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Happy weekend, Cedar Rapids! In today’s happening-today edition: Biotech shark tank, NASA-powered nitrate warnings, and harmony festival + events worth checking out today & tomorrow.
Today's sponsor, SmartAsset, is helping people around Cedar Rapids evaluate their retirement income strategy and plan for a retirement that could last decades. Their free quiz matches you with vetted fiduciary advisors who serve your area and are legally required to act in your best interests. Take the quiz and find your match.* |
01 — Worth knowing In the newsThree local stories this week, plus a few worth your money.
Pitch your biotech idea: Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance urges biomanufacturing start-ups to apply for Biomanufactured Shark Tank, set for September 10. Applications will close July 27 with three-minute pitches and Q and A -- get the full details.
Tracking water quality threats: University of Iowa researchers are using NASA Earth data to develop a nitrate warning system with Cedar Rapids, Iowa City, and Des Moines Water Works for real-time water quality monitoring -- learn how the system works.
Big project debate intensifies: On Friday, Mayor Tiffany O’Donnell defended Cedar Rapids’ support for two $1 billion data centers in Big Cedar Industrial amid kickback claims and questions on NDAs and water capacity -- see the data center debate.
The bill all retirees should double check: Car insurance. If you've been on the same plan for years, you might be paying way more than you need to. It's an easy one to forget about, but switching could save you up to $1,100 this year.1 Some users report saving up to 50% on their monthly rates -- this free comparison tool makes it easy.*2
Watch your credit card balance drop. Here's a rare one: this card lets you skip interest charges until nearly 2028, and you won't pay a cent in annual fees to do it. On top of that, every purchase earns at least 1.5% cash back, with some categories as high as 5%. Spend a little early on and there's up to a $200 bonus waiting too -- take a look.*
Your insurance won't cover a $12,000 HVAC bill: If your furnace quits before it warms up, your homeowners insurance will tell you it's a "maintenance issue" and wish you luck. Insurance covers sudden disasters. It doesn't cover the systems that wear out over time, and those are the expensive ones. A home warranty is built for exactly this. HVAC, water heater, appliances, plumbing, electrical... all covered for less than $1/day with no age restrictions on what's covered. You call, they send a tech, you pay a service fee. They handle the rest -- this one's 50% off right now.* Highlights this week: |
02 — From our sponsor The free quiz matching 50,000 people a month with a fiduciary advisorIf you've saved $2.5 million, you're well ahead of most Americans. But how long it lasts depends less on the balance and more on the decisions you make with it. Take the 4% rule, a common benchmark. It suggests withdrawing about $100,000 your first year from a $2.5M portfolio, then adjusting for inflation over time. While it can be a useful starting point, it doesn't account for factors such as other income sources, taxes, spending goals, or changing market conditions. That's why many retirees choose to work with a financial advisor. A financial advisor can help build a tax-efficient withdrawal strategy around your situation, including how much to take from each account and when - so you have a clearer picture of how much you can spend each year. SmartAsset's free quiz matches you with vetted fiduciary advisors who serve your area, each legally bound to work in your best interest. The quiz only takes a few minutes. No cost. No obligation. Find your advisor match.* |
03 — On our radar
Local business spotlightNearby spots we'd actually send a friend to.
Cravings meet their match: When the afternoon slump hits, French Pastry by Sandrine comes through with scratch-made French classics and macarons you will actually sit down for. Expect 120 flavors, natural ingredients, and that perfect snap then chewy bite that quietly fixes a Tuesday.
Hair day, upgraded: Need a quick refresh before the week or a full style switch-up, GDMS Beauty Supply has wigs, braiding hair, and those clutch accessories and purses that somehow finish the fit, all right here in Westdale Town Center so you can stock up without crossing town.
Soup night upgrade: Pho House nails the comfort-food trifecta with slurpable pho, springy noodles, and bubble tea that actually tastes like a treat. Add crab rangoons to the table, call it self-care, and thank yourself later when the broth clears your head faster than your morning coffee.
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04 — Our recommendations
We got your backA handful of products and services we think are worth a look.
Stiff necks start on flat pillows: You've slept on both arms, both sides, stacked two pillows, thrown one on the floor, and the stiffness keeps finding you, because every position ends on the same pillow that can't hold your neck. This one can: shaped to keep your neck in line however you sleep, with gentle traction through the night. If it doesn't earn its spot in 30 nights, it goes back free. *Take the 30-night test, 50% off →
Burglars do their homework: They watch the street, learn the patterns, and — per that same survey of 422 convicted burglars — 83% check whether a house has an alarm before touching it. The point of a security system isn't winning a confrontation; it's failing their homework check so there never is one. ADT has been the answer they least want to find, voted America's most trusted home security provider. *Get crossed off the list →
You've said you'd learn another language. This is the year you do: Maybe it's the relatives you can only half talk to, the trip you keep planning, or a goal that's followed you for a decade. Babbel is built to get you there for real, most people are holding actual conversations within three weeks. Every lesson is designed by over 200 language experts to get you speaking early. 92% of users improved their proficiency in two months. One subscription unlocks multiple languages. This is the year it finally happens. *Get Babbel for 55% off →
Big markdowns on makeup made for women over 40: Laura Geller formulates for mature skin specifically. There's even a collection called The Over 40 Edit. The brand is offering new email subscribers up to 65% off, with an extra 22% off layered on top. Your email is all it takes to unlock it. *Worth a look →
84% of women saw improved hair growth in six months: That's from Nutrafol's clinical study of women with thinning hair. It's a drug-free daily capsule designed to target the root causes of thinning: the hormonal shifts, stress, and nutritional gaps behind it. Dermatologist-recommended, and 3-month deliveries are 15% off. *Proven solutions → |
Have an event to share? We (and our readers) can't wait to hear about it! Submit an event → |
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05 — The event calendar Around town today & tomorrowOur favorite events going on the rest of this weekend. Dates, times, and locations are subject to change. Always check official event pages before heading out.
