Photos: Best Gazette Photography for First Half of June 2025

The Gazette’s best photos for the first half of June 2025

Iowa City High's Seth Zeithamel (3) kicks the hit from Ames in the first half of the game during the class 4A IHSAA state soccer quarterfinals at the University of Iowa Soccer Complex in Iowa City, Iowa on Monday, June 2, 2025. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

North Fayette Valley's Decklyn Heins (82) and North Fayette Valley's Broden Frieden (2) embrace after the TigerHawks fell to the Bulldogs 1-0 during the class 1A IHSAA state soccer quarterfinals at the University of Iowa Soccer Complex in Iowa City, Iowa on Monday, June 2, 2025. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

Cedar Rapids Community School District workers wheel a crate containing a mural by William E. Henning into the district’s Educational Leadership and Support Center in northwest Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Tuesday, June 3, 2025. The mural, painted by Grant Wood student William E. Henning, has hung at Harrison Elementary School since 1935. The 22-feet by five feet depicting the history of transportation will hang in there district’s ELSC while Harrison is being renovated. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

Independence players celebrate after scoring a goal to tie the score 1-1 in the second half the match against ADM during the IGHSAU 2A state soccer quarterfinals at Lied Recreation Athletic Center in Ames, Iowa on Tuesday, June 3, 2025. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

Xavier’s Ciara O'Brien celebrates during a game between Xavier and Bondurant-Farrar in Ames, Iowa on Tuesday, June 3, 2025. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)

Independence's Lindsay Beyer (1) shows emotion as she hugs teammate Independence's Claire Cahalan (13) after the Mustangs fell to ADM 2-1 during the IGHSAU 2A state soccer quarterfinals at Lied Recreation Athletic Center in Ames, Iowa on Tuesday, June 3, 2025. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

Barb Weber and David Rowe play pickleball at the Guthridge Park Pickleball Courts in Hiawatha on Wednesday, June 4, 2025. Players said they use the website “Playtime Scheduler" to sign up for matches in the area. (Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)

Regina Evan Greve (13) heads the ball towards the Van Meter Bulldogs goal as he challenges for the ball with Van Meter's Tommy Kelly (8) as Regina’s Laird Holden (18) assists during the second half of their 1A semifinal match at the Iowa High School Athletic Association’s 2025 Boys State Soccer Tournament at Mediacom Stadium in Des Moines, Iowa, on Wednesday, June 4, 2025. The Bulldogs defeated the Regals 1-0. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

Regina’s Jackson Kopecky (14) reacts to the Regals’ loss as he walks to the sideline after their 1A semifinal match against the Van Meter Bulldogs at the Iowa High School Athletic Association’s 2025 Boys State Soccer Tournament at Mediacom Stadium in Des Moines, Iowa, on Wednesday, June 4, 2025. The Bulldogs defeated the Regals 1-0. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

Dallas Center-Grimes' Alexandra Hofbauer (1) and Paisley Heidgerken (6) celebrate the Mustangs’ first goal of the match against the Xavier Saints during the girl's 2A state soccer match at the Cyclone Sports Center in Ames on Thursday, June 5, 2025. The score remained 0-0 until the second half when the Dallas Center-Grimes Mustangs won with a score of 2-0. (Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)

University of Iowa MFA graduate Chloe Cobb of Iowa City works on painting a set piece for the upcoming Romeo & Juliet show put on by Riverside Theatre at the Festival River Stage in Iowa City, Iowa on Thursday, June 5, 2025. This is the 40th year of Shakespeare in the Park through Riverside Theatre and 25 years on the Festival River Stage. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

Elliott Harmon of Cedar Rapids reacts to their daughter Atlas Harmon’s, 3, painting during an expressive arts class at the Cedar Rapids Public Library in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Friday, June 6, 2025. Harmon says they like to take advantage of free kid-centered actives around Cedar Rapids. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

Cassie Schmuecker of Woodbury, Minn., helps her daughter Breelie Schmuecker, 8, with stretching before competing in the Eastern Iowa Figure Skating Club Invitational at ImOn Ice Arena in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Friday, June 6, 2025. Cassie was a former Disney on Ice skater and now helps choreograph her daughter’s routines. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

Jamie Bradley pets Cedar Rapids police canine officer Ranger during the Cedar Rapids Farmers Market in southeast Cedar Rapids on Saturday, June 7, 2025. Sgt. Nathan Trimble said his canine partner, a bloodhound, is a tracking officer and gets called out once a month to assist other area police departments. (Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)

