Parents can file claims for small payment following school lunch settlement

Parents that had children in any Franklin County school between January 2000 and August 2014 have until Sept. 30 to file a claim and receive a small payment as part of a recent lawsuit settlement with one of Iowa’s largest food distributors. The lawsuit alleged the Iowa Educators Corporation (IEC), its successor, the Iowa Association for Educational Purchasing (IAEP) and Martin Brothers Distributing Company, Inc., violated state antitrust laws by conspiring to restrain market competition for the retail sale of food at Iowa schools, and that Martin Brothers attempted to monopolize the market. The lawsuit was filed in Dallas County District Court and sought class action status as well as a list of damages, but was ultimately settled before the court could decide whether the defendants were at fault.

 Read the full article in the Sept. 18 edition of the papers.