UPDATED: May 18, 2025, with photos of the second day of the festival, including the Miss Czech-Slovak Iowa pageant; kolache demonstration, cabbage roll contest, kolache eating contest and more. CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — Winds that whipped through the Houby Days festival in Czech Village didn’t dampen the spirits of participants. Gusts of up to 40 […]
Pete Buttigieg returns to Iowa; Cedar Ra...
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — A full-capacity crowd greeted former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg to a veterans town hall meeting in Cedar Rapids, marking his first major public appearance since Donald Trump took office in January. The May 13, 2025, stop at the downtown Veterans Memorial Building was not a campaign appearance, but Buttigieg touched on […]
Cedar Rapids School Board forges ahead o...
UPDATE: May 13, 2025, with comments from Cedar Rapids Community School District spokesperson. CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — The Cedar Rapids Community School District Board of Education has agreed to ask voters to approve a $117 million bond proposal, while at the same time, moving forward with plans to build two new elementary schools, without a […]
High grocery store egg prices could send...
By Cindy Hadish/for the Corridor Business Journal Free-range chickens lead the good life on Ewetopian Farm in rural Vinton, but Jessica Moessner worries that a delay in receiving their chick order could mean fewer eggs to sell as farmers markets begin this May. “It took a lot to get them this year, but we finally […]
Czech festival in Cedar Rapids to honor ...
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — For years, Marj Kopecek Nejdl designed logos for the annual Houby Days festival, and with her passing earlier this year, organizers saw it fitting to dedicate the upcoming festival in her memory. The 47th annual festival, set for May 17-18, 2025, along 16th Avenue SW in historic Czech Village, celebrates houby, […]
Farmers market season kicks off this wee...
Fresh produce, eggs, honey, jams, baked goods, flowers, plants, maple syrup, meats and more can be found at Iowa farmers markets, which start their outdoor season this week. Already, a farmers market in Waterloo had its first market of the season on Thursday, May 1, 2025. Cedar Valley at Shiloh Baptist Church offers its weekly […]
Cedar Rapids School Board to vote in May...
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — The Cedar Rapids Community School District Board of Education heard details of a new bond proposal at its April 28, 2025, meeting. Initially proposed at $210.6 million, with a new $104 middle school, the proposal was revised to omit the new school. The new proposal has a $117 million price tag. […]
Birthday celebration planned for Cedar R...
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — As he turns 100 next week, Bill McQuiston reflected on the past century, including his service during World War II. “I didn’t want to go to the Army. I didn’t want to go to the Marines, because they both marched too much,” the Cedar Rapids man said of his decision to […]
Picture-perfect day for EcoFest 2025 in ...
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — April weather can be a tossup in Iowa, with winter-like days, or picture-perfect ones, as welcomed visitors to EcoFest 2025. The popular Earth Day celebration began in 2010 and was held this year on Saturday, April 26, at NewBo City Market, 1100 Third St. SE. While the day started with a […]
Rain improves outlook for morel mushroom...
After a slow start, Iowa morel mushroom hunters are encouraged by recent rains. Showers drenched most of the state over Easter on April 20, after a relatively dry spring. Posting photos on Facebook of their mushroom finds — many just an inch or so in size — members of Morel Hunters of Iowa noted that […]