Photos: The Gazette’s November 2020 Favorite News Photos of the Month

Ayden Densmore (from left), 8, Mallory Densmore, 6, and Wesley Densmore, 3, of Tiffin pose for a photo at the Tannenbaum Forest display at the Festhalle Barn in Amana on Sunday, Nov. 29, 2020. Visitors can wander through the forest Fridays-Sundays through Dec. 20. Trees are not for sale, but quilt square ornaments will be available for purchase following the close of the display. A suggested free will donation of $3 per person or $20 per family will benefit the UIHC Stead Family Children's Hospital in Iowa City. For more information and other Amana holiday activities, visit amanacolonies.com. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette)

The Pumphrey family fills dirt in around a tree at the Marion YMCA on Friday, Nov. 6, 2020. From left, Eleahna, 8, Meaghan, 6, Joshua, 11, Sophia, 3, and mother Elizabeth Pumphrey of Cedar Rapids. Families in the Marion Home School Assistance Program use the YMCA gymnasium and pool for physical education and planted trees on the YMCA property on Friday in a group planting event. (Liz Martin/The Gazette)

Alistair Wheeler, 3, holds a fork full of pasta for his mother Starr (cq) Wheeler as they eat supper in their apartment in southwest Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2020. Wheeler also has a daughter Amalia seven months. Fellow National Guard members helped Wheeler find an apartment for her and her children. The Central Furniture Rescue helped Wheeler furnish her apartment after her belongings were destroyed in the Aug. 10 derecho. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

A man fishes for walleye and crappie at Lake MacBride State Park in Solon on Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2020. (Andy Abeyta/The Gazette)

The sun sets behind a tree standing despite having lost a few branches in the Aug. 10 derecho at Cleveland Park in Cedar Rapids on Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2020. I look out my window daily to a number of trees like this one, some in worse shape, some in better. It's a constant reminder that things aren't back to normal over three months after the derecho in Cedar Rapids. Things do feel better for most of us — I don't have a pile of debris in front of my house anymore, neither do my neighbors. But, even contrasted by such a beautiful sunset, the trees stand to remind us that things are indeed different. Cedar Rapids is forever changed. For me, personally, it's a bit comforting (or maybe just validating) to have that reminder. We did go through a lot as a community. The regrowth of our tree canopy will be a generations-long venture. It may not be so easy to see, but we will get too watch our community grow and continue to recover post-derecho and eventually, post-pandemic. My measure for those may not be as simple as a glance out the window, but I look forward to finding out what it may be. As things have been tumultuous, to say the least, this is something I've looked toward to keep me going. (Andy Abeyta/The Gazette)

Retired Metro High School teacher Lynette Richards (left) talks with Shannon Ellis of Metro High School during the unveiling of the new piece of public art, 'Regenerations,' in southeast Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Thursday, Nov. 5, 2020. The art piece by Jordan Weber, a Des Moines-based multidisciplinary artist and activist, is a collaboration of the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library, CSPS and the African American Museum of Iowa. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

Dale Merrill welds a metal support onto the snout of Floyd of Rosedale in his shop, Liberty Iron Works, in Mount Vernon on Monday, Nov. 23, 2020. Merrill does large-scale metal sculpture installations, in addition to smaller commissioned works for individuals. His current project is to create a giant rendering of the Floyd of Rosedale trophy for the city of Fort Dodge, where Floyd the pig originally lived. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette)

Artwork by Dale Merrill is seen at Liberty Iron Works, in Mount Vernon on Monday, Nov. 23, 2020. Merrill does large-scale metal sculpture installations, in addition to smaller commissioned works for individuals. His current project is to create a giant rendering of the Floyd of Rosedale trophy for the city of Fort Dodge, where Floyd the pig originally lived. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette)

Brittany Winch of North Liberty shops at the Luxe Interiors pop-up shop on the pedestrian mall in Iowa City on Friday, Nov. 27, 2020. With students away for the rest of the semester, Luxe's owner is optimistic that the pop-up shop will bring her much-needed foot traffic during the holiday season. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette)

Jake Putnam and Brittany Winch of North Liberty shop at the Luxe Interiors pop-up shop on the pedestrian mall in Iowa City on Friday, Nov. 27, 2020. With students away for the rest of the semester, Luxe's owner is optimistic that the pop-up shop will bring her much-needed foot traffic during the holiday season. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette)

Sen. Joni Ernst looks to Sen. Chuck Grassley while the group spoke to supporters at Signature Flight Support in Cedar Rapids on Monday, Nov. 2, 2020. Ernst was joined by Ashley Hinson, candidate for the 1st District congressional seat, and Gov. Kim Reynolds on a final campaign tour of the state before Tuesday's election. (Liz Martin/The Gazette)

