Friday Morning Read: Minimum Wage, Jok Wins, How Educated are Iowans?

Minimum Wage Rollback - In back-to-back ceremonies, the governor signed a bill immediately barring cities and counties from setting minimum wages higher than the statewide $7.25 hourly floor and a separate measure making significant changes to the state's workers' compensation law. 'This is a bill I've waited for a long time,' said Branstad, before inking his name on House File 518 — the bill that rewrites Iowa's 1913 workers comp law that he declared would improve Iowa's competitive position with other states while balancing the needs of providing a safety net for injured workers.Read more about the minimum wage and workers' compensation laws here.

Educating Iowa - For the first time in decades of data, one-third of adult Americans have a bachelor's degree or higher — and Iowa needs to catch up, according to new U.S. Census data and statewide reports... Of the about 2 million people in Iowa over age 25, according to the most recent 2014 data, 60 percent participated in some education or training past high school, but just 28 percent had a bachelor's degree or higher, putting the state below the national average. Read more analysis and reaction to this Census report here.

Rizer a Resident? - Rep. Ken Rizer calls a Democratic leaders' request for an investigation into whether he lives in the Linn County district he represents 'blatant politics.' The claim that he no longer lives in House District 68 — which includes Marion, Bertram, Ely and Putnam — has been investigated and determined to be unfounded, Rizer, a second-term Republican, said Thursday. Read more about Rizer and these claims here.

Jok takes the Crown - Iowa men's basketball senior Peter Jok got to celebrate his 23rd birthday in style on Thursday night. The Big Ten's leading scorer poured in 21 points per round to win the 3-point contest at the college basketball Slam Dunk and 3-point Championship held at Grand Canyon University in Phoenix. Jok had 22 points to advance to the finals against hometown shooter, Grand Canyon's DeWayne Russell; then scored 20 in the final round for the victory. Watch the video of him shooting here.

Quotable - 'Truthfully, we are just thankful that we are able to keep everyone,' Linn County Public Defender Brian Sisell said Thursday. 'The furloughs are a sacrifice, but a small one considering what could have happened — layoffs.' Read more about the furloughs handed out by the Iowa State Public Defender here.