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.
Though the overflow of the Coralville Dam spillway at 8:30 Tuesday night was several hours later than first predicted, the outlook for the Iowa City area is being summed up in three words: “Worse Than 1993.” The University of Iowa Campus, and other low-lying parts of Iowa City and Coralville, are already seeing the impact.
More scenes from the flood:
Homes on Edgewater Drive in Coralville are now well beyond the edge, as this fellow kayaks down the street.
A bubbling manhole cover on North Riverside Drive. The street was flooded out in 1993 but was still open Tuesday night.
Fraternity Row, as seen from the arts campus.
Hancher Auditorium, protected by sandbags.
Another view of Hancher, with the closed Park Road bridge in the foreground. Lower City Park is completely submerged.
Also submerged: this walkway at the Iowa Memorial Union.
Outside the River Room at the IMU; the name wasn’t meant this literally.
Sandbags at the Iowa Advanced Tech. Laboratories. I had to look the name up — everybody in Iowa City still calls it the Laser Center.
South end of Rocky Shore Drive.
Officials are encouraging people to stay out of the way in flooded areas, but that didn’t stop these two from going all the way to the end of Dubuque Street. (I have an excuse; I’m a professional journalist.)
Officials are also telling people to stay out of flood waters. Instead of going for the easy joke about dogs and fire hydrants, I’ll just say: Buddy, your bus isn’t stopping at Dubuque Street and Kimball Road for a LOOOONG time.
The Benton Street bridge, two blocks from my house. A homeless veteran died under this bridge recently; even those without homes are losing their homes to the flood. The camping, non-shelter homeless often stay close to the river, and indigent fishermen are often seen along the now-underwater Iowa River bike trail.
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