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Thursday AM Daily | April 16, 2020
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Sages Over 70 nominations open to April 30
dsm Magazine is honoring our city's veteran achievers and leaders with their annual "Sages Over 70" award. And they would like your help in choosing them. To nominate someone you know, submit this form by April 30. Please be sure to fill the form out completely, including uploading letters of recommendation and a CV of the person being nominated. Nominees must be age 70 or older and should fit these criteria: • Has consistently demonstrated leadership through the decades. • Has contributed and still contributes to the betterment of the community, even if behind the scenes. • Has been a role model or mentor to others. Submit a nomination
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| More than 46,000 Iowans filed initial unemployment claims last week, new data shows. Since mid-March, 214,033 Iowans have filed first-time claims. Source: Iowa Workforce Development
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Jobless Iowans receive nearly $61 million in additional benefits from federal aid
Last week, Iowa paid unemployment claims to 128,819 workers, or 8.1% of the state’s workforce.
By Kathy A. Bolten | Senior Staff Writer More than 93,000 out-of-work Iowans this week began receiving additional unemployment payments with their jobless benefits, a boost that was included in a federal stimulus package signed into law in late March.
In all, 93,546 Iowans who have lost jobs due to the novel coronavirus outbreak received the additional $600 weekly benefit, which will be available through July 31, according to Iowa Workforce Development. This
week, nearly $61 million from the federal aid was paid to jobless Iowans.
The benefits, retroactive to March 29, were part of the $2 trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act. Iowa is among 29 states that have begun distributing the extra benefits, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.
Since mid-March, thousands of Iowa businesses have been ordered closed in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19, a serious respiratory illness. In Iowa, 1,995 people have tested positive for the virus that causes the disease, and 53 have died.
The forced business closures have meant record numbers of people seeking unemployment benefits, nationally and in Iowa.
During the week that ended April 11, 46,356 Iowans filed first-time unemployment claims, according to newly released state data. Since the mid-March forced business closures to curb the spread of the coronavirus, 214,003 Iowans have filed initial unemployment claims.
Overall, 128,819 Iowans, or 8.1% of the
state’s 1.58 million workers, filed for unemployment benefits last week, according to the state.
Last week, Iowa paid unemployment claims totaling more than $37.8 million, the highest weekly amount paid since the start of the crisis. Since the week ending March 21, Iowa has paid nearly $90 million in unemployment claims, records show. The state’s unemployment compensation trust fund’s balance on Jan. 1 was $1.26 billion, according to a federal report.
Nationally, 5.2 million new unemployment claims were filed last week, down from the previous week when more than 6.6 million new
claims were filed, according to the Labor Department. The advance seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for the week ending April 4 was 8.2%, according to the department.
Since mid-March in Iowa, nearly 20%, or 37,298, of the newly jobless workers had been employed in the restaurant, bar and lodging industries, records show. Another 17%, or 28,847, of the newly jobless had worked in health care and social assistance, and 13%, or 22,388, in manufacturing. In addition, nearly 13%, or 21,499, of the newly jobless worked in retail.
The record number of telephone calls from jobless Iowans is overwhelming Iowa Workforce Development’s call center, state officials have said. The agency had about 250 workers who answered calls before the outbreak. In the past month, an additional 49 temporary workers have been hired and are being trained.
In addition, 11 workers from the Iowa Utilities Board and Iowa Lottery will begin working temporarily in the call center after they complete training, Iowa Workforce Development Director Beth Townsend told the Business Record. Iowa Workforce Development will pay the state workers’ salaries during the training and the hours they work for the call center. The agency will also provide the needed equipment so the workers can work from home, she said.
File a claim: To file an unemployment claim, click here.
