Nebraska’s latest unemployment rate of 2% was the nation’s lowest and beat a record for the state September's level is the lowest since Nebraska began keeping records of unemployment data in 1976. It's also tied with the nationwide record low set by Hawaii in January 2020 and Connecticut in August 2020. Utah was number two at 2.4% and the national rate for September almost 5%. Iowa’s unemployment rate dropped slightly to 4%. The total number of unemployed Iowans dropped by nearly 2,000 to 66,100

Iowa Democrats are calling on Republicans in the legislature to approve the second plan to establish new boundaries for congressional districts and districts for Iowa House and Senate seats. It was presented yesterday by the non-partisan Legislative Services Agency. State law does not allow lawmakers to amend this second plan. Iowa Democratic Party Chair Ross Wilburn said yesterday during an online news conference that it was vitally important that to keep the current process free of political

The nonpartisan Legislative Services Agency has released its second proposal for new political boundaries. That's after Republicans in the state Senate rejected the agency's first plan. Under the second plan, Democrat Cindy Axne and Republican Mariannette Miller-Meeks would be pushed into the same congressional district. The proposal also would keep the Democratic counties of Johnson and Linn in separate districts, unlike a previous plan rejected by Republicans this month. The proposal would

The state of Iowa updated COVID-19 statistics on Wednesday. The Iowa Department of Public Health added 100 additional deaths due to COVID-19 bringing the total to 6,848 since the start of the pandemic. The deaths happened in almost two months starting in the middle of August. In the past seven days there were almost 6,500 positive test results. The state positivity rate fell to 8.3%. Last week it was 9%. The positivity rate across Siouxland has fallen with Woodbury County at 13%. However,

The state of Iowa updated COVID-19 statistics on Wednesday. The Iowa Department of Public Health added 100 additional deaths due to COVID-19 bringing the total to 6,848 since the start of the pandemic. The deaths happened in almost two months starting in the middle of August. In the past seven days there were almost 6,500 positive test results. The state positivity rate fell to 8.3%. Last week it was 9%. The positivity rate across Siouxland has fallen with Woodbury County at 13%. However,

On November 2 nd, voters in Sioux City will head to the polls to cast their ballot for city council. An hour-long edition of The Exchange presents highlights from a League of Women Voters candidate forum held on October 14 th at City Hall for the four people seeking one of three open seats. The candidates include incumbents, attorney Dan Moore and Alex Watters, Director of Talent and Community Engagement at Morningside University. Two political newcomers are also running Ike Rayford, an audio

Requests for absentee ballots are way behind the last city/county election in Woodbury County two years ago. The deadline was 5 p.m. yesterday. Woodbury County Auditor and Election Commissioner Pat Gill provided an update today and says as of 4 p.m. yesterday, 585 requested absentee ballots. There were 5,000 in 2019. Gill believes changes in election law will deeply impact turnout and the ability of the disabled to vote. Gill’s office used to send out prefilled absentee ballot request forms to

Around 65 service members from the 185th Air Refueling Wing in Sioux City and the 132nd Wing in Des Moines have received stateside deployment orders to help with Operation Allies Welcome, the Iowa National Guard reported today, according to the Sioux City Journal.

The deadline for requesting a ballot for the city/county election in Woodbury County is today at 5 p.m. During last week’s League of Women Voter Candidate Forum for City Council, Woodbury County Auditor and Election Commissioner Pat Gill talked about the changes made by the Iowa Legislature. “What I am seeing is this is going to have a huge negative impact on the turnout for this election.” Gill says 5,000 people voted absentee during the last city/county election two-years ago. Last week, his

A local disability rights organization is looking at taking legal action against Sioux City Community Schools if modifications are not made to the district’s virtual academy. The district launched the VIBE Academy this school year to offer a virtual option for students. The Executive Director of Disabilities Resource Center of Siouxland, Don Dew told Siouxland Public Media last month the program does not allow for some students with disabilities to take part. “What they are doing is depriving