Washington (AP) — The nation’s employers pulled back on their hiring in April but still added a decent 175,000 jobs in a sign that persistently high-interest rates may be starting to slow the robust U.S. job market. Friday’s government report showed that last month’s hiring gain was down sharply from the blockbuster increase of 315,000 in March. And it was well below the 233,000 gain that economists had predicted for April. Yet the moderation in the pace of hiring, along with a slowdown last month in wage growth, will likely be welcomed by the Federal Reserve, which has kept interest rates at ..read more

Des Moines, IA-  The Iowa Department of Education is updating some of its previously reported high school graduation rates. Radio Iowa reports that the Ed Department announced the data used to calculate the graduation rates for the last ten years left out students who had transferred to another school and then dropped out. Most recently, the correction increased the 2023 graduation rate by a tenth of a point to 87.5%. The rates for 2021 and 2022 fell by more than two percentage points to 87.8% for 2021 and 87.4% for 2022. The Department says in a statement that Iowa’s four-year graduation ..read more

Oquawka, Ill.-  The Henderson County Sheriff’s Office has announced the results of their distracted driving awareness month enforcement campaign, which took place during the month of April. According to a news release, the Sheriff’s Office announced it issued 0 citations for hands-free violations, 8 speeding tickets, and 1 no-seatbelt ticket during the campaign. The Henderson County Sheriff’s Office joined forces with the Illinois State Police, local law enforcement, and highway safety partners for this enforcement effort. The Illinois distracted driving campaign was funded with federal t ..read more

Burlington, IA-  The Burlington Police Department is investigating a shots-fired incident that occurred Thursday, May 2nd. According to a news release, at about 9:32 PM Thursday, Burlington Police Officers responded to a call of shots fired in the 1400 block of Spray Street. Officers arrived and located a residence nearby that had a single gunshot through a window.  No injuries were reported. The investigation into this incident is ongoing and arrests are anticipated. Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact DESCOM at 319-671-7001, or Crime Stoppers at 319 ..read more

Washington (AP) — The American economy likely delivered another solid hiring gain in April, showing continuing durability in the face of the highest interest rates in two decades. The Labor Department is expected to report Friday that employers added a healthy 233,000 jobs last month, down from a sizzling 303,000 in March but still a decidedly healthy total, according to a survey of forecasters by the data firm FactSet. The unemployment rate is forecast to stay at 3.8%. That would make it the 27th straight month with a jobless rate below 4% — the longest such streak since the 1960s. The state ..read more

Washington-  On Thursday, May 2nd, Iowa Congressman Randy Feenstra had surgery to treat a blood clot in his leg. Radio Iowa reports that, according to a statement posted on social media, Feenstra had a scheduled, outpatient surgery that successfully treated a blood clot in his leg. The statement indicates Feenstra’s doctor has recommended that Feenstra stay in Washington and limit his travel until he’s fully recovered. Feenstra, who is 55, was a state senator for 12 years before winning a seat in the U.S. House in 2020 ..read more

Des Moines, IA-  The governor is requesting an expedited Presidential Disaster Declaration for nine Iowa counties hit by severe storms and tornadoes on April 26th. Radio Iowa reports that the governor is asking for funding from FEMA’s Individual Assistance Program and access to the U-S Small Business Administration Disaster Loan Program for Clarke, Crawford, Harrison, Mills, Polk, Pottawattamie, Ringgold, Shelby, and Union Counties. The request says the towns of Crescent and Minden in Pottawattamie County saw the most damage. One person died from injuries suffered in the Minden tornado, t ..read more

Henderson County, Ill.-  Citizens of Henderson County, Illinois can now use their smartphones to send anonymous crime tips to Henderson County Crimestoppers. According to a news release, iPhone and Android users can provide anonymous tips, including videos and photos, to the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office. The service, called P3 Tips, allows citizens to send anonymous tips online using a custom App forom a mobile device.  The service allows agencies and members of the public to have a two-way dialogue that is completely secure and anonymous. This service is for reporting tips ..read more

Burlington, IA-  The third annual Burlington Community Walk to Fight Suicide is set to take place on Friday, May 10th. The walk begins at 1:30 PM at Bracewell Stadium and ends at the Port of Burlington. The Hawk Eye reports that the walk began in 2022, after being organized by a group of Burlington High School students as a way to honor two students who had died by suicide and spread awareness about mental health issues and available resources. The event is free and open to everyone ..read more

Burlington, IA-  Burlington Police Chief Adam Schaefer on Thursday announced that the department has been awarded grant funding to pay for officer’s overtime during traffic-related activities. According to an online post, the grant also includes funds to purchase a speed sign and moving radar unit. In the post, Schaefer says the police department is “dedicated to providing safer roadways through proactive and targeted traffic enforcement.” For more information, visit the Burlington Police Department Facebook Page ..read more