The Des Moines-based employment security agency reported Tuesday that the state seasonally adjusted unemployment rate dropped from 4.9 percent in March to 4.7 percent in April. A year ago, the rate of jobless workers stood at 5.2 percent.

The state figures echo a national trend. The U.S. unemployment rate in April eased down to 7.5 percent from a March rate of 7.6 percent.

“The state’s unemployment rate continued to show improvement in April, falling to its lowest level since December 2008,” Teresa Wahlert, director of Iowa Workforce Development, said in the Tuesday release. “The statewide labor force also grew for the fourth consecutive month, a sign that individuals are feeling more confident about the job market.”

The report also revealed that the estimated number of unemployed persons dropped in April, from 80,500 in March to 77,800 in April. The total number of working Iowans increased for the seventh consecutive month in April, climbing to 1,570,900 from 1,562,100 in March, the report said. The level stood at 1,557,900 one year ago.

Month-to-month gains in manufacturing and a number of service industries were offset by losses in government and construction-related jobs. April’s total nonfarm employment remained steady at 1,518,000.

Locally, Corridor rates in both the Iowa City and Cedar Rapids areas are also on the decline.

The Iowa City Metropolitan Statistical Area saw unemployment levels decline 0.4 percent from March to 3.1 percent. A total of 89,500 residents in the Iowa City area were employed last month, a rise of 100 from March. As a result, the labor force fell to 92,300 from a March recorded 92,600.

Nonfarm employment in the Iowa City MSA gained 400 jobs during the one-month period.

Job sector gains were near equivalent among trade, transportation and warehousing (300), professional and business services (200) and leisure and hospitality (400). The government branch of the state economy shed 700 jobs, mostly relating to state government operations.

The Cedar Rapids metropolitan statistical area jobless rate fell to 4.8 percent in April, a drop from 5.3 percent a month prior. The most recent time the Cedar Rapids MSA posted a 4.8 percent unemployment rate was September, October and November 2012, according to IWD records.

The jobless rate in Cedar Rapids fell below 4.8 percent to 4.7 percent in August 2008 before the start of the recession. The final quarter of 2012 was somewhat irregular as the unemployment rate climbed back above 5 percent in January 2013.

The total number of employed in the Cedar Rapids area last month climbed by 1,000 residents to 137,400.

The area’s labor force also saw expansion. In all, labor numbered 144,300, up from 144,100 in March.

Natural resources and construction saw a seasonally adjusted boost, adding 600 jobs. Despite gaining 400 jobs, leisure and hospitality remains 300 below just one year ago.

Manufacturing has lost 300 jobs since April 2012.

—By Quentin Misiag

By Quentin Misiag
quentin-misiag@uiowa.edu

A last minute essay submission to the Iowa City UNESCO City of Literature by one local teenager has resulted in year’s worth of paid tuition to the University of Iowa.

City High sophomore and Iowa City native Emma Holmes submitted her “Swing Tree” essay on a whim to the Paul Engle Day: Glory of the Senses essay contest after English teacher, Daphne Foreman encouraged her to fix up a former homework assignment. After mulling her options, Holmes came to the conclusion that the writing of a completely new, but still true story-based essay was her best option.

Her inspiration, she said, came from seeing a favorite childhood tree turn mangled by a fire caused by a lightning storm. She said she often found herself playing in the tree prior to its destruction.

And although she didn’t anticipate beating out the 77 other sophomore students, Holmes said her reaction upon learning of the win last week was just her style.

“I did something entirely me like,” she said. “I fell off the bed. I completely forgot I had entered.”

Holmes said she plans on reading the essay during the Iowa City Book Festival, scheduled Oct. 11-13.

Although her college career won’t begin for another three years, she said growing up in Iowa City has sparked her interest in one day attending the school nearly in her backyard, the University of Iowa. Her love for downtown and the literary culture synonymous with the UI Writers Workshop has in recent years helped solidify her collegiate future.

“It’s the city of literature and I’ve always wanted to be an author since first and second grade,” she said. “. . . It’s just the atmosphere, the opportunities people have here is nice to have.”

