From the KCRG-TV9 Newsroom:
A couple from Iowa says they’re riding out the strongest storm to hit the island of Jamaica. Hurricane Melissa made landfall yesterday afternoon as a Category Five storm. Tony and Christina Malchodi are from LeClaire. They’re celebrating their 10th wedding anniversary in Jamaica. They tried to get a flight out, but had no luck. So they stocked up on supplies and were hoping for the best. The storm has been blamed for at least seven deaths in the Caribbean. The couple says they have a flight home scheduled for Thursday. But they don’t know if it will still happen or if they’ll even be able to get to the airport.
For the 13th time since the government shutdown started, the U.S. Senate has failed to pass a short-term spending bill to reopen it. This, despite millions set to lose food assistance benefits through SNAP at the end of this week. Several Democrat-run states are now suing the Trump administration to prevent cuts to SNAP. The states call the cuts illegal. But the USDA says it doesn’t have the power to use its emergency fund to extend SNAP benefits.
There may be a deal with China that will be a relief to Iowa soybean farmers. The Trump Administration has not announced details of a deal, but Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says it includes a substantial purchase of American soybeans. Farmers were hit hard after Trump’s tariffs prompted China to buy soybeans from Argentina and Brazil. Iowans had a record harvest, but for the first time in 20 years, there were no orders from China to buy a single bushel of U.S. soybeans.
Iowa’s only nuclear power facility could re-open in early 2029. That partnership between Google and NextEra Energy will help power the Artificial Intelligence data center Google is building in Cedar Rapids. During a NextEra third quarter earning’s call this week, the company expanded on its plans for a 25-year partnership with Google to provide nuclear power for its data center operations. The tech giant has construction underway on one in Cedar Rapids and looks to expand to a second facility right next to the nuclear power plant. It’s a 25-year-agreement, and a small portion of the power will go to Iowa customers.
