Education & Community Input: Dubuque residents weighed in on the Dubuque Community School District’s nearly $18 million cuts plan, with three consolidation scenarios on the table, including possible closures of Jefferson Middle School after 2027-28. Local Culture & Food: DeKalb’s Corn Fest kicked off with dozens of vendors, tractors, and a Biofuels Mobile Education Center stop explaining ethanol’s role in Iowa’s corn economy. Public Health & Community Care: Mason City’s North Iowa Harm Reduction Coalition is hosting Overdose Remembrance Day at Central Park, with naloxone training, resources, a community meal, and a remembrance walk for people lost to fentanyl. Arts & Learning Spotlight: Cedar Rapids’ Grant Wood Elementary earned a national “Exceptional School” nod for third-grade literacy gains that beat what student demographics would predict. Civic Life & Elections: Iowa Democrats rallied at the Polk County Steak Fry as U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse and Rep. Jamie Raskin urged support for Josh Turek and term limits, framing the stakes as a check on Trump-era power. Media & Free Speech: Trump renewed his push to report NBC’s Kristen Welker to the FCC after she described his endorsement record as mixed. Business Notes: Cedar Rapids/Iowa City updates included new hires and a major $50,000 financial inclusion grant through the Iowa Credit Union Foundation.