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.
Former Iowa Governors Tom Vilsack and Terry Branstad will co-chair the Iowa Choice Health Care Advisory Council. The council is charged with developing a comprehensive health care coverage plan that would guarantee coverage to all Iowa children, as well as eligible Iowa children up to age 19. The council will make recommendations concerning the design and implementation of the comprehensive plan, including defining what constitutes qualified health care coverage, suggesting coverage options, and implementing a health care coverage reporting requirement.
The Advisory Council is part of HF 2539, which was signed into law by Governor Chet Culver May 13, 2008 and provides for a variety of health care reforms. “The implementation of this advisory council is the first step toward real and meaningful health care reform,†said Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) Director Tom Newton. “Ensuring no Iowa child forgoes needed health care because of cost concerns means all of Iowa will be healthier.â€
In addition to Vilsack and Branstad, council members include Janet Griffin, John Aschenbrenner, Carrie Fitzgerald, Jan Laue, Jane Knaack-Esbeck, Joe Teeling, Iowa Senators Jack Hatch and James Seymour, and Iowa Representative Lisa Heddens.
The advisory council will submit its plan to the Iowa Choice Health Care Association. The comprehensive plan is required to be presented to the governor and the General Assembly by December 15, 2008.
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