Des Moines Register: Iowa’s economy improved slightly in June as the state cut thousands off from unemployment insurance. Payrolls in the state increased by about 3,900 for the month, marking the first time this year that jobs in Iowa increased for two consecutive months, according to federal data released today. Despite the added jobs, Iowa’s unemployment rate increased to 4% from 3.9% as more out-of-work Iowans reported that they were unsuccessfully looking for jobs. The pace of Iowa’s economic recovery continues to trail that of the United States overall, with the rate of job growth in the state about half that for the country in June.