By Cindy Hadish CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – Czech Village has found a silver lining from last year’s derecho. The hurricane-strength windstorm uprooted trees and created havoc throughout Iowa, hitting the Cedar Rapids area particularly hard. Trees that toppled in Czech Village damaged restrooms next to the Kosek Bandstand, but one of those is now serving […]
Cedar Rapids celebrates Earth Day while ...
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — City leaders probably didn’t intend to offer an ironic Earth Day message. But even as City Manager Jeff Pomeranz touted April as Earth Month in a videotaped message, in another corner of the city, a 28-acre Prairie Pollinator Zone was being prepared for destruction. “As all of you know, a healthy […]
City Council dashes last hopes to save p...
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — The Cedar Rapids City Council dashed any remaining hopes that residents and nature lovers held to save a Prairie Pollinator Zone from destruction. Council members unanimously passed a number of resolutions related to an agreement with multinational corporation Cargill to build a 200-car, 12-track railyard on a 28-acre property on Stewart […]
City Council to consider further agreeme...
UPDATE Monday, April 12, 2021: Cargill posted recordings of two meetings with neighbors to YouTube today. From Jan. 20, 2021: https://youtu.be/O1cKqFYhqp4 From March 31, 2021: https://youtu.be/1F5eOmrpzaA CEDAR RAPIDS — Residents of a neighborhood where Cargill plans to build an industrial railyard hold out hope for one last chance to stop the destruction of a prairie […]
Morel mushroom search tips
Morel mushrooms, the elusive delicacies found during springtime in wooded areas, are already being discovered in Iowa, as well as neighboring Nebraska and other states. The proper amount of moisture and soil temperature allows the spongelike mushrooms to “pop,” and that combination appears to be just right as of early April in some areas. Learn […]
Connecting Good Friday planting to potat...
Gardening folklore that calls for planting potatoes on Good Friday could create issues with the crop-devouring Colorado potato beetle, according to at least one Iowa gardener. The organic gardener said he has successfully avoided the voracious beetle by waiting until around June 1 to plant his potatoes. Planting early almost ensures that the Colorado potato […]
One year later: Iowa’s COVID-19 death to
On March 24, 2020, Iowa officials announced the state’s first death due to COVID-19. One year later, 5,683 Iowans have died, with more than one-third of those — 2,224 — related to COVID-19 outbreaks at nursing homes. The first Iowan to die of the virus was a Dubuque County resident between the ages of 61 […]
Youth rescued from Iowa lake
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources reported March 23 that a Marion teen was pulled from Lake Darling after his kayak sank. Lake Darling is located in Washington County, in southeastern Iowa. Related: Safety urged in wake of Iowa drownings The incident happened Friday, March 19, 2021. Read more from the Iowa DNR: A 17-year-old […]
Gov. Reynolds opens vaccine to all Iowan...
UPDATE March 18, 2021: Iowa reported no nursing home outbreaks as of March 18, the first time since COVID-19 outbreaks were initially reported in the state in March 2020. Two additional deaths connected to nursing home outbreaks were reported, bringing the total to 2,224. Iowa’s total death toll increased to 5,666. Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds […]
Neighborhood pub reopening in Cedar Rapi...
CEDAR RAPIDS — Longtime customers of the Tic Toc are cheering news that the beloved neighborhood restaurant and pub — with a history dating back more than a half-century — is reopening after a lapse of several years. The Tic Toc, 600 17th St. NE, had a soft opening Saturday, March 13, 2021, with a […]