We welcome photojournalist Elizabeth Wood to our staff in sharing her unique perspective of eastern Iowa as we look at Gazette photojournalists’ best photos in the first half of April 2025

Mannequin Pussy perform at the Englert during the 2025 Mission Creek Festival in Iowa City, Iowa on Friday, April 4, 2025. The annual festival includes a variety of events highlighting and music and literature from local artists as well as artists from around the world. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)

Jesse Roeder (left) and Todd McGuire spray paint the Cedar Rapids logo behind home plate as crews prepare Veterans Memorial Stadium for the Cedar Rapids Kernels’ home opener in southwestCedar Rapids, Iowa, on Monday, April 7, 2025. The Kernels take on the Beloit Sky Carp in a six-game series. (Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)

Chris Cruz, victim witness coordinator for the Johnson County Attorney's Office, poses for a portrait in a conference room in the Attorney’s Office in Iowa City, Iowa, on Tuesday, April 8, 2025. Cruz, originally from Honduras, is the first person in his family to come to the United States, go to college and pursue a career. (Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)

Smoke rises from fires set during a controlled burn at the Hawkeye Wildlife Management Area in Johnson County, Iowa on Tuesday, April 8, 2025. The Iowa DNR took the opportunity afforded by the very low humidity to burn 320 acres of land that would not normally be easy to burn. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)

Jarod Anderson, 35, of Hiawatha, winks during a sentencing hearing at the Linn County Courthouse in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Tuesday, April 1, 2025. Anderson was convicted of human trafficking a minor, third-degree sexual abuse and pimping, and two charges of sexual exploitation of a minor. The sentencing will be rescheduled after Anderson requested new attorneys. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)

Nurse manager of the operating rooms Haley Kacena helps George Karena, 2, glide on HERE in the physical therapy gym during the open house at the University of Iowa Health Care North Liberty Campus in North Liberty, April 12, 2025. Kacena said she was excited for the hospital to be open and happy to see the community come to the open house. (Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)

Retired president and CEO of Mercy Medical Center Tim Charles teaches a class on exploration of health in society at Coe College In Northeast Cedar Rapids on Wednesday, April 9, 2025. During his lecture, he discussed the impacts of socioeconomic factors on the aging population. (Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)

Steve Robisky (CQ), a Cedar Falls farmer, sows seeds for native prairie plants into a field for a private customer in rural Cedar Falls on Wednesday, April 9, 2025. Robisky said he enjoys sustainable farming that benefits both people and wildlife. “I think of sustainability as being able to have a positive impact on the environment, clean air, clean water, doing good things for the wildlife and do good things for the soil,” Robisky said. “Secondly, having a positive impact on people.”(Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)

Prairiewoods Franciscan Spirituality Center Land Sustainability Coordinator Aaron Brewer (left) helps volunteers plant trees in the Cedar Rapids section of the Prairiewoods Franciscan Spirituality Center on Friday, April 11, 2025. Prairiewoods Franciscan Spirituality Center partnered with Trees Forever and the City of Cedar Rapids to plant 40 trees to help the local ecosystem recover from the August 2020 derecho. (Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)

April Gimenez of Iowa City, Iowa, raises her fist with other protesters during an Iowa City Hands-Off rally in downtown Iowa City, Iowa, on Saturday, April 5, 2025. The rally protesting President Donald Trump’s administration and policies is part of a nationwide protest campaign. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

Mindy Clark of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, is framed through an O in Iowa as she visits the Cedar Rapids Public Library in southeast Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Friday, April 4, 2025. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

Delaney Ironside (left), 9, plays a drum beat as Daphne Dewitt, also 9, stands nearby during an open house at the Eastern Iowa Arts Academy, 2630 B Avenue NE, in northeast Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Friday, March 28, 2025. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

Kathleen Albright of Robins, Iowa, breaks a scored piece of colored glass as she works on her project in a stained glass class at the Eastern Iowa Arts Academy, 2630 B Avenue NE, in northeast Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Tuesday, April 1, 2025. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

Iowa State Rep. Sami Scheetz (right) talks to Anne Harris Carter after being named the district 2 representative to the Linn County Board of Supervisors during a meeting of the selection committee at the Jean Oxley Public Service Center in southwest Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Tuesday, April 1, 2025. Harris Carter, a Linn County health equity program manager, was another candidate for the vacancy. Scheetz will replace Ben Rogers. Scheetz was one of 17 applicants and four finalists for the position. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

Foundation 2 chief operating officer Erin Langdon (right) slaps hands with safe & secure learning administrator Janessa Carr after Carr spoke during at the Cedar Rapids Community School District’s 2025 Educational Address at the Educational Leadership and Support Center (ELSC), 2500 Edgewood Rd NW, in northwest Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

Emily Ward RN, associate chief nursing officer is silhouetted as she talks about a 1,000lbs. Patient lift system during a tour of the University of Iowa Health Care North Liberty Campus in North Liberty, Iowa, on Friday, April 11, 2025. The 469,000 square foot facility has an emergency room with 14 emergency care rooms as well as 36 inpatient beds on the third floor. The facility also houses the health care system’s orthopedics department with operating rooms, rehabilitation therapy gymnasium and an orthopedic walk-in clinic. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

Jesse Roeder drives a tractor as he nail boards the infield as crews prepare Veterans Memorial Stadium for the Cedar Rapids Kernels’ home opener in southwest Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Monday, April 7, 2025. The Kernels take on the Beloit Sky Carp in a six-game series. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

Marion’s Addison Dabroski competes in the girls’ 4x800 meter relay during the Mount Vernon Relays at Mount Vernon High School in Mount Vernon, Iowa on Thursday, April 3, 2025. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)

Mount Vernon’s CaliAna Whitaker anchors the girls’ 800 meter sprint medley relay during the Mount Vernon Relays at Mount Vernon High School in Mount Vernon, Iowa on Thursday, April 3, 2025. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)

Iowa senior defensive lineman Max Llewellyn during practice at the indoor practice facility at the Stew and LeNore Hansen Football Performance Center in Iowa City, Iowa, on Thursday, April 3, 2025. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

Jefferson's Lovekens Laguerre celebrates after scoring the first of his two goals during their boys’ soccer match against the Tipton Tigers at Kingston Stadium in southwest Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Monday, March 31, 2025. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

Liberty’s João Victor Lira dribbles during a game between Iowa City West and Iowa City Liberty at West High School in Iowa City, Iowa on Thursday, April 10, 2025. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)

Liberty’s Mason Pentecost heads the ball during a game between Iowa City West and Iowa City Liberty at West High School in Iowa City, Iowa on Thursday, April 10, 2025. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)

Iowa’s Pia Kranholdt hits a backhand during a dual match between Iowa and UCLA in Iowa City, Iowa on Friday, April 11, 2025. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)

Iowa Hawkeyes’ Kooper Schulte (9) strikes out during their Big 10 baseball game against Nebraska at Duane Banks Field in Iowa City, Iowa, on April 13, 2025. (Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)

South Dakota State’s Jake Olson hits out of the bunker on 18 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)