Photos: Best of Second Half of April 2025

The tail of a candy corn guppy is seen as it swims in a tank at Prairie Creek Aquatics, 7828 26th Avenue, in Watkins, Iowa, on Wednesday, April 16, 2025. The business breeds and raises numerous breeds of tropical fish in about 180 aquariums. The business has about 3,000 fish. Customers come from Des Moines and the Quad Cities as well as the Waterloo area and the Missouri border. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

Shayla Powell hands Avery Powell, 6, some dandelions to put in their buckets for Ackerman Winery’s dandelion wine at Amana RV Park & Event Center in Amana, Iowa, on Sunday, April 27, 2025. Ackerman Winery’s winemaker, Zach Bott, said they usually ask participants to bring in dandelions, but this year, they decided to host it where community members can pick dandelions. (Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)

University of Iowa volleyball player Rosa Vesty shovels mulch into a wheelbarrow during the Hawkeye Day of Caring at Head Start Coral Ridge Center in Iowa City on Sunday, April 27, 2025. The Hawkeye Day of Caring gives student-athletes an opportunity to volunteer at a community organization. (Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)

Chris Alberts holds Mr. Sushi’s head as kids take turns petting him Public Library in Garwin, Iowa, on Wednesday, April 23, 2025. While there, children and teenagers learned fun facts about skunks and about emotional support animals. (Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)

Adalyn McGinty, 5, picks up an egg during the Easter egg hunt at Guthridge Park, Hiawatha, Iowa, on Saturday, April 19, 2025. Roughly a 5,000 eggs were used for the Easter egg hunt. (Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)

Hiawatha Parks and Recreation member Michelle Miers (left) and Recreation coordinator Ambyr Severson clean up the caution tape that marked off the ‘5 and up’ section during the Easter egg hunt at Guthridge Park, in Hiawatha, Iowa, on April 19, 2025. Severson said the Easter egg hunt lasted slightly longer this year than usual. “Last year, it took 47 seconds,” Severson said. This year, the Easter egg hunt lasted around 2 minutes. (Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)

Riddick (center) shows teeth at would-be rescuers, Cedar Rapids Fire Department water rescue team members, in the Cedar River off of Mays Island in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Friday, Apr. 18, 2025. Riddick has been on the loose after getting away from owner Michele Murphy on an outing to Mount Trashmore. Cedar Rapids Fire Department water rescue team entered the the river on the west side of Mays Island in an attempt to rescue the canine. Riddick growled at their rescue attempt and swam to the west side of the river where Murphy was trying to coax him to shore. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

Michele Murphy of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, talks to her dog Riddick after he was lured from the Cedar River behind the McGrath Amphitheatre in southwest Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Friday, Apr. 18, 2025. Riddick has been on the loose after getting away from Murphy on an outing to Mount Trashmore. Cedar Rapids Fire Department water rescue team entered the east side of the river in an attempt to rescue the dog. Riddick growled at their rescue attempt and swam to the westside of the river where Murphy was trying to coax him to shore. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

Sofia Rose Suiter, 22 months, tastes a colored marshmallow held by her mother Stephannie (cq) Fox-Dixon of Coralville, Iowa, as they dye marshmallows during Marshmallow Magic at the Springmier Community Library, 311 Marengo Rd., in Tiffin, Iowa, on Tuesday, April 15, 2025. Children could color the sugary puffs with a multitude of colors, even put sprinkles on them, for a creative take on Easter egg coloring tradition. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

U.S. Army veteran Bret (cq) Miller of Center Point, Iowa, smiles as he maneuvers his new all-terrain Action Trackchair in the parking lot of ITC Midwest, 3165 Edgewood Parkway SW, during a presentation in southwest Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Tuesday, April 29, 2025. Miller plans to use the vehicle to go fishing with his son Brian and well as do yard work and take walks with his wife Jean and use it to hunt. Employees at the electric transmission company raised money to purchase the wheelchairs during summer charity golf outing that is donated through the Paralyzed Veterans of America’s Iowa Chapter. U.S. Navy veteran Dave Thiele of Ankeny, Iowa, received a Zoom Uphill power-driven mobility device. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

Photographs of Kenyauta Vesey-Keith are seen on a board held by Kenessa Keith, one of his sisters, during the victim impact statement by Saresa Keith, the mother of Kenyauta Vesey-Keith, during the sentencing hearing of Denzel Wilson at the Linn County Courthouse in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Friday, Apr. 18, 2025. Wilson was convicted first-degree murder for fatally shooting Kenyauta Vesey-Keith, 23, outside Poppa n Tommyz, a bar and restaurant at 1323 First Avenue SE in June 2023. Wilson was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

Saresa Keith, the mother of Kenyauta Vesey-Keith, is comforted by her husband Kenneth as she becomes emotional while speaking about how his death has affected her as well as family and friends during the sentencing hearing of Denzel Wilson at the Linn County Courthouse in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Friday, Apr. 18, 2025. Wilson was convicted first-degree murder for fatally shooting Kenyauta Vesey-Keith, 23, outside Poppa n Tommyz, a bar and restaurant at 1323 First Avenue SE in June 2023. Wilson was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

