Annie Smith Barkalow's stories

Tim Charles, photographed by his wife, Janice, stands in front of one of his paintings.

How Tim Charles and other area leaders are redefining life after the corner office

When former Cedar Rapids Mercy Medical Center President and CEO Tim Charles retired at the close of 2022, the days that stretched before him were as blank as the canvases he likes to paint. “I found that it was a…

Holiday pop-ups bring seasonal cheer to the Corridor

Midwesterners are well-acquainted with the seasonal gloom that settles when the last autumn leaves fall…

LP Street Food’s holiday pop-up events are wildly popular and reservations to dine among the lights and tinsel are encouraged. “How LPSF Stole Christmas” is the 2025 theme.

UI Health Care net operating revenue $9.3M below expectations in first quarter

Medicaid cuts resulting from the federal One Big Beautiful Bill Act haven’t affected University of…

University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics at 200 Hawkins Drive, Iowa City.

University of Iowa eyes $45.57 million renovation, expansion projects for 2026

Seven months after opening its North Liberty campus, University of Iowa Health Care is eyeing…

University of Iowa Health Care Medical Center North Liberty at 701 W. Forevergreen Rd.

Community Foundation of Johnson County celebrates 25th anniversary with awards, new legacy program

As community leaders and organizations gathered Oct. 30 to celebrate the Community Foundation of Johnson…

Shelly Maharry, president and CEO of the Community Foundation of Johnson County at the organization's 25th anniversary celebration Oct. 30.

Escucha Mi Voz urges Johnson County officials to strengthen workplace safety protections for immigrant workers

Escucha Mi Voz, a grassroots immigrant advocacy organization with a focus on workplace justice and…

Members of Escucha Mi Voz, a grassroots immigrant advocacy organization with a focus on workplace justice and immigration reform, gathered at Iowa City City Hall for the Johnson County joint entities meeting Oct. 20.

North Liberty’s Hy-Vee Center and Amphitheater opens doors

Following more than a decade of planning, the $10 million, 13,000-square-foot Hy-Vee Center and Amphitheater…

Crosspark Road Hy-Vee District Store Director Elise Scheil and North Liberty Mayor Chris Hoffman, center, prepare to cut the ribbon to the new Hy-Vee Center and Amphitheater Oct. 21.

Backpocket Brewing to close Coralville taproom, move production to Waterloo

Coralville brewery Backpocket Brewing is moving productions to Waterloo and closing its taproom at the…

Backpocket Brewing's location at the Iowa River Landing, 903 Quarry Road in Coralville.

MidAmerican Energy looks to purchase 20 acres in Iowa City’s industrial campus

MidAmerican Energy is seeking to purchase approximately 20 acres of land in Iowa City’s industrial…

Fenōkee furniture merges art and craft

The small forge takes up only a fraction of the space in the converted workshop,…

Drew Hart and Annie McElree of Fenokee furniture pose in their workshop in Cedar Rapids Sept. 26, 2025. CREDIT ANNIE SMITH BARKALOW

Havenpark Communities to increase rent on Johnson County manufactured home parks despite calls for rent moratorium

Residents of Utah-based Havenpark Communities’ manufactured home parks in Johnson County say despite a plea…

Residents of Havenpark Communities' manufactured home parks in Johnson County, along with supporters, walk to the manager's office at Modern Manor.

City of Coralville OKs final plat for Gather Iowa’s first addition

Gather Iowa, a mixed-use development planned for Coralville’s southeast commercial district, made progress Sept. 23…

A rendering of Gather Iowa, a 10-acre mixed-use development project planned for Coralville’s southeast commercial district.

West Branch gift shop opens second location in Coralville

White Pumpkin Studio, a gift shop located at 102 E. Main St. in West Branch,…

Gift shop White Pumpkin's new storefront in Coralville at the Iowa River Landing, 920 E. Second Ave. Suite 150.

Mother-daughter team dresses dreams at Jocelyn Taylor Bridal and Prom

Jocelyn Hoyle and Deb Steenblock are the mother-daughter duo behind Jocelyn Taylor Bridal and Prom,…

Deb Steenblock (left) and daughter Jocelyn Hoyle of Jocelyn Taylor Bridal

Procter & Gamble to add 100 new jobs with $150M Iowa City expansion

Procter & Gamble is planning to expand its Oral-B Laboratories production capacity in Iowa City,…

Targeted goat grazing is gaining popularity, these businesses are taking the opportunity by the horns

An idea for a “cool retirement job” became a full-time endeavor in July for Tamra…

Charlie Fisher, owner of Falcon Farm Co. and an affiliate of Goats on the Go, checks on one of his goat herds at a jobsite in rural North Liberty. CREDIT ANNIE SMITH BARKALOW