Iowa's flood

Iowa governor announces funds for flood buyouts

Miami Herald (Free subscription) | 11/06/2009

Iowa Gov. Chet Culver says $150 million in federal funds will be made available for the purchase of 1,352 homes damaged in last year's floods.

Iowa flood-damaged homes to be turned into energy

Star Tribune (Free subscription) | 09/16/2009

The Cedar Rapids/Linn County Solid Waste Agency on Tuesday approved a contract to sell at least 6,000 tons of ground-up wood debris to a Wisconsin plant that will burn it to produce energy.

Homeowners refusing to leave Iowa floodplain

Philadelphia Inquirer (Free subscription) | 08/23/2009

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - After one of the most expensive natural disasters in U.S. history, Cedar Rapids plans to turn a flood-prone strip of land next to the Cedar River into a 220-acre greenway. But a few stubborn homeowners and businesses are refusing to leave.

Homeowners refusing to leave Iowa floodplain

Philadelphia Inquirer (Free subscription) | 08/23/2009

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - After one of the most expensive natural disasters in U.S. history, Cedar Rapids plans to turn a flood-prone strip of land next to the Cedar River into a 220-acre greenway. But a few stubborn homeowners and businesses are refusing to leave.

Residents won't leave Iowa flood plain

MSNBC.com (Free subscription) | 08/13/2009

After massive flooding, Cedar Rapids plans to turn a flood-prone strip of land next to the Cedar River into a 220-acre greenway. But a few property owners refuse to leave.

• Property owners refuse to leave Iowa flood plain - Arizona Republic
• Property owners refuse to leave Iowa flood plain - Examiner
• See the 8 articles on the same subject

Some Iowa property owners say federal buyout for greenway isn't worth leaving flood plain

Star Tribune (Free subscription) | 08/12/2009

But 58-year-old Rick Ellis remains undeterred. After last year's flood, he hauled 14,000 pounds of debris from his home, which he hopes to have it fully habitable by October. He said he's willing to stick out the next flood and the one after because the federal buyout isn't enough for him and his girlfriend to buy a new home.

Midwest braces for rain; Philly dries out

Times of the Internet (Free subscription) | 08/03/2009

PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 3 (UPI) -- Severe storms posed a threat to U.S. cities in the Midwest Monday, bringing a risk of tornadoes, damaging wind and hail, weather forecasters said. Meanwhile, officials said two people were struck by lightning in Northfield, N.J., Sunday, as thunderstorms pounded the region with gully-washing rain, winds and damaging hail, AccuWeather.com reported. In the Midwest, the...

A Year After the Flood, Cedar Rapids Struggles

Time (Free subscription) | 06/17/2009

Huge amounts of money have been allocated to help victims of last year's disastrous Iowa floods but little has been dispersed

A year after devastating flood, Cedar Rapids fights back

USA Today (Free subscription) | 06/16/2009

Iowa's slow and costly cleanup is still very much underway one year after floods destroyed thousands of homes and businesses.

Lack of funding stymies Iowa city's flood recovery

Reuters (Free subscription) | 06/13/2009

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (Reuters) - Amanda Brandt is frustrated at what she sees as unmet promises to help her and her Iowa neighbors rebuild homes ruined by rain-swollen rivers that spilled over their banks one year ago.

In Iowa, flood victims still wait for help

MSNBC.com (Free subscription) | 06/11/2009

A hole in the government's disaster relief net has left many Iowa residents deep in debt and more than 1,000 households still waiting to learn what will happen to their damaged homes.

On eve of Iowa flood anniversary, many still wait for funds to get their lives, homes back

Star Tribune (Free subscription) | 06/11/2009

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - Jaylynn Banks and her family have moved four times since the Cedar River burst its banks last June and flooded a huge swath of Cedar Rapids, including their neighborhood.Their home, like those of hundreds of others here, is too damaged to inhabit, so they pay rent along with their mortgage, all on an annual income of about $20,000 after taxes. With their living situation in constant...

Eye on the Island: Clearing city of hundreds and hundreds of flood-wrecked homes nears reality: HUD changes formula and sends Iowa bigger pot of disaster-relief funds

BlogNetNews.com/Iowa (Free subscription) | 06/10/2009

It was possible to imagine a future Tuesday in which hundreds and hundreds of flood-wrecked Cedar Rapids homes no longer are sitting, empty and ugly. A much-awaited announcement by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development will be sending a new round of Community Development Block Grant funds into Iowa [...]

House approves bonding plan for University of Iowa disaster aid

Iowa Independent (Free subscription) | 04/25/2009

The Iowa House Friday passed a $115 million bonding bill to help University of Iowa officials rebuild flood-ravaged areas of the Iowa City campus. The Senate passed a $100 million bonding measure earlier this month. An amendment to the House version, sponsored by Rep. Dennis Cohoon, D-Burlington, adds another $15 million to the bill for veterinary [...]

Pastor: marriage equality 'worst disaster to strike the state of Iowa'

Pam's House Blend (Free subscription) | 04/09/2009

Oh god. The Crazy Pandemic is engulfing the fundie population. Eric Schumacher pastor of Northbrook Baptist Church in Cedar Rapids, Iowa may have topped Robert Peters, President of Morality in Media with this op-ed, "' Gay marriage' in Iowa more damaging than a 500-year flood ." The Flood of 2008 is arguably the most destructive disaster that the state of Iowa has seen -- at least, that is,...