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.
The one person jailed in last week’s sit-in at U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley’s Cedar Rapids office pleaded guilty in Linn County Court today.
David Goodner, a University of Iowa senior, was fined the minumum amount on both counts — $65 for criminal trespassing and $250 for interference with official acts. He told the judge he would not pay the fines. “I consider my refusal to pay my fines an extension of my civil disobedience,” he said.Goodner was arrested at the Cedar Rapids Federal Courthouse on July 6 during the Occupation Project’s action at Grassley’s office, when he attempted to enter the building from a restricted side door.
At the time of his 2:05 p.m. arrest, federal marshals were blocking the public entrance, telling protesters that only one person at a time would be allowed in the Republican senator’s office. Minutes after Goodner’s arrest, marshals allowed additional protesters and the press to enter the building. (See Iowa Independent’s earlier coverage of events at the Federal Courthouse on July 6.)
“I would have never entered the restricted area if I wasn’t denied my legal rights at the public entrance first,” Goodner said in court.
Though Goodner was the only person jailed, 19 other people were arrested, cited and released after 5 p.m. July 6 for the sit-ins at Grassley’s office and at Democratic Sen. Tom Harkin’s office in the Wells Fargo Bank building.
Do you know where to vote on Election Day? Do you know what to bring with you? Get comprehensive voter information for your state here.
Sign up for our email newsletter