Iowa City was recognized as one of six Cities of Literature in 2008.

If she ultimately decides on continuing her collegiate education elsewhere, Holmes said Grinnell College and the University of Northern Iowa could prove to be strong options as well.

Regardless of the college she chooses, she said the one goal of becoming a novelist will remain.

“I always end up starting and never finishing,” she said.

City High principal John Bacon and teacher Daphne Foreman Tuesday could not be reached for comment Tuesday evening.

John Kenyon, executive director of the Iowa City UNESCO City of Literature, said the organization worked with UI President Sally Mason in determining the year’s worth of tuition as the grand prize. He said after a 2012 hiatus, the contest has shown the demand and interest in literature among teens across the state is high.

He said the nearly three month submission period was offered statewide for the first time in 2013 and garnered more than twice as many essays as the 2011 period.

“We’re able to show that Iowa is a state full of state writers,” he said. “Its not just the Iowa Writers Workshop.”

The contest asked individuals to write a three-to-five-page essay about an “Iowa experience,” drawing on a specific memory to capture the five senses of the day. A panel that included a number of writers and educators scored the compositions. Cedar Rapids Washington High School English department chairperson, Adam Witte headed the scorings.

A weeklong curriculum based on the work of long-time UI Writer’s Workshop director Paul Engle was distributed to all Iowa high schools and coincided with the essay contest. Engle is also the co-founder of the UI International Writing Program.

In addition to Holmes’s first place standing, six runners up from across Iowa will receive $500 cash scholarships from the City of Literature. Jayda Baumhover of East Sac County High School, Rose Deighton of Glenwood Community High School, Laura Perez of Maple Valley Anthon-Oto High School, Alyssa Raver of Ankeny High School, Sophie Steffensmeier of Beckman Catholic High School, and Nicole Weissenfluh of Dike-New Hartford High School will all be honored alongside Holmes on October 12 during Paul Engle Day at the Iowa City Book Festival.

Kenyon said the goal of targeting the essay program exclusively to high school sophomores was simple. He said many juniors and seniors are busy during the academic year with narrowing down their college options and taking standardized tests like the ACT and SAT. He said sophomore students are generally well developed as writers but aren’t bogged down with stress-heavy activities.

“One of our main motivators is to make sure writing by students is taken seriously,” he said. “To us there is no difference between scoring a winning touchdown and writing an exemplary essay. We’re trying to balance those scales a little bit.”

The Washington, D.C.-based non-profit organization, however, cautioned that none of the nation’s 50 states nor the District of Columbia faired greatly in regards to how government policies work to improve the economic security of workers, retirees and their families.

The group analyzed job quality, income, affordability of basic necessities including education, training and housing, supports, and savings and assets in determining the most favorable states.

Specifics including minimum wage, family leave benefits, unemployment insurance, workforce development, preschool attendance, public school performance, retirement plans, housing preservation, child care assistance and nutrition were taken into consideration.

The majority of states, including Iowa, earned between a C-minus and C-plus, the group said in their Economic Security Scorecard: Policy and Security in the States.

Washington State earned the highest overall grade with a B-minus. Vermont, Oregon, The District of Columbia, Wisconsin and Connecticut earned rankings two through six respectively with an overall grade of C-plus.

Iowa, with an overall grade of a C followed New York, Maine, and New Jersey on the list. The four lowest-performing states according to the scorecard were Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, and Utah — who each earned a D-plus.

Iowa received its lowest grade, a D-minus, for job quality, while its highest recognition, a B-minus, came in the savings and assets category.

For more information and to see the entire scorecard, visit www.wowsonline.org

—By Quentin Misiag

According to online police records, Kashawn Deas, 21, was charged Sunday. The arrest log does not indicate where the arrest took place, but Deas is from Allentown, Pa. He has not yet been booked at the Johnson County Jail.

Police responded to the first bomb threat around 9 a.m. on Aug. 20, 2012 at Regina, 2150 Rochester Ave. A phoned-in threat to the school said a bomb had been placed in the facility. Officials from the Iowa City police, the UI police’s K-9 division, and the Johnson County Bomb Squad searched the area but didn’t find any devices or suspicious packages.

