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KCRG.com

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Cedar Rapids house gives out full-size candy bars, animatronic scares on Halloween

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) - A house at the intersection of 3rd Avenue and 19th Street Southeast in Cedar Rapids had spooky animatronics and gave out full-size candy bars on Halloween. The house is called the Ford House. Owners Matt and Jen Ford said more than 600 trick-or-treaters stopped by...

Cedar Rapids, IA · 9d
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cbs2iowa.com

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Donor garden network free for Iowans

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — Iowa gardeners are helping fight food insecurity by growing and donating fresh produce through the Iowa Donation Garden Network, which connects volunteers with resources to support their efforts. The network launched in 2025 and provides free statewide support for gardeners interested in donating produce to...

Iowa · 10d
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cbs2iowa.com

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Cedar Rapids, Marion celebrate completion of CeMar Trail with ribbon cutting

MARION, Iowa — Officials celebrated the completion of the CeMar Trail with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Friday in Marion, marking the end of years of planning and construction. The nearly 7-mile paved trail connects Cedar Rapids and Marion, stretching from Cedar Lake in Cedar Rapids through Thomas Park in Marion to the Grant Wood Trail.

Marion, IA · 10d
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Cedar Rapids Gazette

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Cedar Rapids ventriloquist treated with jokes on Halloween

CEDAR RAPIDS — You’ve got to work for your goodies when trick-or-treating at the Naughtons’ house. Dennis Naughton, a Cedar Rapids lawyer and a semi-professional ventriloquist, has kids tell a joke in exchange for a treat. He’s been doing that for around a decade, with some families telling him their kids pick out and practice their jokes in advance of Halloween. Naughton already is jittery at 4:30 p.m. Halloween night. Dressed in a Revolutionary War costume repurposed from the America 250 celebration, his eyes dart to the window as he waits for the first trick-or-treater to arrive. His skeleton assistant, Bonehead, sits ready on his stool on the Naughtons’ front porch on Grand Avenue SE. Bonehead is a bit of a mess. His head is a different color from his body, his jaw sits at an angle and his eyes bulge in two different directions. He’s oddly endearing, as if he’s used to being the butt of the joke himself. When visitors arrive, Naughton pulls a metal grip in Bonehead’s rib cage, and the skeleton explains the rules for a treat in a grating voice. Some kids aren’t sure how to approach Bonehead. One tiny toddler dressed as a minion

Cedar Rapids, IA · 9d

The Coconut Mama

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Iowa neighborhood grocery store to close after costs outpace sales

A small Iowa grocery store created to bring affordable, healthy food to an underserved neighborhood will close on December 18 after nearly five years. Its shutdown adds a very local…

Cedar Rapids, IA · 12d

travelmag.com

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This Iowa Amish Bulk Food And General Store Has A Bakery Worth The Early Drive This Fall

Raspberry cream cheese rolls, Amish donuts, and a loaf of bread with bacon, egg, and cheese baked right inside. That lineup alone deserves a spot on your weekend plans. The bakery shares space with a full Amish bulk food and general store. Spices, flours, jams, homemade candies, toys, and fabric all fill the same small shop.

Montour, IA · 11d

KCRG.com

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A Look Inside The Backrooms Haunted House in Marion

We got a look inside a Marion home transformed in a haunted house! The FREE attraction is open October 30 and 31 from 5-9 p.m. at 405 W. 33rd Avenue in Marion.

Marion, IA · 11d

fb101.com

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Iowa's Valerie Knospe Wins Hardee's 2026 National Biscuit Baker Competition

Fifty-two biscuits. Fifteen minutes. One national title on the line. That was the gauntlet facing the finalists at Hardee's 2026 National Biscuit Baker Competition—and when the flour settled, it was Valerie Knospe of West Union, Iowa, standing at the top. Hardee's, the quick-service brand synonymous with its Made From...

West Union, IA · 9d

visitmasoncityiowa.com

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Festive Farmstead's Halloween Musical Light Show

Watch Festive Farmstead come alive with thousands of lights synchronized to Halloween music! Park and tune in to our FM station, and enjoy the show from your vehicle, or watch from our outdoor viewing area. This even is family-friendly and completely FREE! No hayride ticket is needed to enjoy the light show.

