(Radio Iowa) – Iowa’s unemployment rate of two-point-seven percent for September is slightly higher than the previous month. Iowa Workforce Development director Beth Townsend says it was a tenth of a percent increase. “Certainly the uptick in unemployment is an indication that Iowa is not entirely immune to some of the financial and economic conditions that are being faced around the country with the increase in inflation, supply chain issues,” Townsend says. Several sectors of the Iowa economy recorded job losses last month, while Iowa manufacturers added 600 jobs.

“They’re up over 8800 jobs over the course of a year, so that was good,” Townsend says. “In September we saw the health care and social assistance industries shed a thousand jobs. Trade, transportation and utilities also shed a thousand jobs and finance and insurance also shed 600.” Those 600 job losses were primarily in the insurance industry. The number of Iowans above the age of 15 who are working or looking for a job was about the same in August and September. Federal data shows that so-called labor participation rate in Iowa peaked in 1996 at more than 73 percent and got close to that level at the end of 2008. Over one-point-six million Iowans were working last month — a labor participation rate under 68 percent.

“I do think it’s a good sign for our labor force that the labor force rate remained the same,” Townsend says. “…We do have over 83,000 jobs available in Iowa today.” Townsend says it’s still a buyers market in Iowa if you’re looking for work. “Starting wages are up, employers are looking for new ways to attract a workforce, including changes to shifts, changes to work,” Townsend says, “whatever they can do to retain a good workforce.”

The new state law that reduced how long unemployed Iowans are eligible for benefits took effect July 1st and its potential effect in the state’s unemployment rate could be reflected in October’s data.

(Radio Iowa) – Cherokee County officials say four people were hospitalized after a semi – driven by 61-year-old James Nieuwenhuis, of Hospers – hit a school bus traveling east of Marcus at about 7:35 this (Thursday) morning. The 2011 Bluebird bus was carrying students in the Marcus Meriden Cleghorn Remsen Union (MMCRU) school district. The Iowa State Patrol says the accident happened as the 2007 Mack semi was traveling north on F Avenue and failed to stop at the intersection with 470th Street. The truck entered the intersection in front of the school bus, which was westbound on 470th. After the bus struck the right side of the trailer, and both vehicles partially entered the ditch northwest of the intersection.

The district’s Facebook page indicates all aboard the bus were evaluated at the scene. Three students and the bus driver 62-year-old Leslie Pedersen, of Cleghorn – were taken to Cherokee’s hospital for treatment of what’s described as minor injuries. The rest of the students were loaded onto another bus and taken to school, where a school nurse and a secretary checked again to make sure they were not injured.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Officials with the Atlantic Public Library report the elevator inside the library is in need of a replacement part. Therefore, the decision was made to turn-off the elevator, until the full repair can be done. There is no timeline on how soon to expect the part.

Library Director Michelle Anderson and her staff say :We apologize for the inconvenience but will continue to assist however we can for those who cannot use the steps.” 

Atlantic Public Library (Kathy Somers, photo, via www.atlantic.lib.ia.us)

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic Police Department reports two people were arrested Sunday (10/16): 30-year-old Asher Herrin, of Carroll, was arrested for Theft in the 3rd Degree, and Public Intoxication. And, 24-year-old Jeff Edecker, of Atlantic, was arrested for Public Intoxication.

Last Saturday, 60-year-old Julie Peck, of Walnut, was cited and released on a charge of 5th Degree Theft (shoplifting).

On Friday,Oct. 14th, Atlantic Police arrested 33-year-old Antonio Billy, of Atlantic, for Disorderly Conduct and Public Intoxication. And, on Oct. 11th, 45-year-old Samuel Mills, of Atlantic, was cited for Child Endangerment, and released.

Des Moines, IA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa and U.S. Attorney Richard D. Westphal joins the Department of Justice, the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW), advocates, survivors, victim service providers, justice professionals, police and first responders, and communities across the United States in observing October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

For too many victims, domestic violence impacts their life every day. The devastating consequences of domestic violence are widespread and affects the victims as well as the victims’ family and friends, and can cross generations and last a lifetime. Approximately one in four women and one in seven men will experience severe domestic violence in their lifetimes. These rates are disproportionately higher for American Indian and Alaska Native populations, women of Color, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and two-spirit people, and people with disabilities. Domestic Violence Awareness Month provides an opportunity to spread awareness about domestic violence and encourage everyone to play a role in ending gender-based violence. 

“Domestic Violence Awareness Month reminds us of the human impact of domestic violence and our role along with the dedicated victim advocates, service providers, police and first responders in ensuring that victims and survivors have a path to safety, access to services, and a voice in justice,” said U.S. Attorney Richard Westphal. “Domestic violence happens in our homes, our neighborhoods, our workplaces, and our communities and a top priority of our office will continue to be assisting victims, prosecuting offenders, and supporting our community’s awareness of available resources.”

Targeting gun violence is a key part of combatting domestic violence and reducing violent crime. Domestic violence abusers with access to a gun are five times more likely to kill their partners, and in addition to their lethality, firearms are used by abusers to inflict fear, intimidation, and coercive control. Under federal law, people convicted of a felony or misdemeanor crime of domestic violence or are subject to a protective order are prohibited from purchasing or possessing firearms. This crime is punishable by up to fifteen years in prison.