Around noon on Sept. 19, 2012, a second threat was called into Regina. The caller didn’t say a bomb was inside the school but said he planned to come into the building with an explosive device on his body if the school did not provide money.

Two juvenile males, ages 15 and 17, were later charged on Sept. 21, 2012 after Iowa City police followed “several leads.” The students were both charged with first-degree harassment, an aggravated misdemeanor.

In a Monday morning press release, UI Director of Athletics Gary Barta announced Pritzker will leave the program and the coaching profession to become the chief financial officer for the intercollegiate athletics department at the University of Virginia.

“We appreciate Steve’s work this past year and know that our rowing program has seen significant improvement through his leadership,” Barta said in the release.  ”We wish him the best as he transitions from coaching to his new role at UVA.”

A native of Alexandria, Va., Pritzker, attended graduate school at the University of Virginia and said the opportunity was too good to pass up. He was promoted to associate head coach for the Virgina program in 2007 and was named director of recruiting in 2005.

“This has been an incredibly heart-wrenching decision for me as I will miss coaching tremendously,” he said in the release. “The opportunity to combine my athletics and business background where I attended graduate school is an incredibly rare opportunity and not one I would have expected when I was offered the job at the University of Iowa last summer.”

Pritzker completed his first year as the head of the Hawkeye program last weekend during the 2013 Big Ten Conference Rowing Championships in Indianapolis.

“I have enormous respect for my student-athletes and the significant progress they have made this year,” he said. “I want to thank Gary Barta and Paula Jantz for giving me the opportunity to make a contribution at the University of Iowa, the student-athletes for working so hard, and the rowing staff for working diligently to build upon the UI’s commitment to the sport of rowing, a commitment that includes everything that is necessary to build a championship program,” Pritzker added.

While at Virginia, Pritzker helped guide the Cavaliers to NCAA team championships in 2010 and 2012, along with runner-up finishes in 2005 and 2007. During his nine seasons, Virginia won eight ACC titles.

Pritzker was named the second head coach of the Iowa rowing program on July 19, 2012.

The UI will now begin a national search immediately.

Follow The Daily Iowan as this story develops.

According to an Iowa City police press release, the fight at the school, 1900 Morningside Dr., broke out at approximately 7:25 a.m. and involved three males and two females. The release said an additional officer had been dispatched to the school due to “ongoing issues” between the juveniles. City High staff and the officer were able to quickly defuse the situation. Johnson County Juvenile Court Office officials and additional police presence also arrived to the scene.

Following the fight, all five unidentified juveniles were taken into custody and removed from the school, the release said. They were then transported to the Linn County Juvenile Detention Facility in Cedar Rapids and face the following charges:

Male 1 – Assault Causing Injury
Male 2 – Simple Assault and Disorderly Conduct
Male 3 – Simple Assault
Female 1 – Simple Assault and Disorderly Conduct
Female 2 – Disorderly Conduct

City High principal John Bacon said staff took to the school-wide television system, informing students that the situation had been dissolved. He said none of the students involved possessed any form of weaponry during the dispute and declined to comment on what weekend activities the students were involved in, or if they had been involved in past altercations at the school.

Follow The Daily Iowan as this story develops.

The completion of a six-month initiative by the Joint Commission, American Heart Association and the American Stroke Association in March 2013 has named the UIHC Primary Stroke Center an Advanced Certification this week.

The designation marks the UIHC program as the only Iowa-based institution to receive the award and one of only 35 nationwide.

As a Comprehensive Stroke Center, the UI Stroke Center is part of a select group of providers centered on detailed stroke care. The centers are recognized as leaders in the industry and are responsible for setting the national agenda in highly-specialized stroke care.

“We are delighted by this designation because it recognizes the expertise and special resources we have at the University of Iowa,” said Harold Adams, M.D., professor of neurology and director of the UI Stroke Center in the Friday news release. “This also represents years of hard work by a large number of individuals throughout the institution, including researchers, administrators, nurses and doctors.”

