Wednesday was a difficult day for The American Independent News Network, which is the larger entity that operates The Iowa Independent. Our chief executive and founder announced two of our sister sites would close and their content would be moved to The American Independent.
A recently introduced bill could have far-reaching impact on the U.S. sugar industry, including American Crystal Sugar, a farmer-owned cooperative that locked out 1,300 Midwest workers on Aug. 1.
The chairman for Herman Cain’s Iowa effort says the campaign “relied more on the word of farmers than Washington regulators” in deciding to run an ad containing claims the Environmental Protection Agency says are false.
The Iowa Senate will remain under the control of a slim 26-25 Democratic majority when it reconvenes in January 2012.
Gov. Chet Culver issued an executive order Tuesday creating a task force to strengthen state laws and regulations for the care and treatment of dependent adults.
The move comes after state officials shut down Henry’s Turkey Service, a company that for the 34 years brought dozens of men with mental retardation from Texas to work for West Liberty Foods. The company acted as landlord, caregiver and employer, with the men living in a “bunkhouse” with no heating system and boarded-up windows. State and federal officials are investigating for possible labor law violations.
“I want to get to the bottom of this situation, and determine whether this most recent mistreatment of dependent adults was an isolated incident or is the result of systemic problems in existing laws, regulations and practices,” Culver said.
The state legislature’s Government Oversight Committee convened Tuesday morning to hold a hearing on the incident. The bunkhouse the men stayed in was rented by Henry’s from the city of Atalissa, and the city’s mayor and a city council member were called to testify.
Culver’s task force, which will be chaired by state Director of Elder Affairs John McCalley, will submit of final report and recommendations to the governor no later than April 1.
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