Julio Andrade holds his 2.5-year-old daughter Viviana as he votes during voting at the Kirkwood Community College Recreation Center in the 2020 election in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2020. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

A voter wears patriotic Crocs while voting at the Robert A. Lee Recreation Center in Iowa City on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2020. (Liz Martin/The Gazette)

Sung Kim greets his son Charlie Kim, 2, after casting his ballot at West High School in Iowa City on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2020. Charlie accompanied his parents, sung and Allie Kim of iowa City, after having cast his own ballot in his day care's election between cats and dogs. (Liz Martin/The Gazette)

Republican candidate for Iowa's First Congressional District Ashley Hinson meets supporter Mervyn (cq) Cousins of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, at Jimmy Z's 112 2nd St SE, in southeast Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2020. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

Todd Pettys (center), a law professor at the University of Iowa working on the recount, takes notes while looking over ballots at the Johnson County Administration building in Iowa City on Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2020. (Andy Abeyta/The Gazette)

Todd Pettys, a law professor at the University of Iowa working on the recount, carries a pack of ballots over to his work station to be counted at the Johnson County Administration building in Iowa City on Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2020. (Andy Abeyta/The Gazette)

Balloons Etc. owner Jacob Cower and his wife Kimberly pose for a photo together dressed as Santa Claus and Jingle Belle the Elf across from the store in Cedar Rapids on Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2020. (Andy Abeyta/The Gazette)

Owen Degel, 5, and Jaxson Campbell, 6, hug as their supervisor reminds them to 'air-hug' instead while playing soccer at Kids First in Marion on Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2020. The two are friends and have attended Kids First together for years. Kids First is offering daytime care for the days when students are not in school due to block scheduling. After playtime, the students returned to virtual learning inside. (Liz Martin/The Gazette)

Lizzie Peters, 17, checks the flight surfaces as she does a pre-flight inspection of her aircraft at the Iowa City Municipal Airport, 1801 Riverside Dr., in Iowa City, Iowa, on Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2020. The Experimental Aircraft Association Ch. 33 in Eastern Iowa is offering scholarships for the first time this year for teens interested in getting their private pilot's license. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

Ophelia Barton, 11, gives two thumbs up after performing an exercise as she has a piano lesson with Melissa Brobston who operates Melissa's Music Studio in her home piano studio in Iowa City, Iowa, on Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2020. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

Workers sanitize one of the volleyball courts between matches at the IGHSAU state volleyball tournament at the Alliant Energy PowerHouse in Cedar Rapids on Monday, Nov. 2, 2020. (Andy Abeyta/The Gazette)

A water control tile line is installed along a new saturated buffer off of Highway 13 in Marion on Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2020. In addition to implementing conservation strategies on its own land, Linn County has been working with farmers and landowners to come up with nutrient mitigation strategies in an effort to improve water quality in the Indian Creek and Upper Mississippi River watersheds. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette)

aWorkers dig a trench for a box culvert at the intersection of O Avenue Northwest and 24th Street Northwest as part of the city's Paving for Progress road improvement project in Cedar Rapids on Friday, Nov. 20, 2020. Road construction projects are funded by Cedar Rapids' 1-cent local option sales tax, which was approved by Cedar Rapids voters in 2013. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette)as part of the city's Paving for Progress road improvement project in Cedar Rapids on Friday, Nov. 20, 2020. Road construction projects are funded by Cedar Rapids' 1-cent local option sales tax, which was approved by Cedar Rapids voters in 2013 and expires in 2024. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette)

Nick Rocca, park ranger at Lake Macbride State Park, moves debris onto a burn pile at Palisades-Kepler State Park in Mount Vernon on Thursday, Nov. 19, 2020. The park has been closed since August, when the derecho damaged many trees within the park. (Liz Martin/The Gazette)

A group of friends plays catch with a football after school gets out at Washington High School in Cedar Rapids on Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2020. (Andy Abeyta/The Gazette)

Molly Walkner of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, reaches for a hand hold on a rock face as she and friends work on their bouldering skills at Sugar Bottom Recreational Area in Solon, Iowa, on Sunday, Nov. 8, 2020. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

Evan Weaver of Des Moines, Iowa, climbs on a rock face as he and friends work on their bouldering skills at Sugar Bottom Recreational Area in Solon, Iowa, on Sunday, Nov. 8, 2020. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

