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.
Iowa’s sweeping indoor smoking ban has been in effect for two months now but public health officials report that only six “law enforcement” visits have been made to places believed to be in violation. The Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH)– charged with overseeing the law and in the process of reviewing draft rules — views the implementation as a success so far. State officials say they are working with local law enforcement in some places where businesses and knowingly violating the law.
Here is the IDPH news release:
In the first two months since the Smokefree Air Act went into effect, the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) has received more than 4,300 calls and e-mails from business owners and the public. The vast majority—about 80 percent—have been from people with questions about how to comply with the new law. Fewer than 1,000 have been complaints about potential violations of the law, and only 6 have resulted in a visit by law enforcement.
“These figures reflect just how effective education has been in enforcing this new law,†said IDPH Director Tom Newton. “There are a limited number of cases, however, where we have had to move beyond education in our enforcement efforts.â€
The Smokefree Air Act stipulates that the law be enforced by IDPH or its designee. In nearly every case, compliance has been achieved by working with business owners and others to help them understand their requirements under the law. This has included making phone calls, providing fact sheets, and in a few cases, sending formal letters of potential violations. Recently, the department has been working with the Attorney General’s Office, the Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division, and local law enforcement to actively pursue a small number of businesses that are intentionally breaking the law.
Lynn Walding, administrator of the Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division, emphasized the need to ensure that those few establishments do comply with the law. “Iowa’s liquor license holders are held to a high standard, are subject to strict federal, state and local regulation, and are expected to comply with all such laws. This includes Iowa’s Smokefree Air Act.” Walding added that possible penalties for violating the law include a civil fine up to $1,000, a suspension of the liquor license up to one year, or the revocation of the license.
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