Reminder: Public input meeting scheduled Wednesday for Lower City Park

Tuesday, October 20, 2015 - 10:43am
Parks and Recreation

Due to the continued challenges caused by seasonal flooding in Lower City Park, the Iowa City Parks and Recreation Department is planning a redesign of the area. The public is reminded that the City will host an open house on Wednesday, Oct. 21 from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Social Hall of the Robert A. Lee Recreation Center, 220 S. Gilbert Street, to present and gather ideas and feedback on a new master plan for Lower City Park.

Confluence, a Des Moines-based landscape architecture firm that has been hired to develop the park master plan, will be available to present details of some of...

Volunteers needed for Wetherby Park Edible Forest projects

Tuesday, October 20, 2015 - 10:41am
Contact: 
Joyce Carroll
Parks and Recreation

Volunteers are needed this Friday, Oct. 23, to help build pathways and a natural playscape in the Wetherby Park Edible Forest at 2400 Taylor Drive in Iowa City. The event, hosted by Backyard Abundance and the City of Iowa City Parks and Recreation Department, will be held from 8 to 11:30 a.m.

Participants will seed grass in pathways, help with light weeding, and establish a natural playscape made from buried logs and stumps. Volunteers are asked to wear jeans, boots, and gloves, and bring steel rakes, shovels, pitchforks, and wheel barrows if possible. Refreshments will be provided...

Farmers Market season comes to an end next week

Tuesday, October 20, 2015 - 10:39am
Contact: 
Tammy Neumann
Recreation

The Iowa City Farmers Market season will be wrapping up next week. Final weekly market dates for 2015 will be Tuesday, Oct. 27 for Mercer Park Market at 1317 Dover Street; and Wednesday, Oct. 28 and Saturday, Oct. 31 for the markets in the Chauncey Swan Parking Ramp, across from City Hall at 410 E. Washington Street. Hours for the markets are 3 to 6 p.m. on Tuesday, 5 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, and 7:30 a.m. to noon on Saturday.

HOLIDAY MARKETS

The annual Iowa City Holiday Markets, which give Farmers Market patrons and area residents a chance to buy...

Lucas Farms Neighborhood plans Halloween Costume Sale

Monday, October 19, 2015 - 5:02pm
Contact: 
Marcia Bollinger
Neighborhood Outreach

Still searching for that perfect costume for Halloween? The Lucas Farms Neighborhood Association is hosting another costume sale this year to help raise funds for neighborhood activities and improvements. Last year, the sale helped raise funds for improvements to their neighborhood park, Highland Park.

This year, the sale will be held from Thursday, Oct. 22 to Friday, Oct. 30 at 330 E. Third Street in Iowa City, behind the Kum and Go station on Gilbert and Highland Streets. Hours are noon to 6 p.m. each day.

Costumes are $10 or less, and everything must go!

For more...

Deadline to purchase tickets for Annual Human Rights Awards Breakfast is Friday

Monday, October 19, 2015 - 4:20pm
Contact: 
Stefanie Bowers
Equity and Human Rights

This Friday, Oct. 23, is the deadline to purchase tickets for this year’s Annual Human Rights Awards Breakfast. Tickets are $20 per person and are available for sale at the Cashier’s Desk in City Hall, 410 E. Washington Street. Credit card purchases may be made by calling 319-356-5066. Tickets will not be available the day of the event.

The 32nd annual breakfast is scheduled Wednesday, Oct. 28 at the Iowa Memorial Union, 125 N. Madison Street. Breakfast will be available at 7:15 a.m., with the program starting promptly at 7:30 a.m.

Orville H. Townsend, Sr., an adjunct...

Lane reductions planned Wednesday for fire hydrant work

Monday, October 19, 2015 - 3:17pm
Engineering

Weather permitting, beginning on Wednesday, Oct. 21, E. Court Street traffic lanes between Terrace Road and Elmridge Avenue will be shifted to the north, and Crestview Avenue south of the E. Court Street intersection will be reduced to one lane of alternating traffic. These traffic alterations are necessary to facilitate the replacement of a fire hydrant. It is anticipated that E. Court Street and Crestview Avenue will reopen to normal traffic by late afternoon on Friday, Oct. 23.

Motorists are encouraged to allow extra travel time or to seek an alternate route during this time...

Job and Resource Fair scheduled Oct. 22

Friday, October 16, 2015 - 2:33pm
Contact: 
Stefanie Bowers
Equity and Human Rights

On Thursday, Oct. 22, the City of Iowa City Human Rights Commission and Housing Authority, Goodwill of the Heartland, Iowa WORKS, Shelter House, Iowa Vocational Rehabilitation Services, and Successful Living and Supportive Housing are sponsoring a Job and Resource Fair at Eastdale Plaza, 1700 S. 1st Avenue in Iowa City, from 4 to 6 p.m. The event is hosted by the Eastdale Plaza Owners Association. There is no charge or fee to job seekers to attend. Over 25 local employers are registered to participate.

For the complete list of employers and community resources, visit:...

City and Project GREEN receive REAP grant for Ashton House gardens

Friday, October 16, 2015 - 9:56am
Parks and Recreation

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources has announced that the City of Iowa City Parks and Recreation Department and Project GREEN have been awarded a $154,079 Resource Enhancement and Protection (REAP) grant for the redevelopment and restoration of landscaping and gardens at the Ned Ashton House, 820 Park Road. The limestone house and grounds, which were named to the National Register of Historic Places in 2001, sit adjacent to the Iowa River and were considerably damaged by the floods of 2008.

After the City purchased the Ashton House in 2011 to restore for use as a special...

Iowa City Fire Department responds to structure fire at 1906 Rochester Court

Friday, October 16, 2015 - 9:30am
Contact: 
Brian Rohr
Fire Department

The Iowa City Fire Department responded to a structure fire at 1906 Rochester Court at 1:12 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 16. The first unit to arrive found smoke visible from the eaves of the single story residence. Fire crews found the fire to be primarily located in the attic space. All occupants were out of the building at the time of arrival.

Thirteen Iowa City Fire Department personnel assisted with fire suppression efforts. The Johnson County Ambulance Service, the Iowa City Police Department and Mid-American Energy also assisted at the scene. Fire crews were on scene for...

Traffic signal work scheduled at 1st Avenue and Highway 6

Friday, October 16, 2015 - 8:24am
Engineering

Weather permitting, work is scheduled today (Friday, Oct. 16) on the traffic signal at the intersection of 1st Avenue and Highway 6. The work is scheduled to get underway around 9 a.m. and is expected to last approximately two hours. During this time, the signal will be set to all-red flash, creating an all-way stop at the intersection. Motorists are advised to use caution when traveling through this area.

Modifications are being made to the traffic signal, including the addition of a flashing yellow arrow for eastbound Highway 6. The modification will allow traffic to turn left...

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