allowing for expanded Christmas tree sales. The project has a total budget of $41,585.31.
Lone Oak Honey Company here in Sioux City is receiving $1,164.54 to go toward the purchase of a honey extractor and chest freezer to improve honey production efficiency. That project has a total budget of $2,329.09.
Mockingbird Hill Kettle Co. in Archer is receiving $2,800 to go toward a seed cleaning machine and seed bag sewing equipment for popcorn production, a project with a total budget of $5,714.38.
Lastly, Nieland Custom Meats in Newell is receiving $25,000 to go toward renovating an existing business facility to create a modern retail space for meat products. That project has a total budget of $60,209.14.
Residents advised not to plant more Bradford pear trees
In all, the 33 grants awarded this year amount to $463,000, equivalent to those disbursed in both 2023 and 2024.
The Choose Iowa value-added grant program launched in 2022 and has awarded nearly $1.64 million in state funds to 100 projects, with total budgets amounting to $5.6 million.
You can find the full list of this year's grant recipients here.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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Business Insider
4 days ago
- Business Insider
The hot, new celebrity side hustle
Everybody wants to be Ryan Reynolds. Donald Trump wants to be Ryan Reynolds. The " SmartLess" podcast guys want to be Ryan Reynolds. Even Klarna wants to be Ryan Reynolds. I don't mean they want to star in "Deadpool" or marry Blake Lively (though neither of those is a bad deal). I mean that they're all slapping their brands on mobile phone networks in an attempt to make a little extra bank. If you're familiar with Mint Mobile, a mobile phone network that offers inexpensive prepaid plans, it's probably because you've seen Reynolds in an ad for it. The actor-turned-entrepreneur bought an estimated 25% stake in the company back in 2019, positioned himself as its spokesperson, and then sold it to T-Mobile for $1.35 billion in 2023, with Reynolds reportedly making $300 million off the deal. The concept of Mint Mobile isn't new: Virtual mobile network operators, which are telecom companies that offer mobile services without owning their own network infrastructure, like towers and stations, have been around for a long time. Some examples, besides Mint, include Cricket Wireless and Boost, though the latter is becoming a full-on wireless carrier and investing in its own 5G network. Reynolds offered a new spin by successfully attaching a big-name brand or celebrity to one. His achievement seems to have inspired others to get in on the game, including the president, some podcast hosts, and a buy-now-pay-later company. "It's all Ryan Reynolds' fault. Sort of," says Avi Greengart, the founder and lead analyst at Techspontential, a research and advisory firm. In June, the Trump Organization announced the launch of Trump Mobile. Its website says the service will offer "All-American performance" on a $47.45 a month plan that includes unlimited talk, text, data, and calls to 100 international destinations. The Trumps are also selling a $499 gold-colored phone to accompany the plan. Everyone else on this list is thinking that if Ryan Reynolds can do it, why can't they? The same month, Will Arnett, Jason Bateman, and Sean Hayes, actors and the hosts of "Smartless," said they are starting SmartLess Mobile, which promises to be "direct-to-consumer, data-sane, and refreshingly BS-free." Their website boasts, "Friends don't let friends overpay." SmartLess' value proposition is that it offers inexpensive, limited data plans that start as low as $15 a month. The argument is that most people have plans that give them unlimited cellular data, but they don't actually need all that download capacity, given how widely available WiFi is, so they wind up overpaying. "The quick math is about half of the country use 10 gigs or fewer, but it's almost impossible not to buy unlimited," says Paul McAleese, the CEO of Smartless Mobile and a mobile industry veteran. "Why we did it is because we recognize that gap, that data gap, which is really unique compared to any other product category. You don't go into the grocery store and buy 40 gallons of milk and consume two and then do it again the next month." As The Wall Street Journal noted around that time, celebrity cellular brands seem to be everywhere. Consumer brands are joining in, too. Klarna, the Sweden-based buy now, pay later company, is launching a mobile network of its own, too. In June, it invited consumers to sign up for a waitlist to join its $40-a-month plan. It may seem strange for an installment lender to get in the wireless game, but the company says it's a step in continuing to build its "neobank offering." "Everyone else on this list is thinking that if Ryan Reynolds can do it, why can't they?" says Craig Moffett, a cofounder and senior research analyst at MoffettNathanson, an equity research firm. It's not dissimilar to the rich and famous hopping on the liquor train in recent years. There's Reynolds' gin, Snoop Dogg's wine, George Clooney's tequila, Kendall Jenner's tequila, Kevin Hart's tequila. In a way, telecom is the new tequila. "It's a sign of the times that every celebrity's reason for getting up in the morning is to think of ways they can monetize their celebrity," Moffett says. Mobile virtual network operators, which industry insiders call MVNOs, buy excess network capacity in bulk from major carriers — AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile — and sell it under their own brands. They profit from the differential between the wholesale rate they get and the amount they charge customers. "It is a capital-light alternative without having to invest considerable sums in acquiring a licence, constructing a network, and so forth," says Paolo Pescatore, a telecom analyst at PP Foresight. He says that it can also work for brands that have a similar business to tack on an extra service for their customers, such as Comcast's XFinity Mobile, which it can tie in with its broadband service. For carriers, MVNOs are a way to make money off of capacity they're not using and try to reach niche markets they may not be able to connect with on their own — customers of different demographics, who speak different languages, and who have different interests. Their brands are very general, and in their marketing, they have to appeal to the general population. It's