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.
The nationwide median price for existing homes dropped again in the first quarter of 2009, but Davenport, IA, was one of a few cities that reversed the trend. The city’s 14 percent increase in the median home price was the second largest in the nation.
The numbers, released today by the National Association of Realtors, show that about half of the sales of existing homes in the first quarter were foreclosed or distressed properties, which helped to keep nationwide prices low. From the AP:
Home sales fell in all but six states _ Nevada, California, Arizona, Florida, Virginia and Minnesota _ where buyers have been able to snap up foreclosures at a deep discount. Sales more than doubled in Nevada, rose 81 percent in California and grew 50 percent in Arizona _ signaling that the worst may be over for those distressed states.
Still, the median sales price nationwide was $169,900, down 13.8 percent from a year ago. The median price is the midpoint, which means half of the homes sold for more and half for less.
The biggest drop, of more than 50 percent, was in Fort Myers, Fla. Prices fell 40 percent or more in Saginaw, Mich.; Akron, Ohio; San Francisco; San Jose, Calif.; Phoenix; Sarasota, Fla. and Riverside, Calif.
The biggest price gain, of more than 21 percent, was in Cumberland, Md. The only other double-digit increase was in Davenport, Iowa, which saw the median price climb nearly 14 percent.
(It is not clear from the story what led to Davenport’s unusually good home sales numbers.)
Do you know where to vote on Election Day? Do you know what to bring with you? Get comprehensive voter information for your state here.
Sign up for our email newsletter