Wednesday Morning Read: Cedar Lake, ‘Sleeping Giant’ funded; why Medica is staying in Iowa; U.S. beef heads to China

TODAY'S WEATHER — Storms likely, some strong. High 79, low 67.

CEDAR LAKE, 'SLEEPING GIANT' FUNDED — Elected officials are calling a $5 million pledge from the city a 'milestone' in a decades-long effort to spruce up Cedar Lake and a more recent plan to construct a trail bridge dubbed the 'Sleeping Giant' over the Cedar River. Read more: http://bit.ly/2tiQMWd

WHY MEDICA IS STAYING IN IOWA — Anyone paying attention to Iowa's individual insurance market over the past several months knows it has been tumultuous. Two insurers announced within days of one another that they would stop selling plans in 2018. And everyone was left waiting to see what Medica — the last insurer selling plans in a majority of counties — would do. Read more: http://bit.ly/2rZq5Cc

U.S. BEEF HEADS TO CHINA — During his Senate hearing to be confirmed as ambassador to China, then-Gov. Terry Branstad said he would prefer to serve Iowa beef — not cuts from Australia — at the U.S. Embassy there. He won't get that wish yet, but the prime rib he slices into Friday when joined in Beijing by U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue and Chinese government officials to ceremonially mark the return of U.S. beef to China after a 14-year ban will be from closer to home — Nebraska. Read more: http://bit.ly/2tiQ3EJ

JEFFERSON IS NEW HOME RUN KING — It's official. The Jefferson J-Hawks are most prolific slugging softball team of all time in Iowa. Class 5A fourth-ranked Jefferson cracked five home runs in a Mississippi Valley Conference sweep of Iowa City High on Tuesday. Read more: http://bit.ly/2tXsHlk

QUOTABLE — 'We have turned the corner when it comes to our young people staying in Iowa. We were educating and exporting them out, but we do see more young people staying in the state.' Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds