Gomers -- What's going wrong

MORE SKILLED WORKERS NEEDED: Half of the jobs in Iowa's labor market require “middle-skills” - those requiring post-high school training but not a college bachelor's degree. Yet only 33 percent of the job force has such skills while 38 percent have low skills, a state workforce report found.

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MORE DOGS, MORE CLAIMS: Dogs are taking a bigger bite out of homeowner insurance payouts. Nationwide, the cost of dog bite claims - most of them involving kids - is up 48 percent since 2003. State Farm, the largest writer of such insurance, says Iowa ranked 15th highest in 2011, with $1.4 million paid on 70 claims. Big payouts are increasing because more people own dogs, more dog owners live closer together and parents today are more likely to seek advanced medical care for children who are bitten, Iowa agents say.

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VOID: Solon expects to lose its only pharmacy when Solon Drug closes June 2. The owner says insurance companies don't pay enough to make it financially feasible to operate in a small town. That means residents will have to travel much farther for their prescriptions and expert advice.

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