First grader Vera Horsfield plays on the monkey bars at Lakeview Elementary School in Solon on Thursday, Nov. 19, 2020. Students are separated into five groups and rotate through a different recess zone each day in an effort to minimize exposure between classes at the school, which currently has full-time in-person learning. (Liz Martin/The Gazette)

Cedar Rapids Freedom Festival executive director Carissa Johnson takes individual poinsettia plants from a flat as she and Freedom Festival board member Amanda Workman (not shown) deliver the flowering plants to Methwick in northwest Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2020. Members of the Freedom Festival Board of Directors and staff delivered 500 poinsettias to area senior living facilities for them to give to seniors as a thank you for supporting the Freedom Festival on this inaugural Project Poinsettia. In addition to the flowering plant, seniors were given Veterans Day cards created by sixth graders at Roosevelt Creative Corridor Business Academy. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

Britteny Von Lienen (left) and Cora Nunemaker carry heat and serve Thanksgiving meals to a waiting customer at the Ox Yoke Inn, 4420 220th Trail, in Amana, Iowa, on Thursday, Nov. 26, 2020. The restaurant will continue providing its carry-out, heat and serve meals Friday, Nov. 27. Meals, which can serve 4-8 people, must be pre-ordered and pre-paid. The restaurant has a system that it's honed with similar efforts on Easter and Mother's Day. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

Ten-year-old Leif Eastlund of Iowa City, Iowa, leads his brother Henrik, 8, father Zach and mother Kristen along the single track mountain biking trail as the family enjoys the warm, fall weather at Sugar Bottom Recreational Area in Solon, Iowa, on Sunday, Nov. 8, 2020. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

Nathan Woody moistens the skin of turkeys as they smoke at Wilson's Orchard in Iowa City on Monday, Nov. 23, 2020. The orchard has shifted its operations to become more diverse, so they've extended their season and offerings to include smoked turkeys and more time to shop for pies and cheesecakes. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette)

Emily Robinson was able to quit her office job to turn her custom sugar cookie business, Emi's Treats, into her full time job. Photographed in southwest Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Friday, Nov. 13, 2020. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

Sarah Hoke of Marion, Iowa, waves a motorist forward as volunteers with Iowa Giving Crew distribute frozen turkeys and boxes filled with Thanksgiving meal fixings during their fourth annual Operation Give Birds at VanMeter in southwest Cedar Rapids Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Sunday, Nov. 22, 2020. The annual Thanksgiving meal giveaway, which started as a prank on Craigslist, is distributing 800 turkey meals with all the trimmings between its Cedar Rapids and Iowa City locations. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

Clint Henik from Carverway of Mount Vernon, Iowa, works to carve an eagle from a log downed in the Aug. 10 derecho storm during the Splinters-Iowa Tree Art Auction at City Square Park in Marion, Iowa, on Sunday, Nov. 15, 2020. The project, organized by Iowa Big students, is a fundraiser for Trees Forever and its efforts to plant trees to replace the tree canopy lost in the August 10 derecho storm. Artwork created by the four chainsaw artists will be auctioned off at www.32auctions.com between Nov. 23-29. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

Bailey Libby, 16, leaps into the air as she works on the balance beam at Twisters Gymnastics, 4625 Tower Terrace Rd. NE, in northeast Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Thursday, Nov. 19, 2020. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

Brachiosaurus statues don evergreen wreaths at Wilson's Orchard in Iowa City on Monday, Nov. 23, 2020. The orchard has shifted its operations to become more diverse, so they've extended their season and offerings to include smoked turkeys and more time to shop for pies and cheesecakes. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette)

A giant Christmas pyramid stands in the center of the barn at the Tannenbaum Forest display at the Festhalle Barn in Amana on Sunday, Nov. 29, 2020. Visitors can wander through the forest Fridays-Sundays through Dec. 20. Trees are not for sale, but quilt square ornaments will be available for purchase following the close of the display. A suggested free will donation of $3 per person or $20 per family will benefit the UIHC Stead Family Children's Hospital in Iowa City. For more information and other Amana holiday activities, visit amanacolonies.com. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette)

Packages wish visitors happy holidays at the Tannenbaum Forest display at the Festhalle Barn in Amana on Sunday, Nov. 29, 2020. Visitors can wander through the forest Fridays-Sundays through Dec. 20. Trees are not for sale, but quilt square ornaments will be available for purchase following the close of the display. A suggested free will donation of $3 per person or $20 per family will benefit the UIHC Stead Family Children's Hospital in Iowa City. For more information and other Amana holiday activities, visit amanacolonies.com. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette)