Good morning, Cedar Rapids.

Eastern Iowa Honor Flight will depart Tuesday, Oct.

13, as veterans leave Eastern Iowa Airport for Washington, D.C. memorial visits and will return around 9 p.m. The community is invited to a Welcome Home celebration at 7:30 p.m. featuring a military band + first responders.

Iowa’s first VASA Fitness is set to open in Cedar Rapids at 279 Collins Road NE on Saturday, Oct.

10 at 8:00 a.m. The 63,000 sqft center offers strength, cardio, studio classes & recovery options, with memberships starting at $14.99 per month and about 50 new jobs expected.

Girl Scouts of Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois launched their 2026 Fall Product Program in Cedar Rapids today to allow girls to sell nuts, candy, and new snack items including Cranberry Trail Mix and Hot Cajun Crunch; orders and donations support troop activities and the River Bend Food Bank.

The USDA report shows that after one of the wettest Septembers on record, corn and soybean conditions dropped to 72% and 70% good-to-excellent (a decline of 3 and 4 percentage points), leaving farmers with fewer suitable days for field work.

The Iowa DOT announced that the new Mississippi River Bridge at Lansing will open on Friday, Nov.

6. The contractor is constructing 3,300 feet of barrier rails — some lane closures will occur in spring to complete the work.

UnityPoint Health’s Generate Lab has built over 1,500 custom tools for kids since 2019.

The lab creates items like realistic EEG dolls to ease hospital stress, and families + healthcare professionals are invited to share ideas for future projects.

Iowa is receiving $8 million in federal funds through its MIECHV program to support home visiting services that link parents with health and education resources.

The award, nearly $800,000 more than last year’s, will expand services in areas such as Polk and Linn counties.

Waypoint is marking Domestic Violence Awareness Month by planning a purple ribbon display on Oct.

12 in downtown Cedar Rapids to raise awareness and support for victims. The nonprofit thanked mayors (Cedar Rapids, Marion, Hiawatha) and local agencies for backing its free advocacy and safety services across eastern Iowa.