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.
In order to cut costs, the Iowa Department of Public Safety will close the Iowa State Patrol District 5 office in the western Iowa city of Cherokee. The six counties currently served by the office will be divided between the District 4 office in Denison and the District 6 office in Spencer.
“We see this as a win-win,” said Col. Patrick Hoye, Iowa State Patrol chief. “The District 5 lieutenant and the secretary are planning to retire. The ISP used this opportunity to consolidate district offices and save $25,000 in facility cost and an additional $150,000 a year by filing vacant positions.”
Eugene Meyer, commissioner of the Iowa Department of Public Safety, said that the decision, although difficult, will help avoid layoffs. “Maintaining public safety is our top priority. This allows us to cut our budget without compromising public safety resources in western Iowa,” he said.
The land and facility are owned by the state. Troopers currently stationed there will continue to patrol their assigned counties after the offices are consolidated. The closure is currently scheduled for March 2010.
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