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.
Former state legislator Ed Fallon and his wife, Lynn, will begin hosting their own radio talk show on Monday.
Former state Rep. Ed Fallon
The Fallon Forum, which will air on 98.3 WOW-FM from 7 to 8 p.m., will replace some of the airtime currently given to syndicated host Michael Savage, a controversial conservative talker. The show is touted as offering a progressive, liberal point of view on a medium dominated by conservative opinions.
“For too long, Iowa’s airwaves have been dominated by Rush Limbaugh, Jan Mickelson, Steve Deace, Glen Beck and Michael Savage,” Ed Fallon said. “Well, times are changing, and this is an unprecedented opportunity for those of us concerned about pressing economic, social and environmental issues to have our voices heard.”
The Fallons are underwriting the costs of the show through advertising and sponsorships. Sponsors include the Progressive Coalition of Central Iowa (PCCI), Equality Iowa, the Sierra Club of Iowa, and the Subjective Theatre Company of Des Moines.
WOW-FM is already home to the only other liberal host in the Des Moines market, Chris Bradshaw, whose show runs opposite Rush Limbaugh from 1 to 4 p.m.
The Fallons kick-off the show on Monday with Dolores Huerta, who helped found the United Farm Workers with Cesar Chavez. At 79, she remains an energetic, outspoken advocate for many important causes, including marriage equality.
On Tuesday, the show will dig into current affairs in Iowa politics. Zach Mannheimer with The Subjective Theatre Company joins the show on Wednesday to discuss the merger of the artistic and corporate worlds, including a spirited discussion of the new sculpture garden set to open in downtown Des Moines. On Thursday, the conversation will turns to America’s historic health care debate.
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