Top Five 2016 Memorable Moments

Moving to Cedar Rapids in the Spring of 2016 gave me the chance to experience many new and wonderful things. Here are my Top Five Most Memorable Moments from 2016.

Uptown Friday Nights: The live music scene in Cedar Rapids is vibrant, colorful and fun. Watching local bands like Slap n Tickle, Four Star Fate and Alisabeth Von Presley perform at the McGrath Amphitheater was a fun and exciting introduction to Eastern Iowa's live music scene. Thanks to the Cedar Rapids Jaycees for hosting one of the best downtown events and for inviting KRNA to be part of the fun.

Downtown Coffee Shops: I'm a coffee lover,and some say a coffee snob because I prefer local coffee hangouts over the national chain-coffee shops. There are plenty of locally owned neighborhood bean brewers, but I have a closer affection to the downtown shops, since our radio station is within walking distance of nearly a half dozen great bistros and cafes.

Maquoketa Caves State Park: A short drive to a very cool place. I love nature and all the wonders of the earth. You can really feel it here. I highly recommend a trip here if you've never been.

Cedar Rapids Kernels Baseball: There's nothing like a hot dog and cold drink on a warm summer day. The only thing better is when there is a baseball game in front of it. That is the punch line of an old Charlie Brown comic strip I remember as a kid. And it still holds true today.

Flood of 2016: Of course there was nothing "wonderful" about the flood. What make this so memorable is seeing first hand how the city and it's residents all pitched in to help each other through this gut-wrenching week. The 2016 flood brought community together during a crazy, polarizing election year. And if we can get through that, we can carry on with  confidence.