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.
Lawmakers are set to discuss controversial legislation that would set minimum pay and benefit standards for workers of some public projects Monday afternoon.
House Study Bill 699, better known as prevailing wage, is scheduled to go before an Iowa House subcommittee at noon and then the full Labor Committee at 3:30 p.m. The bill is similar to one that failed to pass last year despite House Speaker Pat Murphy, D-Dubuque, keeping the chamber in session throughout a weekend and voting machines open for nearly 70 hours in order to attempt to persuade a “no” vote to change their mind.
House Labor Committee Chairman Rick Olson, D-Des Moines, said he has drafted a compromise bill that could be easier to pass this year. It would allow cities, counties and school districts to opt-out of paying prevailing wage on a project-by-project basis. Republicans have vowed to oppose the legislation.
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