low risk. If the thing fails, no harm, no foul. "Big carriers are not the most creative kind, and their advertising focuses on big customer segments. They don't have the time, effort, and focus to go after smaller customer segments," says Roger Entner, the founder and lead analyst at Recon Analytics, a research and analytics firm. "It's low risk. If the thing fails, no harm, no foul." MVNOs are just a small sliver of the mobile market. Entner estimates there are about 15 million MVNO customers in the US (that excludes people who use MVNOs tied to cable companies, which are an additional 19 million or so). By comparison, the major carriers have upwards of 340 million. Anastasia Kārkliņa Gabriel, the author of "Cultural Intelligence for Marketers," says that because consumers tend to distrust the big telecom players, an MVNO may signal a "perception of independence" for potential users. It gives an "illusion of being separate from the major telco brands," she says, even if that's far from the case. Klarna is working with AT&T, SmartLess is with T-Mobile, and the Trump Organization says they're working with all three major carriers. For the brands and individuals trying to launch mobile networks, the hope is that they have enough clout with their existing fan bases to get them to switch networks and sign up. Maybe you love Jason Bateman so much you feel like you have to have his phone plan, or you're so entrenched in Klarna's payments system and app, you switch your network to them. Or, in the case of the Trump family, you're MAGA. And given the president's long history of putting his name on things and promoting them, from buildings to steaks to wine, the move seems like a natural extension. "The only surprising thing about Trump Mobile is that he didn't try this already," Greengart says. McAleese, from SmartLess, says that while he's aware this may look like following in Reynolds' footsteps, that's not what's going on. Arnett served as a spokesperson for the Canadian company Freedom Mobile, which he also ran, back in 2018. "Will did that job, frankly, before Ryan ever did," he says. Just because celeb-affiliated mobile networks are blooming does not mean they will flourish. It's a tough business to be in. ESPN failed at its MVNO efforts two decades ago, even with all the power of, you know, ESPN — though that attempt was also before the iPhone existed. It's an easy business to start, but it's a hard business to operate, Moffett explains. "The MVNO network operator provides almost everything you need to get started. But once you spend money on marketing and customer service, it turns out to be a really tough way to make money," he says. "To succeed, you need to achieve meaningful scale, and very, very few MVNOs ever do." Phone plans are sticky. It takes time and effort to switch your carrier from one brand to another, though the barrier is getting a bit lower these days. It's especially difficult if your phone plan is how you're paying off your device, or you're on a family plan with multiple lines. Many MVNOs don't offer plans with more than one or two lines, and few help customers finance their devices. Where a lot of them run into a buzzsaw is when there's not enough differentiation going on. As much as people may idolize certain celebrities or relate to certain brands, it's just not clear that they do so enough to want their entire consumer lives to reside in their ecosystems. Beyond the branding, a lot of these networks aren't particularly special in terms of the price or service they offer. Maybe they'll get some people, via social media posts and ads, but it may not be enough to grow and sustain a thriving business operation. "Where a lot of them run into a buzzsaw is when there's not enough differentiation going on," Entner says. "They bring nothing unique to it." He was skeptical of Klarna's move, too. "It's a lower-cost acquisition channel, because if you're already paying off your burrito, they can also say, 'Hey, by the way, I know you're broke. Here's cheap service on top of it,'" he says, referring to Klarna's BNPL deal that allows people to break up a DoorDash order into multiple installments. "'I know so much about you, so I can tailor my offer exactly for you.' That's the logic. I probably don't agree with it, but knock yourself out." A Klarna spokesperson says in an email that "unlike most new MVNOS, we're not starting from scratch, nor are we jumping on the bandwagon" and that its mobile offering has been in the works for many months as part of a multiyear strategy. "We're not trying to 'win' mobile or become the biggest carrier — this isn't about scale for its own sake," the spokesperson says. "It's about solving a very real problem for the tens of millions of consumers who already trust Klarna to help manage their finances." SmartLess's McAlease says they "wish everyone well" who's trying to launch an MVNO right now, because competition is good for the industry, but "they're just kind of on that unlimited train, and that might work for them and for their audience." Initial marketing efforts have focused on the SmartLess guys, for obvious reasons — you've got three big celebrities and a giant podcast in the mix, so why not? But it will soon shift more to what actually differentiates it. "You're going to start seeing much more product- and price-focused things over the course of the next while," McAelase says. "It's always tricky for MVNOs to break through the noise, and we're fortunate to have a brand and principles that are happy to do that." Pescatore says that MVNOs have been more successful in other countries, such as the supermarket Tesco's mobile network in the UK. But it's challenging. "There are opportunities in a mature market like the US, given the price of existing services from mobile network providers. Ultimately, it needs to tightly integrate and complement the existing service and offer something truly novel to attract subscribers," he says. The track record of these projects working out may not deter brands and public figures from trying. Entner says he knows of multiple MVNOs that are in development. Apple has long faced speculation that it might launch an MVNO, though it always denies it. Apple did not respond to a request for comment. Will all these projects work out? It seems unlikely, but it could happen. Some of these packages are pretty cheap, and hey, if you like some actor enough to switch your cellphone plan for them, by all means.
