Coralville Courier

Available at participating locations from Wednesday, October 13 – Sunday, November 21

FORT WORTH, TX.– Fuzzy’s Taco Shop announces the addition of the Chipotle Chicken Fajita Taco to its menu, available for a limited time. The new taco brings a delicious blend of savory flavors, packed with fajita chicken and grilled peppers and onions, topped off with a smoky honey chipotle sauce.

The Chipotle Chicken Fajita Taco features house-marinated fajita chicken with grilled peppers and onions, shredded cheese, pico de gallo, Fuzzy’s signature garlic sauce and a honey chipotle sauce on a warm flour tortilla.

Guests will be able to enjoy the new taco at all participating Fuzzy's Taco Shop locations from October 13 through November 21.

“With fall bringing cooler weather to our patios and restaurants, our fans will love the smoky flavor and warmth of our house-made honey chipotle sauce,” says Laura Purser, Vice President of Marketing. “Many Fuzzy’s fans don’t realize we marinate our fajita chicken in-house daily. The flavors in this taco may encourage them to try something new, and allow us to really show off our scratch kitchens.”

The taco is available for a limited time for dine-in, takeout, and delivery (where available). Skip the line with Fuzzy’s online ordering placed through the Fuzzy’s Taco Shop website and app. 

Follow Fuzzy’s Taco Shop on Instagram and Facebook for your daily share of good vibes and craving-inducing images. Fuzzy’s Taco Shop has nearly 150 franchise- and corporate-owned locations in 18 states. For a full list of locations please visit www.FuzzysTacoShop.com.

About Fuzzy’s Taco Shop:

Founded in 2003 near the Texas Christian University campus in Fort Worth, Fuzzy’s Taco Shop® is a fast casual restaurant serving Mexican favorites with a splash of Baja. The laid-back atmosphere pairs perfectly with signature Baja-style tacos, famous chips and queso and icy-cold beverages always served at a chill price. With nearly 150 franchise- and corporate-owned locations in 18 states, Fuzzy’s Taco Shop was ranked a Top Food Franchise, Top Franchise for Culture, and Top Multi-Unit Franchise for 2021 by Franchise Business Review, recognized in Entrepreneur’s 2021 Franchise 500 Ranking and Nation’s Restaurant News’ #10 “Fastest Growing Chains” of 2018, and was included on Franchise Business Review’s “Top Franchises” list in 2017. For franchising information, please visit www.MyFuzzys.com.

IOWA CITY - The public is invited to attend Houseplants Propagation and Care 101, an open-air, in-person class presented by Johnson County Master Gardener (JCMG) volunteers. The class will be held Tuesday, Oct. 19, at 5:30 p.m., at the Johnson County Fairgrounds in the Heritage Barn breezeway, near the Master Gardener Demonstration Garden.

Participants should feel free to bring a lawn chair to this outdoor class and perhaps a jacket. Some bench seating will be available.

A team of Master Gardener volunteers will identify some easy ways to propagate and care for houseplants and will share new plants and starts with class attendees. There is no cost to attend the class, however, a goodwill donation for the plants is appreciated. All donations support JCMG programs and activities.

Johnson County Master Gardener program will celebrate its 40th year of service in 2022. JCMG was organized in 1982. An early launch to the anniversary year was held Oct. 2 with a cooperative effort to plant 40-plus trees in Wetherby Park, 2400 Taylor Dr., in Iowa City. The effort was coordinated by the Iowa City Parks Department to replace trees destroyed by the derecho. Master Gardeners will complete community service projects throughout the anniversary year.

The educational volunteer Master Gardener program is sponsored by Iowa State University Johnson County Extension and Outreach and uses research-based horticulture and gardening knowledge and practices to educate people and coordinate projects that promote healthy communities. Master Gardener volunteers receive horticulture training and volunteer to promote a mission of education and service. The program is open to anyone 18 or older with an interest in gardening and a willingness to use their knowledge, experience and enthusiasm to make a positive impact on their local community.

