October is "National Manufacturing Month", and one northwest Iowa manufacturer hosted 230 students this week from as many as 12 schools on a tour of their facility. Valley Machining Chief Financial Officer Joe Van Tol says his company's "Manufacturing Day" is part of a larger effort to address the … [Read more...]
Governor decries ‘destructive force’ of sexual harassment, signs ‘Change the Culture’ proclamation
Governor Kim Reynolds signed a proclamation early this morning declaring October as "Change the Culture" month in Iowa. "Throughout history, sexual harassment has been a stain on our culture," Reynolds said, reading the proclamation aloud during a ceremony in her statehouse office. "It is a … [Read more...]
Hamilton, Humboldt and Wright Counties facing child care shortage
The executive director of a family resource center in Clarion says the opening of the Prestage Foods pork processing plant in Eagle Grove in the next few months is going to stretch the already thin child care availability in three counties. McKinley Bailey is the executive director of Building … [Read more...]
Business Council survey finds most member optimism ever
The Iowa Business Council released its latest quarterly economic outlook survey Monday, and executive director Georgia Van Gundy, says the results find a lot of optimism. "Our member show that this is the strongest that the economy has been in the ten years that we've been doing the survey," Van … [Read more...]
Cedar Rapids trucking company CRST announces leadership change
A change in leadership was announced today for an eastern Iowa based transportation company. CRST says current president and CEO Dave Rusch will retire at the end of the year. He'll be replaced by Hugh Ekberg, CRST's current COO and Group President. CRST International was founded in 1955 in Cedar … [Read more...]
Plastic molding business in Monticello to close
A manufacturing business in the Eastern Iowa town of Monticello will be closing soon, leaving about 70 people without a job. Monticello City Administrator Doug Herman says MedPlast has been in operation in the city for over four decades. "Typically, MedPlast employed between 70 and 100. The … [Read more...]
ISU experts say closing of retail stores part of ongoing process
With the fall harvest getting underway it won't be long before the holiday shopping season is upon us. You'll find fewer options available for that shopping with the closing of some of the iconic retail stores across the state. Iowa State University apparel expert, Linda Niehm and her colleagues … [Read more...]
Iowa Policy Project report on new compensation for job-related shoulder injuries
A liberal-leaning think-tank in Iowa City has released a report suggesting Iowans who suffer serious shoulder injuries on the job will receive far less in worker's compensation benefits today than they would have a couple of years ago. Matthew Glasson of the University of Iowa Labor Center helped … [Read more...]
Iowa now has second lowest unemployment rate in the nation
Iowa's unemployment rate continued trending down into historic lows in August. Iowa Workforce Development spokesman Cory Kelly says the rate dropped from 2.6 percent in July to 2.5 percent in August. "We've been tracking unemployment since 1976 to this degree -- and this is one of five months in … [Read more...]
Investigation concludes fired state agency chief sexually harassed three female employees
Three Des Moines lawyers have completed their independent investigation of the Iowa Finance Authority director the governor fired this spring, issuing a 35-page report that concludes Dave Jamison sexually harassed three women in the agency, frequently drank at bars during work hours and repeatedly … [Read more...]