On Sunday, Dec. 11, from 1 until 3 p.m., the Iowa City Police Department took local youth shopping for the holidays at the Iowa City Wal-Mart. The shoppers were pre-selected to participate and will shop with a police officer for necessity items and gifts for themselves, as well as special gifts for family members. This event is part of the Iowa City Police Association’s Shop with a Cop program. The children were able to shop due to the generous donations of area residents and businesses. Officers, their families, and civilian employees from the Iowa City Police Department, volunteer their...

As you're putting up or taking down your holiday decorations this year, remember that strings of holiday lights that no longer work don’t have to be thrown away -- they can be recycled! Although they can't be set out for curbside recycling, holiday lights that you want to dispose of may be dropped off in special collection bins that have been set up throughout Iowa City and Coralville. The string light recycling program will run through Monday, January 9, 2017. Do not place packaging or other holiday decorations in these special bins, as only the strings of lights can be recycled. Bins...

City of Iowa City offices, facilities and City Hall will be closed Fri. Dec. 23, Mon. Dec. 26, 2016 and Mon. Jan. 2, 2017 for the winter holidays.

Other City schedule adjustments are listed below. Normal operations will resume Tues. Jan. 3, 2017.

Trash, recycling, and yard waste collection:

With snow season’s arrival this year, the City of Iowa City reminds residents of the snow removal ordinance requiring sidewalks to be cleared within 24 hours after a one-inch or more snowfall, or after any accumulation of ice has ended.

Sidewalk policy

Property owners are responsible for the removal of snow and ice from all sidewalks that abut their private property. The entire width of the sidewalk must be cleared down to concrete. Renters should check their leases to see if their landlord has transferred the responsibility of snow and ice removal to...