Photo Gallery: Gazette’s Best Photos for the Second Half of July 2025

Karaleigh Joens (right) jokes with Journey of Hope rider Loftin Worthington of Troy, Ala, during a softball game at Cleveland Park in southwest Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Tuesday, July 15, 2025. Riders with Journey of Hope, through The Ability Experience of Pi Kappa Phi fraternity are bringing disability awareness as they pedal across the country. The riders will finish one the lawn of the U.S. Capitol in Washington D.C. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

Janine Irishura takes a keep breath and says, “I can do this,” To herself as she prepares to bat during a softball game at Cleveland Park in southwest Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Tuesday, July 15, 2025. Riders with Journey of Hope, through The Ability Experience of Pi Kappa Phi fraternity are bringing disability awareness as they pedal across the country. The riders will finish one the lawn of the U.S. Capitol in Washington D.C. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

East Buchanan's Will Hansen (10) rounds third base with a state qualifier banner after a Substate Final game between North Linn and East Buchanan in Independence, Iowa on Tuesday, July 15, 2025. East Buchanan won 5-4 to advance to the State Tournament. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)

Iowa City Liberty's Brady Zimmerman (9) pitches during a Substate Final game between Iowa City Liberty and Linn-Mar in North Liberty, Iowa on Wednesday, July 16, 2025. North Liberty won 6-5 to qualify for the State Tournament. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)

Coralville Food Pantry associate director Hai Huynh hands volunteer Mike Limmer a box of cantaloupe while unloading a pallet at the Coralville Food Pantry in Coralville, Iowa on Friday, July 18, 2025. Food donations come through a partnership with Farmlink. The organization connects farm products to communities facing food insecurity. If this food was not donated, 30,000 pounds of produce would have gone to the landfill. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

Steve Wimer competes in the sport mod class during weekly racing at Hawkeye Downs in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Friday, July 18, 2025. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)

East Buchanan's Brady Van Scoyoc (32) and East Buchanan's Will Hansen (10) celebrate during an IHSAA Iowa State Baseball tournament quarterfinal game between Lynnville-Sully and East Buchanan in Carroll, Iowa on Monday, July 21, 2025. East Buchanan won 12-1 in six innings to advance. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)

Martensdale-St Mary's Trey Wight (18) celebrates with Martensdale-St Mary's Cooper Hamilton (2) during an IHSAA Iowa State Baseball tournament quarterfinal game between Martensdale St. Mary’s and Lansing Kee in Carroll, Iowa on Monday, July 21, 2025. Martensdale St. Mary’s won in a pitchers duel after a two run sixth inning to advance, 2-0. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)

East Buchanan's Kyle Peck (5) fields the ball during an IHSAA Iowa State Baseball tournament quarterfinal game between Lynnville-Sully and East Buchanan in Carroll, Iowa on Monday, July 21, 2025. East Buchanan won 12-1 in six innings to advance. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)

Iowa City Liberty's Brayden Mayer (4) tags out Linn-Mar's Charlie Sarsfield (5) at home during a Substate Final game between Iowa City Liberty and Linn-Mar in North Liberty, Iowa on Wednesday, July 16, 2025. North Liberty won 6-5 to qualify for the State Tournament. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)

Linn-Mar's Michael Burington (18) reacts as he scores a run during a Substate Final game between Iowa City Liberty and Linn-Mar in North Liberty, Iowa on Wednesday, July 16, 2025. North Liberty won 6-5 to qualify for the State Tournament. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)

A monarch butterfly takes off at the Johnson County fairgrounds in Iowa City on Monday, July 21, 2025. Forever Green employee Cassy Darling said they started the mobile butterfly house this year. “It seems to be working out great, people love it, and we can do more community activities to get information out,” Darling said. (Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)

Western Dubuque's Lauren Ervolino (12) celebrates making it to second base next to North Polk's Alexandra Mohlke during their 4A quarterfinal game of the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union 2025 State Softball Tournament at Rogers Sports Complex in Fort Dodge, Iowa, on Monday, July 21, 2025. The North Polk Comets won 8-7 in extra innings. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

North Polk's Madelyn Klever (1) tries to runs down a fly ball in the outfield during their 4A quarterfinal game against the Western Dubuque Bobcats at the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union 2025 State Softball Tournament at Rogers Sports Complex in Fort Dodge, Iowa, on Monday, July 21, 2025. The North Polk Comets won 8-7 in extra innings. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

Linn-Mar's Emma Barnes (left) slides safely across home plate as she avoids the tag by Pleasant Valley catcher Kasey Kane during their 5A quarterfinal game at the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union 2025 State Softball Tournament at Rogers Sports Complex in Fort Dodge, Iowa, on Monday, July 21, 2025. The Linn-Mar Lions won 5-1. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

Cascade's Addison Frake (12) eyes a fly ball in the infield during their 2A quarterfinal game against the West Lyon Wildcats at the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union 2025 State Softball Tournament at Rogers Sports Complex in Fort Dodge, Iowa, on Tuesday, July 22, 2025. The West Lyon Wildcats won 10-8. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

Hay falls onto Henry Miesbauer as he hoists up a hay bale to attempt the 10-foot toss during the hay bale toss for Solon Beef Days in Solon, Iowa, on Friday, July 18, 2025. Committee Chair of the Hay Bale Toss Matt Kroul (CQ) said the men’s hay bales weighed 50 pounds. (Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)