According to the release, the certification is awarded when centers meet the following criteria:

• Have dedicated and staffed neuro-intensive care unit beds for complex stroke patients 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
• Use advanced imaging capabilities.
• Meet minimum requirements for providing care to patients with a stroke diagnosis.
• Coordinate post-hospital care for patients.
• Use a peer review process to evaluate and monitor the care provided to patients with ischemic stroke and subarachnoid hemorrhage.
• Participate in stroke research.

In a Friday press release, New Pioneer Co-op board of directors asked its 28,000 members to approve the opening of a third location. The organic and natural foods retailer that emphasizes local products, has both an Iowa City location at 22 S. Van Buren St. and a Coralville store, 1101 2nd St. It was founded in Iowa City in 1971.

In the release, New Pioneer Board President Sarah Walz said a third addition will allow the company to expand its service to current and potential new members.

“We believe it is in New Pi’s collective best interest to continue to grow by opening a third New Pi store,” she said. “It will allow us to provide more local and organic products to more people, and expand the market for our local producers.”  Walz continued by saying “a third store will allow us to better serve our current members and to reach new members.”

Since expanding into the Coralville area in 2001,  New Pioneer has grown from $8.7 million to $24 million in annual sales, the release said.

The release said the New Pioneer has not identified a preferred location or particular site. The company release did say however that if a “viable” downtown Iowa City space can be identified, the current Iowa City store could relocate within the downtown area.

“After four years of searching and planning,” Walz said in the release, “we know how extremely rare and complicated it is to find a suitable site in downtown Iowa City.”

New Pioneer’s current trade area reaches from east Iowa City to Coralville and to Cedar Rapids and neighboring Marion, the release said.

—By Quentin Misiag

Iowa City police responded to a report on Nov. 18, 2012 from Mercy Hospital, 500 E. Market St., of an adult male shooting victim.

Peter Thullen, 20, has been charged with attempt at murder, first-degree burglary, armed with intent for allegedly going to an E. Bloomington Street residence with an armed weapon for intimidation. His trial was reset for Aug. 13 at 9 a.m., according to an online courthouse document.

Andrew Meyer, 19, another defendant in this case was charged with attempt at murder/ joint criminal conduct, first-degree burglary/ joint criminal conduct, and armed with intent/ joint criminal conduct. Hist trial was reset for Aug. 13 at 9 a.m., according to an online courthouse document.

— By Cassidy Riley

The Iowa Board of Cosmetology Arts and Sciences announced Thursday that La James International College, 227 E. Market St, has been charged with 10 counts of violations of Iowa code.

Disciplinary action against the college’s owner Cynthia Becher and college administrator Tracy LaDage could result.

LaDage told The Daily Iowan on Thursday afternoon that a public statement would be announced by the end of the day but declined to comment until further notice.

Calls made to the Iowa City location were immediately transferred back to LaDage.

According to the statement of charges made public by the board Thursday, a state investigator visited the college on June 14, 2012
who revealed that spas that were non-circulating contained an assortment of debris and current business logs failed to specify which tub had been cleaned and who had done the cleaning.

The investigator also found that the business had paper, Chapstick, hair clippings and pens mixed in with station-specific cleaning supplies.

“Respondents failed to exercise professional competency within their scope of practice as instructor and owner failed to provide a quality standard of learning,” according to the document.

The numerous charges that La James faces include failing to clean and document cleaning of pedicure spas, failing to disinfect instruments and equipment, employing instructors without certification, failing to provide an esthetics classroom, failing to meet instructor-to-student ratios, and failing to supervise student instructors.

A disciplinary hearing on the charges is scheduled for Jan. 13, 2014, in the board’s conference room in Des Moines. If any of the
allegations are founded, the board could take disciplinary action against the defendants.

The college’s website list six additional locations owned by Becher. She was named Iowa Small Business Woman of the Year in 2004 and Iowa Business’s Education Person of 2007.

According to its website, the beauty school has been educating students for more than 75 years.

Downtown developer Marc Moen owns the Brewery Square Building.