A report called the Solar Jobs Census finds the number of people working in the solar industry in Iowa rose just over 60-percent in the past two years. Avery Palmer, spokesman for the non-profit Solar Foundation, says Iowa had about 350 solar jobs in 2015 versus more than 560 last year. The study finds one out of every 50 new jobs in the country last year was in the solar industry.

Palmer says, “What we’re seeing over and over is that the price of solar is going way down and solar is becoming more and more affordable and accessible no matter what part of the country you live in, whether you’re in a small town a big city or a rural area.” The census finds solar employment increased in 44 of the 50 states last year, growing by 25-percent nationwide, while Iowa’s increase was 61-percent.

“As solar becomes more attractive to homes, businesses and communities, companies are building more projects,” Palmer says, “and they are hiring more people to do the work.” The subject of solar jobs is wide-ranging, Palmer says, and includes far more than the people who install solar arrays on rooftops.

“If you have a big solar project that’s being built out somewhere in the country, you need folks to manage the project and to manage the finances,” Palmer says. “You also need people to do sales, to do the marketing, to do the engineering.” Palmer predicts steady growth, with an increase of at least 10-percent in solar jobs nationwide in 2017.

California saw the most growth in solar jobs in 2016, followed by Massachusetts, Texas, Nevada and Florida. Iowa ranks 41st nationally for the number of solar jobs, 38th in solar jobs per capita.

(Radio Iowa)

Supporters of President Trump are planning rallies in four Iowa cities tomorrow (Saturday). Organizers of these “Spirit of America” rallies across the country say their goal is to show there’s broad support for the president’s agenda.  “We just know how the last few years the middle class has become really crunched and he sees that and he wants to turn that around.” That is Tammy Kobza, a coordinator for the rallies in Davenport, Ottumwa, Des Moines and Council Bluffs. She says the rallies will feature speakers, patriotic songs, and fellowship.

“It’s a very upbeat, family-friendly time where we’re going to cheer him on and just see that America, by and large, believes in the values that our country was built upon and we’re ready to stand for ‘America First,'” Kobza says. The pro-Trump rallies in Iowa are scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. tomorrow (Saturday). The central Iowa event will be held on the state capitol grounds in Des Moines. The rally in Ottumwa will be held in the Central Park Band Shelter. Davenport Guns will host the event in Davenport.

Organizers of the Council Bluffs event call it a “street corner” rally — at the corner of 16th and Broadway in Council Bluffs.

(Radio Iowa)

One of two Atlantic residents injured during a two-vehicle crash accident in Lancaster County, Nebraska, Christmas Day 2016, has died. 78-year old Joan Harlan, died Thursday, March 2nd, at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, in Omaha.

The Nebraska State Patrol said an eastbound semi had gone out of control, crossed the median and struck a westbound SUV occupied by Joan and her 78-year-old husband, Robert Harlan. The accident happened on Interstate 80 near the Waverly exit,  shortly after noon on Dec 25th. Both suffered serious injuries during the crash. The driver of the semi, 45-year-old Princewill Dabrinze, of Texas was hospitalized in fair condition at the time.

It’s believed the weather and road conditions were to blame for the crash.