WASHINGTON, D.C. – Total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 321,000 in November, and the unemployment rate was unchanged at 5.8 percent, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Job gains were…
Category: Business
The NorthIowaToday.com Business Section. Business stories and a directory of top North Iowa businesses.
Regents approve construction of $50 million residence hall for Iowa State University
AMES, Iowa — The Iowa Board of Regents on Wednesday approved plans by Iowa State University to build a new residence hall east of Buchanan Hall. “Since 2005, the demand for on-campus…
Jitters Coffee to move from Southbridge Mall, stay downtown
MASON CITY – A long-time family-owned business has announced they are in the process of moving from Southbridge Mall, but will remain in the downtown area. Jitters Coffee, currently located in the…
Mason City car dealership expanding with new showroom
MASON CITY – A Mason City car dealership is building a new showroom on its property. Platinum Motors, located at 145 6th Street SW, is building a new dealership and showroom at…
Final rule to protect workers from discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity announced by US Labor Department
WASHINGTON — A new rule prohibiting discrimination on the bases of sexual orientation and gender identity in the federal contracting workforce is being announced today by the U.S. Department of Labor. The…
Winnebago congratulates new “#1 employee”
FOREST CITY – The nation’s top RV maker congratulated it’s new “#1 employee” this morning, who has been with the company for decades. “Congratulations to Winnebago’s new #1 employee – Irving Larson,”…
Winnebago receives “fully meets” classification from Ford Motor Company’s Quality Vehicle Manufacturers Program
FOREST CITY – Winnebago Industries, Inc., a leading United States recreation vehicle manufacturer, was recognized by Ford Motor Company for receiving the “fully meets” classification as part of their Quality Vehicle Manufacturers…
Iowa’s workforce at all-time high
DES MOINES – There are more people working in Iowa than ever before, according to statistics released by Iowa Workforce Development. Iowa’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate dropped to 4.5 percent in October…
Alco store in Garner to close
Coppell, Texas – Discount retailer Alco is closing all of its 198 stores – including a store in Garner – the company announced. The Alco store in Garner is located at 150…
Workshop for entrepreneurs to be offered in Garner
GARNER – North Iowa Area Community College (NIACC) and the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) are offering a free two-hour workshop designed for anyone who is considering starting a business. At Start…
Student establishes dance club at Waldorf College
FOREST CITY – Nigeria native and Waldorf College freshman Aminat Oke took the initiative to create The Rhythmic Steppers, a student dance organization, on campus with one goal in mind – to…
Frozen pet, mystery meat or just plain creepy: What was in the pet tote on Burger King’s roof?
MASON CITY – Concerned citizens called police today to report that a pet carrier was on the top of the Mason City Burger King roof, and some were worried that a live animal was inside.
Vote in Congress on Keystone Pipeline now in the works
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky announced Wednesday an agreement with Democrats to hold a Senate vote on construction of the controversial Keystone XL Pipeline. The Keystone pipeline…
ISU’s School of Education overcoming challenges to place record number of student teachers
AMES, Iowa – It’s fair to say that Michelle Shealy had a few nerves the first time she stood in front of a roomful of kindergarten students at Meeker Elementary in Ames…
Special program for veterans kicks off Sunday at Goodwill (video)
MASON CITY – The Mason City Goodwill Store has a special sales event for veterans starting Sunday, November 9, and all veterans in the North Iowa area are invited to participate.
Job numbers show economy on the rebound
WASHINGTON – U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker issued a statement Friday on the employment situation in October. Payroll employment increased by 214,000 and the unemployment rate moved down to 5.8% in…
Too early? JCPenney announces it will open 5PM Thanksgiving day
MASON CITY – The race to the bottom of commercializing the Christmas season ramped up yet again this Holiday season as another big retailer announced it would be opening even earlier to…
Target announces 11 stores to close
MINNEAPOLIS – Target Corporation today announced that it will close 11 locations as of February 1, 2015. Regionally, stores in Austin, Minnesota and Clinton, Iowa will be closed. According to Target, the…
Oak Leaf Collectibles celebrates 37th Anniversary
MASON CITY – A downtown Mason city business – Oak Leaf Collectibles – celebrated 37 years of offering comic books, action figures, games and other cool items with an anniversary party Saturday,…
Amazon must refund over 1,000 Iowans for unused memberships
DES MOINES – More than one thousand Iowa consumers charged for unused Amazon Prime memberships through online retailer Amazon.com will receive refunds or credits, under an agreement with Attorney General Tom Miller….