Alicia Rogers (center), the mother of Myron Snyder, holds a picture of her son as her daughter JaeCis (cq) Wright (left) and son Javion Seals (right) do the same as they watch Cameron Leonard being escorted from the courtroom after his sentencing hearing at the Linn County Courthouse in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Tuesday, April 22, 2025. Leonard, 26, of Cedar Rapids, was convicted of fatally shooting a DoorDash delivery driver, Myron Snyder, 21, also of Cedar Rapids, on Oct. 5, 2023 in an apartment parking lot. Leonard was convicted of first-degree murder, intimidation with a dangerous weapon, going armed with intent, use of a dangerous weapon in commission of a crime and being a person ineligible to carry a dangerous weapon. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

Law enforcement officers and fire department personnel pull a despondent man to safety after he hung from a concrete ledge on a bridge over the Cedar River along Third Avenue SE in southeast Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Friday, April 25, 2025. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

Audience members point to a fellow member for Rep. Ashley Hinson to pick next to answer his question during the town hall in Cerro Gordo County at the North Iowa Community Auditorium at North Iowa Area Community College in Mason City, Iowa, on Thursday, April 24, 2025. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

Iowa City High School’s Damari Lacy and teammates cheer on fellow teammate Bernard Grant as Grant attempts a high jump at the Forwald-Coleman Relays at City High’s track in Iowa City, Iowa, on Wednesday, April 16, 2025. (Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)

Iowa City High School’s Damari Lacy lands in the the long jump pit during the Forwald-Coleman Relays at City High’s track in Iowa City, on Wednesday, April 16, 2025. Lacy placed sixth. (Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)

Iowa City West’s Moustafa Tiea stands for a portrait at West High School in Iowa City, Iowa on Tuesday, April 22, 2025. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)

Prairie’s Dylan Schulte returns a volley during a tennis match against Iowa City West at Prairie High School in southwest Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Thursday, April 17, 2025. (Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)

Western Dubuque’s Quentin Nauman celebrates after winning the boys’ 3200-meter run during the 2025 Drake Relays at Drake Stadium in Des Moines, Iowa, on Thursday, April 24, 2025. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)

Water sprays as Oregon’s Kendall Martin, Nebraska’s Cami Merickel and Tulane’s Lily Porth land in the water jump as they compete in the steeplechase during the 2025 Drake Relays at Drake Stadium in Des Moines, Iowa, on Thursday, April 24, 2025. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)

Prairie’s Quinton Alexander competes in the 110-meter high hurdles during the Hawkins-Schwarz COED Relays at Prairie High School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Tuesday, April 15, 2025. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)

Kennedy’s Gracie Yauslin’s hair gets blown in her face as she chips onto the ninth green during the CRANDIC girls golf meet at Twin Pines Golf Course in northeast Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Wednesday, April 23, 2025. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

Marion’s Tillie Cahalan reacts at the placement of her ball to the pin after putting from the ruff on the sixth green during the CRANDIC girls golf meet at Twin Pines Golf Course in northeast Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Wednesday, April 23, 2025. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

Monticello's Sophia Hernandez (left) collides with Regina's Elsie Gavin during their River Valley Conference high school soccer match at Regina High School in Iowa City, Iowa, on Monday, April 21, 2025. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

Jefferson’s Lily Holland returns a volley from Xavier’s Gabriella Fleming during their #1 tennis match at Xavier High School in northeast Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Tuesday, April 22, 2025. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

Xavier’s Isabel Tobin (left) knocks fists with partner Ruby Smith after scoring a point during their #2 doubles tennis match against Jefferson’s Samantha White and Cora Petersen at Xavier High School in northeast Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Tuesday, April 22, 2025. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

A hit to the outfield bounces off the mitt of Penn State outfielder Jenna Nelson (right) during their Big Ten Conference softball game against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Bob Pearl field in Iowa City, Iowa, on Monday, April 21, 2025. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

City’s Hadassah Wolcott chips during the 2025 Clash for the Club girls’ golf meet between Iowa City City High, Iowa City West, and Iowa City Liberty at Brown Deer Golf Course in Coralville, Iowa on Monday, April 28, 2025. West took the victory with a team score of 347. Liberty finished second with 369 followed by City with 437. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)

South Dakota State’s Jake Olson hits out of the bunker on the 18th hole during the Hawkeye Invitational at Finkbine Golf Club in Iowa City, Iowa on Monday, April 14, 2025. Iowa finished in third place. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)

Cedar Rapids Prairie’s Quinton Alexander lines up for the 110-meter hurdles during the 2025 Drake Relays at Drake Stadium in Des Moines, Iowa on Friday, April 25, 2025. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)

Iowa State’s Devan Kipyego celebrates after anchoring the Cyclones to a win in the 4x1600-meter relay during the 2025 Drake Relays at Drake Stadium in Des Moines, Iowa on Friday, April 25, 2025. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)

Iowa’s Holly Duax smiles after winning the 100-meter dash during the 2025 Drake Relays at Drake Stadium in Des Moines, Iowa on Saturday, April 26, 2025. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)

Western Dubuque’s Quentin Nauman takes a victory lap after winning the 1600-meter relay during the 2025 Drake Relays at Drake Stadium in Des Moines, Iowa on Saturday, April 26, 2025. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)