Alliant Energy Corp. reported $29.1 million net income for the second quarter of 2009, down from $60.8 million for the same period in 2008. Cool July weather helped push electricity sales 8 percent lower in the quarter of 2009 than in the same period in 2008.

Broadlawns Medical Center has been chosen to receive the Iowa Nurses Association Friend of Nursing Award, for contributing to the improvement of nursing and the professional organization. The award, which will be presented in October, was given specifically for a change to the bylaws that allows all nurse practitioners to be independent.

Initial filings of claims for jobless benefits dropped by 38,000 to 550,000 in July, a larger decrease than economists predicted and a sign some employers have put down the hatchet as the recession eases, Bloomberg reported today. It was the fifth straight month claims stayed below 600,000, but the pace of job cuts won’t keep unemployment from rising. Bloomberg predicts the jobless rate will move to its highest point in 26 years when a report is released tomorrow.

The U.S. Postal Service posted a loss of $2.4 billion for its third fiscal quarter which ending in July, and expects to lose more than $7 billion by fiscal year’s end, the Washington Business Journal reported Wednesday. A double-digit drop in mail volume due mostly to continued increase in e-mail usage resulted in a $1.6 billion decrease in revenues. The Postal Service is considering closing 681 offices nationwide, and could also cut post office hours to ease its financial situation.