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.
Peter Hussman of the Newton Independent (no affiliation with this site) has the scoop on a proposed plan to reorganize the state Department of Human Services in light of current and future state budget shortfalls.
According to a memo to the Iowa Council on Human Services by DHS director Charles Krogmeier, the agency’s nine divisions would be reduced to five, its eight services areas would be reduced to five and 78 currently vacant positions would be eliminated. The agency would also utilize more part-time offices.
Hussman reports that Krogmeier said Gov. Chet Culver’s recent 10 percent across-the-board budget cuts, coupled with a projected budget shortfall in 2011, “makes these changes no longer a choice but an imperative to align ourselves in the best way to provide the services Iowans need from DHS.”
The changes are expected to occur between January and April, if the plan is approved.
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