Iowa News

Midwest, Plains Likely to See Economic Growth: Report

Economic growth lies ahead for nine Midwestern and Plains states despite pullbacks in the energy sector, according to a monthly report released on March 2. The overall Mid-America Business Conditions Index climbed to 57.0 in February from 54.8 in January, …

Liquidation Looms for Midwest Insurance Cooperative

An insurance cooperative created to provide health care in Iowa and Nebraska will be formally liquidated this weekend. Iowa Insurance Commissioner Nick Gerhart said that a Polk County judge has agreed to approve the liquidation plan. CoOportunity is a federally …

Iowa Bill that Would Help Pregnant Workers Advances

A Senate panel has approved a bill that would require Iowa businesses to provide reasonable accommodations to pregnant employees. Members of a labor and business relations subcommittee approved the bill Feb. 10. It now heads to a full committee for …

Nationwide to Move 175 Jobs from Iowa to Ohio

Nationwide Mutual Insurance Co. has plans to move 175 jobs out of Des Moines, Iowa, to its Ohio headquarters. Company spokesman Eric Hardgrove tells the Des Moines Register the company’s home mortgage operations will be relocated to headquarters in Columbus, …

Iowa Insurance Broker Plans to Add 90 Jobs over 3 Years

A Dubuque, Iowa-based insurance broker has announced plans to add 90 jobs over the next three years. Cottingham & Butler President and CEO David Becker tells the Dubuque Telegraph Herald that it could add as many as 45 jobs this …

Iowa Testing System to Determine Safer Speeds on Icy Roads

The Iowa Transportation Department is testing a new system that could help motorists drive more safely on icy roadways. Des Moines television station KCCI says the testing is underway on an 11-mile stretch of Interstate 35 north of Des Moines. …

Indiana City Moves to Reduce Liability at Popular Sledding Spot

A central Indiana city is taking steps to reduce its liability from a popular winter activity. Muncie’s parks department has placed bales of straw around trees at the bottom of a popular sledding hill in McCulloch Park. The department also …

Iowa, Nebraska Officials Seek to Close Insurance Co-Op

Iowa’s top insurance official announced plans to ask a court to end a cooperative that was selling health insurance to residents in Iowa and Nebraska – a move that will limit options for consumers in both states. Iowa Insurance Commissioner …

Study Finds New Predictors of Workers’ Comp Outcomes in Iowa

A new study from the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) identified new predictors of worker outcomes that can help public officials, payors, and health care providers in Iowa improve the treatment and communication an injured worker receives after an injury …

Hub International Acquires Iowa-Based Brokerage, Ruhl & Ruhl

Global insurance broker, Hub International Limited (Hub), announced that its Chicago-area region Hub International Midwest (Hub Midwest) has acquired the assets of Ruhl & Ruhl Insurance, based in Davenport, Iowa. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. Founded in 1862, …