The Denison Free Press

The Denison Free Press Serving Denison & Crawford County, Iowa. Local Ownership. Local Journalists. Local News.

More photos from the buckskinners rendezvous at the Dow House Historical Site this past weekend. See others in this week...
06/13/2025

More photos from the buckskinners rendezvous at the Dow House Historical Site this past weekend. See others in this week's Denison Free Press.

A few more pictures from the Boy Scout Troop 55 Fight Breakfast on Sunday at the Denison Municipal Airport. Other photos...
06/13/2025

A few more pictures from the Boy Scout Troop 55 Fight Breakfast on Sunday at the Denison Municipal Airport. Other photos can be found in this week's Denison Free Press.

Photos from Hot Summer Nights. See more in The Denison Free Press
06/13/2025

Photos from Hot Summer Nights. See more in The Denison Free Press

Current edition of The Denison Free Press
06/13/2025

Current edition of The Denison Free Press

05/30/2025

The Denison Free Press reached out to discover more information about Job Corps.
A source close to the Denison Job Corps Center provided the following statistics about the performance of the center.
Currently, 204 students are enrolled at the Denison Job Corps Center.
Of those students, approximately 8% are considered homeless or unhoused, meaning they don’t have a stable home to go to.
As of May, the placement rate of Denison Job Corps Center students was 91%. That is for job placement, going on to higher education or entering the military.
The Denison Job Corps Center employs 124 staff, ranging from security and maintenance to academic instructors, vocational instructors and others.
The Denison Free Press is continuing to reach out to other sources to provide further information on Job Corps.

05/30/2025

News Release

US Department of Labor pauses Job Corps center operations
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today (May 29) announced it will begin a phased pause in operations at contractor-operated Job Corps centers nationwide, initiating an orderly transition for students, staff, and local communities. The decision follows an internal review of the program’s outcome and structure and will be carried out in accordance with available funding, the statutory framework established under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, and congressional notification requirements.

The pause of operations at all contractor-operated Job Corps centers will occur by June 30, 2025. As the transition begins, the department is collaborating with state and local workforce partners to assist current students in advancing their training and connecting them with education and employment opportunities.

The department’s decision aligns with the President’s FY 2026 budget proposal and reflects the Administration’s commitment to ensure federal workforce investments deliver meaningful results for both students and taxpayers.

“Job Corps was created to help young adults build a pathway to a better life through education, training, and community,” said Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer. “However, a startling number of serious incident reports and our in-depth fiscal analysis reveal the program is no longer achieving the intended outcomes that students deserve. We remain committed to ensuring all participants are supported through this transition and connected with the resources they need to succeed as we evaluate the program’s possibilities.”

The Job Corps program has faced significant financial challenges under its current operating structure. In PY 2024, the program operated at a $140 million deficit, requiring the Biden administration to implement a pause in center operations to complete the program year. The deficit is projected to reach $213 million in PY 2025.

On April 25, 2025, the department’s Employment and Training Administration released the first-ever Job Corps Transparency Report, which analyzed the financial performance and operational costs of the most recently available metrics of program year 2023. A summary of the overall findings:

Average Graduation Rate (WIOA Definition): 38.6%
Average Cost Per Student Per Year: $80,284.65
Average Total Cost Per Graduate (WIOA Definition): $155,600.74
Post separation, participants earn $16,695 annually on average.
The total number of Serious Incident Reports for program year 2023: 14,913 infractions.
Inappropriate Sexual Behavior and Sexual Assaults Reported: 372
Acts of Violence Reported: 1,764
Breaches of Safety or Security: 1,167
Reported Drug Use: 2,702
Total Hospital Visits: 1,808
Additional information can be found in the FAQs.
https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/OPA/newsreleases/2025/05/OSEC20250929.pdf

Agency Office of the Secretary
Date May 29, 2025
Release Number 25-929-NAT

Dedication of Oakland Cemetery Veterans Memorial at noon todayMemorial Day services on May 26 in Denison will include a ...
05/26/2025

Dedication of Oakland Cemetery Veterans Memorial at noon today

Memorial Day services on May 26 in Denison will include a dedication of the new Veterans Memorial at the southeast corner of Oakland Cemetery located along South Main Loop. The program will be presented by State Rep. Steven Holt with the closing by the Denison Legion and VFW rifle squad.
The memorial is part of an Oakland Cemetery master plan funded by the William and Noreen Johnson family.
William and Noreen were born in Denison and graduated from Denison High School. William died August 18, 2011, and Noreen lives in Omaha.
According to an article in the November 7, 2024, edition of The Denison Free Press, the new tribute to veterans features a 35-foot-tall flagpole for the display the U.S. flag and 12-by-12-inch granite squares each engraved with the emblem from the six branches of service, including the newest branch, the United States Space Force.
In the Free Press article, Ben Johnson, son of William and Noreen Johnson, explained that through the military memorial, the family wants to reinforce the community's respect for and dedication to service veterans. He added that many military veterans are buried at Oakland Cemetery.
Pictured, Scouts place flags around the memorial on Saturday in preparation for today's dedication.

05/23/2025

Each year on the last day of school, third graders at Denison Elementary School put on construction paper graduation caps and parade through the hallways, as they will be moving on to Broadway Elementary at the start of the new school year. This year the third graders were joined by the second graders, who will also be moving on to Broadway Elementary at the start of the new school year, with the completion of the Broadway addition. After they walked through the hallways, the students gathered outside the school.

05/23/2025

More chanting by students and a heartfelt response and thank you from Principal Dave Wiebers.

NOTE THE CHANGE for the rain location for Memorial Day services in Denison. The rain location is now Denison Middle Scho...
05/22/2025

NOTE THE CHANGE for the rain location for Memorial Day services in Denison. The rain location is now Denison Middle School instead of Denison High School.

05/22/2025

Reynolds announces approval of Presidential Disaster Declaration
Today, Gov. Kim Reynolds announced President Donald Trump has approved a Presidential Disaster Declaration request for four Western Iowa counties that sustained significant damage to public infrastructure and private property from severe weather that occurred on March 19, 2025.
This Presidential Disaster Declaration activates the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Public Assistance Program for Crawford, Harrison, Monona, and Woodbury counties. The Public Assistance Program provides funds that can be used for the restoration of damaged utilities, debris removal, and other emergency protective measures, including but not limited to sheltering, essential needs, and movement of emergency supplies.

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