The Hill
08-08-2025
- The Hill
A lesson from Iowa on government reform: It's not just the taxes — it's the spending
Former President Herbert Hoover argued that governments have the instincts of a vegetable — that is, 'they keep spreading and growing.' Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds (R) echoed Hoover when she stated that 'like any large organization, government is marked by bureaucracy's natural tendency to grow. If that growth isn't constantly checked and rechanneled toward its core function, it quickly takes on a life of its own.' This is why Reynolds has made reform of government a priority during her time in office. Fiscal conservatism is not just pro-growth tax reform, but even more importantly it must include limiting spending and reducing the size of government. Fiscal policy has been a significant part of Reynolds's agenda: 'We reduced taxes—saving Iowans more than $24 billion over 10 years. No more tax on retirement income. No inheritance tax. And starting this month [January 2025], Iowans get to keep even more of the money they earn, with a 3.8 percent flat tax — a far cry from the 8.98 percent of six years ago,' said Reynolds. Iowa's corporate tax rate, once the highest in the nation at 12 percent, has been reduced to 7.1 percent and will continue to decrease until it reaches a flat 5.5 percent. Not only will Iowa have eliminated the progressive income tax, but it will also have reduced the top tax rate by almost 60 percent. These reforms are grounded in common-sense budgeting ideas, which have prioritized spending control and government efficiency. These efforts have not only ensured budget stability with surpluses, full reserve accounts, and a Taxpayer Relief Fund with a $3.6 billion balance, but they have also enabled responsible tax reductions. During her Condition of the State address, Reynolds launched Iowa's DOGE task force, modeled after her efforts to reform state government. 'I like to say that we were doing DOGE before DOGE was a thing…,' she said. Prior to forming the DOGE taskforce, Reynolds was able to get two major state government reform laws passed. 'When we started our alignment work in 2022, state operations hadn't been reviewed in forty years — and it showed,' she said. 'Layers of bureaucracy had accumulated over decades, expanding government beyond its core function, keeping us from working effectively as one team, and hampering our service to Iowans. We were too big, too fractured, and too inefficient.' Both government reform measures worked to limit government and make services more efficient. 'We've transformed the way our State interacts with citizens, businesses, and entrepreneurs,' Reynolds said. 'We consolidated agencies (from 37 to 16), eliminated 1,200 burdensome regulations, remade legacy systems, centralized programs, and leveraged technology.' These reforms have already saved taxpayers $217 million, exceeding original projections just within the first 18 months. Prior to the reform, Iowa had 256 boards and commissions. Eighty-three of them have now been eliminated and others consolidated. In starting this reform, Reynolds asked basic questions that all policymakers should be asking about government — local, state, and federal. ' What is the core mission of each agency? How is it funded? How is it staffed and what does it own? Are the agency's programs working? How did the structure of the agency compare to other states? Where is there duplication or misalignment? What can we cut?' These questions align with the principles of priority-based budgeting, as outlined in the ALEC State Budget Reform Toolkit. Finally, Reynolds understands that conservative budgeting is at the heart of tax reform. 'But it's not enough just to cut taxes,' she says. 'You have to make them sustainable, especially if you want to keep bringing them down. The growth they create helps, but you also have to keep spending in check.' This is a lesson that many states and the federal government have yet to learn. Going into the 2026 legislative session, Reynolds is making property tax reform a priority. Across the nation, reforming property taxes appears to be the most difficult tax reform endeavor. Nevertheless, she understands that local governments must apply the same fiscal conservatism as well as undertake government reform measures in order to provide property tax relief. With the laudable goal of tax relief, spending must be addressed through priority-based budgeting. Regardless of the tax, it is government spending that drives high taxation.
