Gazette Daily News Briefing, May 27 and May 28
Welcome to the weekend!
This is Stephen Colbert from the Gazette Digital News Desk, and I’m here with your update for Saturday, May 27, and Sunday, May 28, 2023.
The weather this weekend will be warm and sunny in Cedar Rapids for Memorial Day Weekend. According to the national weather service, Saturday should be sunny, with a high near 81 and Sunday will be mostly sunny with a high near 83. For Memorial Day it’s expected to get even hotter, with a mostly sunny sky and a high of 87.
Iowa State University will continue to help fund water sensors
Iowa State University will continue to help fund water quality sensors on Iowa’s rivers and streams, despite a budget cut by the Iowa Legislature.
The Nutrient Research Center likely will lose $500,000 — one-third of its previous state appropriation of about $1.5 million — for the fiscal year that starts July 1.
The cut came in Senate File 558, the natural resources and agriculture budget passed by both the Iowa House and Senate. The governor is expected to sign it.
Rather than back out of a commitment to allocate money to the University of Iowa, which administers about 70 sensors that measure nitrate in Iowa’s rivers and streams, Nutrient Center leadership announced this week they will take on some of the losses at ISU rather than zero out support for the sensors, which feed data to the Iowa Water Quality Information System.
Farm groups seek stronger safety net in upcoming farm bill
Iowa farm groups and congressional representatives said a strong safety net for farmers is vital as Congress works to reauthorize the federal farm bill this year.
Increasing baseline funding for programs like crop insurance that help cover losses from natural disasters or low revenue would help farmers deal with high production costs and uncertain futures, said Iowa Farm Bureau Federation President Brent Johnson.
The federal farm bill is a sprawling legislative package reauthorized every five years that deals with farming, rural development, nutrition, conservation, forestry and more. It lays out several key farm programs, like the safety net programs, as well as agriculture research and nutrition assistance.
Solon woman to walk across Iowa for second time, for mental health awareness
Karen Smith, like most moms, would do anything for her kids. That includes walking some 300 miles across the state of Iowa — twice.
On June 9, Smith, of Solon, will start her second walk across Iowa with the goal of raising money and awareness for four mental health nonprofits. Her first walk, last summer, was a result of an idea she had after seeing her husband and two sons struggle with their own mental health for several years.
“I decided I was going to do this walk, and my family thought I was insane. Then to go with it, and I asked their permission, I started a blog to share our family’s story. Because, in my mind, the more regular, everyday people talk about this and put it out there, the more normal it’s going to seem,” Smith said.
Have a good weekend, everyone.
