CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — It is not unheard-of for Iowa to experience a tornado or a freak thunderstorm. But as I flew into my hometown, Cedar Rapids, I could see streams of smoke billowing from farms and backyards, separated by rows of dead corn stalks. The derecho storm that hit the city and surrounding counties on Aug. 10 was devastating. Instead, sunlight beamed from every direction while residents stacked debris in piles nearly as high as their homes. Twelve days after the storm, which sent people scrambling for chain saws and generators, many Iowans feel ignored by aid workers and the news media.

Source: New York Times August 22, 2020 20:03 UTC