Related: Iowa’s unemployment trust fund down 10% since start of year
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CORONAVIRUS UPDATE
Grinnell Mutual, Grinnell College partner for assistance in Poweshiek County
The Grinnell Mutual Group Foundation and Grinnell College, two of the largest employers in Poweshiek County, have joined forces with other community groups to provide funding for both immediate and post-COVID-19 pandemic needs in the area. Together, the two organizations are
donating nearly $100,000 to four area resources. Jeff Menary, president and CEO of Grinnell Mutual, said he hopes his organization’s partnership with Grinnell College and other area foundations and nonprofits "can be an example of community spirit that will encourage philanthropy at every level." Contributions have made possible a COVID-19 Healthcare Heroes Fund for Grinnell Regional Medical Center front-line workers; a countywide nonprofit Emergency Relief Fund; a Local Foods Coalition for those experiencing financial challenges; and an Internet Access for Families in Need fund. In addition, Grinnell Mutual and Grinnell College have already contributed $50,000 to the Small Business Emergency Fund, managed by the Grinnell Area Chamber of Commerce.
Lithia Volkswagen provides loaner cars for pharmacy deliveries
Lithia Volkswagen of Des Moines is providing free use of some of its loaner vehicles to help local pharmacies deliver prescriptions. The vehicles are being used by Medicap Pharmacies to make prescription deliveries in the three surrounding communities with the largest increase in demand due to COVID-19: Beaverdale, Altoona and Grimes. "We heard about an increased demand for prescription deliveries, and we knew we could help," said Ron Anderko, general manager. "We’re happy to support Medicap Pharmacies in making these essential deliveries that enable people to stay home and stay safe." The dealership is currently open and following all CDC guidelines for sanitization, hygiene and social distancing, Anderko said.
See updated coronavirus news at businessrecordcovid19.com.
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NEWS BRIEFS
Webspec offers free assistance to Polk County businesses applying for Facebook grants
Webspec, a Des Moines marketing and technology company, is offering free assistance to help Polk County businesses apply for a portion of the $100 million cash grants offered by Facebook to up to 30,000 small businesses in
communities where Facebook operates. The assistance is open to any small business in Polk County applying for grants worth up to $2,500 in cash and $1,500 in optional ad credit on Facebook platforms. The funds may be used for rent and other operational costs; businesses do not need a Facebook or Instagram account to apply by the April 28 deadline. Businesses may contact Webspec online for assistance.
Direct primary care practice Strada Healthcare adds West Des Moines clinic
Exemplar Care, a direct primary care practice in West Des Moines, has joined Strada Healthcare, a regional direct primary care network based in Omaha. Exemplar Care, founded in January 2019 by Dr. Jon Van Der Veer, is the first direct primary care clinic in Greater Des Moines to affiliate with Strada Healthcare, and the second Iowa practice to join Strada. Founded in 2016 by Dr. Joel Bessmer, Strada Healthcare is one of the region’s largest direct primary care organizations with more than 50 providers in practices in Nebraska, Iowa, Colorado and
Michigan. DPC is a rapidly growing model for delivering primary health care. Members pay a monthly membership fee, which gives them access
to their physician through traditional office visits along with phone calls, text messages, email and virtual visits. To read a Business Record article about Exemplar Care, click here.
ISU professor named co-editor-in-chief of Journal of Supply Chain Management
David Cantor, a professor of supply chain management at the Ivy College of Business at Iowa State University has been appointed to serve as co-editor-in-chief of the Journal of Supply Chain Management, the college announced. Cantor holds the Mark and Terri Walker Professorship in
Logistics at the business college. His research focuses on the impact of public policy on safety issues in the trucking industry, environmental management and behavioral operations management. In addition to serving on several editorial boards, Cantor has generated more than 35 publications over the course of his career. The Journal of Supply Chain Management has ranked in the top two for the past six years among supply chain journals.
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YESTERDAY IN CRE WEEKLY
Plans for Copper Creek Golf Course include enclosed driving range
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The new owner of Copper Creek Golf Course in Pleasant Hill has big plans for the facility, including enclosing the driving range bays and installing tracing technology to allow golfers to see the real-time flight and distance of a ball after it is hit.
Kenneth Hodges, who through Copper Creek Club LLC bought the golf course in March, said he is talking with TopTracer Range about installing its technology at the driving range and enclosing the bays, a move that would allow the range to be operational much of the year. TopTracer Range is owned by Top Golf Entertainment, the popular indoor golf venue. Read more
Sign up for the Business Record's weekly Commercial Real Estate Weekly e-newsletter.