Newsweek
06-08-2025
- Newsweek
Gen Z Regrets Buying Homes at a Much Higher Clip Than Millennials: Survey
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Gen Z homeowners are regretting their home purchases at a far higher clip than their millennial counterparts, according to a new study. Nearly half, 42 percent, of Gen Z homeowners said they regretted their purchase in a 1,000-person survey conducted by home insurance company Kin. That was 27 percent higher than both millennials and Gen X. Why It Matters The American dream of homeownership faces a generational crisis as Gen Z buyers grapple with heightened regret and financial strain. A new wave of first-time buyers, facing record-high home prices and mortgage rates, reported historic rates of buyer's remorse, raising urgent questions about the affordability and accessibility of housing for future generations. A for sale sign is pictured in front of a home in Arlington, Virginia, on August 22, 2023. A for sale sign is pictured in front of a home in Arlington, Virginia, on August 22, 2023. ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images What To Know The generational divide in homeowner satisfaction has widened substantially, and many young buyers are feeling the regret. More than 40 percent of Gen Z homeowners regret purchasing their home, according to Kin Insurance's 2025 Generational Homeownership Survey, mainly due to the overwhelming cost of mortgages and unforeseen expenses. A much higher level of regret was reported by a survey from Open Door, which found that 94 percent of Gen Z and 86 percent of millennial first-time home sellers regretted buying a home and decided to part with it. Many underestimated expenses like maintenance and insurance, which were not always factored into initial budgets. "Purchasing a home is likely the largest financial decision in the average person's lifetime," nationwide title and escrow expert Alan Chang told Newsweek. "With this milestone, there are many factors to consider that some may not have fully contemplated in a sellers market." Housing costs have continued to rise, with home prices and mortgage rates near record highs. The median sale price hit $420,000 in late 2024, and 30-year fixed mortgage rates climbed back above 7 percent this year. Due to these heightened costs, a shift toward older first-time homebuyers is underway, with the median age now 38, up from 29 in the 1980s, according to the National Association of Realtors. The number of first-time buyers also fell to just 1.14 million in 2024, from 3.2 million in 2004. Of those who actually enter the housing market, many younger buyers are purchasing fixer-upper homes to save costs, often underestimating the time and money required for repairs. This approach has led to significant regret among new homeowners, especially those with limited resources. In the Kin Insurance survey, 39 percent of all homeowners said they spend at least one-third of their income on housing costs. And over half did not account for home insurance costs in their initial budgets, particularly in high-risk areas where insurance rates are well above the national average. "A lot of people look at the price of a home and think only about the mortgage payment. But it's never just the mortgage," Kevin Thompson, CEO of 9i Capital Group and host of the 9innings podcast, told Newsweek. "You have property taxes, PMI, HOA dues, and insurance, which seems to only go one way: up. Then there's the cost of actually living in the place, filling empty rooms with furniture, buying appliances like a washer and dryer, and covering all the other odds and ends that come with homeownership." What People Are Saying Thompson also told Newsweek: "Older generations faced higher interest rates, but they were paying those rates on far lower home values. The bigger picture here is that more people—especially younger buyers—may end up renting. And while rents can be just as high, if not higher, than a mortgage, renters avoid the headaches of property taxes, maintenance, and major repairs, although those costs are baked into the rent." Chang also told Newsweek: "Up until recently, the market favored sellers which meant that buyers were waiving contingencies and making quicker decisions in order to not miss out on a home with competing offers. In some instances, buyers skipped inspections or didn't fully consider the full cost of homeownership." Alex Beene, financial literacy instructor for the University of Tennessee at Martin, told Newsweek: "While it's difficult being "house poor" at any age, for Gen Z, it can create some real hurdles. Most in the generation who regret their home purchase cite mortgage costs as the leading reason, and it's easy to see why. Even if they were able to lock in a lower interest rate in prior years, they're still paying a high amount for the property itself, especially at a time in their lives when most Americans would rather be allocating those funds to other items or experiences." What Happens Next Housing affordability is not expected to improve significantly for young buyers in the near term. Persistently high mortgage rates, limited inventory and stagnant wages continue to discourage Gen Z and millennials from entering or upgrading in the market. Real estate professionals recommend young Americans begin financial planning early, seek available grants and programs for first-time buyers and carefully consider whether buying, renting or co-living is the best option for their circumstances. "The long-term risk is fewer individual homeowners, more corporate-owned housing, and a rental-heavy market unless the government steps in to slow that trend," Thompson said.