NIACC now lists job opportunities on its web site
MASON CITY – In response to an overwhelming number of requests by employers who want to reach North Iowa Area Community College (NIACC) alumni with their job announcements, officials at the College…
Registration for winter break classes at NIACC now open
MASON CITY – North Iowa Area Community College (NIACC) is once again offering courses when students are normally on winter break. A limited selection of NIACC courses will be offered December 15-January…
Deputies evict last of those who remained at Silver Boot motel
CLEAR LAKE – Deputies with the Cerro Gordo County Sheriff’s Office went to the Silver Boot motel Tuesday to evict the last of the people who were there, after a judge ruled…
Iowa unemployment rate at 4.6%
DES MOINES, IOWA – Iowa’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased slightly to 4.6 percent in September from 4.5 percent in August. The state’s jobless rate was 4.5 percent one year ago. The…
Only 19 percent of corn and 61 percent of soybeans harvested so far in Iowa
DES MOINES – Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey on Monday commented on the Iowa crop progress and condition report released by the USDA National Agricultural Statistical Service. The report is released…
Grassley: “We should know where our meat comes from”
WASHINGTON, D.C. – We should know where our meat comes from, says Sentor Chuck Grassley, after the World Trade Organization ruled again that U.S. regulations that display on labels where meat originates…
NIACC offers h.s. seniors opportunity to explore options for college
MASON CTY – North Iowa Area Community College will host Explore 2015 in the North Iowa Community Auditorium on the NIACC campus on Thursday November 6 beginning at 6:00 p.m. Explore 2015…
DM Register sells subscriptions Sunday at Mason City Hy-Vee
MASON CITY – The Des Moines Register seems to mean business in Mason City, as they had salesmen in town Sunday selling subscriptions at the Hy-Vee grocery store. Two gentlemen were perched…
Sign at Charles City convenience store raises eyebrows
CHARLES CITY – A sign at a Charles City convenience store is raising eyebrows Saturday. A North Iowa resident shared a photo with the NIT newsroom of the sign at the Rush…
Oak Leaf Comics to celebrate 37th Anniversary
MASON CITY – A downtown Mason City business will celebrate its 37th Anniversary. Oak Leaf Comics & Collectibles will be celebrating its 37th Anniversary this October 25th, from 10 AM to 6…
Winnebago declares dividend for stockholders
FOREST CITY, IA – Winnebago Industries, Inc. (NYSE: WGO), has declared the reinstatement of a quarterly cash dividend of nine cents a share, payable on November 26, 2014 to shareholders of record…
North Iowa Corridor hires new CEO
NORTH IOWA – The North Iowa Corridor Economic Development Corporation announced today that Chad Schreck has accepted the position of President & CEO. Schreck, an Iowa native, has most recently served as…
Mason City CherryBerry yogurt store to close Tuesday
DES MOINES — Taco John’s of Iowa, the owner of the Mason City CherryBerry Yogurt store, has decided to close its Mason City store at the end of the business day tomorrow,…
FDA approves drug to treat nausea, vomiting associated with cancer chemotherapy
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Friday approved a drug to treat nausea and vomiting in patients undergoing cancer chemotherapy. Akynzeo (netupitant and palonosetron) is a fixed combination capsule…
$280 million wind energy project announced for Iowa
DES MOINES – MidAmerican Energy Company today announced plans to develop one new wind farm site in Adams County and expand a second site in O’Brien County in 2015 – an additional…
Cherry Berry frozen yogurt shop to close
MASON CITY – A frozen yogurt shop in Mason City will soon be closing its doors. Cherry Berry will be closing sometime this month, sources tell NorthIowaToday.com. The store opened in the…
AT&T smacked with $105 million “cramming” settlement; refunds on the way
WASHINGTON – As part of a $105 million settlement with federal and state law enforcement officials, AT&T Mobility LLC will pay $80 million to the Federal Trade Commission to provide refunds to…
Grassley calls out Bank of America for taking $76 million to manage prison accounts
WASHINGTON – Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa is asking the federal government to account for an exclusive, long-time contract between Bank of America and the government to operate an expanding array of…
Iowa crop and weather report, October 6, 2014
DES MOINES – Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey today commented on the Iowa crop progress and condition report released by the USDA National Agricultural Statistical Service. The report is released weekly…
Billionaire Warren Buffet says newspapers on the way out
OMAHA – Billionaire investor Warren Buffet says newspapers are on the way out and the number of people looking at them “is going down”. Buffet, in an interview with politico.com published today,…