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 (SAFE), or the Iowa Coalition Against Domestic Violence at 1-800-770-1650. Additional resources for victims and survivors of domestic violence can be found on the Resources page of the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence website at https://ncadv.org/resources.

(Radio Iowa) – Officials in Sioux City are still assessing the wind damage to the city/county law enforcement center that’s under construction. Ron Wieck, chairman of the authority overseeing the project, says last week’s gusts of up to 50-miles-an-hour toppled several 40-foot-high walls. “Some of the precast panel walls that were in place and standing upright fell over,” Wieck says, “so at this point, there’s an investigation going on on what occurred.” The accident happened last Friday afternoon. No workers were in the vicinity and no one was hurt. Wieck doesn’t have a damage estimate yet because the investigation is still underway.

“There will be insurance to cover wind damage, certainly it would be a covered peril under the builder’s risk policy,” Wieck says. “So if we find out that there was a problem on whatever, it’s conceivable a contractor’s liability policy could be involved in it.”  Unfortunately, Wieck says, there’s no saving the walls that fell over.  “They are not salvageable,” he says. “They were broken and will have to be replaced.” While that part of the project is now delayed, Wieck says construction work continues elsewhere. “Depending on how quickly they can replace those panels, that could affect our timeline,” Wieck says. “The reality of it is, the building is large enough that work can go on in other areas.”

Wieck says the investigation will determine the extent of repairs necessary and if the timeline for the new building is significantly affected.

The Glenwood Police Department reports one person was arrested Wednesday: 69-year-old Duane Robertson, of Glenwood, was arrested for Driving While Revoked. He subsequently posted a $1,000 cash or surety bond, and was released.

(Radio Iowa) – Recent events like Hurricane Ian hitting the southeastern U-S and the derechos in the Midwest have prompted some to ask if it’s better to bury power and communication lines underground versus hanging them above ground on utility poles. Rod Pritchard, a spokesman for I-T-C Midwest, says it really comes down to dollars. “The cost of that is a main determining factor,” Pritchard says. “Compared with overhead line construction, the cost of underground transmission is five to ten times more, and so we view it as being cost prohibitive.”

Pritchard says environmental factors are also a consideration, as putting cables underground disturbs a lot of soil. “Although the underground line is much better protected in terms of storm events, when you do have an outage with underground line, it can take a lot of work to find that as well as to fix that problem,” he says, “whereas overhead lines are much easier to repair if there is an outage.”

Cedar Rapids post-derecho in August of 2020 (Trees Forever photo)

I-T-C owns and operates high-voltage transmission infrastructure in Iowa and six other states, with its ITC Midwest subsidiary based out of Cedar Rapids. Across its system, I-T-C has 16-thousand circuit miles of transmission line.

Des Moines, Iowa – Officials with the Iowa Insurance Division’s Fraud Bureau report 47-year-old Sara Weisbeck, of LeClair was found guilty on October 7, 2022, in Scott County District Court of one count of Insurance Fraud (Class D Felony) and one count of Identity Theft (Class D Felony) following an investigation by the Iowa Insurance Division’s Fraud Bureau.

The investigation began in December 2019 after the Iowa Insurance Division’s Fraud Bureau received information indicating Weisbeck had provided false information to her insurer when filing an insurance claim. She had alleged a lightning strike caused a power surge within her residence and destroyed over $7,000 of her personal belongings.

The investigation determined that specific items Weisbeck reported to her insurer as destroyed were not within the residence when the lightning strike occurred. It also determined that Weisbeck facilitated the removal of windows from within her residence and falsely reported that the power surge blew the windows from the house. The investigation also determined that emails submitted to Weisbeck’s insurer, which were authored in the name of her landlord and supported her insurance claim, were fictitious and had been fabricated.

Sara Weisbeck (Photo courtesy of the Scott County Sheriff’s Office)

Following her guilty conviction, Weisbeck was placed on supervised probation for two years and ordered to pay a civil penalty of $2,357.50. Weisbeck must also pay victim restitution in the amount of $1,240 for the damaged windows.

Iowans with information about insurance fraud are encouraged to contact the Iowa Insurance Division’s Fraud Bureau at 515-654-6556.

(Lee County, Iowa) – A man riding a bicycle was struck and killed Wednesday evening, in southeast Iowa. According to the Iowa State Patrol, a 1998 Chevy pickup driven by 70-year-old Sharon L. Robey, of Niota, Illinois, was westbound on S. 7th Street in Keokuk, when the vehicle ran into the rear of a Huffy Sante Fe bicycle, which was traveling west on S. 7th Street. Following the collision, the bicycle, operated by 57-year-old Clark Evan Pfeiferling, of Keokuk, came to rest under the right front corner of the pickup. The accident happened at around 5:54-p.m.

Pfeiferling was transported by Lee County EMS to the Southeast Iowa Medical Center, where he died from his injuries. The accident was under investigation.

The Patrol was assisted at the scene by Keokuk Police and Lee County EMS.