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.
At about 1PM eastern time, New Hampshire television station WMUR reports that a man entered Sen. Hillary Clinton’s campaign field office in Rochester, NH, claiming to have a bomb strapped to his chest.
Police have confirmed that the potential bomber took four hostages, three of whom have been released. At least one witness was able to leave the office at the beginning of the hostage situation and notify the authorities.
All buildings within a two-block radius, including Sen. Barack Obama’s office a few doors down, were evacuated.
Iowa TV station KCRG reports that the Clinton campaign has shut down all of its Iowa offices:
All of presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton’s Iowa campaign offices are closed. The decision comes after a hostage situation at an office in New Hampshire. A spokesman for the Clinton campaign tells KCRG-TV 9 News all offices in the state are closed for the time being.
As events were unfolding, the Clinton campaign released the following statement:
There is an ongoing situation in our Rochester, NH office. We are in close contact with state and local authorities and are acting at their direction. We will release additional details as appropriate.
In New Hampshire, just as in Iowa, campaign staffers assigned to small offices around the state are generally young, enthusiastic, and talented political activists who don’t get the credit or thanks that they deserve.
Today, our thoughts go out to those in the office and their families, and to all campaign staff, who deserve the right to do their jobs without fearing for their lives.
Update (5:30PM): All hostages have been released, and the hostage-taker has been taken into custody without incident.
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