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.
Several companies with a major presence in Iowa saw their stock prices take a hard fall Thursday as the stock market continued its downward spiral.
The Dow plunged 678.91 points, or 7.3 percent, to 8579.19, its lowest level in 5 years. It has fallen slightly more than 20 percent over the last 7 days.
The following stocks were down on the New York Stock Exchange at close of business Thursday:
FBL Financial Group Inc. of West Des Moines fell 18.9 percent to $15.21.
West Bancorporation of Des Moines fell 20.35 percent to $9.08
Heartland Financial of Dubuque fell 19.73 percent to $18.51.
Rockwell Collins Inc. of Cedar Rapids fell 6.76 percent to $37.65.
Principal Financial Group Inc. of Des Moines fell 27.37 percent to $15.79.
Wells Fargo & Co. fell 14.58 percent to $27.25.
United Fire & Casualty Co. fell 9.66 percent to $21.42.
EMC Insurance Group Inc. fell 18.59 percent to $18.66.
American Equity Investment Life Insurance Co. fell 36.67 percent to $4.75.
Heartland Financial USA Inc. fell 19.73 percent to $18.51.
Nationwide Financial Services Inc. fell 6.23 percent to $40.65.
AEGON N.V. fell 7.95 percent to $8.11.
ING Groep NV fell 6.84 percent to $12.81.
E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Co., (Johnston-based Pioneer Hi-Bred International Inc.) fell 6.53 percent to $33.76.
Gannett Co. Inc. fell .8.49 percent to $13.37.
Lee Enterprises Inc. fell 3.10 percent to $2.81.
Meredith Corp. fell 7.12 percent to $20.35.
Iowa Telecommunications Services Inc. fell 6.79 percent to $14.97.
The only bright spots were Meta Financial Group of Storm Lake, which saw its stock rise is 12.29 percent to $11.79, and Deere & Co., which saw its stock rise 2.66 percent to $39.
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