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Midwest Faces Flood Threat Amid Heavy Rainfall

Midwest Faces Flood Threat Amid Heavy Rainfall

Heavy rain and thunderstorms are affecting the Midwest and Eastern states, with the unsettled weather pattern expected to persist into the coming week. In the Midwest, repeated downpours have already impacted travel and agriculture, with rainfall totals ranging from 1 to 4 inches through Sunday. The highest precipitation is forecast for Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin, where flooding risks are most pronounced. In the Northeast, rain will spread across the region starting Sunday, with localized areas receiving several inches of rainfall. Coastal areas, including northern New Jersey, may experience rising creeks, tidal flooding, and rip currents. Drier conditions are not expected until midweek for many communities.
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Midwest Faces Elevated Flash Flood Threat as Stalled Front Brings Heavy Rainfall

Midwest Faces Elevated Flash Flood Threat as Stalled Front Brings Heavy Rainfall

The Midwest region, including areas from eastern Iowa to northern Illinois, northern Indiana, and western Ohio, is under an elevated threat of flash flooding due to persistent heavy rainfall. A frontal boundary has stalled across the central U.S., leading to multiple days of rain and storms. This weather pattern is influenced by a heat dome positioned in the Southeast, which causes approaching fronts to slow down and release significant precipitation over the same areas in the Midwest. Cities such as Milwaukee, Chicago, Indianapolis, and Columbus are particularly vulnerable to local flash flooding. These areas have already experienced flooding rain in the preceding week, and the saturated ground increases the likelihood of further flooding with additional rainfall.
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Severe Thunderstorms and Flash Flooding in Illinois, Iowa

Severe Thunderstorms and Flash Flooding in Illinois, Iowa

A Severe Thunderstorm Warning is in effect for northeastern Illinois and eastern Iowa until 2:15 AM CDT on Sunday. Thunderstorms are moving northeast at 50 mph, bringing strong wind gusts and heavy rainfall to the region. Additionally, a Flash Flood Warning is in place until 7:30 AM CDT due to the potential for significant rainfall and localized flooding. The Quad-Cities area is also under a heat advisory through Thursday evening, with high temperatures expected to persist. These weather conditions are part of an active weather system impacting the region overnight and into the early morning hours.
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Iowa Experiences Gaps in CDC Respiratory Virus Surveillance Data Due to Vendor Transition

Iowa Experiences Gaps in CDC Respiratory Virus Surveillance Data Due to Vendor Transition

Iowa's data feed to the National Syndromic Surveillance Program, managed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), was terminated on May 6 due to a vendor transition. This interruption has resulted in gaps in Iowa's respiratory virus activity levels displayed on the CDC's public-facing pages, specifically for weeks ending May 9 and later. The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) stated that existing health information exchange services facilitating syndromic surveillance were terminated, and Iowa providers were unable to send electronic syndromic surveillance data in the required format. While Iowa HHS anticipated restoring syndromic surveillance by August, a firm restoration date for the federal system has not been published by either the CDC or Iowa HHS. This situation affects the CDC's ability to display Iowa's state-level respiratory illness activity, which is typically based on emergency department visits for respiratory complaints. Similar data gaps are also noted for Sou...
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Scott County, Iowa Sheriff's Office Updates Inmate List Publicly

Scott County, Iowa Sheriff's Office Updates Inmate List Publicly

The Scott County Sheriff's Office in Iowa provides a publicly accessible inmate list, which is updated every ten minutes. This roster includes individuals currently housed at the Scott County Jail and those who have been there within the last seven days, provided they have not yet been presented to the court, are awaiting bail, or are serving sentences for violations of state and local statutes. The list explicitly states that it does not include federal prisoners or detainees. The information provided for each inmate includes their name, age, booking date and time, release date and time (if applicable), the committing agency, and the charges. The Sheriff's Office emphasizes that all individuals displayed are presumed innocent until proven guilty, and the listed charges are for reference only, not an indication of guilt.
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Another Round of Heavy Rain Targets the Storm-Weary Midwest

Another Round of Heavy Rain Targets the Storm-Weary Midwest

A persistent pattern of thunderstorms will keep parts of the Midwest, Plains and Ohio Valley at risk of heavy rain and flash flooding through Monday. The Weather Prediction Center has issued a Level 2 out of 4 flash flood threat for parts of the region, with widespread rainfall of 3 to 5 inches and isolated totals of 5 to 8 inches possible. Friday’s heaviest rain is expected across southern Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa and Illinois, including Minneapolis and Milwaukee. Storms will shift south on Saturday before the flood threat moves east toward the Ohio Valley and Northeast.
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USDA Designates 18 South Dakota Counties as Natural Disaster Areas Due to Severe Drought

