The state will increase the maximum benefit paid for unemployment at the start of the new fiscal year on July first. Iowa Workforce Development spokesperson, Kerry Koonce, says the amount paid is going up about three percent.”Every year we do a review of what they call the average annual wage for Iowans across the state, and that affects any changes that would take place in what an individual could receive for maximum weekly benefits on unemployment,” Koonce explains. “And since Iowa’s average annual wage increased for calendar year 2011, that means for our fiscal year that starts July first of 2012, the average weekly benefit for unemployment will also increase.” The average annual wage now used to calculate unemployment benefits is 38-thousand-949 dollars. The change will result in just over 10 dollars more each week for those who earn the maximum unemployment benefit.

“You know it’s not a large change, for example, if you are a family that has two dependents lets say, it goes from 415 to 426 a week. However, if you’re on unemployment, every little big extra you get each week helps out greatly,” Koonce says. Workforce Development figures show about half those who are eligible for unemployment benefits have enough earnings to qualify for the maximum benefit. There’s also a change for those who become disable and can’t work. Koonce says the change for temporary total disability rises weekly to one-thousnd-498 dollars ($1,498) and the amount for permanent partial disability, the maximum increases to one thousand-378 dollars ($1,378). Iowa’s unemployment rate dropped to five-point-one percent (5.1%) in April, and has dropped every month this year.

(Radio Iowa)

Voters across Iowa are heading to the polls today (Tuesday), to cast their ballots in the Primary Election. Winners in the Primary will have their names appear on the ballot for the November 6th General Election. The polls opened at 7-a.m., and will close at 9-p.m. In Cass County, there are no contested local races.

In Audubon County, five men, four Republicans, including one incumbent (Todd M. Nelson), and one Democrat, are vying for two seats on the Board of Supervisors. One seat was left open by the announcement by Vernie Venteicher that he is not running for re-election. Facing-off against Nelson for one of the seats is Duane Deist, Monte L. Dreher, and Roger Merk. Jerry R. Carter is unopposed on the Democratic ticket. Also in Audubon County, Democrat Blake Asberry is running against incumbent Todd Johnson, a Republican, for the title of Sheriff. It’s the first time in more than a decade there is a race for the Sheriff’s job, in Audubon County.

There are no contested races in Adams County, where the Republican incumbents for County Supervisors in Districts 2 and 5, along with Sheriff Alan Johannes, County Attorney Duane Golden and Democrat Auditor Nancy J. Carmichael, are unopposed. In Guthrie County, there are two Democrats on the ballot for Board of Supervisors in District 1: Jerome F. Caraher, of Bayard, and John Milhollin, , of Yale. Only one will be elected, and move on to meet Republican, James Carroll, in November. Carroll is unopposed in the Primary. In District 5: Democrat David Guisinger is unopposed on the ballot, while Republicans Mike Dickson, of Stuart, and Robert Schemmel, of Dexter, are squaring-off, each with hopes of moving on to face Guisinger in the November election.

In Montgomery County, incumbent Republican Sheriff Joe Sampson faces a challenge from fellow Republican, Chris Stephens. In Pottawattamie County, incumbent Sheriff Jeff Danker faces a challenge from fellow Republican John Hitchcock. The man who wins today’s election will likely be the next Sheriff, as no Democrat has filed to run.

There’s a six-person Republican race in Shelby County for the Board of Supervisors. Scott Burchett, Delbert Hull (who is seeking re-election), Steve Kenkel, Randy Nelson, Charles Parkhurst and David Yamada are all on the ballot. On the Democratic ticket men are in the running: Herb Christensen, LaVon Christensen and Jerry Henscheid. There is also a State Representative Race in District 18 on the Democratic side, with Kasey Friedrichsen and Bernard Murphy vying for a win. The biggest race in Shelby County though is the Republican Sheriff’s position. Since there isn’t a candidate running on the Democratic side, it’s down to current Sheriff Mark Hervey and Nathan Dee Christensen.

Other races to watch include those for State Senate in District 10 (which includes parts or all of Audubon, Guthrie, Adair, Dallas & Cass Counties), featuring Republicans Jake Chapman and Matthew T. Mardesen, and, Senate District 6 (parts or all of Audubon, Carroll & Crawford Counties), where Republicans Matthew Biede (a Sac County Sheriff’s Deputy), Adam Schweers (The Mayor of Carroll) and Mark Segebart (a farmer from Vail & member of the Crawford County Board of Supervisors) are in the running, with only one in each district moving on to the November General Election, where they will face Democrat Mary Bruner. Incumbent legislator, Greg Forristal, is being challenged by Clint Fichter for the GOP nod in the new 22nd district, which covers most of Pottawattamie County.

If you are not sure where your voting precinct is, call your County’s Auditor’s Office, or go the the Iowa Secretary of State’s website at https://sos.iowa.gov/elections/voterreg/pollingplace/search.aspx We’ll have the results of the election for you Wednesday morning, on KJAN and on the web at kjan.com.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press