3 Months at the Cedar Rapids Gazette

These are a few of my favorite photos and memories from the last three months at the Cedar Rapids Gazette in Iowa. They're not all great photos, but they are great memories.


Williamsburg High School's Curtis Stochl, 18, plays the sousaphone as his school competes during Bands Across the Prairie at Prairie High School in Cedar Rapids on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2008.


Incoming Coe College nursing student, Brittney Woodford, 18, of Mechanicsville, shovels debris outside the window of a flood damaged house on Third St. NW in Cedar Rapids on Saturday, Aug. 23, 2008. Woodford and other incoming Coe College students helped clear the homes to fulfill the college's required 20 hours of community service. "It's sad," Woodford said about seeing the damaged homes.


Annette Marsalli, 8, of Hiawatha, reads to therapy dog Guinness during the Reading to Dogs event at the Hiawatha Library in Hiawatha on Thursday, Oct. 23, 2008. The program is designed to help and encourage kids to read. "I never imagined you could talk to dogs like a human," Marsalli said of the event.


Buena Vista University's (left) Jared Boysen runs in from the side as Coe College's Robert Welborn misses the pass from Coe College quarterback John McCarthy, allowing Buena Vista University's Andy Jacobson to intercept, gaining control of the ball during the first half of their game Saturday, Nov. 1, 2008, at Coe College's Clark Field in Cedar Rapids.


Cedar Rapid's Washington players (left) Dan Krotz, Saxon Dolan, Devon Reese and Jerome Strong prepare to tackle Linn-Mar High School's Jer Garman as he's pulled to the ground by Cedar Rapids Washington's Larry Johnson during their game Thursday, Sept. 18, 2008, at Kingston Stadium in Cedar Rapids.


A bee flies over wildflowers growing outside a field of soy beans on Campfire Rd. in Walker on Thursday, Sept. 18, 2008.


(clockwise from left) Walker Bilden, 4, of Cedar Rapids, Peyton Boeckenstedt, 4, of Martelle, and Griffin Wisehart, 5, of Cedar Rapids, all future students at Cedar Valley Montessori School, play on a toy on Friday, Aug. 29, 2008, at the First Baptist Church/Church of the Brethren in Cedar Rapids. The Cedar Valley Montessori school will relocate to the First Baptist Church/Church of the Brethren after their building was damaged in the June 2008 floods.


(left) Morgan Elliff, 4, of Hiawatha, Marissa Bills, 4, of Marion, and Luke Schrock, 2, of Cedar Rapids listen while Erin Thomas, Education Director at the Cedar Rapids African American Museum, reads "We All Went on Safari," by Laurie Krebs, to a group of children at the Hiawatha Library in Hiawatha on Friday, Sept. 5, 2008. During the class, which was held in the Library due to flood damage at the African American Museum, the children learned to count to ten in Swahili, make paper plate snakes and dace to a Swahili song. The African American Museum in Cedar Rapids celebrates its five year anniversary this year.


(left) Riley Grignon, 2, points off to the distance while his mother, Marie Grignon, and sister, Noel Grignon, 5, share a kiss on Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2008, in Cedar Rapids. The recent flooding destroyed the family's home, forcing them to split up, living in two different homes.


Linda Sanders, of Cedar Rapids, sings during Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church's installation service for their new pastor, Damian Epps, on Thursday, Oct. 3, 2008, at their new long-term temporary location on 2nd Ave. SE in Cedar Rapids.


Earning first place in the men's varsity race, Lewi Manirumva, 18, of Washington High School, crosses the finish line followed by Iowa City West High School's Frank Canady, 17, during their cross country meet at Noelridge Park in Cedar Rapids on Thursday, Sept. 11, 2008.


(from left) April Keegan, 18, of Victor, Eric McElroy, 19, of Elberon and Brandi Collins, 18, of Belle Plaine, sit in the King Theatre foyer watching "Eagle Eye" as they wait for their friends to arrive on Saturday, Nov. 1, 2008, in Belle Plaine.


Coe College's Lacey Ganske (#15) jumps up to block the ball after Loras College's Natalie Roling (#2) hit the ball over the net during their game Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2008, at Coe College in Cedar Rapids.