Marissa Payne

Those living in Cedar Rapids and Iowa City, with the support of their neighbors, can organize to form neighborhood associations. But can any resident start an association within their city and get funding? How are neighborhood boundaries and names determined, anyway?

Also, Mazahir Salih sworn into Iowa City Council

Samantha Hernandez and Erik Torres had different journeys to embracing ballet folklórico as young dancers. But this summer, they were both selected to serve as the new instructors for Fuerzas Culturales, Cedar Rapids’ first Ballet folklórico dance group.

Could another organization host signature downtown events such as the farmers market? A mayor-appointed panel that oversees Cedar Rapids downtown initiatives will explore such questions and consider potential changes to downtown management.

Starting in December, tenants will begin moving into a new affordable housing development in southeast Cedar Rapids that will add 44 rental units to the city’s core. Five units are reserved for young people aging out of the foster care system.

State Sen. Molly Donahue, D-Cedar Rapids is launching a bid to challenge Republican incumbent Louie Zumbach for the District 3 Linn County supervisor seat in 2024. Looking to leave the Republican trifecta of state government behind, she said, “I can do a lot more for my community” in the local seat.

After searching for about a year for a new finance director, the city of Cedar Rapids has tapped Abhijit “Abhi” Deshpande to fill the role starting Jan. 15.

Local auto salvage company Sunline has cleaned out its property on Sixth Street SW and moved hundreds of cars onto the Hawkeye Downs parking lot, making way for the old property’s sale to Copart, an insurance auto auction.

Also, Marion adopts 1-year pause on certain commercial uses in growing areas

Earlier this year, for the current fiscal 2024 budget — covering the time period from July 1 through June 30, 2024 — the three-member supervisors board made proposed spending cuts after already drafting a budget to fill a $1.74 million gap from a bill correcting a state error that left local governments down millions in expected revenue

Nonprofit Matthew 25 was awarded city of Cedar Rapids financial incentives this week to support a $2.5 million investment in new housing in the Northwest Neighborhood. The housing will pioneer a way for lower-income residents to access homeownership.

Ely voters resoundingly rejected a $7 million bond referendum for a new Community Center — a facility with three uses that would house City Hall, the library and other recreational services.

Newcomer David Maier defeated first-term incumbent Pat Loeffler to secure an at-large seat on the Cedar Rapids City Council, becoming the council’s first openly gay member. Ann Poe was re-elected to the other at-large council sea..

The city of Cedar Rapids is looking to build an approximately $20 million horizontal collector well near Cargill’s corn milling facility as part of the city’s permanent flood control system — one of the finishing touches of flood protection work on the east side.

Tuesday is Election Day in cities and school districts across Iowa. Early voting numbers reported in two Eastern Iowa counties show interest in these elections is lagging compared to 2021.