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. 23, 2024 8:24 am427d ago
After two years in NewBo City Market, the vendor known for its brisket, ribs and pulled pork will be moving to Cedar River Landing’s building.
People & Places Dec. 21, 2024 6:48 am429d ago
House of Words brings all of the good parts of open mic with none of the bad to build a community for growth between amateur and professional.
Restaurants Dec. 19, 2024 7:18 am431d ago
After returning earlier this year from a three-year hiatus, the Fork and Knife Feast is hitting its stride with plans for 2025.
Restaurants Dec. 19, 2024 5:15 am431d ago
The seafood restaurant’s last day open at 796 11th St. will be Dec. 28.
Restaurants Dec. 18, 2024 11:08 am432d ago
Insomnia Cookies, known at many locations for its proximity to college campuses, has a new location in the new Kingston Yard development.
Restaurants Dec. 18, 2024 5:00 am432d ago
Aroma Artisan Pizza’s second location, opened in Kingston Yard on Oct. 31, is the maturing pizza shop’s first stand-alone location outside NewBo City Market since it started in 2017.
Small Business News Dec. 17, 2024 5:11 pm432d ago
NewBo City Market has made significant progress towards its capital campaign goal thanks to an $800,000 contribution from the Hall-Perrine Foundation.
People & Places Dec. 14, 2024 5:30 am436d ago
Welcome to Bethlehem, an unofficial pop-up city that appears one weekend every year at
Restaurants Dec. 12, 2024 5:30 am438d ago
Dirty Dough, which opened its first Iowa franchise in January at 2811 Wiley Blvd. SW, Suite 100, has expanded beyond stuffed cookies and into dirty sodas.
Restaurants Dec. 30, 2024 12:39 pm420d ago
The new location will be Freddy’s fourth in Iowa, and its third in Cedar Rapids.
Restaurants Dec. 11, 2024 12:51 pm439d ago
Captain’s Fish and Chicken, opened by owner Ray Aqel at 1616 First Ave. NE in October, has brought a popular new option to the Wellington Heights and Mound View neighborhoods.
Restaurants Dec. 10, 2024 3:25 pm439d ago
The new spot, at 3254 Crosspark Rd. next to Barrett’s Quality Eats, opens on Wednesday, Dec. 11.
Books Dec. 9, 2024 8:13 am441d ago
With a collection dating back to the 1500s, there’s plenty to feast on at the Szathmary Culinary Manuscript Collection at the University of Iowa — one of the top five collections in the country. Thousands of books, manuscripts and pamphlets all seem to have one common theme: We are what we eat.
People & Places Dec. 9, 2024 12:02 pm441d ago
Some live to work. Others work to live. But Ashley Whittlesey finds the two inextricably linked.
Restaurants Dec. 5, 2024 5:30 am445d ago
After several cafe partnerships and two openings at the University of Iowa, The Eat Shop is opening a new flagship location in Linn County to serve offerings from every other location -- plus a few new things.

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