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CORONAVIRUS UPDATE
Report: COVID damage to Iowa ag will top $6 billion per year
Iowa Capital Dispatch: A new report by Iowa State University’s Center for Agricultural and Rural Development estimates that the COVID-19 pandemic will cost Iowa’s largest agricultural industries at least $6.3 billion per year. Here’s a breakdown of the projected annual losses: ethanol, $2.5 billion; hogs, $2.1 billion; corn, $788 million; fed cattle, $658 million; soybeans, $213 million; and calves and feeder cattle, $34 million.
Tyson Foods says 2 dead after virus outbreak at Iowa plant
Associated Press: Two employees have died following a coronavirus outbreak that has sickened scores of Tyson Foods workers at a large pork plant in southeastern Iowa, the company said Wednesday. The deaths of the workers at Tyson plant in Columbus Junction are the first
known to be linked to an outbreak at a meatpacking plant in Iowa.
Meredith guarantees advertisers that magazine readers will 'take action'
Des Moines Register: Meredith Corp. announced Wednesday that it will guarantee advertisers see a
response if they buy space in the company's magazines for the rest of the year. Citing the "unprecedented crisis" of the COVID-19 pandemic, Meredith Magazines President Doug Olson said the publisher wants business partners to know how effective their investment will be. The specific results guaranteed for each ad depends on the advertiser.
Testing falls short as Trump seeks an end to stay-at-home orders
New York Times: As President Donald Trump pushes to reopen the economy, most of the country is not conducting nearly enough testing to track the path and penetration of the coronavirus in a way that would allow Americans to safely return to work, public health officials and political leaders say. Although capacity has improved in recent weeks, supply shortages remain crippling, and many regions are still restricting tests to people who meet specific criteria.
See updated coronavirus news at businessrecordcovid19.com.
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ONE GOOD READ
How Principal is responding to coronavirus BY JOE GARDYASZ: Here is an interesting Q&A with Kara Hoogensen, senior vice president for Group and Retirement Services with Principal Financial Group that appeared in Digital Insurance. Among the topics she discusses with Novarica President and CEO Matthew Josefowicz are priorities for the remainder of the year and how she believes her technology teams will change due to the COVID-19 experience. She has held a variety of leadership roles at Principal, among them vice president of Group Benefits, CEO of Principal Bank and managing director of Principal Funds.
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Second-Chance Opportunities for Electronics as Consumption Trends Change
BY CARLY
FLAWS, DIRECTOR OF MARKETING, GOODWILL OF CENTRAL IOWA
The electronic revolution has changed the way we live, communicate and connect with people around the world. We live in a technology-obsessed era, upgrading our gadgets almost as often as we upgrade our clothes. All those electronics have to go somewhere, though. Where do they end up and what price are we paying to stay up-to-date with the latest technology trends? FULL ARTICLE >
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KCCI TOP STORIES
IDPH says child, domestic abuse numbers are down, which worries officials
Iowa Public Health Department officials are worried about one statistic that's decreasing during the COVID-19 pandemic: the number of reported domestic and child abuse cases. They fear that because of social distancing, fewer mandatory reporters are seeing potential abuse victims. The new director of the Iowa Department of Human Services is urging victims to contact the DHS or the police. Read more
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Today:
Cloudy early followed by a mixture of light rain and snow this afternoon. High 42. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%.
Tonight:
Snow this evening will give way to lingering snow showers late. Low around 30. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of snow 70%. About one inch of snow expected.
Get the latest KCCI weather.
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MOBILE SPEED UNIT LOCATIONSToday:
1700
block of East Grand Avenue
2500 block of Hubbell Avenue
2100 block of Saylor Road
Tomorrow:
1700 block of 30th Street
1800 block of 48th Street
1600 block of 34th Street
See the full week's listing on the Des Moines Police
Department's Facebook page.
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BUSINESS RECORD IOWA INDEXThe Iowa Index is an unweighted average of all 20 Iowa-based public companies. Below is a live look at those 20, plus 15 additional companies with large operations in Iowa.
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