Ayla Boylen has been striking every Friday, asking local and state leaders in Iowa to take action on climate change. She began her strike outside Cedar Rapids City Hall last fall, then changed her location to the federal courthouse in Cedar Rapids on March 6. But a few days later, on March 8, the first […]
COVID-19
Posted inCommunity/News
Iowa City Transit offering free cloth face masks for bus riders
Iowa City Transit is offering free cloth masks for bus riders, the agency announced on Wednesday. Last week, Iowa City Transit asked riders to start wearing cloth face masks on city buses to help limit the spread of COVID-19. Supply is limited for the free masks. As of Wednesday morning, the agency has 175 ready […]
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More inmates and staff at Oakdale Prison test positive for COVID-19
When Iowa Department of Corrections Director Beth Skinner appeared at Gov. Kim Reynolds press conference on Monday, there had only been three cases of COVID-19 discovered in the state’s prison system — one inmate and two staff members, all three at the Iowa Medical and Classification Center (IMCC) in Coralville, better known as Oakdale Prison. […]
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Iowa City schools’ meals-to-go program makes a change, after construction worker at West High tests positive for COVID-19
The Iowa City Community School District is temporarily moving one of its grab-and-go meal sites, after a worker at a construction project in one of its schools tested positive for COVID-19. It is ICCSD’s first confirmed case of the virus. “This evening, we were notified that an individual working on the construction project at West […]
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Focused on reopening the state, Reynolds appeals to Iowa celebrities, public to take the ‘#TestIowaChallenge’
During another recording-setting day, in which the Iowa Department of Public Health reported another 482 Iowans had tested positive for COVID-19, Gov. Kim Reynolds focused on how to “reopen” the state at her press conference on Tuesday. “As Iowa and the nation prepare to reopen, the ability to conduct large-scale testing is critical to understand […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Downtown Iowa City Arts Showcase: How PromptPress binds visual arts and writing together
The current moment brings into sharp focus the need to support our arts and culture venues and local artists. The Downtown Iowa City Arts Showcase is an eight-part series of performances that invite community contributions to artists and to the nonprofit arts organizations that support their work year-round. Performance #1: Excerpts from PromptPress Issue #8, […]
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Iowa City is launching an online farmers market with drive-through pick-up
The opening day of the Iowa City Farmers Market has been pushed to July 4, because of COVID-19. But starting on Saturday, May 9, people will still be able to get fresh fruit, vegetables and other market staples at Chauncey Swan Parking Ramp when the city launches its online version of the market, featuring drive-through […]
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Cedar Rapids Freedom Festival canceled due to COVID-19
This year’s Cedar Rapids Freedom Festival has been canceled to prevent the spread of COVID-19. “In the 37 years of our Festival, we’ve not ever had to have the heavy conversations that we have had over the last few weeks — taking into consideration the latest news of COVID-19 and the impact it is making […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Art in the time of COVID-19: Blake Shaw
This series, Art in the time of COVID-19, highlights musicians and artists in eastern Iowa whose life and work have been upended by the spread of the novel coronavirus in the state. If you would like to recommend someone to be featured in this space, please reach out to Little Village. Blake Shaw, bassist Blake […]
Posted inCOVID-19
Linn County confronts the ‘crisis within a crisis’ of worker safety, as the spread of COVID-19 at processing plants in other counties impacts its residents
Cedar Rapids Mayor Brad Hart began Monday’s Linn County Public Health press conference by urging residents to wear a cloth face mask whenever they go out “in public, if you’re outside your home, you’re outside your car or when social distancing is difficult to ensure.” “Cloth masks that cover your nose and your mouth should […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
The 2020 Iowa City Pride Parade and Festival are canceled
The Board of Directors for Iowa City Pride has decided to cancel the 2020 Pride Festival and Parade, they announced Monday. “The uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic has intensified in recent weeks, and the organization has concluded that the risk to public health of a large-scale gathering such as Pride preclude this year’s production of […]
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Deputy sheriff assigned to Linn County jail has tested positive for COVID-19
A deputy sheriff assigned to the Linn County Correctional Center has tested positive for COVID-19. The deputy sheriff last worked the evening shift on Thursday, April 16, and the Linn County Sheriff’s Office learned of the positive test on Sunday, April 19. The deputy arrived to work on Thursday without a fever but left with […]
