Gov. Kim Reynolds’ Tuesday night speech to the Republican National Convention may have surprised anyone who listened to her news conference in Cedar Rapids earlier on Tuesday. During the news conference, Reynolds said she believes not all the federal aid she asked for to help Iowans recover from the Aug. 10 derecho will be approved. […]
Derecho
Posted inCommunity/News
Disaster Unemployment Assistance now available for Linn County workers
Individuals who are unable to work or were temporarily laid off in Linn County due to the Aug. 10 derecho may be eligible for Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA). DUA is part of the major disaster declaration President Donald Trump approved on Aug. 17. Trump OKed federal assistance for Linn County on Aug. 20 but aid […]
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Linn County EBT recipients able to use waivers on hot foods
Individuals in Linn County who receive food assistance can use the waivers to purchase hot foods through Sept. 21. The Iowa Department of Human Services (DHS) announced the temporary rule change on Monday. The presidential disaster proclamation issued after the Aug. 10 derecho allows federal programs to “alter or change their rules as communities recover […]
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Derecho recovery: Curfew lifted in Cedar Rapids, cooling centers and splash pads open as temperatures climb
The overnight curfew in Cedar Rapids has been lifted, Fire Chief Greg Smith announced during the city’s Monday press conference. The city had imposed a curfew immediately after the Aug. 10 derecho due to widespread power outages caused by the storm. Smith said the curfew is no longer needed because power has been restored to […]
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Matthew 25 offering free repairs for eligible homes damaged by derecho
Matthew 25 is offering to perform free repairs on homes damaged by the Aug. 10 derecho. The Cedar Rapids nonprofit began accepting applications for the program on Sunday. Initial projects will be selected by Friday, Aug. 28. The application can be found online. To be eligible, applicants must: • Own their home • Have damage […]
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Majority of Linn County regains power two weeks after derecho; recycling pick-up resumes
Two weeks after a derecho swept through the state, the majority of Linn County residents have their power back. A total of 1,359 — 1.2 percent — are without power in the county, as of Monday at 10 a.m. When the derecho hit on Aug. 10, nearly 100,000 Linn County residents’ homes went dark. Another […]
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Derecho recovery: Where to pick up hot meals and donate supplies in Linn County
The Linn County Emergency Management Agency (EMA), working in partnership with the City of Cedar Rapids and Operation BBQ, has announced locations where residents can find hot meals through the beginning of next week. On Friday and Saturday, 500 hot lunches will be available at each of these locations from noon to 2 p.m., and […]
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President Trump approves federal aid for Linn County, but 26 other counties are still under review
On Thursday night, Gov. Kim Reynolds’ office announced President Trump had partially approved her request for federal aid for individuals and businesses affected by the Aug. 10 derecho. On Monday, the president approved the Public Assistance part of Reynolds’ major disaster declaration request. FEMA Public Assistance provides federal aid for the repair of public infrastructure […]
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Cedar Rapids schools will be able to start the school year with all online classes
School districts, like Cedar Rapids Community Schools, whose buildings were badly damaged by the Aug. 10 derecho will be able to start the school year with all online classes, Gov. Kim Reynolds said during her news conference on Thursday. “On Friday, we’ll be updating our existing disaster proclamation to accommodate the needs of those schools […]
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Cedar Rapids changes curfew hours and relocates a Neighborhood Resource Center; Red Cross shelter in Palo closes
As storm clean-up continues throughout Linn County, Cedar Rapids announced changes to both its nightly curfew and to one of its Neighborhood Resource Centers on Tuesday. The closure of the pod food distribution centers and one of the emergency shelters set up by the American Red Cross in Linn County were also announced. Cedar Rapids’ […]
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President Trump stops briefly in Iowa to discuss derecho damage and recovery
“This has been a very loving area for me,” President Donald Trump said about Cedar Rapids on Tuesday. The president stopped at the Eastern Iowa Airport for 70 minutes on Tuesday morning, while he was traveling across the country on Air Force One to hold a campaign rally in Yuma, Arizona. During her press conference […]
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President Trump approved only a small percentage of the federal aid requested for Iowa
On Monday morning, President Donald Trump told reporters he had approved the request for a major disaster declaration submitted at 5:30 p.m. on Sunday by Gov. Kim Reynolds. “I’ve just approved an emergency declaration for Iowa who had an incredible windstorm,” he said, just before leaving the White House on a campaign trip to Minnesota […]
