Megan Woolard

Grand opening event, pantry 40th anniversary party, scheduled for July 14

The building on Iowa Avenue, which opened in 1956, is home to books, newspapers, vital records, photographs and more artifacts, which are available to the general public for research.

The Iowa City Council is continuing to move forward with plans to put a 1 percent local-option sales tax on the general election ballot this fall. Under state law, 50 percent of the revenue must be put toward property tax relief. How the rest of the money is used is up to the city.

Johnson County Residents United, a group that advocates for safe conditions in mobile home parks in the county, in partnership with local elected officials, is advocating for a two-year moratorium on rent increases to allow time for improved park conditions at properties owned by Havenpark Communities.

The county purchased the 15 unit property at 1102 Hollywood Blvd. in Iowa City, in 2024 for $1.7 million, marking the first time the county has directly owned housing stock. Under a plan proposed by Iowa City, federally funded rental assistance vouchers, combined with VA support services, would be offered to veterans living in the units.

The North Liberty City Council will look to put a 1 percent local-option sales tax in front of voters this November, although city officials still are discussing exactly how the tax revenue would be used.

The Iowa City Downtown District is looking to expand its boundaries as it works through the process of renewing its status as a Self-Supported Municipal District.

Iowa City will nearly double the amount of money it provides to area nonprofits after the city council voted Tuesday to increase funding in the city’s Aid to Agencies fund by $350,000, to nearly $1.1 million.

The Iowa City Council is moving forward with plans to put a 1 percent local-option sales tax on the general election ballot this fall. If a majority of voters give their approval, the tax could raise as much as $8-10 million each year.

Closure is to allow for work on Penn Street Interchange reconstruction project

Iowa City’s Burlington Street Bridge is crossed by nearly 19,000 vehicles each day. But it is deteriorating. A 2021 report described the structure as being in “poor” condition and “structurally deficient.” City leaders are working with the University of Iowa and Iowa DOT to plan for replacement of the structure, work that could begin by 2028 or 2029.

The City of Coralville is pausing a project that would have added two new baseball diamonds to the Coralville Youth Sports Park after construction bids came in higher than expected.

Iowa Republican U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson was met with a mix of boos and applause from the approximately 100 people in the audience at her town hall meeting in Elkader Wednesday morning.

The Iowa City Bike Library is looking to expand youth programming, plan for a sustainable financial future, invest in energy efficiency upgrades, all while continuing the nonprofit’s core mission of getting more people on bikes with a $1 million fundraising campaign. It has raised about $600,000.

Thousands took to the streets in 2020 to push for racial justice and equity, but area activists say the work didn’t stop there.