CEDAR RAPIDS - After an absence due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Eastern Iowa Orchid Show and Sale, “Orchids are a Scream” will return to Cedar Rapids in conjunction with the Halloween holiday.

The show will be held on Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 23 - 24, at the Elks Lodge Hall, 801 33rd Ave. SW, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Show hours are Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The show venue is family-friendly and offers visitors an “up close and personal” view of some of nature's most exotic flowers. Following the show’s theme, some of the orchids are even a bit scary!

Hundreds of blooming orchids, exhibited by orchid society members around the Midwest, will be on display. Orchid-related crafts and collectibles, all centered with the seasonal Halloween theme, will be displayed. Four regional orchid vendors will be on-site and offer plants for sale.

The show is free and open to the public. Volunteers will be available to answer questions. Visitors are urged to follow COVID-19 precautions.

Visit The Eastern Iowa Orchid Society’s website for information: http://www.easterniowaorchidsociety.org

Visit with firefighters, learn about fire safety, and have a bowl of soup with the Coralville Fire Department on Sunday, October 10, 2021.

The Coralville Fire Department invites the public to Fire Station #1, 1501 5th Street, for an open house from 12:00 to 4:00 pm.  Stop by for fire safety demonstrations, talk with Coralville firefighters, learn about fire prevention, and enjoy refreshments. A fire truck, rescue equipment, and protective firefighter gear will be on display, and kids can participate in a fire extinguisher game.

Following the open house, the fire department will host their annual soup supper from 4:00 pm until 8:00 pm; a vegetarian option will be available. Free will donations are accepted and will benefit the Muscular Dystrophy Association, the St. Florian Fire & Burn Foundation (UI Miracle Burn Camp), and the Coralville Community Food Pantry.

Masks are required to be worn in the City of Coralville’s public, indoor facilities, regardless of vaccination status. CDC social distancing guidelines should be followed at the soup supper.

For more information, please contact the Coralville Fire Department at 319.248.183

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA – The Cedar Rapids Police Department will host Coffee with a Cop on Wednesday, October 6, 2021 from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. at Dash Coffee, 120 3^rd Ave SW, Cedar Rapids.

All community members are invited to attend this informal event to discuss community issues, build relationships, and drink coffee. Coffee with a Cop provides a unique opportunity for community members to ask questions and learn more about the department’s work in Cedar Rapids neighborhoods.

The majority of contacts that law enforcement has with the public happen during emergencies, or emotional situations. Those situations are not always the most effective times for relationship building with the community, and some community members may feel that officers are unapproachable on the street. Coffee with a Cop breaks down barriers and allows for a relaxed, one-on-one interaction.

Coffee with a Cop is a national initiative supported by the United States Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services. Similar events are being held across the country, as local police departments strive to make lasting connections with the communities that they serve.

The program aims to advance the practice of community policing through improving relationships between police officers and community members one cup of coffee at a time.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA – City officials and community partners will mark a milestone in ConnectCR and Flood Control System work during a groundbreaking on Thursday, October 7, 2021. The event will celebrate the beginning of construction on Cedar Lake improvements ¾ including both ConnectCR enhancements and a Flood Control levee.

WHEN: Thursday, October 7, 2021, 9:30 a.m.

WHERE: Cedar Lake Park, 871 Shaver Road NE, Cedar Rapids

Swisher, IA - Cedar Rapids Opera kicks off its 24th Season with Suzanne Sings!, an evening of music featuring Metropolitan Opera singer and University of Northern Iowa professor, Suzanne Hendrix. The program will showcase some of Ms. Hendrix’s most celebrated repertoire from Wagner, Verdi, and Bernstein, as well as the in-person premiere of Emma’s Misadventures in Zoomland – an “operatini” by composer Nancy Hill Cobb and librettist Melinda Boyd. This three-song cycle tells the all too current tale of Zoom meeting anxieties. Known for her comedic chops as well as the sumptuousness of her voice, Ms. Hendrix is delighted to perform in Iowa before making her return to the Met this spring.

An interactive mixology demonstration showcasing Cedar Ridge spirits will cap off the evening of handcrafted, interactive entertainment. 

