The Cedar Rapids Board of Education decided during a special meeting on Monday how to fill the vacancy created by the death of board member Gary Anhalt. The vacancy will be filled by appointment, and the individual appointed will hold the seat until the next school board election on Nov. 2. Anhalt died earlier this […]
Izabela Zaluska
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Linn County wants to know how climate change is impacting residents, what actions should be prioritized
Linn County wants to know how climate change is affecting its residents and what climate action the county should prioritize. The county’s sustainability department is collecting public input through an online survey. The survey asks how residents think about climate change and what challenges they faced during climate disaster events, including the derecho and the […]
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Locals invited to suggest new features for Jones Park as city closes golf course
A pickleball court? A dog park? Pollinator space, perhaps? The City of Cedar Rapids is looking for ideas for repurposing Jones Golf Course. The city is collecting input from residents through a survey, which is the first part of a comprehensive strategic planning process for Jones Park, according to a news release. Jones Golf Course […]
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‘A place like this is needed now more than ever’: Johnson County’s GuideLink Center prepares to open
The GuideLink Center, a mental health access center in Iowa City that has been in the works for more than a decade, is just days away from opening its doors. The 18,000 square-foot facility at 300 Southgate Ave will provide rapid assessment, triage and stabilization for adults experiencing a mental health or substance abuse crisis. […]
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Cedar Rapids establishes the second police review board in Iowa
The Cedar Rapids City Council gave final approval on Tuesday to the establishment of an independent citizen review board that will oversee the Cedar Rapids Police Department. The board will be responsible for reviewing police data and policies, implementing a program of community outreach and be part of future police chief candidate selection committees. The […]
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Linn County will receive an increased number of COVID-19 vaccines through the end of February
Linn County’s vaccine allocation will increase for the remainder of February, although public health officials are still expecting it to take “weeks to months” to vaccinate residents in Phase 1B. Starting this week, the county will receive about 3,000 doses per week for the next three weeks, said Heather Meador, Linn County Public Health’s Clinical […]
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Free rides to COVID-19 vaccine appointments available to Linn County residents
Linn County LIFTS is now providing free next-day rides for county residents who have a scheduled COVID-19 vaccine appointment. Individuals in need of transportation assistance who are traveling to or from a Linn County vaccine provider are eligible for a ride from Linn County LIFTS, the county announced on Monday. The rides are only for […]
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Five Linn County school superintendents ask Gov. Reynolds to prioritize vaccinating school staff
Five Linn County school superintendents sent a joint letter to Gov. Kim Reynolds on Monday asking for additional COVID-19 vaccine doses to be allocated to the state’s priority populations in light of the Feb. 15 deadline for school districts to provide all in-person instruction. The superintendents ask state officials to reallocate 64,000 doses of vaccine […]
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NewBo City Market introduces Hatchery program to provide resources, support for entrepreneurs
NewBo City Market has launched an entrepreneurial development program intended to assist underserved entrepreneurs wanting to start a food or retail business. The Hatchery is meant to help entrepreneurs who typically face more barriers to entering the marketplace, including people of color, immigrants, women and people in the LGBTQ community, said Julie Parisi, the market’s […]
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‘It is a milestone day’: Cedar Rapids City Council unanimously approves police review board during first vote
The Cedar Rapids City Council unanimously advanced an ordinance that puts the city one step closer to establishing an independent citizen review board for the Cedar Rapids Police Department. Tuesday’s vote was the first of three required to enact the ordinance. If approved in February, Cedar Rapids will be the second city in the state […]
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Willie Ray’s Q Shack is expanding, a second location will open soon
Willie Fairley is opening a second location of his restaurant Willie Ray’s Q Shack. Fairley offered a sneak peek of the new location in a video he posted on Facebook. The second location will be at 266 Blairs Ferry Rd. NE, which is just a couple of minutes away from the first location at 288 […]
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Cedar Rapids Mayor Brad Hart is seeking reelection
Cedar Rapids Mayor Brad Hart announced on Tuesday he is seeking reelection for a second term in November. “We survived quite a year together,” Hart said in a news release. “Cedar Rapids has, once again, proven its resilience. The strength and compassion I saw displayed over the last year has impressed and inspired me. It […]
