Gov. Chet Culver announced today the award of more than $4.4 million in AmeriCorps American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds and education awards to support the placement of 378 AmeriCorps members in Iowa organizations. Among the Des Moines organizations, Central Iowa Shelter and Services and Central Iowa Works will each receive nine workers and Visiting Nurse Services will get two.

Beginning June 15, the U.S. Small Business Administration will guarantee short-term, deferred-payment loans of up to $35,000 for small businesses that need help making principal and interest payments on existing debt. The loans are available under the America’s Capital Recovery program. The Small Business Administration guarantees the full amount of the interest-free loans, which are available to viable for-profit businesses. For more information, go to www.sba.gov.

Market Street Media Foundry will launch a monthly bazaar for art, vintage and found items and handmade goods. Designed like a farmers market, the event will be held the last Saturday of every month from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. starting May 30 at the Market Building, 118 S.E. Fourth St., Des Moines. Learn more at www.marketstreetmediafoundry.com.

Iowa Telecommunications Services Inc. Chairman and CEO Alan Wells, and Craig Knock, vice president, chief financial officer and treasurer, will participate in the Barclays Capital Worldwide Wireless and Wireline Conference in New York on May 27 at 8:45 a.m. Iowa time. To access the presentation, go to www.iowatelecom.com and click on “Investor Relations.”

Larry Zimpleman, president and CEO of Principal Financial Group Inc., will present at the Sanford Bernstein Strategic Decisions Conference on May 28 at 1 p.m. Iowa time in New York. The presentation can be accessed at www.principal.com/investor.

Dice Holdings Inc. will present at two upcoming investor conferences. Michael Durney, senior vice president of finance and chief financial officer, will present at the Credit Suisse Convergence Conference in Dana Point, Calif., on June 9, at 5:45 p.m. Iowa time. On June 11, Scot Melland, chairman, president and CEO, and Durney will present at the William Blair 29th annual Growth Stock Conference in Chicago at 10 a.m. Iowa time. Both presentations will be webcast live at www.diceholdingsinc.com.

Principal Financial Group Inc.’s board of directors has declared a cash dividend of $1.39075 per share on its 5.563 percent Series A non-cumulative perpetual preferred stock and a cash dividend of 40.7375 cents on its 6.518 percent Series B non-cumulative perpetual preferred stock. The dividends are payable on June 30 to stockholders of record on June 11.