National

Tropical storm Idalia made landfall early Wednesday morning on a rural part of Florida’s Gulf Coast after it underwent what meteorologists call “rapid intensification,” a term to become familiar with. Read More at NPR

The suburbs outside Milwaukee have been a reliably Republican voting bloc for decades. Now, those counties are swing districts in a swing state that could decide the presidential election in 2024. Read More at NPR

NPR’s Ari Shapiro talks with Marla Stelk, executive director of the National Association of Wetland Managers, about the EPA’s new rules that comply with a ruling limiting the Clean Water Act’s scope. Read More at NPR

Scientists gathered this week to unpack what we know about the underlying cause of long COVID and potential treatments. Read More at NPR

Now tropical storm Idalia came ashore in the Big Ben region of Florida. The storm hammered low-lying areas and brought a massive storm surge. Power is out for scores of residents. Read More at NPR

Deep cuts in the newspaper business has left many communities without robust coverage of important local issues. That includes the Texas city of Arlington with a population of 400,000. Read More at NPR

In June, members of Blackfeet Nation released their first herd of bison to roam. The program director spoke about why the near-extinction was so devastating and how he’s helping to bring them back. Read More at NPR

Hundreds of thousands of Floridians have had to make a choice this week as Hurricane Idalia neared the state, heeding evacuation orders or staying put at home. Read More at NPR

Barbie is now the highest grossing Warner Brothers movie in the studio’s history. But Barbie has broken a few more records so far — at least 17 of them. Read More at NPR

The opioid overdose reversal drug Narcan will soon be available over-the-counter at a cost of about $44. Advocates welcome the expanded availability but say the price will be too high for some. Read More at NPR