Suzanne Sings! will be held at Cedar Ridge Winery & Distillery on Sept. 30 at 5:30 p.m. The $50 ticket includes two drinks and hors d’oeuvres. The party will be held in the large, open-air event center with garage doors that open to gorgeous autumn vistas of the vineyards.

 Tickets are available www.cropera.booktix.com

IOWA CITY -- For the 36th consecutive year, the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting has been awarded to the City of Iowa City for its Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, or Annual Report, for the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2020.

The Government Finance Officers Association, or GFOA, awarded the Certificate of Achievement, the highest form of recognition in governmental accounting and financial reporting for “significant accomplishment by a government and its management.”

The Annual Report is the document prepared after the fiscal year ends to report the City’s actual income, incurred expenses, and financial position in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles. The FY2020 report is available at icgov.org/budget.

The GFOA established the awards program in 1945 to encourage state and local governments to exceed minimum accounting requirements by preparing comprehensive annual financial reports that provide transparency and full disclosure, and then recognize cities, counties, states, school districts and other government entities that achieve that goal.

Annual financial reports submitted to the program for consideration for the award are reviewed by selected members of the GFOA professional staff and Special Review Committee, comprised of individuals with expertise in public sector financial reporting.

For more information, contact City of Iowa City Assistant Finance Director Nicole Davies at 319-356-5085 or nicole-davies@iowa-city.org.

Mark of distinction recognizes commitment to highest level of service to the community 

Cedar Rapids, IA, – The Cedar Rapids Parks and Recreation Department joins the ranks of elite park and recreation agencies across the country by earning accreditation through the Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies (CAPRA) and the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA). This distinguished accomplishment was awarded on September 9 and will be recognized at the NRPA Annual Conference on September 23.  

CAPRA accreditation is the only national accreditation for park and recreation agencies, and is a measure of an agency’s overall quality of operation, management and service to the community. This mark of distinction indicates that an agency has met rigorous standards related to the management and administration of lands, facilities, resources, programs, safety and services. As part of the accreditation process, the Cedar Rapids Parks and Recreation Department had to demonstrate compliance with 154 recognized standards and document all policies and procedures. Often the process helps identify efficiencies and heighten areas of accountability, all of which translate into higher quality service and operation to benefit the community.

“We are excited to have received this designation from CAPRA, and be among 193 cities nationwide and two in Iowa who have met these rigorous standards. Accreditation is important to the City of Cedar Rapids because it demonstrates that we are constantly working to meet industry best standards,” said Jeff Pomeranz, City Manager.

The process for accreditation involved a formal application, self-assessments, a site visit by a team of trained visitors that resulted in a written report, and a hearing with the commission to grant accreditation. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year's visitations were held virtually. Once accredited, the agency must uphold the standards by submitting an annual report and is reviewed again in five years. The Commission is comprised of representatives from NRPA, the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration, the National Association of County Park and Recreation Officials, the International City/County Management Association, the Academy for Leisure Sciences, the Armed Forces Recreation Network and the Council of State Executive Directors.

For more information about CAPRA accreditation, visit www.nrpa.org/CAPRA.

About the National Recreation and Park Association

The National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) is the leading not-for-profit organization dedicated to building strong, vibrant and resilient communities through the power of parks and recreation. With more than 60,000 members, NRPA advances this mission by investing in and championing the work of park and recreation professionals and advocates — the catalysts for positive change in service of equity, climate-readiness, and overall health and well-being. For more information, visit www.nrpa.org. For digital access to NRPA’s flagship publication, Parks & Recreation, visit www.parksandrecreation.org.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA – The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library will be holding BrewNost, an international beer and food tasting fundraiser, this Friday, September 17, 2021, from 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.  The cul-de-sac portion of Inspiration Place SW will be closed for the event.  The closing of the cul-de-sac will not impede traffic flow between Inspiration Place and 15^th Avenue SW.

Please see the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library website for additional information at https://www.ncsml.org/ncsml-events/brewnost/.