Articles Tagged: Iowa Derecho 2020

This fall planting project will help replace many of the hundreds of trees lost during the August 2020 derecho.

The city’s current plan was written when Marion was half of the size it is today

With the assistance of a grant, the Solid Waste Agency and Trees Forever will distribute 1,000 trees in effort to help rebuild tree canopy lost to the 2020 derecho.

66 projects across 27 counties have been awarded funds from the state’s Derecho Community Forestry Grant Program to purchase and plant trees to replace those that were lost when hurricane-force winds up to 140 mph whipped across the state Aug 10, 2021.

Jones County Conservation received a 2021 Derecho Community Forestry Grant to purchase native trees to replace those lost during the 2020 Iowa August Derecho event.

The Iowa DNR hosted a small sawmill business workshop Thursday at the Schwab/Burford property near Solon. About 20 people learned about selecting and sourcing logs, sawing with band and chain sawmills, air drying, kiln drying, sterilizing wood to kill bugs and marketing finished boards, among other topics.

Willie Ray’s Q Shack employees and volunteers are venturing to Louisiana for about a week to serve hot meals to Hurricane Ida victims after the Category 4 storm devastated the area last week.

A report prepared by independent firm Atchison Consulting Service recommends improved communication and training -- including increasing understanding of how to request sources and of the National Guard’s capabilities.

More collaboration among communities, better communication with the public and no rogue resource requests are among recommendations in Linn County’s after-action review of the 2020 derecho.

Members of the county Emergency Management Commission approved the plan Tuesday night, despite a push from Linn County Supervisor Louis Zumbach for cities to pay for their share of the sirens’ cost rather than the county covering it all.

Animations of these replantings, as well as further public engagement opportunities, will be on the ReLeaf engagement website at

Greg Buelow, Cedar Rapids public safety communications specialist, shares information about the city’s Neighborhood PACT program, a grassroots campaign to empower individuals with information about how to prepare for disasters and navigate the aftermath.

“One Year After: The Derecho Remembrance Exhibit” at CSPS hall through Oct. 10. Exhibit shows Aug. 10, 2020, derecho’s impact through images from Gazette photojournalists, community contributors

Some neighbors of a Cedar Rapids condominium complex are frustrated with decisions made by their homeowners association. HOAs have boomed in recent decades as residents and cities don’t want to be responsible for lawns, drainage areas and snow removal.

Looking back at some of the top stories from the past week.