After a record-breaking season that saw almost 30,000 people visit the former landfill turned greenspace, Mount Trashmore is closing for the winter. Trashmore’s trails and the overlook pavilion at its peak will close at 4 p.m. on Tuesday. They will reopen in the spring “when the weather allows,” according to the Cedar Rapids/Linn County Solid […]
Eastern Iowa Recreation
Posted inLetters
Letter from Sen. Zach Wahls: The conservation bond is a cost-effective way to secure a better, healthier future
By Iowa Sen. Zach Wahls, Coralville As a state senator, Eagle Scout, and lifelong outdoorsman, I strongly endorse this year’s Johnson County Conservation Bond campaign. Please join me in flipping your ballot over and voting YES to approve the $30 million Johnson County Conservation Bond. The Johnson County Conservation Bond is a textbook example of […]
Posted inCommunity/News
From going net-zero to replanting post-derecho, Indian Creek Nature Center is ready to celebrate 50 years of history in Cedar Rapids
If it’s your first time driving on Otis Road, you might be taken aback at the sight of a large modern building nestled among the trees. The building, aptly named Amazing Space, houses an exhibit of Indian Creek, a small gift shop and, most importantly, the Indian Creek Nature Center (ICNC). The completion of the […]
Posted inCommunity/News
‘She’s a baller, she’s a go-getter, she’s fierce’: How Cara Viner grew from beginner to owner at Hot House Yoga
A hint of incense and a comforting wave of warm air are guaranteed upon entering Hot House Yoga in Iowa City. The local business has been a staple of the area for decades, but it’s recently come under new ownership. Cara Viner is the new owner of both the Iowa City Hot House and the […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Iowa City fencing coach Judy O’Donnell invites all ages to poke fun
Iowa City Fencing Center founder, director and head coach Judy O’Donnell moved to Iowa in 2000, when her husband took a job at the University of Iowa. Ten years later, after advising for the university’s club fencers and taking on more private students than she had room for, O’Donnell opened the Fencing Center. “You can […]
Posted inCommunity/News
This 14-year-old archer from Waverly is hitting the mark in an elite, precision sport
Three years ago, if you asked Hunter Telleen’s loved ones which sport he’d excel at in high school, archery would likely never have crossed their minds. They’d probably have guessed cross-country or track, pointing to the records Hunter set running meets as a 7th grader at Waverly-Shell Rock Middle School. Buck hunting, a hobby the […]
Posted inCommunity/News
In need of some emotional healing? Join the herd, recommends this Iowa City therapist
Since 2006, fresh off earning her degree, Natalie Benway-Correll has worked as a LISW (licensed independent social worker) in Iowa City. But a couple of years ago, her experiences as a therapist during the COVID-19 pandemic led to a search for something more. “During the pandemic, I was seeing — based on all the conversations […]
Posted inRecreation
Fossil Gorge, uncovered 30 years ago, preserves a 375 million-year-old ocean floor in eastern Iowa
Sixty-five million years? Please. You want to see something old, head to the Coralville Dam. It’s not the dam that’s old, though it has survived almost seven decades and two near-apocalyptic floods. In fact, it was the first of these floods in 1993 that breached the 712-foot spillway and inundated the campground below, washing away […]
Posted inCommunity/News
RAGBRAI announces route for 50th anniversary ride this summer
Fifty years ago, the first RAGBRAI crossed the state from west to east, starting in Sioux City and finishing in Davenport. RAGBRAI’s golden anniversary route will begin and end in those same cities, organizers announced on Saturday night. The overnight towns for the weeklong ride from the Missouri to the Mississippi will be: • Sioux […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Iowa City roller derby athletes show new batch of beginners how to roll (and fall)
It’s the second day of 101 Bootcamp. There are seven new recruits for the Old Capitol City Roller Derby (OCCRD) team. Tart of Darkness #323, Cara Delaney, straps on her knee pads and elbow pads, her wrist guards and mouth guards, followed by her skates and helmet. She glides around Scanlon Gymnasium comfortably, easy as […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Jugglers of the world gather in Cedar Rapids for 75th international juggling festival
Juggling enthusiasts of the CRANDIC are in luck as professional jugglers across the globe head to Cedar Rapids this week for the 75th annual International Jugglers Association Conference. The convention runs from Tuesday to Sunday and features performances, workshops and competitions. Performer and instructor Luther Bangert began juggling when he was a philosophy student at […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Iowa City pools: City Park is seeping, rec center swimmers fight likely closure and Mercer may be heating up
The Iowa City Parks and Recreation Department has recommended closing the 58-year-old pool at Robert A. Lee Community Recreation Center, and instead adding a warm water pool at Mercer Park Aquatic Center and Scanlon Gym, as part of its Gather Here Recreation Master Plan. The plan also includes a redesign of City Park pool, introducing […]
