Iowa Workforce, Today and Tomorrow, 2004

Demographic and employment information are used by economic developers, market researchers, counselors and curriculum developers for educational institutions, academic researchers, government planners, and private businesses. Occupational information on employment and wages also provides guidance for students making their first career choices and older workers considering a change of profession. In the last decade, Iowans have grown older and more diverse. The median age (2000) stood at 36.6 years, with 38 counties recording a median age of 40 or above. In the last decade, Hispanics accounted for a third of Iowa’s population growth. The most highly educated Iowans were Asians, with 43 percent earning a minimum of a bachelor’s degree. The Iowa labor force has been growing erratically since 1980, but still reached a record 1,663,000 in 2002 before inching downward. In the next 25 years, the labor force will see dramatic changes with the impending retirement of the baby boom generation and the influx of new immigrants and younger college-educated workers. While Iowa nonfarm employment declined by 7,000 workers during 2003, it did show improvement in the second half of the year. In a prosperous year, the Iowa economy generates an average of 2,500 jobs per month. This number was negative during the recession and has been below average this year. National economic events will continue to have a strong impact on Iowa job growth. Occupations requiring higher education are among the higher-paying Iowa jobs. Computer software engineers, computer support specialists, and customer service representatives are expected to be among the faster-growing occupations. Also, the aging population will bring opportunities for workers in healthcare. Occupations requiring higher education are among the higher-paying Iowa

Fiscal Year 2007 Workforce, Business Service Training Annual Report

Annual Report

Consumer Advisory Bulletin, How to Find Reputable In-Home Health Care and Service Plans, January 2008

The Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division receives hundreds of calls and consumer complaints every year. Follow these tips to avoid unexpected expense and disappointments. This record is about: How to Find Reputable In-Home Health Care and Service Plans

Consumer Advisory Bulletin, "Should I Buy the Service Contract?", January 2008

The Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division receives hundreds of calls and consumer complaints every year. Follow these tips to avoid unexpected expense and disappointments. This record is about: "Should I Buy the Service Contract?"

Business Sphere, Vol. 18, no.1

Information technology is a strong and important sector of the Iowa economy employing 30,000 Iowans at more than 2,000 companies, according to a new analysis from Battelle Institute consultants. The strength of Iowa’s IT industry is based in the service-segment. Internet and data services, communications network services, and software and computer services constitute 81 percent of all IT employment. Slightly ahead of U.S. trends, these service sectors compose the backbone of Iowa’s IT industry,

Consumer Advisory: The Drive to Destroy: Removing data from computer hard drives, storage devices & wireless phones, June 2014

The Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division receives hundreds of calls and consumer complaints every year. Follow these tips to avoid unexpected expense and disappointments. This record is about: The Drive to Destroy: Removing data from computer hard drives, storage devices & wireless phones

Consumer Advisory: How to Hinder Hackers? Protect Your Password! Tips to better secure your computer and online accounts, September 2014

The Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division receives hundreds of calls and consumer complaints every year. Follow these tips to avoid unexpected expense and disappointments. This record is about: How to Hinder Hackers? Protect Your Password! Tips to better secure your computer and online accounts

Emerging Threats to Iowa's Forests, Communities, Wood Industry and Economy, 2013

Iowa’s three million acres of forest land provide environmental benefits to all Iowans in terms of soil erosion control, air quality, and water quality. In 2013, more than 6.5 million trees died. Within those trees there were more than 125 million board feet of wood, compared to 98 million board feet of wood harvested. This level of mortality is the highest level reported from US Forest Service inventories in twenty years. This is disturbing when considering more than 18,000 Iowans are employed in the wood products and manufacturing industry, generating nearly $4 billion in annual sales, more than $900 million in annual payroll and more than $25 million to private woodland owners annually from the sale of timber.

Education on Urban Corridor Issues Through Computer Animation, TR-419, 2003

This project was undertaken in coordination with the Environmental Assessment process on the Mt. Vernon Road Improvements project in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The goal of the research was to determine the cost effectiveness of combined photo-imaging and computer animation as a presentation tool describing public road improvements. The Public Hearing, in combination with the involvement of a Citizen's Resource Group, afforded an opportunity to have an evaluation of the processes by interested citizens who were not familiar with engineering drawings or the construction industry. After the initial viewing of a draft version of the video, the Resource Group made recommendations to the staff developing the video. Discussion of these recommendations led to the development of an animated composite section that showed a combination of situations typically encountered throughout the project corridor, as well as critical considerations. The composite section did not show specific locations and therefore, individuals were not distracted by looking for the details pertaining to their properties. Concentration on the concepts involved rather than specifics provided the opportunity for a more thorough understanding by the citizens. The development of the composite concept was the primary discovery of the research.

A Comparative Study: Service Animals and Emotional Support Animals under the Fair Housing Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act & An Overview of Assistance Animal Laws of Select States, April 18, 2010

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Fair Housing Act (FHA) prohibit discrimination on the basis of disability and govern the use of service or emotional support animals in places where pets may not be permitted. However, courts have been struggling with how to define and treat animals that qualify for protection under each law. This has created confusion as to what rights and duties are owed disabled persons and the animals that live with or accompany them. This essay attempts to clarify these two federal laws with regard to service or emotional support animals and the differing parties‘ rights and interests. It also includes an overview of select state laws that govern assistance animals of all types and our recommendations for enhancing the Iowa Civil Rights Act.

A Computer-Aided Decision Support System for Making Locational Decisions, 1990

This report is the product of a first-year research project in the University Transportation Centers Program. This project was carried out by an interdisciplinary research team at The University of Iowa's Public Policy Center. The project developed a computerized system to support decisions on locating facilities that serve rural areas while minimizing transportation costs. The system integrates transportation databases with algorithms that specify efficient locations and allocate demand efficiently to service regions; the results of these algorithms are used interactively by decision makers. The authors developed documentation for the system so that others could apply it to estimate the transportation and route requirements of alternative locations and identify locations that meet certain criteria with the least cost. The system was developed and tested on two transportation-related problems in Iowa, and this report uses these applications to illustrate how the system can be used.