116 3rd St SE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
Elijah Decious
The first time I learned how to ask good questions was at age 5, when I learned Santa Claus was not real. “Whose lap have I been sitting on all these years?!” was the first question I asked, according to my mother.
I’m a features reporter for The Gazette, which means I have the opportunity to get to know folks on a more personal level, show people the best parts of life and demonstrate how daily news affects members of the community. In addition to covering restaurants and food news, I serve on The Gazette’s Fact Checker team and have a particular passion for human interest pieces as well as stories focusing on marginalized communities.
Sometimes, taking a moment to listen to others and reflect on what they say — even those who might not think they have much of a story to tell — really puts things in perspective.
When I’m not reporting, I like to travel, go bird watching, search for new items to add to my Peanuts collection and keep my cat from scaring away the cardinals on my balcony.
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Latest Articles by Elijah Decious
Restaurants Dec. 18, 2025 6:30 am2d ago
A new delivery service has launched in Cedar Rapids after years in the making.
Restaurants Dec. 18, 2025 5:30 am2d ago
An Iowa City favorite is making a comeback.
Restaurants Dec. 17, 2025 10:54 am3d ago
A former Lindale Mall offering is hitting the streets.
Restaurants Dec. 17, 2025 10:55 am3d ago
I’ll Meet You There opens this month in Cedar Rapids after several months of anticipation.
People & Places Dec. 17, 2025 11:45 am3d ago
As the last working Sister at Mercy Medical Center in Cedar Rapids retires, their legacy and mission lives on in a new way.
Restaurants Dec. 16, 2025 1:49 pm3d ago
Deja Brew Coffee House & Bakery has returned to Tiffin with an expanded menu of bakery treats, signature drinks and a full menu for breakfast or lunch.
News Dec. 15, 2025 2:38 pm4d ago
Cedar Rapids Public Works Department’s streets superintendent Brian McLeod gives an inside look at the magnitude of planning and labor required to make winter travel safe through snow and ice.
People & Places Dec. 10, 2025 6:58 am10d ago
Here’s how the owner of Razzle Dazzle, a new video and music store, is making old media shine again in his Lindale Mall spot.
Restaurants Dec. 10, 2025 6:00 am10d ago
Dua Pie, a new opening in downtown Cedar Rapids, brings perfected New York-style classics from pizza and pasta to calzone and stromboli from the family that started Napoli’s in Marion and southwest Cedar Rapids.
Restaurants Dec. 10, 2025 5:30 am10d ago
A Solon coffee shop has expanded with a new cafe opening in Iowa City.
Restaurants Dec. 9, 2025 1:38 pm10d ago
A longtime contributor to Cedar Rapids’ Mexican restaurant scene is closing its Edgewood Road location.
News Dec. 8, 2025 10:05 am12d ago
Relying on donations of cash, gently used toys and volunteer efforts to restore them, the Iowa City Toy Redistribution Project is unique for a couple of reasons.
Local Government Dec. 5, 2025 5:12 pm14d ago
The Cedar Rapids Planning Commission unanimously declined to recommend a rezoning request for a new McDonald’s along Mount Vernon Road SE at a Thursday hearing.
People & Places Dec. 5, 2025 10:36 am15d ago
“Twilights,” a new public art exhibit, brings innovative lighting to a previously dark alley connecting the Pedestrian Mall to the area in front of The Graduate Hotel on South Dubuque Street in Iowa City.
Restaurants Dec. 3, 2025 8:00 am17d ago
In April, owner GreenState Credit Union foreclosed on the property after a Johnson County judge granted its petition to collect debt for projects by developer Marc Moen totaling about $28 million.

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