Photo Gallery: Gazette’s best photos for the second half of February 2026

Iowa City High’s Kane Willey celebrates his win over North Scott’s Bryce Stewart during their heavy weight match at the 3A 2026 IHSAA Boys’ Wrestling State Qualifier at Iowa City High School in Iowa City, Iowa, on Saturday, February 14, 2026. Willey won by decision 5-4. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

Dancers are silhouetted against a sign during the Difference Makers For the Kids Dance Marathon at Liberty High School in North Liberty, Iowa, on Sunday, February 15, 2026. This is the ninth year for the mini dance marathon modeled after the one at the University of Iowa. The noon to 4pm event featured inspirational speakers and visits from cancer survivors as well as dance games., (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

Liberty sophomore Elsie Bisgard dances on the stage during the Difference Makers For the Kids Dance Marathon at Liberty High School in North Liberty, Iowa, on Sunday, February 15, 2026. This is the ninth year for the mini dance marathon modeled after the one at the University of Iowa. The noon to 4pm event featured inspirational speakers and visits from cancer survivors as well as dance games., (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

Iowa Hawkeyes guard Taylor Stremlow (left) collides with Nebraska Cornhuskers forward Jessica Petrie (center) and guard Callin Hake (right) during the first half to their Big Ten Conference college women’s basketball game at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln, Neb., on Monday, February 16, 2026. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

Parker Sutherland’s father, Adam Sutherland becomes emotional as he looks at pictures of his late son before his memorial outside the McLeod Center on the University of Northern Iowa campus in Cedar Falls, Iowa on Monday, February 16, 2026. Parker was an Iowa City native and played as a tight end for the Panthers. He died on February 14th after collapsing during an offseason practice two days prior. The UNI community rallied around the Sutherland family after learning of his passing. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

2026 14 Under 14 honoree Sadam Akili (center, left), 8, the youngest honoree in the 2026 class contorts himself in his chair to see the video screen and a recorded message from Cedar Rapids Mayor Tiffany O’Donnell during the awards ceremony in the Whipple Auditorium at the Cedar Rapids Downtown Public Library in southeast Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Tuesday, February 17, 2026. The Kids First Law Center recognized 14 students from the Cedar Rapids Community School District with a “14 Under 14” award. The program highlights young leaders under the age of 14 for exemplifying positive leadership qualities like good citizenship, problem-solving, empathy and kindness. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

Pancake curls up next to Waffle at the Cedar Valley Humane Society in southeast Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Tuesday, February 17, 2026. The pair are recovering from spaying procedures The Cedar Valley Humane Society has finished phase 2 of its three-phase, $10 million expansion with the soft opening of its new adoption center. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

The sun illuminates the ashes on Jane Constant’s forehead after an Ash Wednesday service at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Wednesday, February 18, 2026. Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, which is a 40 day period of prayer, fasting and repentance that leads up to Easter Sunday. The ashes are a symbol of repentance. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

Marion’s Taylor Kriegel (21) drives to the basket during a game between Marion and Grinnell in Marion, Iowa on Wednesday, February 18, 2026. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)

Western Dubuque head coach Paul Cleary (left) jumps up while holding three fingers after Western Dubuque’s Joe Hirsch gets an almost fall against Dallas Center-Grimes’ Cole Hemmingsen during their 157 pounds Class 3A quarterfinals match at the IHSAA 2026 State Wrestling Tournament at the Casey’s Center in Des Moines, Iowa on Thursday, February 19, 2026. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

Waverly-Shell Rock’s Easton Jorgenson reacts after defeating Ames’ Braxton Winkey during their 150 pounds Class 3A quarterfinals match at the IHSAA 2026 State Wrestling Tournament at the Casey’s Center in Des Moines, Iowa on Thursday, February 19, 2026. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

Jesup’s Kaden Lange celebrates defeating Belle Plaine’s Aidan Timm during their 1A 144 lbs. quarterfinal match at the 2026 Iowa High School Athletic Association’s 2026 Boy’s Wrestling State Championships at Casey’s Center in Des Moines , Iowa, on Friday, February 20, 2026. Lange won by major decision 11-3. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

