Good Day
Cedar Rapids
Wednesday, November 12th, 2025
Good morning, Cedar Rapids. Here's your local news at a glance for Wednesday, the 12th of November.
COMMUNITY NEWS
- ➤ Cedar Valley Humane Society launched its pet food pantry in 2018 to help local pet owners who struggle to buy pet food—this year the program has served about 3,000 pets and is open Monday through Wednesday and Friday from noon to 5 p.m. at 7411 Mount Vernon Road SE, with donations accepted on Saturdays. CBS 2 Iowa
- ➤ KCRG and the Iowa Giving Crew are gathering donations for Operation Give Birds to help eastern Iowans have a good Thanksgiving meal. Uncooked meals will be packaged and handed out on November 23 at Van Meter in Cedar Rapids after sign-ups open at 9 a.m. November 13 plus a $40 donation feeds a family of four. KCRG
- ➤ Veterans and active duty service members were celebrated Tuesday with breakfast at Hy-Vee stores statewide, and special displays like a tribute bell in Grimes and thank-you cards from the Hy-Vee Kids Club marked an annual event held since 1999—honoring those who served. CBS 2 Iowa
BUSINESS NEWS
- ➤ Malloy Electric broke ground on a new 200,000-square-foot motor facility in Cedar Rapids that will expand its service capacity for industrial customers— the facility includes a 60-ton crane system and equipment for motors up to 20,000 horsepower and will open in mid-2026. CBS 2 Iowa
CULTURE NEWS
- ➤ The Festival of Trees will be held from November 14 to 16 at the former Younkers store at Lindale Mall, offering a family-friendly event with dozens of decorated trees, live entertainment, a holiday vendor market, and visits from Santa and Mrs. Claus — tickets cost $5 (free for those 17 and under with a donation) and auctions will benefit local charities. KDAT
- ➤ The Cedar Rapids Freedom Festival will bring back its Military Tribute Banner Program in summer 2026 to honor veterans and active-duty service members by displaying full-color banners downtown from Memorial Day weekend through August. After the summer display, the banners will be moved inside the Veterans Memorial Building during Veterans Week — a limited number are available for purchase at $250. CBS 2 Iowa
- ➤ KC Bruner, a rising country artist and Swisher native, will perform her sold-out headliner show at Olympic South Side Theater in Cedar Rapids at 6 p.m. Saturday, November 15—marking her return home for a special evening of music. The Gazette
- ➤ Grammy- and Emmy-nominated comedian Nate Bargatze will perform at the Alliant Energy PowerHouse in Cedar Rapids on June 12 (tickets are on sale now) as he brings his Big Dumb Eyes World Tour to the area. CBS 2 Iowa
- ➤ The Herbert Hoover Presidential Foundation is showing Hoover on the Road, a traveling exhibit at the Cedar Rapids Public Library that teaches visitors about the life and legacy of President Hoover—sponsored by Alliant Energy Foundation. The exhibit runs from Nov 10 to Nov 30 and includes a presentation with Presleigh-Anne Johnson on Nov 18 at the Whipple Auditorium. The Gazette
EDUCATION NEWS
- ➤ Teachers in Cedar Rapids schools say the new Instructional Empowerment model helped raise test scores and lower behavior referrals by having students work in small groups to answer questions. The district approved nearly $2 million in funding for the model for the next school year to help close achievement gaps. The Gazette
- ➤ Coe College announced it is partnering with Google's AI for Education Accelerator to offer two new courses—'AI in the Business World' and 'K-12 Teacher Training for AI'—this spring to help students build skills for modern jobs. Faculty said the courses will include a guided learning mode that asks questions to help students find answers and boost critical thinking. KCCI
GOVERNMENT NEWS
- ➤ The Veterans Day ceremony at the Iowa Veterans Cemetery was broadcast live yesterday—honoring veterans with solemn tributes and readings. Officials and community members observed the event as a mark of respect for those who served. KCCI
- ➤ The Monticello Police Department said Tuesday that its dog in training, Bozi, performed well in controlled settings but could not handle real-life distractions and will not graduate as an official K9—Chief Britt Smith said he adopted the dog and thanked donors for their support. The department will search for a new recruit to join its K9 program. KCRG
- ➤ Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig said on Monday that Iowa’s first snowfall last week marked the official end of the growing season and that farmers nearly completed their corn and soybean harvest, in line with five-year averages. He spoke after traveling the state and talking with local farmers. KCRG
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NJCAA Division III Volleyball Championship
9:00 – 10:30 AM — Alliant Energy Power House — Check event details for pricing — Catch the excitement of NJCAA women’s volleyball at the 2025 Division III Championship!
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Needle Felting Workshop
1:30-3:30 p.m. — Cedar Rapids Public Library - Ladd Library — Cost varies — Discover the art of transforming wool into beautiful 3D creations with needle felting.
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NJCAA DII Women's Volleyball Championship
9 AM – 12 PM — Alliant Energy Power House — Ticket prices vary — Catch the excitement of NJCAA volleyball at the DII women’s championship!
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Hockey Match: Muskegon Lumberjacks vs Cedar Rapids RoughRiders
7:05-8:35 p.m. — Cedar Rapids Roughriders Hockey Club — Check local listings for ticket prices — Watch an exciting junior hockey face-off between two competitive teams.
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Thanksgiving Eve Dueling Pianos
7:30-10:30 p.m. — The Olympic South Side Theater — $25 — Experience a night of musical requests from classic hits to today's favorites.
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Waterloo Black Hawks vs Cedar Rapids RoughRiders
7:05-8:35 p.m. — ImOn Ice — Cost info not specified — Catch the action as local hockey teams face off in an exciting match.
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Cirque Musica Holiday Wonderland
7:30-9 p.m. — Paramount Theatre — Ticket prices vary — Experience a dazzling fusion of circus artistry and holiday music in a magical winter wonderland.
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Veterans Holiday Meal
4-6 p.m. — Veterans Memorial Building — Free — Enjoy a traditional holiday meal with fellow veterans and active military members.
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Cultivate Hope Holiday Craft Fair
9 AM – 2 PM — Groundswell Cafe — Supports local youth programs — Discover local crafts, baked goods, and live music this holiday season.
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Madison Capitols vs Cedar Rapids RoughRiders
4:05-5:35 p.m. — ImOn Ice — Stream available — Catch the action as the Madison Capitols face the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders in this exciting hockey showdown.
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Welcome to the Good Day Cedar Rapids, your community newsletter that's anything but snooze-worthy, packed with positive, impactful local news + events across the Cedar Rapids, Iowa community. If you like the Good Day Cedar Rapids, support us by subscribing to our email newsletter and sharing us with your friends and family in Cedar Rapids.
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