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Good morning, Dubuque! In today’s edition: Night of Shakespeare, Bluey breakfast buffet, a cacao ceremony, and more. Let’s get to it!
— Cait Baker
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📰 In the news
Building momentum for soil health: The Midwest Cover Crops Council will soon mark 20 years with its annual meeting in Dubuque on Feb. 10, followed by education and a poster session for students and professionals — get all the event details.
Where affordability is slipping: Stacker compiled a list of Dubuque metro cities with the fastest-growing home prices, using Zillow data, as pandemic-fueled demand persists even while higher mortgage rates slow the pace of gains — see which cities are priciest.
Widespread illness disrupts classes: A state report found rising student absences across Iowa, with 47 schools seeing at least 10% out. About a quarter of counties had at least one school at that level — see what’s in the report.
Compare rates for free: The national average for car insurance is around $175 per month. Paying more than that? Same, so I did some shopping around and ended up cutting my premium in half. If you haven’t checked in a while, you’re probably overpaying too — here’s the comparison tool I used.
Protect your nest egg: Savvy investors are turning to gold amidst today’s inflation, national debt, and market uncertainty for a reason. It holds its value when everything else feels shaky. Case in point: it’s up ~62% since this month last year. If you’re curious about adding it and other precious metals to your portfolio, American Hartford has a super helpful guide that covers everything you need to know. It’s free, and definitely worth a read — check it out here.
*We do our best to avoid paywalled articles. If any slip through, let me know which ones and I’ll permanently remove them from our source list!
Highlights this week:
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🫶 We got your back
Young artists take center stage: The Dubuque Museum of Art is showcasing High Five, a free student portrait installation featuring work by 650 fifth graders from the Dubuque Community School District. Part of DuMA’s expanded Arts Trek program, it celebrates identity and helps students link social studies with the arts. Read the full story.
Hands-on river science: When cabin fever hits, National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium proves learning can be loud, splashy, and very Dubuque, with otter watching, a tidepool touch tank, and maker-y exhibits that scratch the tinkering itch. A simple, low-stress reason to leave the house this week.
Burrito night upgrade: Whether you’re after a fajita-style wrap or something gloriously smothered, Las Margarrita’s rolls hefty hits like the Fajita Burrito, Burrito Mexicano, and Seafood Burrito. The kind of indulgence that makes tomorrow’s leftovers feel like a win.
Thinning hair? Same: I’ve been shedding a lot, and recently noticed my ponytail feeling thinner. After way too much panic-Googling, I discovered Keranique’s hair regrowth system. Everything with them is surprisingly easy: no quizzes, no pills, no choosing between dozens of products. Just grab the kit and follow the instructions. The best part? It’s $75 off right now, you’ll get three free gifts, AND you’ll get your money back if you don’t love the results.
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📆 Around town this weekend
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All events are subject to change without notice. Always check official event pages for the most up to date information.
🏠 Dubuque Home Show @ Grand River Center | Friday (1/9) at 12:00 PM – Nothing warms a Dubuque January like plotting home upgrades over coffee. The Dubuque Home Show hits Grand River Convention Center Jan 9-11, free admission, with local and national pros to help you fix the kitchen, tame the patio, and skip YouTube DIY disasters.
🎭 Night of Shakespeare: Bites from the Bard @ Voices Studios | Friday (1/9) at 7:00 PM – Two nights only, The Driftless Guild and Voices Studios serve up Shakespeare in bite-sized scenes, all flavor, no homework. Think greatest hits of the Bard, performed up close, with wit, heart, and proper enunciation. Bring a friend, leave the CliffNotes, enjoy.
🎸 Frank Martin Busch & The Names @ Diamond Jo Casino | Friday (1/9) at 8:00 PM – Craving real-deal country, not the bro stuff on the jukebox? Frank Martin Busch & The Names bring fiddle, grit, and Turnpike-meets-Cash storytelling to Mississippi Moon Bar, and it’s no cover, so your wallet can relax while the harmonies do the heavy lifting.
🥕 Dubuque Winter Farmers Market @ Kennedy Mall | Saturday (1/10) at 9:00 AM – Bring a tote and swing by the North Concourse by Hibbett and Books-A-Million for the Dubuque Winter Farmers Market. Every Saturday all winter, snag real produce, fresh bread, and handmade goodies, support local folks, then feel downright virtuous about eating salad in January.
🍭 Lollipops & Music for Our Preschoolers Concert @ Carnegie-Stout Public Library | Saturday (1/10) at 10:00 AM – Bring the grandkids or littles to a kid-friendly concert where the musicians do the entertaining, and you get the photo ops. Designed for preschoolers and their families, they learn about music, leave with a lollipop, and you leave with your sanity.
🍳 Bluey Breakfast Buffet @ Goose & Giggles Play Cafe | Sunday (1/11) at 8:30 AM – Bluey breakfast buffet, with Perkins eggs, bacon, bagels, and juice while the kids meet the blue pup and play for 90 minutes. You sip coffee, they burn energy, everyone leaves fed and smiling. Goodie bags available, if bribery is your parenting love language.
🍫 Cacao Ceremony @ The Good Witches Cottage | Sunday (1/11) at 11:00 AM – Skip the usual wine-and-whine and christen The Good Witches’ new space with Chiapas cacao, gratitude, drumming, and a look ahead to 2026. Think meditation, songs, an altar you help build, and Noah keeping it warm and welcoming. Bring an instrument, $30, RSVP, space is limited.
Wanna see more? Browse our full events calendar →
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📻 Dubuque report
Weather forecast
Today – High: 49°F – Low: 37°F – Precip: 98%
Rain after 11am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 49. Southeast wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible. Later: Rain. Cloudy, with a low around 37. West wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
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Tomorrow – High: 43°F – Low: 30°F – Precip: 23%
A slight chance of rain. Partly sunny, with a high near 43. North wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%. Later: A chance of rain and snow after midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 30. Chance of precipitation is 40%. New snow accumulation of less than one inch possible.
This house is wild
CK Construction sets the stage for a luxe new build on a 2.75 acre wooded cul-de-sac lot. Dramatic 14 and 12 foot ceilings define a showcase lower level with a sunken theater. A discreet speakeasy brings vintage character, and a screened porch with a Mastershield power screen opens to the trees.
Performance matches style with in floor radiant heat on both levels and energy wise systems. A three car attached garage pairs with an additional three car capped setup for storage or a workshop. Top tier finishes and thoughtful flow underscore the build quality.
Take a peek inside →
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