Iowa City West’s Diego Robertty is presented as the winner after defeating Dowling Catholic’s Jack Wallukait during their 113 pounds Class 3A semifinals match at the IHSAA 2026 State Wrestling Tournament at the Casey’s Center in Des Moines, Iowa on Friday, February 20, 2026. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

Anamosa’s Eagan Fleshman reacts after falling to Fairfield’s Dain Burkhart during their 175 pounds Class 2A quarterfinals match at the IHSAA 2026 State Wrestling Tournament at the Casey’s Center in Des Moines, Iowa on Friday, February 20, 2026. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

Jesup assistant coaches (left) Kanen Storr and Steve Arceneaux (right) cheer as they celebrate Cooper Hinz’s victory over Lawton-Bronson’s Riley Watts after their 1A 132 lbs. championship match at the Iowa High School Athletic Association’s 2026 State Wrestling Tournament at the Casey’s Center in Des Moines, Iowa, on Saturday, February 21, 2026. Hinz won 4-1. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

NH/TV’s Carter Cajthaml takes down Denver’s Gavin Landers during their 138 pounds Class 2A championship match at the IHSAA 2026 State Wrestling Tournament at the Casey’s Center in Des Moines, Iowa on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

Mount Vernon’s Savanna Wright (10) lays the ball up during a girls basketball game between the Mount Vernon Mustangs and the Mid-Prairie Golden Hawks at Mount Vernon High School in Mt. Vernon, Iowa on Saturday, February 21, 2026. The Mustangs defeated the Golden Hawks 58-50. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)

Maquoketa’s Landon Costello reacts after getting a strike in the 10th frame to defeat Shenandoah’s Clay Foutch in the finals of the 1A individual tournament during the 2026 Iowa Boys’ High School Athletic Association State Bowling Championships at Cadillac XBC in Waterloo, Iowa on Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

Iowa City Community School District superintendent Matt Degner during a board meeting at the district’s Educational Services Building in Iowa City, Iowa City, Iowa, on Tuesday, February 24, 2026. The school district is exploring proposed budget reductions for the 2026-27 school year. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

Cedar Rapids Washington head coach Chris James raises his arms in celebration as time expires during a girls basketball game between Cedar Rapids Washington and Cedar Rapids Prairie at Washington High School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Tuesday, February 24, 2026. Washington won 69-59 to qualify for the state tournament. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)

Washington’s Aniya Wahe (center) celebrates as Lily Belle Barker (front) waves a state tournament qualifier banner following a girls basketball game between Cedar Rapids Washington and Cedar Rapids Prairie at Washington High School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Tuesday, February 24, 2026. Washington won 69-59 to qualify for the state tournament. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)

Iowa Hawkeyes forward Alvaro Folgueiras (7) dunks the ball during a game between the University of Iowa Hawkeyes and the Ohio State University Buckeyes in Iowa City, Iowa on Wednesday, February 25, 2026. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)

Iowa Hawkeyes forward Alvaro Folgueiras (7) and Ohio State Buckeyes wing Puff Johnson (6) fight for the ball during a game between the University of Iowa Hawkeyes and the Ohio State University Buckeyes in Iowa City, Iowa on Wednesday, February 25, 2026. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)

Iowa Hawkeyes forward Hannah Stuelke (45) holds her elbow after scrambling for a loose ball during a game between the University of Iowa Hawkeyes and the University of Illinois Fighting Illini at Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Thursday, February 26, 2026. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)

Iowa Democratic U.S. Senate candidate and state Rep. Josh Turek, of Council Bluffs, speaks with union members during a roundtable discussion at IBEW 405 Hall, 1211 Wiley Blvd SW, in southwest Cedar Rapids , Iowa, on Friday, February 27, 2026. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

Azane E. Baseme, 23, reacts after the not guilty verdicts on all counts were read in the verdict hearing of himself and his brothers Christian F. Baseme, 30, and Pierre K. Baseme, 26, at the Linn County Courthouse in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Friday, February 27, 2026. The brothers were found not guilty of involuntary manslaughter, assault causing serious injury and false imprisonment of their brother, Ezekiel Baseme, who they tied up and restrained to a bed with ropes and straps because he was being violent during the week before he died Nov. 8 or 9, 2024. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)