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.
Flood waters may be receding, but Ames is facing another crisis that could last well into next week: a lack of clean drinking water.
Mayor Ann Campbell told The Ames Tribune Thursday that residents should, “treat this as an emergency every time you use an ounce of water.” The city had hoped to restore water by early next week, but now says the continued water use by residents and businesses is hampering the effort and could result in further delays.
From The Tribune:
City officials authorized residents to begin using water for brief showers, flushing toilets and boiling for drinking water early Thursday, but saw water tower supplies draining by mid-afternoon.
“What we need are some temporary lifestyle changes,” Water Pollution and Supply Director John Dunn. “We are not gaining as we had hoped in those tanks.”
Ames had to shut down its water distribution system Wednesday afternoon after a main break caused by historic flooding of the Skunk River and Squaw Creek. Two more water main breaks were later identified bringing the total to eight water main breaks that have drained Ames water towers to dangerously low levels. A boil water advisory has been in effect since the initial break Wednesday.
The city was going to begin flushing the system Thursday, but water levels were still too low.
U.S. Rep. Tom Latham, a Republican who represents the portion of Iowa that includes Ames, called the situation with water supplies “desperate” and called on companies and individuals to donate bottled water. The Republican Party of Iowa is collecting water and hand sanitizer at its campaign offices in Urbandale and Ames from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. weekdays, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday.
Gov. Chet Culver said Thursday that six trucks of water have already been secured for Ames and more than 20 are ready to send.
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