Monday, December 26, 2011
Your holiday lights could win $100,000 for Cedar Falls schools.
They say most pictures are worth 1,000 words, but one of your decorated home could be worth so much more to the Cedar Falls School District. It could buy 200 iPads, more than 74,000 high school lunches, or 300,000 No. 2 pencils for your school. Patch.com is in the midst of a nationwide contest to find the best dressed home in its Patch communities, and the winner’s school district will receive $100,000.
Through today, you can nominate your home by uploading a photo to the contest entry form on the site. You and your neighbors will also be able to vote for your favorite festive home. The winning entry will be forwarded to a national Patch judge that will select 24 finalists. Each finalist will receive $500 that they can apply to their …
Sunday, December 25, 2011
Christmas movies are classic. Take our poll and pick your favorite.
After the presents are unwrapped and the feast is settling in your tummy, do you saddle up to the television for a little movie viewing? There may be no better defined genre than the holiday movie. Tell us what your favorite film is and vote in our holiday movie poll. The television schedule is teeming with your favorite flicks on Dec. 25. From Lifetime and Hallmark's original tear-jerkers to the marathon of A Christmas Story on TBS. What's your style? Do you love the sound of angels getting their wings, a la It's A Wonderful Life? There are no less than seven film versions of A Christmas Carol. Which do you wait all year for, Scrooged with Bill Murray or the 1951 version with Alastair Sim? Does your family remind you of National Lampoon'…
Saturday, December 24, 2011
A compilation from our 2011 Holiday Guide
Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukkah and just general Happy Holidays to you all, Patch readers. For this Christmas Eve post, I thought I'd present a roundup of goodies from our Holiday Guide. The best of our holiday coverage, for your quick browsing pleasure. Gift Central: In case you're still shopping, we ran two gift guides. One gave ideas for handmade gifts, with the assitance and advice of Main Street Cedar Falls businesses. Another lists ideas for gifts from area non-profit organizations - gifts that also give back. 'Tis the Season: A story of annonymous donors paying off layaways at the local Kmart, which just warms our Patch hearts. Holiday Hoopla: Community Main Street held a number of great events this year. Check out our photo …
Friday, December 23, 2011
What's closed and what's open over the holidays.
City Hall and the Hearst Center for the Arts: Closed Dec. 24 to Dec. 26 and Dec. 31 to Jan. 2. No yard waste collection those days. Yard waste pickup is on a call in basis through March 2012. Please call 319-273-8629 to make arrangements for yard waste collection. Cedar Falls Recreation Center: open 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., Dec. 24 and Dec. 31. closed Dec. 25 and Jan. 1. open 5:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Dec. 26. Cedar Falls Public Library: Closed Dec. 24 to Dec. 26 and Jan. 1 and 2. Open Dec. 31 until 5 p.m. Transfer Station and Recycling Center: Open Dec. 24 and Dec. 31, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Cedar Falls Public Schools: Closed through Jan. 2. University of Northern Iowa: Classes begin Jan. 9. Met Transit: All Met Transit service schedules will end one …
After two years away from home, Christmas with my family is the best gift I could ask for.
Last Christmas, it was hot. I wore capris and a tank top, fixed Christmas dinner outside on a grill and ate sitting on the porch under the sun. My friends and I made iced drinks with Amarula, a liquor made from Southern African fruit. We enjoyed having running water for our day in town. We reveled in American movies that most of our friends at home had already seen. They were brought by a volunteer who had just returned from a trip back to the land of high speed Internet. A few days later, we got on rickety public transport and took off for a week at the beach. It was Christmas in Africa, Peace Corps style. It’s kind of hard to beat spending the holidays on the beach, particularly a pristine Mozambican one, but I’m so glad to be home this…
Thursday, December 22, 2011
The governor has uploaded a holiday greeting and asks Iowans to do the same.
Looking for a way to share your holiday spirit? Send a greeting to American troops serving overseas. Iowa Governor Terry Branstad is asking Iowans to visit a new Google-sponsored YouTube channel to record a holiday message for military service members. We've shared the message Branstad recorded above. Visit the Veteran's Channel here to upload a message of your own.
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Unique gift ideas from that benefit the arts and life in Cedar Falls.
Still looking for last-minute gift ideas? Want to give something that will give back? Patch has pulled together these gift suggestions from non-profit places around Cedar Falls. From unique offerings by local artists to massages, from $5 to $165, we've got ideas for every price range and every person on your list. Hearst Center for the Arts: Gift idea: Collected Poetry of James Hearst. Price: $29.99. Gift idea: Jewelry created by local artists. Price: $5 to $100. Gift idea: Animal banks, leather, for children. Price: $5 to $15. Gift idea: Hearst Center American Apparel t-shirts. One says James and Meryl Hearst Center, the other has the building's blue-print. Price: $22. Cedar Falls Visitor Center: Gift idea: Local artists Gary Kelley …
Friday, December 16, 2011
The Kmart donations have been happening across the country, including here in the Cedar Valley.
At least five area families have received an unexpected Christmas gift this year - strangers have paid off their layaway accounts at the University Avenue Kmart. Kmart store manager Dan Hewitt wouldn't say exactly how much had been given, but said that one of the anonymous donors gave several hundred dollars. He said that money paid off the accounts of four families, and another donor paid off accounts for one or two people. "We made sure it was Christmas gifts, and it was for kids. It was toys and kids clothing and things like that," he said. "I think it's great. It's hard when you've got to make payments to pay off Christmas." He said when told about the donations, the families whose accounts were paid off were grateful and surprised. …
42.504612
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3810 University Ave, Waterloo, IA
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The new ice rink was presented to the public while, elsewhere, men competed for the best facial hair.
- HOLIDAY GUIDE
- Anna Love
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Friday, December 16, 2011
Community Main Street has yet again brought crowds downtown for Holiday Hoopla, with the ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new ice rink and a Santa's Beard Contest as last night's highlights. Hot apple cider was served to the crowd while Wendy and Dean Richardson cut the ribbon to the entrance of the ice rink, located behind Cup of Joe near State Street. They cut the ribbon in memory of their son, Jeremey, who was a big help to Linda Anderson, who developed the rink idea, in the five years it took to execute her plan. The weather was too warm for any actual ice in the rink, but members of the Cedar Valley Figure Skating Club who were going to perform came to show their support anyway. "It took a long time to get it to this point and a lot of …
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Get out the lights and holly. Your decorating could net $100,000 for our schools.
Patch.com is launching a nationwide contest to find the best dressed home in its Patch communities, and the winner’s school district will receive $100,000, no strings attached. Here’s how the contest works. Beginning on Dec. 8 and continuing through Dec. 26, you can nominate your home by uploading a photo to the contest entry form on the contest site. During that same time period you and your neighbors will also be able to vote for your favorite festive home. The winning entry will be forwarded to a national Patch judge that will select 24 finalists. Each finalist will receive $500 that they can apply to their December electric bill. From Dec. 30 through Jan. 8 you will be able to vote for the Best Decked House in all of Patch. The grand …
Pamala Hammond
8:29 am on Friday, December 23, 2011
Beautiful...... And well written. Merry Christmas to you and your family. Give your Mom a hug and kiss from me! more ›