Hey there, Iowa City! Let's get started with what's happening in and around town. Read on and stay in the loop. ☕️️
In today's newsletter:
Also on today's calendar: Free Bra Fittings to Support Breast Cancer Awareness and 9 more events.
Today's riddle: What do you call advice from a cow ? 🤔 (Answer below!)
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1. 'It belongs to us': Historian celebrates ruling over Iowa City's State Historical Society (kcrg.com) — A Johnson County judge has ordered the State Historical Society of Iowa to keep a full research center in Iowa City, blocking the state's plan to close the Centennial Building and move collections to Des Moines. Local historians who sued say the decision means archives must be brought back, staff rehired, and public access restored, with both sides now having 30 days to work out how to implement the ruling.
2. AUTHORITY ZERO Opens Up 'Apocalyptic Summer' for Fan-Made Remixes (therockfather.com) — Authority Zero's Apocalyptour 2026 will bring the band to Gabe's in Iowa City on November 4, giving local punk fans a chance to hear "Apocalyptic Summer" live. The group is also inviting musicians everywhere to download the song's stems and submit fan-made remixes, some of which may be spotlighted on an official playlist.
3. Forbidden Announce Temporary Lineup Changes for Fall Tour with Heathen and Void (ghostcultmag.com) — Forbidden will bring their fall tour with Heathen and Void to Gabes in Iowa City on October 28, supporting their first new album in sixteen years. The band announced that drummer Chris Kontos and bassist Matt Camacho will miss this run for personal reasons, with Eli Lucas and Avery Thurman filling in while the absent members plan to return in 2027.
4. College-Town ZIPs That Fake Poverty (or Wealth) (wordpress.com) — Iowa City's 52242 ZIP code, dominated by university housing, shows a 44.7% poverty rate on paper even though it mostly reflects student life, not a distressed neighborhood. The article walks through similar college-town ZIPs nationwide and explains how dorm-heavy areas can wildly skew income and poverty metrics that advertisers, nonprofits, and policymakers often rely on.
5. Iowa high schools invited to join national poetry contest (kimt.com) — From Iowa City, Humanities Iowa and the University of Iowa's Office of Community Engagement are inviting high schools statewide to join the Poetry Out Loud recitation contest for the 2026–27 school year. Iowa schools can register by December 1, 2026, with winners advancing to a state competition in February and then potentially to national finals in Washington, D.C., where $50,000 in awards are at stake.
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Ok Iowa City! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!
-- The Patch AM Team
P.S. The answer to today's riddle: Beef Tips (Thank you Gary M. for sending it in!)
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