With the need for more middle-skilled workers a growing concern statewide, more Iowa businesses are turning to individuals with disabilities to help fill the gap. David Mitchell with Iowa Vocational Rehabilitation Services says a majority of people with disabilities want to work, and employers are realizing that a diverse workforce is good for the bottom line.

“Companies like HyVee, Walgreens, Winnebago Industries are all leaders in that area, and have increased their hiring and have spoken out to help other businesses recognize the value of considering people with disabilities.” About 350-thousand Iowans live with some type of disability, but among those who are of working age, fewer than one in four is employed full-time.

Key to closing the employment gap is expanding opportunities for education and job skills training, says Mitchell, along with streamlining support systems through the Employer Disability Resource Network. That collaboration of state, federal and community partners seeks to minimize duplication and maximize efficiency by providing businesses with a single point of contact.

“When a business wants to hire anybody, it gets confusing when they’re trying to talk to 30 different systems that are working with people with disabilities. So, through the EDRN, we can work with these other systems to try to get qualified applicants identified and resources back to the business.” For the state as a whole, Mitchell says getting more people with disabilities back to work helps Iowa’s economy, as those workers then pay taxes and need less assistance from the state.

“Then there’s also the quality of life issue. As people get out and get to work, they have more flexibility in making decisions on how they spend their money. They experience more social contacts, greater self-esteem.” October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month. This year’s theme is “Expect. Employ. Empower.”

(Iowa News Service)

MISSOURI VALLEY, Iowa (AP) – The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says DeSoto and Boyer Chute national wildlife refuges will close this weekend for deer hunts. All refuge roads and nature trails will be closed beyond the visitor center on Saturday and Sunday to ensure public safety. Only the visitor center will remain open.

The refuge allows the hunts in cooperation with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission as a way to control the deer population. Also, DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge will be closed entirely, including the visitor center, on Monday for repairs to the tour road loop.

DeSoto and Boyer Chute national wildlife refuges sit north of Omaha, Nebraska, along U.S. Highway 30 between Missouri Valley, Iowa, and along U.S. Highway 75 near Fort Calhoun, Nebraska.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) – South Dakota U.S. Senate candidates are bringing in top guns to campaign on their behalf as the race draws increasing national attention. U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin from Iowa will participate in an event in support of Democratic candidate Rick Weiland Tuesday in Sioux Falls, while former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee will be stumping for Republican candidate Mike Rounds on Friday. Weiland, Rounds and independents Larry Pressler and Gordon Howie are vying for the seat being vacated by retiring Sen. Tim Johnson.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The Libertarian Party candidate for governor says the party’s candidate for U.S. Senate put his heart and soul into running with a firm belief in individual liberty. Dr. Douglas Butzier (BUT’-zeer) died when the plane he was piloting crashed around 11 p.m. Monday near Dubuque Regional Airport. The party’s candidate for governor, Dr. Lee Hieb, says Butzier just last weekend had flown her and several Libertarian Party candidates around the state to campaign.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Health officials have identified three cases of influenza in Iowa. The state Department of Public Health says the cases were reported in Henry, Johnson and Polk counties. Additional information was not released. The State Hygienic Laboratory’s confirmation of the cases indicates influenza activity remains at a low level in Iowa. However officials say it indicates the virus is circulating in the state.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The Libertarian Party candidate for governor says the party’s candidate for U.S. Senate put his heart and soul into running with a firm belief in individual liberty. Dr. Douglas Butzier (boot-ZEE’-ay) died when the plane he was piloting crashed around 11 p.m. Monday near Dubuque Regional Airport. The party’s candidate for governor, Dr. Lee Hieb, says Butzier just last weekend had flown her and several Libertarian Party candidates around the state to campaign.

The Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors recently visited Brymon‘s Interiors, in Atlantic. Jennifer Miller explained Brymons has made several changes and updates in the last few months. For instance, they improved the lighting and added signage.

Pictured are: Dr. Mitch Peerbolte, Carole Schuler, Kerry Jepsen, Diane Gipple, Pat McCurdy, Jennifer Miller, Connie Wailes, Linda Hartkopf, Becky Steffen, Cate Christensen, Crystal Christensen, Ed Leistad, Carol Seddon, Rita Willmott, Jolene Roecker, Arlene Drennan, Joanne Mueller, Christy Ladd, Patty Maas, Donnie Drennan, Dale Reinier, Dr. Keith Leonard, Jane Kay, Melissa Ihnen, Brian Lensch, Melanie Petty, David Schwab, Tammy Waters, Don Johnson, JoAnn Runyan, Bill Saluk, Kate Olson, Lana Westphalan, Stuart Dusenberry , Loren Coder, Rich Perry, Debbie Lesitad, Nedra Perry, Sara Nelson, Jay Mendik, Sue Muri, Gerald Brink, Janet Cappel, and Russ Joyce. Brymon employees not pictured Carolyn Bond and Barb Paulsen.

