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Welcome to Thursday’s Almanac, for and about Iowa’s workers.

Got a comment on a story? Reply and tell me; I read every email.

If break time’s over, here’s the tl;dr:

How Harry Stine became Iowa’s only billionaire;
A third of AgriStar workers in Postville still haven’t been rehired;
Upcoming Iowa layoffs and worker news;
Are union candidates taking over the election?

Do you know about Harry Stine, Iowa’s only billionaire?

You might not have heard of Stine, who is in his 80s and lives on a farm in Adel, just west of the Des Moines metro.

But he and his four children, who jointly own Stine Seed Company, are the richest family in Iowa. I wanted to find out how they got there.

It’s this week’s top story.

Thoughts? Reply and tell me.

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Amie Rivers

Newsletter Editor, Iowa Starting Line

Member, COURIER United (WGA East)

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After an accidental fire at AgriStar in Postville, 400 workers—around two-thirds of the former staff—have been rehired. (Which also means around 200 are still without jobs.)
Iowa City needs affordable housing. So this guy decided to do something about it.
Marshalltown is hosting a bricklaying competition next week.
In 1965, CEO pay was 21 times higher than the average worker. In 2025, it was 325 times higher.
Around 43% of Americans who work in the private sector saw their real wages decline between 2021 and 2024.
Not even making the minimum? Minimum wage theft hit a record high in 2025, when 5.8 million Americans were shortchanged on wages.
It’s not just those insured under the Affordable Care Act; people with health insurance through their work are also likely to see increases in premiums or deductibles next year.
The interest rate was recently raised by a quarter of a percentage point, but you’ll notice it if you’re borrowing money, like buying a car or using a credit card.
Are deportations raising our wages and creating jobs? Cause I was told they would, but apparently it’s the opposite.
Bank where you mail: Around 100 million Americans, or 28% of the population, don’t have access to affordable banking. Is the restoration of Postal Banking a solution?
CVS pharmacists are ready to strike in three states, as understaffing and low pay hamper their ability to get patients the critical medications in a timely manner.
Walmart has its first union, and a two-year contract, in Canada.
Won a union: Sixty-eight full- and part-time fixture, X-ray, layout, and laboratory workers at Wellman in Creston (WDC Acquisition) voted 54-2 to unionize with IAM District 6.

All information taken from Iowa Workforce Development’s WARN Act website. Read WARN Act and Iowa WARN Act criteria here.

CNH Industrial in Burlington is laying off:
13 workers by Friday
5 workers by Dec. 31
Read more here.
People First Sanitation in Sioux City is laying off 54 workers by Friday.
NFI Interactive Logistics in Cedar Rapids is closing and laying off 49 workers by Sept. 30. Read more here.
RTX in Cedar Rapids is laying off:
2 workers by Sept. 30
1 worker by Oct. 30
Great Southern Bank is closing two Iowa locations by Oct. 1 and laying off:
5 workers in Ankeny
4 workers in Pleasant Hill
Read more from the company here.
Wells Fargo in West Des Moines is laying off:
7 workers by Oct. 3
14 workers by Oct. 17
5 workers by Oct. 31
35 workers by Nov. 14
Read more here.
Lund Food Holdings in Lake Mills is closing and laying off 23 workers by Oct. 9. Read more here.