(Burlington, Iowa) – A man who authorities say was hearing impaired, was struck and killed by a garbage truck this (Thursday) morning, in eastern Iowa. The Iowa State Patrol reports a 2016 International garbage truck driven by 65-year-old Dale Deitrick, of Mediapolis, was backing southbound on Isabell Avenue, in Burlington.

49-year-old Brian Whittaker, of Burlington, was crossing the street, when he was hit by the truck. The accident happened at around 10:08-a.m.

Whittaker was transported by Burlington Fire/Rescue to a hospital in Burlington, where he died from his injuries.

The accident remains under investigation.

(Creston, Iowa) – A crash this (Thursday) afternoon in Creston resulted in one person being transported to the hospital. Creston Police report a 1999 Cadillac Deville was driven to the park by a male passenger. The male driver and female passenger then changed positions in the vehicle, so the female – who had just received her permit – could practice driving.

The woman – identified as 73-year-old Clarina P. Lee, of Creston – told police the male told her to “go.”  He then told her to press the brake, but she got flustered and was said to have stepped on the accelerator pedal instead. The vehicle went out of control and crashed, causing about $4,000 damage to the car. The accident happened at around 12:30-p.m.

Lee was transported to the hospital by law enforcement, after she complained of pain and unknown/possible injuries. No citations were issued.

(Council Bluffs, Iowa) – A man working for the Iowa Department of Transportation was struck and killed in a Pottawattamie County construction zone this (Thursday) morning. The Iowa State Patrol reports 36-year-old Matthew Dickerson, of Neola, died in the crash that happened northeast of Council Bluffs at around 9:15-a.m. on Interstate 80 eastbound.

The Patrol says a 2024 International tractor-trailer registered to UPS and driven by 41-year-old Clifford Miller, of Millerstown, PA, was traveling on I-80 eastbound in a line of traffic, as two lanes merged into one. Two DOT maintenance crash attenuator (with illuminated arrow sign) vehicles notified traffic of the left lane closure.

Matthew Dickerson was at the rear of one of the DOT vehicles conducting patch work in the left closed lane, when the semi changed lanes between the DOT crash attenuator and a DOT 2021 Dodge RAM 3500 pickup, in order to pass other traffic. The semi struck Dickerson and the pickup truck. The driver of the pickup, 45-year-old Jordan Hargens, of Council Bluffs, was injured in the accident. He was transported by private vehicle to a hospital.

Jim Mayer, Senior Director of UPS Media Relations, told KETV in a statement, “”We’re aware of an accident on I-80 this morning involving one of our vehicles. We are saddened to learn of the death of a highway worker and our thoughts are with his family. We are cooperating with authorities as they investigate and are referring any additional questions to them.”

(Radio Iowa) – The April unemployment rate dropped to 2.8% compared to 2.9% in March. Iowa Workforce Development director, Beth Townsend, says there were no major ups or downs in the month.

“Overall not a bad report, our labor force participation rate went down slightly again, We think that’s primarily due to retirements and then earlier in the year I think the decrease has been related to people going back to school,” Townsend says. Townsend says the economy shows signs of easing with several industries inching back from huge hiring sprees earlier in the year. “The job market is tightening in the sense that we did shed some jobs in April and it looks like employers are not hiring at the same rate that they were earlier in the year so that’s concerning,” she says.

Townsend says there appears to be some concern about the national economy. “You get the sense that everybody’s kind of waiting to see what happens,” she says, “there just seems to be, you know we’re not seeing big movements in hiring, we’re not seeing big layoffs either so that’s good….you know we’re in an election year and maybe that’s what’s going on,” Townsend says.

The number of unemployed Iowans decreased by 15-hundred to 47-thousand-200 in April. Workers at the Tyson pork plant in Perry are slated to lose their jobs in June, and Townsend says they are holding a job fair there today. She says they are trying to find the workers new jobs that are close. “And that’s kind of you know where we’ve been focusing our efforts is connecting and with employers in the Polk and Dallas County area,’ Townsend says. “Right now there are 165 job openings in Perry itself. Dallas County has about 1,100 job openings. Overall, Polk County has over 12,000 job openings, but we’re doing our level best to connect folks with manufacturers.” The Perry plant has some 1,300 workers.