(Radio Iowa) — The final economic survey from the Iowa Business Council shows the leaders of the state’s largest businesses are full of optimism for the new year. I-B-C Executive Director, Joe Murphy, says some economists have continued to predict the economy is going to slow down — but he isn’t seeing that. “I think we sometimes run the risk of talking ourselves into a recession — and we are just not seeing that at all — we remain positive,” Murphy says.

The quarterly survey asks members to predict what they see for sales, capital spending and employment for the next six months. Murphy says the final 2019 survey has a score of just above 60. “Anything over 50 is positive,” Murphy says,” and so the fact that we are at 60 is great news for Iowa businesses. I think it is important to look at the data for what the data is. We have great strength in sales and great strength in spending, and those are two great drivers in business.”  Murphy says some year end action on important issues help push up the mood. “We had some very good legislative action occur at the federal level with the passing of the U-S-M-C-A by the U-S House of Representatives. And so that is a great sign. We we look forward obviously to the Senate passing that as well and that being signed by president,” according to Murphy. “And then using that as positive momentum as we head into the final phases and stages of the China negotiation.”

Murphy says the trade issues are just as important to the business community as they are the ag sector. “Iowa’s biggest employment base is in manufacturing — a lot of people think it is ag — but it’s actually manufacturing and we have some of the world’s premiere manufacturers on the Iowa Business Council,” he says. “But then when you think about it more broadly — just the general uncertainty of trade deals — the fact that it took so long to get U-S-M-C-A pinned down and then China has taken longer than anybody anticipated. That just adds to the uncertainty in the markets, uncertainty in businesses.”

While the trade situation is moving toward some sort of resolution — Murphy says the lack of workers to fill jobs will continue to be a problem. “This is going to be the central issue of 2020 for us and for our members, and frankly for all of Iowa employers,” Murphy says. Murphy says overall the business community is feeling good heading into the new year. “We would like to see some indicators be better. A lot of that has to do with the political uncertainty, the elections of 2020, what happens with regulations moving forward,” Murphy explains. “But a lot of that will be cleared up as we move into the beginning quarter or two of 2020. So, we remain optimistic and feel pretty good about the future of this state — particularly from a business perspective.”

You can see the full Iowa Business Council survey on their website.

(Radio Iowa) — For what may be the first time in history, Iowa’s workforce is now employing people from five different generations. There’s the Traditionalists, born before 1946, the Baby Boomers, the Gen Xers, the Millennials and those from Generation Z. Kathy Joblinske, executive vice president of Iowa Manpower, says the high demand for workers is the “new normal” since the 2008 recession. “We’re finding that more people are staying in the workforce longer, they’re also healthier and living longer,” Joblinske says. “Those that may have retired earlier by now are sticking in the workforce a little bit longer and stretching out their income opportunity.”

The oldest Iowans in the workforce, the Traditionalists, typically place a high value on authority and top-down management. Joblinski says they have a reputation for being very hard working.  “They don’t want to retire so they come back maybe to that same company as a part-time individual, to pass on knowledge or to help in different departments,” Joblinske says. “You also see individuals who are just wanting some extra income, maybe to travel.”

Iowa’s unemployment rate of two-point-six percent has remained steady for a full year and is among the lowest jobless rates in the country.  “We are in dire need of great workers, people who want to show up to work every day,” Joblinske says. “There’s more jobs open than people looking for work. It’s a fantastic benefit to have all five generations in the workforce.” The Baby Boomers, born between 1946 and 1964, are usually seen as workaholics who believe things are done a certain way and consider it policy. The Generation Xers were born between 1965 and 1976. Joblinski says they’re generally comfortable with authority, they’ll work as hard as needed to succeed, and they seek a work/life balance.

“We’re finding that the Gen Z group is really financially focused, they’re focused on the pay and benefits,” Joblinske says. “The Millennials, they want jobs that are fulfilling. Not that pay isn’t important to them, because it is, but the work they do is very important to them.”  The diversity among employees from five generations can be beneficial, she says, because it brings together the different backgrounds and perspectives each generation provides.

Anita and Wiota fire were called to the scene of a semi tractor-trailer fire today (Monday) at around 4:23-a.m.  The incident happened just east of 770th and Whitepole Road. No injuries were reported. Additional details were not immediately available.

(Radio Iowa) — Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders is accusing President Trump of pursuing what Sanders labels “racist” policies and Sanders promised to undo them if he’s elected president. “I will do everything humanly possible to end the demonization of the Trump Administration against the immigrant community in this country,” Sanders said.

Sanders says he’d take executive action to restore legal status to the so-called DACA recipients — the young adults who entered the country illegally as children. Sanders also promises he’d shut down detention centers, end all ICE raids and introduce legislation to provide a path toward citizenship for all undocumented people in the United States. Sanders spoke to a crowd of Latino activists in Des Moines Sunday evening, mentioning his father immigrated to the U.S. from Poland at the age of 17.

“He came not speaking a word of English, he came fleeing very terrible poverty from where he came from and fleeing antisemitism,” Sanders said, “so I have a little bit of first-hand experience about what it is like to be in an immigrant family.” Later Sunday evening, Sanders attended an outdoor menorah lighting ceremony in downtown Des Moines.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:40 a.m. CST

KNOXVILLE, Iowa (AP) — Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg is calling former Vice President Joe Biden’s vote to authorize the Iraq War part of the nation’s “worst foreign policy decision” of Buttigieg’s lifetime. The mayor of South Bend, Indiana, was responding to a question about how his foreign policy experience measures up to others’ in the Democratic race, specifically Biden. Buttigieg says the vote is an example of why years in Washington is not always the same thing as judgment. Buttigieg made the remarks Sunday while taping the program “Iowa Press” on Iowa Public Television.

POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY, Iowa (AP) — The body of a missing Nebraska man was pulled from an icy Iowa pond on Saturday. Pottawattamie County Sheriff Jeff Danker said the body of 39-year-old George McNamara was pulled from the water after a search Saturday. He had been reported missing from Bellevue, Nebraska, since Dec. 22. Officials said a car crash was reported Dec. 22 near the Mormon Bridge. Deputies found a vehicle but no driver that day. Authorities found McNamara’s body on Saturday after a dive team searched a pond near the crash site. An autopsy is planned.

HUMBOLDT, Iowa (AP) — Democratic presidential hopeful Amy Klobuchar says the tour she completed of all 99 Iowa counties is a sign she will go everywhere and represent everyone. It’s also central to her strategy for the lead-off presidential caucuses. Klobuchar is hoping to capitalize on caucus rules that can reward candidates who leave Democratic-heavy areas to meet smaller groups of voters in less populated counties. The stakes are high as Klobuchar tries to catch the top candidates, Joe Biden, Pete Buttigieg, Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders. The caucuses are Feb. 3.