THERE ARE HEADWINDS, BUT THERE IS ALSO OPTIMISM. THE IOWA ASSOCIATION OF BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY HAS RELEASED A QUARTERLY SURVEY OF MANUFACTURERS LOOKING AHEAD TO THE FINAL MONTHS OF 2020. MIKE RALSTON IS IOWA ABI’S PRESIDENT. RALSTON DID INDICATE THAT THE IMPACTS OF COVID-19 AND SOCIAL UNREST ARE SHOWING SIGNS OF AFFECTING EMPLOYEE WELL-BEING AND…… Read more »
A new monthly survey of bankers shows the economy making some improvement in rural parts of Iowa and 9 other Plains and Western states. The Rural Mainstreet Survey’s overall index was 46.9 in September, up from 44.7 in August and markedly improved since March, when the index bottomed out at 35.5 as the coronavirus pandemic…… Read more »
THOUSANDS OF EASTERN IOWA COLLINS AEROSPACE WORKERS ARE WONDERING ABOUT THEIR FUTURES WITH THE COMPANY. COLLINS’ PARENT, RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES, PLANS TO ELIMINATE MORE THAN 15,000 JOBS THIS YEAR ACROSS ITS VARIOUS DIVISIONS. THE CUTS ARE NEARLY DOUBLE WHAT RAYTHEON DISCLOSED IN JULY, DUE TO A DOWNTURN IN THE AIRLINE INDUSTRY DURING THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC. SIX…… Read more »
The Iowa State Patrol says one person died and five juveniles suffered minor injuries when a van hit a school bus. The collision happened just after 7:30 yesterday morning on a county road in Benton County. The patrol says a person driving a van veered onto the road’s shoulder then over corrected and hit the…… Read more »
WHEN SHOULD THE COUNTING BEGIN? COUNTY AUDITORS CAN LEGALLY START PROCESSING ABSENTEE BALLOTS ON NOVEMBER 2ND. LINN COUNTY AUDITOR JOEL MILLER TOLD OUR COVERAGE PARTNERS AT TV-9 THAT HE WOULD LIKE TO START SOONER, WITH A RECORD NUMBERS OF PEOPLE EXPECTED TO VOTE BY MAIL. MILLER IS LOBBYING THE SECRETARY OF STATE’S OFFICE FOR PERMISSION…… Read more »
Iowa Senate District 32 includes all of Bremer County and large parts of Black Hawk, Buchanan, and Fayette counties…Democrat challenger Pam Egli of Waverly identified some key issues she wants to work on if elected. Republican incumbent Sen. Craig Johnson of Independence says his past experience is what sets him apart from his challenger. Hear…… Read more »
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT’S NEW FISCAL YEAR IS 15 DAYS AWAY. IOWA SENATOR CHUCK GRASSLEY RECENTLY TALKED ABOUT WHETHER A BUDGET PLAN WILL BE READY IN TIME FOR OCTOBER 1ST. ANOTHER LEGISLATIVE ISSUE LIKELY TO BE AT THE FOREFRONT IN THE COMING WEEKS IS A NEW CORONAVIRUS RELIEF PACKAGE. GRASSLEY CRITICIZED SENATE DEMOCRATS FOR VOTING DOWN…… Read more »
Federal regulators have handed a victory to corn farmers by refusing to allow a group of petroleum refiners in 14 states to forego requirements to blend ethanol into the gasoline they make. Members of Congress from farm states have heavily lobbied President Donald Trump to reject the waiver requests for months. In addition, the president…… Read more »
FORMER IOWA GOVERNOR TERRY BRANSTAD WILL BE LEAVING BEIJING AND RETURNING STATESIDE IN THE COMING WEEKS. BRANSTAD HAS BEEN THE U.S. AMBASSADOR TO CHINA SINCE 2017, BUT THE ASSOCIATED PRESS REPORTS THAT HE INFORMED PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP LAST WEEK THAT HE INTENDS TO STEP DOWN. BRANSTAD’S TIME AS AMBASSADOR CAME DURING A CHALLENGING PERIOD IN…… Read more »
Authorities in Black Hawk County were looking for a convict who did not return from work release yesterday morning. The inmate, now considered an escapee, is 33-year-old Dennis George Devore III. Devore was convicted of Domestic Abuse Assault along with additional crimes. Devore is 5’6″ and weighs 208 pounds. He had been in the work…… Read more »