Good morning, Cedar Rapids.

The St. Jude Sweet Corn Festival started at 5 p.m. Friday and runs for three days with rides, games, music, and corn.

Volunteers shucked $1 ears of corn on Thursday; tickets cost $5 (children under 10 and seniors over 60 enter free).

Iowans can save on back-to-school clothing and footwear priced at $100 or less during the state’s annual sales tax holiday from Aug.

7 to 8. Local retailers in Cedar Rapids, such as Boot Barn, expect increased customer visits & significant state & local savings for shoppers.

The Cedar Rapids Community School District reported student criminal charges fell over 76% since launching its Safe & Secure Learning Initiative in fall 2023, which used early intervention and collaboration among staff, families, and partners to boost school safety and support needs.

Cedar Rapids school officials proposed changing two elementary schools’ names Friday with Harrison Elementary renamed Belmont Park Elementary (mascot Blossom the Bee) and Van Buren Elementary renamed Meadow Creek Elementary after community surveys.

Plans for all three schools, with Hoover Community School remaining unchanged, will take effect in fall 2027.

Cedar Rapids native Kara Marie Westercamp was confirmed as a lifetime judge on the U.S. Court of International Trade.

A University of Iowa graduate with four degrees, she joins a panel of nine judges in New York — set to decide international trade disputes.

The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services reported 46 new cyclospora cases this week, bringing the state total to 272 across over half the counties, mainly in Dallas and Polk.

Health officials warn the outbreak—linked to contaminated iceberg lettuce—remains under close review.

The CDC linked a Salmonella outbreak to recalled jalapeños grown in Sinaloa, Mexico distributed by Coast Citrus Distributors, with 345 illnesses confirmed in Wisconsin and Illinois.

Iowa residents (who are not among the affected states) should avoid the recalled peppers and monitor for symptoms.

After Sunday's Cup race, Iowa Speedway in Newton will begin a $19 million project to fully repave its track and upgrade fan areas ahead of the planned NASCAR weekend on July 4, 2027.

The work is expected to finish by November (track officials said it will not alter the existing layout).

Tyrus - Stand-Up Comedy Performance

7:30-9:00 p.m. — Veterans Memorial Building — Tickets from $27 — Enjoy a night of laughter with comedian Tyrus in Cedar Rapids.