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.
A lawsuit claiming Gov. Chet Culver and Iowa Department of Education Director Judy Jeffrey failed to provide an effective education required by state law brought by three families and two prominent state Republicans was dismissed by a Polk County judge.
The Des Moines Register reported this morning that Judge Karen Romano ruled the effectiveness of public schools is a question better suited for state lawmakers.
Rozanne King of Mondamin, Dacie Houston of Des Moines and Brandy Drake of Des Moines, along with their children, sued in April. Their lawsuit said Culver and Jeffrey stood by as the quality of Iowa’s schools eroded and left high school graduates without the skills to get through college or training programs that lead to well-paying jobs.
Instead of money, the families called for strict statewide standards. They also wanted teacher training and a pay structure that rewards teachers on merit rather than seniority.
The suit was also backed by the late Marvin Pomerantz, a former head of the Iowa Board of Regents and a well-known donor to the Republcian Party who passed away in August. Doug Gross, a former GOP gubernatorial candidate, represented the families. Gross told The Register he will appeal to the Iowa Supreme Court.
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