Iowa

Had I gone to school in Iowa, perhaps, I’d have known a headman, a chief, named No Heart; after all, his people left their name behind when they travelled west and south. We're Iowans because of him--and them. They left their name behind, but little more we design to remember.

Nonetheless, you should know that No Heart’s descendants are a proud people who live in Oklahoma and have for years, despite their name. They call home just outside the town where my son's family lives, just across the Cimarron. 

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The statewide winter storm today has been upgraded to a blizzard warning in northwest Iowa, while more snow accumulation has been forecast across the state.

Blizzard warning criteria from the NWS are wind gusts of 35 mph or greater and one-quarter of mile visibility or less that lasts up to three hours.  

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A winter weather system moving across the country is dropping snow, sleet and freezing rain on eastern Nebraska and Western Iowa. Most schools in the region canceled classes and activities for today ahead of the storm system. Residents in Nebraska awoke to a blanket of snow and wind chills well below zero. The snow hit Iowa later in the morning. 

The National Weather Service has issued a winter weather advisory for much of eastern Nebraska into central parts of the state that will remain in effect until early Saturday morning. 

It's 1944. Otto Steinke is too old to be drafted, his son just a few months too young. Besides, both are needed because the Allied cause requires mountains of food, food the Steinkes can produce on their Iowa farm. Not everyone can be a soldier, even some who really, really want to be. 

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The Democratic presidential candidates continue to visit Siouxland in advance of the Feb 3rd,  2020 Caucuses. 

Today, one of the leading candidate’s wives came to Sioux City.  This morning at the Sioux City Public Library about 50 potential caucus-goers gathered to meet Dr. Jill Biden, who was talking about her husband former Vice President Joe Biden’s qualifications. Biden says Iowans want to talk to her about important issues. 

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Sheriff's officials say flooding around Madison has caused some residents to evacuate.

Lake County Sheriff Tim Walburg urged people not to drive through Madison as crews were busy moving some people from the flooded area. It has received 3 to 5 inches of rain in the latest storm. 

The South Dakota Highway Patrol says flooding closed a section of Interstate 90 near Mitchell.

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A grand jury on Friday found that a South Sioux City police officer's actions during a fatal May shootout were not criminal, and no charges will be filed, according to the Sioux City Journal.

The decision cleared South Sioux City police Officer Brian Van Berkum for his actions in a fatal shootout in May. The grand jury ruled there was no criminal conduct in the May 11 incident in which Van Berkum fatally shot Luis Quinones Rosa outside of Los Amigos, a South Sioux City bar and liquor store.

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Iowa's unemployment rate climbed slightly in July to 2.5% but remains among the lowest in the nation.

Iowa Workforce Development announced Friday that the unemployment rate rose from 2.4% in June. The rate had been stuck at that level since July 2018.

Although the unemployment rate increased, the number of residents with jobs also rose by about 4,000 compared to June. The number of unemployed residents increased by about 1,400.

Iowa's unemployment rate was third-lowest in the nation, behind Vermont and North Dakota and tied with New Hampshire.