It’s 10 a.m. on the second Wednesday of December at the Iowa City Free Lunch Program (FLP), and volunteers are entering the kitchen. Colleen Schilling pulls out bags of frozen mixed vegetables and cartons of vegetable broth. Gale Kolbet signs the data sheet while Mary Kelly carries more bags of groceries through the volunteer entrance. […]
Adria Carpenter
Posted inCommunity/News
Abortion rights advocates rally in Iowa City as Roe hangs by a thread
Mica Doolan is open about their abortions. Standing in front of around 60 people gathered at the Pentacrest on Saturday, all bundled in heavy coats and knitted hats, Doolan tells them about their abortion story. “I’ve had multiple abortions. I’ve had three, actually. And I’m proud to say that I have had the right to […]
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Best of the CRANDIC Spotlight: SEIU Local 199 fights to secure ‘care for caregivers’
Best of the CRANDIC winner: Hardest Fightin’ Union — Union of Iowa’s Caregivers (SEIU Local 199) Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 199 is a union that fights for healthcare workers and other caregivers in Iowa. They conduct collective bargaining for wages and salaries, handle labor management issues and provide member benefits like providing insurance […]
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Racist slurs, threats and disparities: Why Iowa City high school students walked out of class Friday
Over 100 Iowa City Community School District (ICCSD) students participated in a protest on Friday afternoon, walking out of school as the final period began and meeting on the Pentacrest to discuss racism within the district and what they consider the failure of schools and district administration to address it. On Nov. 8, students at […]
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Free mobile clothing closet helps locals in need bundle up, dress for school or jobs
Around 40 people picked out clothes on Thursday, when the Corridor Community Action Network’s (CCAN) brought its free mobile clothing closet to Pepperwood Plaza in Iowa City. The event was the first test drive for CCAN Clothing Cruise’s RV, which was packed door-to-door with winter, professional and school clothes. Plans for the Clothing Cruise began […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
REVOICED, TikTok’s ‘new fave guy group,’ bring their vocal harmonies to the Coralville Center for the Performing Arts (Updated)
Update: On Thursday night, the Nov. 20 REVOICED concert was canceled. The Coralville Center for the Performing Arts will be providing refunds to ticket-buyers. Anyone with questions about refunds should email the CCPA box office or call 319-248-9370. The Quire of Eastern Iowa will host a concert featuring the vocal ensemble REVOICED at the […]
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Revival returns to Ped Mall building after ‘major facelift’
Revival reopened its doors on the Ped Mall to shoppers on Thursday after closing them more than a year ago due to building renovations. “I’m excited to reopen,” said founder and owner Sheila Davisson. “It feels so good to be back in our space. It feels like home with a major facelift.” The renovations completely […]
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ICCSD to present new restorative justice program, designed to close racial gaps in school disciplining
The Iowa City Community School District (ICCSD) has launched a restorative justice pilot program to promote equity within the district, and on Wednesday, Brad Kelly, the program’s coordinator, will explain how it will affect staff and students during an online presentation. Kelly has worked in the school district for six years, serving as a student […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
‘The Rocky Horror Picture Show’ — through the eyes of a virgin
I watched The Rocky Horror Picture Show for the first time at the Englert Theatre on Halloween, and now I’m faced with the Herculean task of explaining it to someone else. Rocky Horror is the omphalos of nearly half a century’s decadence and lecherous desires, but I can’t even dine out on it. For everyone […]
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Great Plains Action Society unites Indigenous Midwesterners to seek justice for state violence, past and present
Sikowis Nobiss has two kids at home, both in elementary school. She has a full-time job and volunteers on Iowa City’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission. “Ugh, trying to deal with COVID and just keep the house clean? That’s my day today,” she said. Nobiss is the founder of Great Plains Action Society (GPAS), a nonprofit […]
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So, ‘some jackass’ stole your bike? Welcome to Iowa City.
Robert Henderson bikes to get around Iowa City. It’s his main transportation. He works at Carlos O’Kelly’s cooking, washing dishes and bussing tables. He locks his bicycle behind the building by the dumpster. There’s a locked gate, too, just in case. But one night after finishing his shift, his bike was gone. Someone had cut […]
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Cedar Rapids unveils mural featuring local healthcare workers
A new two-story mural appeared almost overnight in Cedar Rapids to recognize the courage and sacrifice of healthcare workers. “This project is meant to be a tribute. A tribute to our local healthcare workforce,” said Jesse Thoeming, executive director of the Downtown District, which is part of the Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance. “For these […]
