DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Iowa unemployment claims were down for the second straight week. Iowa Workforce Development reported on Thursday a total of 5,689 initial unemployment claims were filed between August 30 and September 5. That’s a decrease of 225 claims from the previous week. There were 71,644 total continuing unemployment claims last week, a decrease of 4,233 from the previous reporting period.

MAQUOKETA, IA (IRN) – The city of Maquoketa has agreed to a settlement of $4-million in a wrongful death lawsuit. Drew Edwards died in June 2019 after an encounter with police responding to a domestic dispute. The Edwards family accused police of excessive force after the confrontation seen on a police body camera. Police say they were forced to taser him six times and he later died at a hospital.

FORT DODGE, IA (IRN) – The Fort Dodge Community School District experienced a cyberattack Wednesday. The attack compromised the district’s phones and internet. The district started classes on Aug. 25 and has been instructing in-person courses. School is cancelled today.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The Polk County Sheriff’s Office says someone is trying to scam residents out of money by using the name of an actual officer in phone calls. The Sheriff’s Office says it will never request money over the phone related to warrants. This scam has appeared in other areas of the state as well.

IOWA (IRN) – A total of 15 Pizza Hut restaurants across the state of Iowa are closing because a major Pizza Hut franchisee is filing for bankruptcy. Up to 300 restaurants across the country will close permanently. The company says COVID-19, high ingredient prices, and heavy debt are to blame.