“All New 4 U” are four principals you will experience when shopping at Brymons. They are an enhanced selection of items, the opportunity to take it home today, they will match pricing of advertised items from competitors, and you can order items online. Another new feature is the personalized gifts available.

A rescue crew from Elk Horn, LifeNet helicopter and other authorities were called to the scene of a two-vehicle head-on crash Tuesday afternoon in rural Shelby County. Our sister station KNOD reports the crash happened just before 1-p.m. at 400th and Umbrella Road, or about half-way between Walnut and Elk Horn. No further information is available at this time.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Health officials have identified three cases of influenza in Iowa. The state Department of Public Health said Tuesday the cases were reported in Henry, Johnson and Polk counties. Additional information was not released.

The State Hygienic Laboratory’s confirmation of the cases indicates influenza activity remains at a low level in Iowa. However officials say it indicates the virus is circulating in the state. Flu symptoms include fever, headache, tiredness, cough, sore throat, nasal congestion and body aches. About 300,000 Iowa residents get the flu every year.

BOONE, Iowa (AP) – Authorities in central Iowa say they’ve uncovered a massive collection of photographs and videos showing nude female juveniles, and they believe they were amassed over several years by high school students. The state Division of Criminal Investigation said Tuesday that a system of storage accounts was discovered after a male juvenile was accused in August of trying to extort sexual photographs and sexual acts from a female juvenile. The male faces an extortion charge.

Authorities said online-based storage accounts with nude photographs and videos had been under the control of numerous current and former high school students in the Boone area. The accounts have been secured. Authorities are working to identify the individuals in the photographs and videos. They called it an active investigation, and additional charges are possible.

A public hearing will be held Wednesday evening in Atlantic with regard to the vacating of a Lot in the Southern Heights Subdivision. The matter will be taken up as part of the Council’s regular meeting, which begins at 5:30-p.m.

Interim City Administrator John Lund says the Community Development Committee has not given a recommendation regarding the disposal of Lot A, which has been a topic of discussion among the Planning and Zoning Commission, the Development Committee and Council, since January, 2013.

Lund says he and former City Administrator Doug Harris “Greatly Disagreed” on the specifics of the issue, and that “Misinformation was spread as fact,” yet he will not comment or make a recommendation regarding the Disposal of the Lot, other than to say the materials he prepared “Showing that the process in which [the] matter was handled in 2013 was correct and appropriate.”

Following the public hearing, the Council will act on a “Resolution approving the disposal of City-Owned Real Property: Lot A.” The Council will also act on a Resolution approving the disposal” of City-owned properties at 1200 Birch, and 1106 Poplar, Streets. Both properties were acquired by condemnation. Lund says at least one person has expressed an interest in purchasing the Birch Street property, while there has been no interest to date, in the Poplar Street property.

In other business, the Council will act on approving the Interim City Administrator’s Contract, following a recommendation by the Finance and Personnel Committee. The committee met last Wednesday to discuss Lund’s salary. The proposed contract between Lund and the City is for six-months, with a salary of $32,500, or less than half of what he originally asked for. The Council would then review his contract at the end of the six-month time frame.

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s office is asking for the public’s assistance in looking for a stolen vehicle. Sometime between Tuesday and Wednesday of last week a white 2005 Chevrolet Tahoe with Iowa plate 029-XLZ was stolen from a resident in the south west part of Montgomery County. If you have information on the stolen vehicle should contact the Montgomery County Sheriffs Office at 712-623-5107 or Montgomery County Crime stoppers at 1-800-432-1001

The pilot who died in a plane crash near Dubuque late last night was the Libertarian candidate for Iowa’s U.S. Senate seat. The family of Douglas Butzier (BUTZ-ear) has confirmed Butzier was piloting the plane that crashed near the Dubuque Regional Airport at about 11 p.m. Monday. No one else was in the plane.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration, the single-engine plane took off from the Ankeny Regional Airport at about 10 p.m. and crashed at 11 p.m. about a mile north of the runway in Dubuque. Butzier, who was an E-R doctor, was born in Mount Pleasant and grew up in Cedar Falls.

Butzier, who was 59 years old, has been working at Dubuque Mercy Hospital for the past 17 years.