McClatchy, a national media company owning 30 newspapers, laid off a third of unionized staff across Washington and Idaho publications on Thursday, including reporters covering local government, schools, and investigations. The company cited a 41% drop in subscriber revenue over five years, prompting cuts that union leaders warn will leave communities less informed and reduce accountability journalism.
The U.S. Energy Department will lend up to $1.9 billion to NextEra Energy to restart the Duane Arnold nuclear power plant in Iowa, which shut down in 2020. Google has agreed to purchase electricity from the plant to power its AI data centers. This loan is part of broader efforts to revive nuclear energy, with similar restart projects underway in Michigan and Pennsylvania.