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Iowa early News Headlines: Saturday, May 18, 2019

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May 18th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:40 a.m. CDT

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — Police in western Iowa say a fourth person has been charged in the robbery death of a Council Bluffs man. Council Bluffs police say in a news release that 25-year-old Ryan McDonald, of Glenwood, was arrested around 3:30 a.m. Friday on a warrant charging him with first-degree murder in the January death of 38-year-old Adam Angeroth. Police did not release any information explaining McDonald’s suspected role in the killing.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Supreme Court has upheld a 2017 law that removed bargaining rights for many state employees. In cases filed by the Iowa State Education Association and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, the court ruled 4-3 on Friday that the law withstands constitutional challenges. Both decisions were written by Justice Thomas Waterman, an appointee of former Republican Gov. Terry Branstad, who supported the new law.

NEWTON, Iowa (AP) — Montana Gov. Steve Bullock waited until May to declare his candidacy for president, but he’s wasting no time getting to the point. Bullock launched his first full day of campaigning Friday in Newton, Iowa, a town where union manufacturing jobs have vanished in the past 15 years. In doing so, he is underscoring his argument that his party can win in 2020 only if they show voters, especially in Middle America, that Democrats understand their economic concerns.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa’s unemployment rate remained at 2.4% in April for the 10th month in a row. Iowa Workforce Development reported Friday the jobless rate held steady, where it has been since July 2018. Iowa has the nation’s third-lowest rate, behind Vermont and North Dakota, and tied with New Hampshire. The number of Iowa residents with jobs in April climbed by 4,600 to 1.67 million. The number of unemployed residents dropped to 40,400. Iowa’s figure compares to a national unemployment rate of 3.6% in April.