Jamie Kofron (CQ) hypes up the crowd by clapping her hands before she attempted the ten-foot hay bale toss for the women’s division during Solon Beef Days in Solon, Iowa, on Friday, July 18, 2025. Kofron won the match with her highest toss at 9.5 feet. (Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)

Underwood's Garrett Luett (1) pitches during a state tournament quarterfinal between Underwood and Cascade in Carroll, Iowa on Tuesday, July 22, 2025. Underwood won 3-0 to advance. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)

Cascade's Cooper Hummel (16) makes a catch during a state tournament quarterfinal between Underwood and Cascade in Carroll, Iowa on Tuesday, July 22, 2025. Underwood won 3-0 to advance. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)

Cedar Falls catcher Keira Rathjen (lower, left) walks to the Tigers dugout as Linn-Mar Lions players celebrate their 5A semifinal win over the Tigers at the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union 2025 State Softball Tournament at Rogers Sports Complex in Fort Dodge, Iowa, on Wednesday, July 23, 2025. Linn-Mar won 8-0. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

Iowa State Cyclones quarterback Rocco Becht during the football team’s media day at Jack Trice Stadium in Ames, Iowa, on Friday, July 25, 2025. Becht, a redshirt junior, threw for 3,505 yards and 25 touchdowns in 2024, both rank as the second-most in a single season in school history. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

Williamsburg infielder Makenna Hughes (11) slides safely into home and gets a run for the Raiders in the fifth inning against Dubuque Wahlert during their 3A championship game at the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union 2025 State Softball Tournament at Rogers Sports Complex in Fort Dodge, Iowa on Friday, July 25, 2025. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

Williamsburg players pile on each other in celebration after defeating Dubuque Wahlert 3-2 during their 3A championship game at the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union 2025 State Softball Tournament at Rogers Sports Complex in Fort Dodge, Iowa on Friday, July 25, 2025. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

University of Iowa student Aidan Moore, right, and graduate student Rachel Pauline, middle, watch as the TRACERS space crafts launch into space during a watch party at Van Allen Hall in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Wednesday, July 23, 2025. Moore is one of the students who worked on TRACERS. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

Graduate student Olivia Jones smiles as graduate student Brendan Powers, left, signs the cardboard TRACERS space craft costume she made during the launch watch party at Van Allen Hall in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Wednesday, July 23, 2025. An original launch date of 07/22/25 is crossed out after the first launch was aborted due to an aircraft flying into the launch airspace. Jones and Powers both worked on the TRACERS mission. The twin satellites were launched into space and will begin collecting data on how solar wind interacts with the Earth’s magnetic field. The satellites will “chase” each other to help view and verify data to see if things are changing. The satellites will circle the globe in 90 minutes. While the crafts will cross all latitudes, the polar orbits are the most important areas to focus on. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

Erika Graton, 13, and Carmyn Blattler (CQ), 13, compete in tug-of-war during Shellsburg Big Days in Shellsburg, Iowa, on Saturday, July 19, 2025. Graton, Blattler, and Ainsley Lefevere, 13, won the competitive rounds of tug-of-war. After the initial competition, participants decided to hold friendly two-on-two competitions to divide the leftover candy from the competition. (Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)

Kingston Taylor, 3, splashes in the Shellsburg City Park fountain to cool down during Shellsburg Big Days in Shellsburg, Iowa, on Saturday, July 19, 2025. Jennifer Taylor said she grew up in the area and enjoys the small-town feel of local events. (Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)

Brittany Turnis, of Iowa, and Sheila Frink hug as Turnis heads into downtown Guttenberg after finishing Ragbrai on Saturday, July 26, 2025. Turnis and Frink said they had no idea the other would be in town for Ragbrai, so their meeting was a happy accident. (Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)

Charley Kronk (left) and Steve Steinhoff rest on a bench overlooking the marina after finishing Ragbrai in Guttenberg on Saturday, July 26, 2025. Throughout the week, Ragbrai cyclists rode 406 miles from Orange City to Guttenberg.(Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)

Jack Bohme, of Wisconsin, Abigail Craff, of New Mexico, Rob Craff, of New Mexico, and Steve Wiley, of Tuscan, raise their bikes for a photo by the Mississippi River during the final day of Ragbrai in Guttenberg on Saturday, July 26, 2025. When riders finished the route, they lined up to get their photos taken in front of the Mississippi River.(Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)

Lobster tortellini was served as the second course for the Gathered & Grown: A Feast of Five Seasons dinner in front of Cobble Hill in southeast Cedar Rapids on Sunday, July 27, 2025. The tortellini had sweet corn, cherry tomatoes and a lobster sauce. (Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)

Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance program manager Rebecca Sullens takes away empty plates from diners during the Gathered & Grown: A Feast of Five Seasons dinner in front of Cobble Hill in southeast Cedar Rapids on Sunday, July 27, 2025. Sullens said it felt great to see the dinner come together after months of planning.(Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)

Christi Shauger practices the next move as instructor and owner Tara Sloan talks to them about techniques for it during pole dance fitness at the Aerial Elegance Academy in northeast Cedar Rapids on Wednesday, July 30, 2025.(Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)