Linn-Mar's Aubrey Luck (10) celebrates after scoring a goal during an Iowa Girls’ State Soccer Tournament Class 3A Championship final between Linn-Mar and Waukee Northwest at the Cyclone Sports Complex in Ames, Iowa on Saturday, June 7, 2025. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)

Linn-Mar's Mariska Hagensick (4) comforts Linn-Mar's Eden Hofer (12) following an Iowa Girls’ State Soccer Tournament Class 3A Championship final between Linn-Mar and Waukee Northwest at the Cyclone Sports Complex in Ames, Iowa on Saturday, June 7, 2025. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)

Waukee Northwest's Emma Twigg (12) and Waukee Northwest's Reese Roettger (2) celebrate following an Iowa Girls’ State Soccer Tournament Class 3A Championship final between Linn-Mar at Mediacom Stadium in Des Moines, Iowa on Saturday, June 7, 2025. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)

Adriana Dodd, 8, takes the word “Wave” off of Joan Gonwa’s shirt during the type-dancing performance at the Iowa Arts Festival in downtown Iowa City on Sunday, June 8, 2025. The type-dancing performance was performed using office equipment, such as a typewriter, to create background noise. The performers moved in response to the poem, which was read by another member. (Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)

Arms on the DaVinci 5 surgical robot are used on a toy to show how precise they are during a demonstration in the robotics lab at the University of Iowa Hospital in Iowa City, Iowa on Monday, June 9, 2025. The hospital has acquired three of the DaVinci 5 robots and say the advanced technology will attract doctors from around the midwest. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

Linn-Mar's Annie Cassidy (left) and Lexus Krug slap hands in a special handshake as players are introduced during a softball game between Cedar Rapids Kennedy and Linn-Mar at Kennedy High School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Tuesday, June 10, 2025. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)

Kim White of Incredible Bats shows a blue-tongued skink during an Incredible Bats educational event at the Vinton Library in Vinton, Iowa on Wednesday, June 11, 2025. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

Mechanical Watch Supply owner and clock repairman Rory Demesy of Minnesota screws in a piece of the E. Howard & Co. clock at the Benton County Courthouse in Vinton, Iowa on Wednesday, June 11, 2025. The clock is set to be unveiled on June 19th, 2025, which is 100 years after the unveiling of the original clock. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

A community member holds their hat over their heart for the national anthem during Jim Carlin’s launch event at the Calvary Community Church in northeast Cedar Rapids on Thursday, June 12, 2025. During the event, Carlin formally launched his campaign for the U.S. Senate, challenging Republican U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst in the 2026 Iowa GOP primary.(Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)

North Linn's Mackenzie Bridgewater leaps into the air to make a catch as Edgewood-Colesburg's Eva Vaske slides safely into second base during their high school softball game at North Linn High School in Troy Mills, Iowa, on Thursday, June 12, 2025. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

Angie Brown of Marion looks at herself in the mirror while trying on a wedding dress for a vow renewal at Hope’s Bridal and Prom in Atkins, Iowa on Friday, June 13, 2025. Hope’s offers a wide selection of wedding dresses including discount dresses for budget-conscious brides. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

Volunteer Mike O’Leary of Riverside works to attach a wheel to a cart at the new North Liberty Community Pantry in North Liberty, Iowa on Friday, June 13, 2025. The new location will have 40 shopping carts available to use. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

Derek Schroeder with CR Signs, Inc., does some last minute painting to the bolts securing the 4’6” high letters of the new Cedar Rapids sign that was installed on May’s Island across from the Linn County Courthouse in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Friday, June 13, 2025. The project with the welded, steel sign took about 18 weeks to complete. The sign features Obstinate Orange letters with a black mid-rail and is nine-feet high. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

Adriana Hurtado shakes a maraca as she listens to a speaker during a No Kings rally in downtown Iowa City, Iowa, on Saturday, June 14, 2025. Hurtado dressed in indigenous dress to honor her heritage and her parents who came to the United States from Michoacán, Mexico, when they were in their late teens and worked hard to provide for her future. Coordinated rallies across the country is in response to increasing authoritarian excesses and corruption from president Donald Trump and his allies.The event was co-hosted by Indivisible Johnson County and Food & Water Watch. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

Sarah Sutton waves a card showing her dad, Greg Kastli's (CQ) face as she cheers with friends and family while he is inducted into the Hall of Fame at Independence Motor Speedway in Independence, Iowa, on Saturday, June 14, 2025. Sutton said Kastli has been racing in the late model category for 52 years. Kastli competed in the late model class with car number 73. He finished third in the third heat. The final race was canceled due to rain. (Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)

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