First Federal Bankshares Inc., the parent company of Vantus Bank, reported a net loss of $854,000, or 26 cents per share, for the three months ended June 30. This loss excludes a non-cash goodwill impairment charge of $18.4 million related to whole-bank acquisitions that First Federal had made earlier. These earnings compare with net income of $670,000, or 20 cents per share, for the same period a year ago.

A memorial bicycle ride, “Jim’s Ride,” will take place Saturday, Sept. 20, in memory of the late businessman Jim Goodman. The ride is sponsored by Community State Bank and will benefit the children of Orchard Place, where Goodman served as the chair. The event will include a five-mile family bike ride, a 15-mile route and a 25-mile route and will take place at the state Capitol grounds. Visit www.jimsride.com or e-mail Katie Albrecht at kalbrecht@orchardplace.org or by phone at (515) 287-9605 for sponsorship and registration information.

Iowa Workforce Development has requested and received an extension of the filing deadline for Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA). All 67 counties declared eligible for DUA have an extended filing deadline of Sept. 12, 2008. People applying for DUA need to provide proof of past earnings and their most recent income tax form at the time of filing their claim.

Gov. Chet Culver yesterday announced two judicial appointments. Culver placed Richard Doyle of Des Moines on the Iowa Court of Appeals and named Quad Cities attorney Paul Macek as a judge in Iowa Judicial District 7.

The Iowa Immigration Education Coalition is hosting a forum titled “Iowa Perspectives: What Immigration Means for Iowa’s Communities” on Aug. 21 from 6:30 until 8:30 p.m. at Des Moines Area Community College’s Ankeny campus. The forum will be held in the auditorium of Building 6 and will discuss the relationship between immigration, immigrants and Iowa’s communities and what it means to the economy, society and culture. Sgt. Joe Gonzalez of the Des Moines Police Department and Linda Hartman, field office director for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’ Des Moines office, will be part of a six-member panel.