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.
Officials at Iowa State University recently moved to bar credit card companies from marketing to students after reporters sought information about an agreement with Bank of America, The Huffinton Post Investigative Fund reported this week.
The arrangement between the ISU Alumni Association and Bank of America is known as an affinity agreement. Until recently, students, alumni and university employees were contacted via phone or e-mail to sign up for a Bank of America credit card, according to the alumni association’s website. Additionally, the cards were also promoted to students on campus and at athletic events. The alumni association would receive royalties from the agreement.
The ISU Alumni Association changed that policy “within weeks” of media inquiries, according to the Huffington Post Investigative Fund. Details about the changes aren’t clear. A handful of university officials declined to comment on the matter or did not return phone calls from The Iowa Independent.
The University of Iowa Alumni Association also offers a credit card from Bank of America.
In 2007, ISU and the UI were criticized for garnering profits from similar ties to the same creditor. The Des Moines Register reported then:
The [University of Iowa] has agreed to give [Bank of America] access to databases that include the mailing addresses, telephone numbers and e-mail addresses of students, parents and people who buy tickets to Hawkeye football and basketball games. The university has also promised to provide its biggest-spending cardholders with exclusive access to university facilities, coaches and even student athletes.
The Huffington Post Investigative Fund — a nonprofit journalism outlet — revealed hundreds of colleges and alumni associations around the country benefit from allowing debtors to sell credit cards to students. Some institutions even receive bonuses when students incur debt.
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