From the KCRG-TV9 Newsroom:
Hundreds of education workers across the state are leaving their jobs after Governor Reynolds signed a law reforming area education agencies. With the new law, Iowa school districts will control how they want to use funding that’s currently reserved for AEAs. At least 70 Heartland AEA workers have decided to leave once their contracts expire this summer. Central Rivers AEA says so far 69 of their staff members have said they’re leaving.
The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services says cases of rhinovirus or the common cold are on the rise. Outpatient hospital visits for influenza are up compared to other years at this time. But local hospitals aren’t seeing the impact yet. Mercy Medical Center says it’s not seeing anything abnormal for this time of year, and currently has one child in the hospital with a respiratory illness. UnityPoint Health-St. Luke’s also said it’s not seeing a rise in hospitalized children.
The National Weather Service says at least 12 tornadoes touched down this week in Iowa. This includes EF-1 tornado near the towns of Quasqueton and Winthrop on Tuesday. A long-track EF-2 tornado was reported in southeast Iowa near the towns of Houghton, Salem, New London, Yarmouth, and Morning Sun, that damaged numerous structures on a path around 42 miles long. There were no reports of any injuries.
A new report shows Iowa’s unemployment rate decreased last month to 2.9 percent. The state’s employers added 4,400 jobs in March. Iowa Workforce Development says construction expanded for the fifth straight month.
The University of Dubuque selected its next president to replace Reverend Jeffrey Bullock after 25 years with the school. Travis Frampton will serve as the university’s 12th president. He comes from Schreiner University in Texas, where he served as provost and vice president for academic affairs.