Mason City, IA · 10d

travelmag.com

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10 Iowa Pizza Places That Locals Swear Serve The Best Slices In The State

Ask around Iowa about the best pizza, and you may accidentally start an argument. That is partly because everyone seems to mean something different by “good pizza.”. In Marshalltown, crisp square cuts have generations of fans. Davenport does long strips. Des Moines somehow made Crab Rangoon work on a...

Iowa · 22d

travelmag.com

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This Iowa Shopping Mall Has A Massive Haunted Attraction Hiding Inside

A shopping mall in Iowa hides a haunted sanitorium spanning approximately 6,000 square feet. It sits just inside a regular mall entrance, across from a nail salon. That combination alone made me do a double take. The scares come wrapped in an original story. Guests wander through a forest lost...

Cedar Rapids, IA · 11d

cbs2iowa.com

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Hometown Eats: The Blind Pig brings big flavors to Cedar Rapids

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — The Blind Pig is serving up burgers, sandwiches and other American favorites on Cedar Rapids’ northeast side. One of the restaurant’s best-known dishes is its breaded pork tenderloin. The Iowa Pork Producers named it one of Iowa’s top five tenderloins in 2020.

Cedar Rapids, IA · 12d

Radio Iowa

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South Tama teacher is recognized for her work in the dramatic arts

A central Iowa teacher will be inducted into the Iowa Thespian Hall of Fame during a special event at the University of Northern Iowa next month. Dixie Forcht is a teacher and librarian at South Tama Community School District and is also the high school’s theatre director. Forcht says she’s thrilled to be included.

Cedar Falls, IA · 10d

Dickson County Source

partner publisher · 5.1K followers

52 Biscuits in 15 Minutes Earns Iowa Baker $10,000 Hardee’s Title

Valerie Knospe of West Union, Iowa, won the 2026 Hardee’s National Biscuit Baker Competition and its $10,000 first prize. She advanced through a series of local and regional rounds to reach the four-person national finals, which took place in October. One of the other finalists was a Tennessee baker from Hardee’s in Dayton. More Business News.

West Union, IA · 10d

krna.com

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Brain & Courtlin End Listener Lunch 2026 at a Brand New Supper Club

We only have ONE more month of Listener Lunch in 2026, and we're ending the year with another new Corridor restaurant!. After a wonderful October full of delicious food from Mercury in Cedar Rapids, it's time for us to move onto our final 2026 lunch destination. Every Tuesday in November, we'll be enjoying lunch at...

Cedar Rapids, IA · 12d

radioonthego.com

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Clarksville Fire Department Plans Omelet Breakfast and Raffle

The Clarksville Fire Department will host its annual omelet breakfast Sunday, November 8, from 8 a.m. until noon in the Clarksville school lunchroom.The menu includes made-to-order omelets, hash browns, toast and drinks. Meals are available for a freewill donation, with all proceeds going toward equipment for a new fire truck....

Clarksville, IA · 11d

Fabulous Iowa

partner publisher · 41 followers

Big Grove Brewery Unveils Holiday Pop-Up

Big Grove Brewery is bringing a new holiday experience to Iowa this November with the debut of A Very Merry Big Grove. The post Big Grove Brewery Unveils Holiday Pop-Up appeared first on Fabulous Iowa .

Iowa City, IA · 12d

Local 4 WHBF

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Rock Falls Tourism announces winners of Halloween House Decorating Contest

Rock Falls Tourism just wrapped up its fifth annual Halloween House Decorating Contest, according to a news release. Seven houses participated:

Rock Falls, IA · 10d

hometowncurrent.com

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Branson star Doug Gabriel brings variety show home to Iowa

When Doug Gabriel was coming of age in the 1970s, “The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour” was a staple in his Cedar Rapids home. The variety show left quite an impact on him. “We grew up on Sonny and Cher,” Gabriel said while calling from his home in Branson, Missouri. “They had some great skits and fantastic songs. We loved watching that show and other variety shows, as well as the Dean Martin roasts. It was a good time since there were so many different types of entertainment that were part of those shows. It was an amazing era.”

Branson, MO · 12d

951thebull.com

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October is Pork Month, Affordable Option at the Meat Counter

Joanne Tupper is with the Chickasaw County Pork Producers Association. She says pork is a nutritious, affordable option at the grocery store. Tupper says their pork promotional efforts include visits to New Hampton fourth grade students, many who meet a pig face-to-face for the first time. In addition to the...

Chickasaw County, IA · 10d