🎵 Harmony Festival @ African American Museum Of Iowa | Saturday (7/25) at 9:00 AM – Harmony Festival is taking over Cedar Rapids with movement, mindfulness, and music across multiple venues, proof the middle of Iowa can get zen without leaving town. Expect yoga without the contortion contest, thoughtful sessions, and live sets with real groove, plus an intentionally inclusive crowd.
🎴 Cedar Rapids Pokemon | TCG & Collectibles Show @ DoubleTree by Hilton Cedar Rapids Convention Complex | Saturday (7/25) at 9:00 AM – Collector weekend calls for the DoubleTree, where a two-day TCG show brings vintage to modern Pokémon, One Piece, sealed wax, and a three-table Star Wars trove. Vendors rotate daily, so do a second lap, sip Flow Dirty Sodas, and refuel with Rudy Blues BBQ.
🛍 Newbo/Czech Village Girls Day Out @ NewBo City Market | Saturday (7/25) at 9:00 AM – Girls Day Out calls for boutique hopping, pastry stops, and people-watching in NewBo and Czech Village. Snag event-only deals, get your passport punched, and swing by the GRLSLUVFLOWERS table for bouquets, curated finds, and a gift when you complete it.
🎄 Christmas in July Family Fun Day! @ The Salvation Army Cedar Rapids Corps Community Center | Saturday (7/25) at 10:00 AM – Christmas in July is back, which means Santa traded the sleigh for flip-flops, and the kids get bragging rights from a reverse dunk tank. Free lunch, face painting, carnival games with prizes, and a low-key look at how the Salvation Army helps here.
🥋 Dogg House Women's & Children's Self-Defense Seminar @ The Dogg House Gym | Saturday (7/25) at 10:00 AM – Feel like the kids should know escapes, and you could brush up too? The Dogg House hosts a family-friendly self-defense seminar with Mark Mills, JR Hicks, and Nate "Teddy Bear" Williams, plus free pancakes and a silent auction. Cedar Rapids knows safety pairs with syrup.
🛶 Cedar Rapids Summer Paddle Battle @ Jones Park Pickleball Courts | Saturday (7/25) – Grab your paddle and your best line calls, and head to the Cedar Rapids Summer Paddle Battle, a hometown pickleball throwdown for bragging rights and sore calves. All levels show up, neighbors cheer, and the City of Five Seasons adds a sixth, pickleball.
🚗 3rd Annual Pizza World/Voodoo Brewing Co. Hot Rod & Custom Car Show @ Pizza World / Voodoo Brewing Co. | Sunday (7/26) at 8:00 AM – The third-annual hot rod and custom car show rolls into Pizza World and Voodoo Brewing, mixing chrome, pizza by the slice, and beer, all to benefit the Stead Family Children’s Hospital. Expect shiny fenders, music, a 50/50 raffle, and bragging rights your brother-in-law will hate. Live music & entertainment:
Want more? Browse our full events calendar | Submit an event |
06 — From our sponsor Skip credit card interest until nearly 2028You know the feeling: you make your credit card payment, check the balance, and it's barely moved. That's interest quietly eating most of what you pay. Here's a rare chance to stop it. This card lets you skip interest charges until nearly 2028, so for over a year every dollar you pay goes straight to what you owe, not the bank's cut. And you won't pay a cent in annual fees to do it. The rewards are where it gets even better. Every purchase earns you at least 1.5% cash back, with some categories climbing as high as 5%, so the card pays you back on the spending you're already doing. Put a little on it early and there's up to a $200 bonus waiting. Between the break on interest, the cash back, and no annual fee, it's a lot of card for nothing to hold. *Take a look → |
07 — Cedar Rapids report Weather forecastToday — High: 87°F — Low: 71°F — Precip: 2%
Partly sunny, with a high near 87. South wind around 5 mph. Later: Partly cloudy, with a low around 71. South wind around 5 mph.
Tomorrow — High: 92°F — Low: 76°F — Precip: 6%
Mostly sunny, with a high near 92. Later: A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 76. This house is wildThis Jerry’s Homes Meadowview plan pairs stacked stone curb appeal with river rock landscaping and a roomy 3-car garage. Inside, oak LVT, vaulted ceilings, white kitchen cabinetry, quartz counters, and black fixtures create a polished look. A walk-out lower level adds a rec room, wet bar, two bedrooms, and a full bath.
Take a peek inside → |
1Average potential savings based on initial quotes received by 151,494 customers seeking insurance through Insurify. Savings and lowest rates do not reflect typical results. 2Estimated. |
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