DES MOINES, IOWA (May 7, 2020) — The number of initial claims in Iowa, filed between Sunday, April 26, and Saturday, May 2, was 24,693. There were 22,830 initial claims by individuals who work and live in Iowa, and 1,863 claims by individuals who work in Iowa and live in another state.

The number of continuing weekly unemployment claims was 181,358.

Unemployment insurance benefit payments totaled $50,931,302.43 for the same week.

CANTON, MISSOURI (May 7, 2020) — Kenna Armstrong, a junior history education major from Oquawka, Ill., was named the Emerging Leader of the Year, and Kailee Gaither, a senior accountancy and finance major from Canton, Mo., was named the Richard D. Valentine Student Leader of the Year during a virtual honors assembly coordinated by the Office of Student Life.

Other leadership awards were given to:

DES MOINES, IOWA (May 7, 2020) — The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) Research Center have released a 

LENEXA, KANSAS (May 7, 2020) — The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) selected the East Central Intergovernmental Association, in Dubuque, Iowa, to receive a $600,000 Brownfields Assessment Coalition Grant. The agency works with eastern Iowa communities in Cedar, Clinton, Delaware, Dubuque and Jackson counties.

WASHINGTON DC (May 7, 2020) — US Secretary Sonny Perdue applauded the decision made by the District Court of Western Missouri on 6 May, which ruled that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has the primary jurisdiction over worker’s safety in meat processing plants across the country during the COVID-19 national emergency.

DAVENPORT, IOWA (May 7, 2020) — Gilda’s Club is hosting a FREE virtual workshop about essential oils for anyone impacted by cancer that will be held on Tuesday, May 19, 2020, 4–5PM, via Zoom.

WEST DES MOINES, IOWA (May 7, 2020) — The application deadline for the Iowa Health Care Association (IHCA) Foundation's scholarship program is fast approaching. Applications are due by May 31 to be considered for one of these scholarships.

Approximately 36 scholarships totaling $54,000 will be awarded this year. In addition, the IHCA Foundation is offering $9,000 in sign-on and retention bonuses for eligible scholarship recipients.

LENEXA, KANSAS (May 6, 2020) — The city of Council Bluffs, Iowa, was selected to receive a $300,000 Brownfields Assessment Grant by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to conduct environmental site-assessments, cleanup planning, and community-outreach activities in the city.

WASHINGTON DC (May 7, 2020) — Senators Charles "Chuck" Grassley (R-IA) and Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) spoke the afternoon of Tuesday, 5 May, via phone with Attorney General William Barr regarding the Justice Department’s and Bureau of Prison’s (BOP) efforts to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in the federal prison system. The senators issued the following statement about that call.

DES MOINE, IOWA (May 7, 2020) — On May 6, Governor Kim Reynolds signed a new proclamation continuing the Public Health Disaster Emergency.

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