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.
Kansas-based Trade Wind Energy hopes to place 335 wind generators on the Washington County skyline, a project with an estimated cost of more than $1 billion.
Tim Wichman, leasing manager for TWE, has been working with county officials since March 2008 and contacting the roughly 600 property owners for possible property rights. Wichman told Dan Ehl of The Kalona News that some leases have already been signed and that area farmers are receptive to leasing their property.
The wind generators planned for Washington County will rise 385 feet from the ground and will produce up to 500 megawatts of electricity, each capable of powering from 500 to 1,000 homes. If all 335 are built more than $1 million per year in new revenue would be garnered for property owners, and $3 to $4 million would be generated for local school districts in new property taxes.
The project will also generate jobs for the area. An estimated 150 construction workers would be needed to erect the generators, a process that takes two years. An additional 10 to 15 permanent employees would be required to perform maintenance on the wind farm. If all goes as planned, TWE plans to begin construction in three to five years.
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