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.
New laws governing smoking and jackpots at Iowa casinos will be discussed at this week’s Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission meeting.Iowans who win large casino jackpots, but owe the government money, could soon see those winnings disappear, under a new state law that went into effect on July 1. The law allows the gambling establishments to take money from gamblers who win jackpots of $10,000 or more if they owe money for income taxes, child support or for city or court fines, among other fees.
Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission Administrator Jack Ketterer said he’ll update commissioners on the database that will be used to track jackpot winners’ government debts.
“The state hasn’t made their database available yet,” he said.
The meeting will be held at 8:30 a.m. July 17 at Stoney Creek Inn in Johnston.
Iowa’s new Smokefree Air Act will also be discussed with commissioners. The law prohibits smoking in public places, workplaces and some outdoor areas. Ketterer said casino patrons are still allowed to smoke on gaming floors, but other areas of the casinos, such as restaurants and bars now prohibit smoking.
Christine Reilly, executive director of the Institute for Research on Pathological Gambling and Related Disorders, also will give a presentation.
Discussions on new gaming licenses are still on hold until sometime this fall, Ketterer said.
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