USDA Designates 18 South Dakota Counties as Natural Disaster Areas Due to Severe Drought

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has officially designated 18 counties in South Dakota as natural disaster areas. This designation is a direct response to severe drought conditions that have impacted these regions. The U.S. Drought Monitor indicated that these counties experienced a drought intensity of D2 (Severe Drought) for eight or more consecutive weeks, or D3 (Extreme Drought) or D4 (Exceptional Drought) during the growing season. This declaration allows the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) to provide emergency loans to agricultural producers affected by the drought. These loans are intended to assist with various recovery needs, including replacing essential items like equipment or livestock, reorganizing farming operations, or refinancing certain debts. The FSA will evaluate loan applications based on the extent of losses, available security, and repayment capability. Additionally, several contiguous counties in Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, and South Dakota are also eligible for assis...
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Heat Dome Fuels Severe Storms, Flood Threat in Midwest

Heat Dome Fuels Severe Storms, Flood Threat in Midwest

A persistent heat dome over the Southeast is driving severe storms and flash flooding across the Midwest and Central Plains. The National Weather Service has issued a Level 2 out of 4 flash flood threat for the region, with widespread rainfall totals of 3–5 inches (76–127 mm) expected through Sunday, and localized areas potentially receiving up to 8 inches (203 mm). The storms, fueled by deep tropical moisture, have already caused significant flooding in parts of western Iowa, including Cass County, where rivers and creeks have overflowed. The heavy rain is expected to continue, with South Dakota identified as a key area of concern for flash flooding on Thursday. The storm system is forecast to shift eastward toward the Great Lakes by the weekend.
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Heavy Rain and Flood Watch for Midwest Counties

Heavy Rain and Flood Watch for Midwest Counties

A Flood Watch has been issued for several counties across northeast Iowa, southeast Minnesota, and parts of Wisconsin, effective from Friday evening through Saturday afternoon. The region is expected to experience widespread rainfall, with some areas potentially receiving multiple inches of rain. The heaviest precipitation is forecast along and south of Interstate 90 and north of Highway 18. Southerly winds gusting up to 30-35 MPH will accompany the rain, increasing atmospheric moisture and intensifying rainfall rates. This weather system is associated with a low-pressure center moving closer to the area, creating conditions for efficient and prolonged rainfall.
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St. Vincent de Paul-Dubuque Opens New Urban Farm Despite Funding Setback

St. Vincent de Paul-Dubuque Opens New Urban Farm Despite Funding Setback

St. Vincent de Paul-Dubuque has officially opened a new urban farm, featuring 1,300 square feet of greenhouse space and 5,000 square feet of garden. This initiative aims to provide fresh produce year-round to the organization’s food pantry, also known as the voucher center. The project faced a significant challenge when it lost $100,000 due to a contractor's bankruptcy. John Massey, the urban farm coordinator, discovered the setback on his first day, as the company Freight Farms, which was supposed to provide training, went bankrupt. Despite this, the project moved forward with $150,000 remaining from a gift by John Deere Dubuque Works and the John Deere Foundation. The greenhouse and garden were completed with assistance from Farmtek/Growspan, and St. Vincent de Paul Back2Work students helped with construction and will continue to assist with planting, maintenance, and harvesting.
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SBA Awards $5 Million Workforce Training Grant to Iowa Valley Community College District

SBA Awards $5 Million Workforce Training Grant to Iowa Valley Community College District

The Small Business Administration (SBA) has awarded a $5 million grant to the Iowa Valley Community College District (IVCCD), making it one of only 11 community colleges nationwide and the sole recipient in Iowa to receive such funding. The grant aims to bolster small manufacturing capacity in critical industries within Hardin, Marshall, Poweshiek, and Tama counties. The funds will support hands-on, in-person training and technical assistance in fields such as robotics, automation, industrial software, advanced manufacturing, welding, machine tool competencies, and industrial maintenance. This program builds upon existing training offered by Iowa Valley Business and Community Solutions (BCS) and leverages the current instructional capabilities of Marshalltown Community College (MCC) and Ellsworth Community College. SBA Great Plains and Great Lakes Regional Administrator Brad Zaun and SBA Associate Administrator of Field Operations Lisa Shimkat formally presented the check and met with district leadership a...
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JD Vance returns to Iowa as Senate and governor races heat up

JD Vance returns to Iowa as Senate and governor races heat up

Vice President JD Vance is heading to Iowa for the second time this year to campaign for Republican majorities in Congress