Sloshed on Busch Light and a little sun-dazed after my first pool day in ages, it was 11 p.m. when I finally went to set up my tent at the L.V. Campground in Coggon, Iowa. My sister, two friends and I had rented a cabin ($135/night) — sturdy, spacious and best of all air-conditioned, with […]
Emma McClatchey
Posted inCommunity/News
‘Names carry power’: Johnson County is now named for a different Johnson
Johnson County remains Johnson County, but has shed some historical baggage. The Board of Supervisors voted unanimously on Thursday to change the county’s eponym — the person it is named for — from Richard Mentor Johnson, vice president of the United States (1837-1841) and lifelong slaveowner, to Iowan Lulu Merle Johnson, the first African-American woman […]
Posted inFood & Drink
LV Recommends: House Divided Brewery
Buttery, salty and best of all, free. Now that I’ve gotten the popcorn review out of the way, let me dive into the bread and butter, so to speak, of any brewery: the beer. House Divided Brewery, located right across the street from the Ely Public Library, serves up creative lagers, stouts, sours and IPAs […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
FilmScene to reopen theaters in time for ‘A Quiet Place Part II’
Within six months of their grand opening in the new Chauncey Building, FilmScene closed its doors in response to the pandemic. But after more than 14 months of private screenings, virtual screenings and Friday night concession pick-ups — and, last month, the debut of their outdoor cinema — the Iowa City nonprofit theater is ready […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Despite pandemic deficit, Kirk Ferentz collected full salary, bowl-game bonus for 2020
As the University of Iowa Athletics Department was facing a massive financial shortfall due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the summer of 2020, a number of the department’s employees accepted, voluntarily or otherwise, reduced salaries and bonuses. Among these employees were head coach of men’s basketball Fran McCaffrey (who volunteered for a $255,000 salary cut), […]
Posted inCommunity/News
How UI grad Liz Crokin became one of QAnon’s biggest influencers
Content warning: This article contains references to sexual assault, child abuse and racism. “QAnon Congresswoman” Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene was red-pilled (that is, fell down the rabbit hole of far-right online conspiracy theories) back in 2017. “I first heard about [Q] from Liz Crokin,” Greene said in a Facebook Live video from November 2017. “She’s […]
Posted inCommunity/News
The fifth Iowan charged for the Capitol insurrection allegedly assaulted, threatened to shoot an officer
An Iowa man arrested by the FBI earlier this month for taking part in the U.S. Capitol insurrection was allegedly part of a mob that assaulted a police officer, shot him with a stun gun and stole his badge, radio and ammunition while attempting to grab the officer’s service weapon, among other acts of violence, […]
Posted inCommunity/News
4/20 in 2021: Iowans have come around to cannabis, but state and federal lawmakers are straying from their pot promises
The latest Iowa Poll from the Des Moines Register and Mediacom revealed several areas in which public opinion conflicts with state legislators’ priorities, from passing an anti-abortion amendment to the Iowa Constitution (opposed by 58 percent of respondents) to shortening early voting periods (52 percent were against), to slashing unemployment benefits for laid-off workers (of […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Oh, my god: University Lecture Committee to host Dan Levy in April
On Friday, April 9, Schitt’s Creek fans are invited to don their luxury garments, fold in the cheese, grab a stiff drink and ask thrice before tuning into a virtual event with show co-creator and star Dan Levy. The University Lecture Committee at the University of Iowa will present An Evening with Dan Levy at […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Vaccine appointments can feel elusive. This Iowa Twitter account helps.
Nearly all Iowans are currently eligible for COVID-19 vaccination, and starting April 5, literally all adult Iowans will be, Gov. Kim Reynolds said Wednesday. But determining if you’re eligible and locating vaccine providers near you aren’t the biggest hurdles to actually getting the jab. Scheduling an appointment is. Gov. Kim Reynolds and her administration chose […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Hinterland announces huge headliners for a smaller, COVID-conscious festival
The same day Bonnaroo — one of the biggest outdoor music festivals in the country, set in Tennessee — announced the Avett Brothers would be headlining their Concerts on the Farm series this summer, Iowa’s own farm-based fest declared they’d snagged the powerhouse folk-rock group as well. The Avett Brothers, Leon Bridges, Tyler Childers, Old […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
It’s nearly time for the annual Ped Mall bench makeover — applications are open for BenchMarks 2021
The Iowa City Ped Mall has seen Herkys on parade, tree sweaters, outdoor pianos, a massive $20,000 bike rack and more, but perhaps its most enduring and diverse public art project has been its painted benches. Since the summer of 2012, the City of Iowa City, Iowa City Downtown District and sponsor GreenState Credit Union […]
