By Cindy Hadish CEDAR RAPIDS — Residents of the Rompot neighborhood near Prairie Park Fishery made their case today in front of the City Planning Commission against designating a proposed Cargill rail yard as an “essential service,” but in the [...]
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Large-scale cicada emergence, with periodical broods crawling out of the ground every 13 or 17 years, capture widespread attention when tens of thousands can mob en masse onto a single tree. But even one cicada, emerging from its shell, is [...]
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CEDAR RAPIDS – Thousands of Iowans withstood sweltering heat to hear from nearly half of potential Democratic presidential candidates during the fifth annual Progress Iowa Corn Feed on Sunday, July 14. Though initially with 12 confirmed candidates, two didn’t make [...]
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VINTON — Sharon Happel has long pondered the question: How do you encourage the community to take ownership of a community asset? Such has been the conundrum with the historic Ray House in Vinton, Iowa, one of three properties owned by the Benton County Historical Society, and the most expensive to maintain. Related: Couple leaves […]
Its flowering season is fleeting, but catch the scent of a linden tree in mid-June and the rewards are extraordinary. With fragrance akin to a lily, but not as overpowering as some, lindens embody the spirit of the dawning summer in Iowa. The tree — called lípa in Czech — is not only the national […]
By Cindy Hadish/for Iowa Gardener CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — Looks can be deceiving. Lisa Hinzman Howard’s landscaping appears lush and luxurious, but it didn’t cost a fortune. In fact, Lisa, a Linn County Master Gardener who moonlights as a gardening consultant, called Midwest Garden Gal, espouses “cheap tricks” to keep gardening costs down, while maintaining […]
By Cindy Hadish CEDAR RAPIDS – Even as kolache sales kick off early this Friday for the St. Ludmila Kolach Festival, Karen Billick can be assured there will be customers waiting even earlier. Drive-up kolache sales run 6-9 a.m. that day, but, “they’ll be here in line at 5 a.m.,” said Billick, who oversees the […]
In 2017, the rusty patched bumblebee became the first bee species in the United States to be placed on the endangered species list. The bee is one of about 4,000 native bee species in the United States, and like the others, is at-risk due to factors such as loss of habitat, and use of neonicotinoids, […]
As bothersome as Iowa’s humidity can be, it allows “nature’s fireworks” to thrive. Lightning bugs, also known as fireflies, need a certain amount of humidity or they would dry up in the hot summer sun. Given the abundance of rain that has been inundating the state, Iowa is well on its way to a humid […]
As cute and helpless as they might seem, wildlife officials say fawns that appear to be abandoned are actually exhibiting normal deer behavior and should be left alone. “The worst thing someone can do is to ‘rescue’ the fawn,” said Jim Coffey, forest wildlife research biologist with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. Related: Shot […]
Typically, the lush blossoms of peonies grace gardens throughout Iowa around Memorial Day. Peonies are known for their longevity, with some living for a century or more, and passed down through generations. The showy flowers are synonymous with Memorial Day. Everything seems to be lagging this year, with many peonies still in bud stage. The […]
CEDAR RAPIDS — Market-goers dodged a few drizzles of rain on opening day and an odd gap in the usual footprint of the Downtown Farmers Market. Cloudy skies occasionally broke into sun for the kickoff of the large-scale market, with mild temperatures, compared to the sweltering heat on opening day last year. See photos of […]
CEDAR RAPIDS – Occasional downpours put a damper on the 42nd Annual Houby Days in Czech Village, but intrepid Czechs and friends-of-Czechs made the best of the weekend’s weather. Saturday’s Houby Days Parade, sponsored by the Czech Heritage Foundation, battled through early morning showers that led to sunshine and warm temperatures later that day. Learn […]
