OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – A monthly survey of business supply managers shows improvement but still reflects relatively weak economic conditions in nine Midwest and Plains states. The Mid-America Business Conditions Index report released Thursday says the overall economic index for the region rose to 46.5 in November from 43.8 in October.

Creighton University economist Ernie Goss oversees the survey, and he says he expects the overall regional economy will continue to underperform the national economy because of the region’s dependence on agriculture and energy.

The survey results are compiled into a collection of indexes ranging from zero to 100. Survey organizers say any score above 50 suggests growth in that factor. A score below that suggests decline. The survey covers Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma and South Dakota.

Iowa officials have formed a partnership with two other states on a “technology upgrade” to process unemployment insurance payments from companies and checks to laid-off workers. Iowa Workforce Development director Beth Townsend says the state’s current system is operating off a computer server that was built in 1973. “We want to get to the iPhone 7.0,” Townsend says.

Townsend’s agency is working with the states of Idaho and Vermont on this project. “We are buying from the State of Idaho a program that they developed internally to get themselves off the main frame to run their (unemployment insurance) benefit and tax programs,” Townsend says. The program is “cloud-based” which means it’s available over the internet via servers owned by a “cloud computing” provider.

Townsend says converting the unemployment insurance program to “the cloud” will cost the State of Iowa between six-to-seven MILLION dollars. “Just for comparison, there have been states nationwide that have put hundreds of millions of dollars into these programs and been unsuccessful and walked away,” Townsend says. “The State of Pennsylvania hired Xerox to create their program. They’ve put about $168 million into it and it’s still not working.”

Townsend says Idaho’s “cloud based” program has been operating for 20 months. “It’s been working very, very well for them,” Townsend says, “so we’re buying something that’s tried and true.” The State of Idaho touts its “Internet Unemployment System” as a revolutionary change. Idaho officials say their agreement with Iowa and Vermont will upgrade the system for “seamless” navigation among devices, be it a “smart” phone or a laptop.

(Radio Iowa)

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

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Iowa’s one-year-old wrongful conviction division is getting a new director, following the departure of its first leader this fall. The State Public Defender’s Office says that it has hired Illinois attorney Erica Nichols Cook to lead the division charged with investigating cases in which inmates claim they are innocent. The hiring comes after the previously unannounced resignation in September of director Audrey McGinn.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A woman has been arrested after protesting the Dakota Access oil pipeline at the Iowa Utilities Board building in Des Moines and demanding a meeting with the board’s chairwoman. The Des Moines Register reports that Jessica Reznicek was arrested Wednesday on a trespassing charge after refusing police orders to leave the building.

MASON CITY, Iowa (AP) — Plans for a Marriott hotel in downtown Mason City are dead after a developer failed to meet the latest deadline to start construction. The Globe Gazette reports that San Diego developer Philip Chodur failed to break ground on Wednesday _ the last of three deadlines he missed as he tried to secure financing for the project. The hotel was part of a planned $36.2 million downtown development that includes the hotel, an ice arena, parking ramp and music pavilion.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — A 46-year-old Marion man has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison after his conviction in a child pornography case. The U.S. Attorney’s office in Cedar Rapids says Bryan King was sentenced Wednesday. Prosecutors say King persuaded a 15-year-old child to produce an image depicting sexually explicit conduct and that King distributed that image and an image of another child to another person.

Members of the Griswold City Council and Griswold Rescue Department have agreed enter into mediation to resolve their differences with regard to matters that led up to the resignation of former Rescue Captain Julie Kline and nine members of the squad.

During last night’s (Wednesday evening’s) Work Session, Griswold City Attorney David Wiederstein mentioned that a complaint had been filed by Kline with the Iowa Public Information Board (IPIB) following a closed session that was held Nov. 12th. Wiederstein said on behalf of the City, he gave IPIB the materials they requested with regard to that meeting, and that the Board is conducting an investigation into whether there was a violation of the Open Meetings Law. He could say nothing further on that topic.

Wiederstein said in response to numerous requests for there to be mediation, he reached out to an area mediator and asked Dan Bechtol with Southwest Iowa Mediation Services, in Atlantic, to put together a plan how he would envision the process moving forward. His proposal was submitted to Wiederstein Sunday evening, who in-turn submitted it to City Manager Lora Hansen. It was also received by some members of the Council.

Rescue Squad member representatives requested the formal mediation process, which involves both sides meeting separately with a mediator in private sessions to discuss relevant issues. Eventually, a joint session will be scheduled between both parties, the City and Rescue Department.