UNEMPLOYMENT
Plymouth County’s unemployment rate fell to 2.3 percent in February, down from 3 percent in January.
Iowa Workforce Development says there were 100 fewer unemployed residents in the county that month, a drop of .7 percent from January.
The Sioux City metropolitan region – of which Plymouth County is a part – saw a similar unemployment drop, to 3.1 percent.
Plymouth, Sioux, Lyon, O’Brien and Osceola counties, had rates between 2 and 2.5 percent, among the lowest in Iowa.
The statewide rate was 3.5%, and the US rate 3.8%.
UKRAINE CRISIS
The Plymouth County Historical Museum will present the second in a series of presentations about the Ukraine Crisis on April 10.
Judy Bowman says the presentation on Palm Sunday will highlight the life and work of Miranda Heytsi, who now lives in Ukraine.
Miranda’s sister, Martha Hulshof of Ireton, will be the presenter.
Heytsi and her husband are working with refugees from the invasion of Ukraine.
Bowman says they are planning more presentations on the Ukraine Crisis in the weeks ahead.
The event featuring Miranda Heytsi will be Sunday, April 10 at 2 pm, at the Plymouth County Historical Museum Study Hall.
Admission is free.
UKRAINE GEAR
Eighteen Iowa law enforcement agencies have donated more than 700 bulletproof vests and nearly 150 helmets for shipment to Ukraine.
A crowd in an Iowa National Guard warehouse watched as the last few crates of protective gear were loaded in a truck.
Governor Kim Reynolds says authorities from Cherkasy — Iowa’s sister-state in Ukraine — put bullet-resisting helmets and body armor vests on their list of desperately needed supplies.
Several Ukrainians, some waving or wearing their home country’s flag, joined the governor Wednesday at Camp Dodge, northwest of Des Moines.
The governor says state officials are hoping to coordinate volunteer efforts to send meal kits to Ukraine, and Reynolds has notified federal officials Iowa would accept refugees from Ukraine.
BIRDFLU
Another case of avian influenza found in Buena Vista County — the fourth case there out of ten cases in the state.
Iowa Ag Secretary, Mike Naig said it’s believed all the cases are tied to wild bird migration.
There are 35-thousand-500 turkeys at the latest infected facility in Buena Vista County, with a total now of more than eight million birds that have to be destroyed.
Naig was asked if there is an economic impact already from the outbreak.
State Veterinarian Jeff Kaisand said they are monitoring the wild bird migration as part of their efforts. He said there are some days when there’s a lot of movement and when it gets cold there is a little bit of stall out.
SCHOLARSHIP BILL
Republicans in the Iowa Senate have voted for the governor’s plan to provide state scholarships for low and middle income families — to cover private school expenses for 10-thousand children.
Senator Jeff Taylor, a Republican from Sioux Center, says some parents feel like their values are under attack in public schools.
Senator Jackie Smith, a Democrat from Sioux City, says public tax dollars should be used for public schools.
Households with an income at or below 400 percent of the federal poverty level could apply for the money. For a family of four, the cut off would be a maximum income of about 110-thousand dollars a year.
One Republican senator from a rural area and all the Democrats in the Senate voted against the plan.
POACHERS
An investigation by the Department of Natural Resources has resulted in 48 wildlife charges against five people from western Iowa.
State conservation officer Kirby Bragg says it start when a warrant was executed to search the home of 26-year-old Devon Lewis in rural Washta.
Bragg says while investigating an illegal wild turkey, D-N-R wardens came across evidence of illegal activity in plain view.
As many as 70 deer had been taken illegally.
Those arrested are from Washta, Cherokee, Schaller and Cushing, Iowa. They have all pleaded guilty in the case.
They face a combined 83-thousand dollars in state fines.
