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It can be difficult when shopping for clothes to find comfort, style, and a full range of sizing. Faced with this challenge herself, LaShanda Wilks started LaLa Boutique first online, then due to its popularity moved into a physical space where she offers thoughtfully selected apparel with all sizes in mind. North Liberty is the headquarters of local media, regional financial and national transpor...

Imagine a program for middle and high schoolers that helps guide them through future career options. And how in better preparing them with local opportunities those young people are more likely to remain in the area after graduation. What if I told you this program is free? Director, Kristine Bullock, and coordinator, Megan Lehman, talk about Kirkwood's Workplace Learning Connection program, which...

What began as an effort to provide more holistic, better food options and products to pet owners quickly became a means for connecting with the community. Through donations, fundraising and volunteering, Leash on Life co-owners Julie Phye and Laurie Smith spread around their goodwill to aid in both animal and people causes. Because, as Julie says, "We can't have the communities we have if we don't...

The delivery economy has only grown over time, though not everyone has their own drivers to run goods and many of the available options are not local. Adam Weeks, co-founder of Chomp , says a better option based in and serving to the needs of the community was overdue. North Liberty is the headquarters of local media, regional financial and national transportation companies and home to solar energ...

Boasting enough fancy high tech to make NASA stop and take notice, and with sustainability and community in mind, Courtney McClellan and Mike Flynn are excited for their debut business venture, Speedy Mike's Car Wash , to take off. North Liberty is the headquarters of local media, regional financial and national transportation companies and home to solar energy and tech startups, and entrepreneurs...

What do many of the folks from the MLB Field of Dreams event, Chris Soules from The Bachelor, news anchors from CNN, producers of the Oprah Network, U.S. senators, and even the President of the United States, Joe Biden, have in common? Aubrey Holsinger, the owner of Flip Salon & Spa , has done some styling work on them all. North Liberty is the headquarters of local media, regional financial and n...

Remember being young and seemingly impervious to injury, or, if injured, able to just walk it off? Dr. Brittney Davis, at Rock Valley Physical Therapy , says that so often she hears patients say, "I used to be able to do this." But it takes keeping things in perspective as well as time to correct those things that can sometimes go wrong with our bodies, and Dr. Davis can help guide that process. N...

How many of us can boast our first job as being with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, otherwise known as NASA? Local resident and mechanical engineering student at Iowa State University, Sarah Stewart, was selected for an internship this summer through the Goddard Space Flight Center where she will be putting her skills to the test. North Liberty is the headquarters of local medi...

Having a pet is no small undertaking. They require continual care that quickly adds up in cost, and they take our time and patience as perpetual children with their own personalities and needs. Dr. Wayne Ahern, of Animal Kingdom Veterinary Care Center , says it's the human-animal bond that makes it so worthwhile, though, and there are measurable physiological benefits from having a fuzzy companion...

While not fixed to any specific age, hearing loss is most often experienced by those 60 and older. Dr. Del Concha, of Concha Audiology , says it's with this group that he connects best. He maintains from his native background an affinity for elders as the keepers of wisdom. North Liberty is the headquarters of local media, regional financial and national transportation companies and home to solar...

The reasons for getting a tattoo are often as individual as the person choosing to do so. Javier Silva, artist, and owner of Silver Rooster Tattoo , describes an intimacy between tattooer and tattooee that sounds a lot like therapy, and how after more than a decade at the craft, people remain his favorite part. North Liberty is the headquarters of local media, regional financial and national trans...

It is often the case that pain makes us want to stop doing everything until the pain goes away. Troy Bockenstedt, owner and founder of Aero Performance and Physical Therapy , encourages continued, carefully controlled movement through exercise and physical routines for maintaining flexibility and to promote healing. North Liberty is the headquarters of local media, regional financial and national...

No two people are the same, even when their circumstances are similar, and so care should be as unique as the individual it's being applied to. At Breathe. Physical Therapy & Wellness , cofounder Dr. Libby Trausch describes a patient-centered, multifaceted approach developed primarily with postpartum women in mind. North Liberty is the headquarters of local media, regional financial and national t...

Each year in the U.S. one in five adults will experience a mental illness. Physician assistant and co-owner of Meadowlark Psychiatric Services in North Liberty, Melissa Gentry, says that the first step in prevention is caring for oneself through diet and exercise. The next step is knowing when to reach out and ask for help. North Liberty is the headquarters of local media, regional financial and n...

The science says it's important to be good to oneself, but that's not always easy. Doctor Todd Verhoef, founder of Psychiatric Associates , says there is no one-size-fits-all plan for coping with life's challenges. That's where mental health professionals can help in developing a personalized wellness strategy for you. North Liberty is the headquarters of local media, regional financial and nation...

What does playing football and data management have in common? According to Trevor Bollers, who was a Jacksonville Jaguar before becoming a software engineer, they are both best thought of as organized chaos. Developing what he calls "human support systems" through his company, Letter B , Trevor works to sort digital clutter into meaningful information to help boost business efficiency. North Libe...

"Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything." For Mia Fryvecind Gimenez music was there from the start and has carried her through many an adventure to now, where she teaches others that they might find their own wings through Fryvecind Voice Studio . North Liberty is the headquarters of local media, regional financial and national trans...

What does metal sculpting, enamel work, and artisan chocolate all have to do with one another? Anne Goddard, the owner of A Chocolate Studio , has over two decades of experience in all three and describes it as a passion for process. Whether creating enduring sculptural pieces or fleeting confectionary treats, Anne is inspired by the challenge. North Liberty is the headquarters of local media, reg...

Looking to grind out a stump, lay a new floor, till your garden or cut down a tree? How about doing some concrete work? Then reach out to Kelly Dzuris and Corey Butler of Corridor Equipment Rental and find out the wealth of options available. If you need it, it's likely they have it. North Liberty is the headquarters of local media, regional financial and national transportation companies and home...

Being mostly at home and often indoors because of the pandemic has many of us looking more closely at our immediate surroundings. Interior designer, Emily Hughes of Mix Home Mercantile and Emily Hughes Interiors , says that requests for consultations have increased since March. North Liberty is the headquarters of local media, regional financial and national transportation companies and home to so...

Family is grown by the addition of those friends made along the way. For co-owners Donald Wrightsell and Curtis Odom, their friendship was built on hard work and became a business partnership that led to the opening of their own barbershop, The Lounge . North Liberty is the headquarters of local media, regional financial and national transportation companies and home to solar energy and tech start...

Not everyone braves following their passion that it can be their primary focus in life. But Debut Dance owner and director, Megan Snyder, has done just this by being fearless in her pursuits, maintaining dance as the core of her experience. North Liberty is the headquarters of local media, regional financial and national transportation companies and home to solar energy and tech startups, and entr...

"It was a rainy night in November" could either be the opening to a story, the start of a new chapter, or both in the case of author Steve Semken whose rainy night in November would eventually unfold into the creating of local publishing house, the Ice Cube Press . North Liberty is the headquarters of local media, regional financial and national transportation companies and home to solar energy an...

Martial Arts is not all Karate chops and flying kicks, it's about tempering the self through discipline and endurance training. Ben Brown of Brown's School of Martial Arts explains that along with the physical aspect students can expect to gain humility, confidence, and resilience from their practice. North Liberty is the headquarters of local media, regional financial and national transportation...

After being in the hairstyling industry for over a decade, Sarah Davis decided it was time to open her own salon. A place where fun, creativity, and inclusiveness would shine through. Salon Ludic satisfies her desire to create while also bringing joy to anybody that walks in her doors. North Liberty is the headquarters of local media, regional financial and national transportation companies and ho...