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.
Kim Painter of Iowa City is on the front lines of today’s gay marriage ruling both personally and professionally. As Johnson County recorder, she issues the county’s marriage licenses. Yet before Thursday’s court ruling, Painter and her longtime partner were ineligible for a license themselves. After winning competitive primary and general elections in 1998, Painter became the first open lesbian elected to countywide office in Iowa. She has long since settled into office, winning re-election twice with no opposition, and is this year’s president of the Iowa State Association of Counties.
Painter is planning to meet with Johnson County Attorney Janet Lyness Friday to discuss the implications of Thursday’s ruling on her office. “We’re reviewing the wording to determine what it means outside Polk County and the judicial district,” Painter said. “(Friday’s) hearing will determine, among other things, when the ruling will take effect.”In 2003, during the weeks when San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom was issuing marriage licenses in his city, about 20 same-sex couples attempted to get marriage licenses in Johnson County. Painter had the duty of enforcing the law as it was then interpreted. She turned the couples away, despite her personal opinion about the law.
“I believe that equal protection applies to marriage,” Painter told Iowa Independent. “We tried to parse and negate equal protection for certain classes of people,and if we try to take that equal protection away from a certain class of people, then we destroy the constitutional fabric itself.”
Do you know where to vote on Election Day? Do you know what to bring with you? Get comprehensive voter information for your state here.
Sign up for our email newsletter