News Apps & Interactives

Here's a collection of maps, news apps, databases, graphs and other interactives from the Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier. The projects are divided into categories. To browse through them, select a category at the top of the page or scroll down the page.

Current Events

	Website Cedar Valley 50: Photo Memory Game By Lee Enterprises Test your mental acumen with our Cedar Valley 50 Photo Memory Game. Match pictures from our Cedar Valley 50 series. Take it easy with our 4x4 grid or challenge yourself a little with our 6x6 grid or 8x8 grid. What will your score be? Published: 7/14/2014
	Website Mental health and disability services in Northeast Iowa By Chris Essig and Mike Anderson In 2012, the mental health and disability system in Iowa was divided into 15 regions across the state. Here's our guide to navigating the mental health region that includes Northeast Iowa. Published: 5/15/2014
	Map Metropolitan areas see increase in population By Chris Essig Iowa counties in metropolitan areas have seen an increase in population in the last several years, while rural counties have seen a decrease. Published: 3/27/2014
	Map Equalized funding for mental health By Chris Essig As part of Iowa's mental health redesign, the Legislature last year made counties issue a "uniform mental health tax levy" of $47.28 per person. At the time, counties had a mental health tax levy either above or below $47.28, which meant the change affected them in one of two ways. Published: 3/7/2014
	Table Contributions from the IJHF By Chris Essig Here's a breakdown of the $600,000 in contributions the Iowa Juvenile Home Foundation has made since 2003. Published: 3/7/2014
	Map Hemp laws easing across the U.S. By Chris Essig Several states made hemp legal before the farm bill was signed. Here's a look at those states, as well as others that are considering pro-hemp legislation in 2014. Published: 2/16/2014
	Graph How much counties in Iowa spend on emergency notifications By Chris Essig A total of 53 counties in Iowa provide emergency notifications for tornadoes, flash flooding and law enforcement situations. In all, the counties spend a combined $636,000 a year. Published: 2/10/2014
	Map Fatal crashes in Iowa By Chris Essig This map shows where fatal crashes have happened in Iowa in the last four years. Published: 12/9/2013
	Map Where were you when JFK was assassinated? By Chris Essig, Chris Koop We asked our readers where they were when JFK was assassinated 50 years ago. We then plotted all of their responses on this interactive map. Published: 11/20/2013
	Map Corn Belt sees boom in corn planting By Chris Essig, Associated Press These maps show county-by-county changes in the number of acres used for planting corn compared to the number of acres put into conservation since 2005. Published: 11/17/2013
	Time-lapse How the Cedar Valley has changed since 1984 By Chris Essig This time-lapse video uses satellite images provided by the Google Earth Engine to show how the Cedar Valley has changed between 1984 and 2012. The photos were taken every year. The video was put together using the GigaPan Time Machine. Published: 10/18/2013
	Interactive Health coverage varies widely in Iowa By Chris Essig A close look at the numbers shows that rural residents in Iowa appear to have a tougher time accessing health insurance than urban dwellers. Published: 8/29/2013
	Table Iowa lottery raises $339 million in ticket sales By Chris Essig Here's a complete list of lottery winners for fiscal year 2013. Each entry includes the name of the winner, where he or she bought the ticket, how much he or she won and more. Published: 7/24/2013
	Table State judgements for 2013 By Chris Essig State judgments topped $4.25 million last fiscal year for settlements paid to resolve claims and disputes caused by workplace misconduct, employee errors or other damages involving government operations. Published: 7/16/2013
	Graphs Iowa Lottery has brought in more than $310 million in fiscal year 2013 By Chris Essig Here's a breakdown of the revenue generated and prizes paid out by the lottery in 2011, 2012 and 2013. The charts represent figures collected through May. Published: 6/18/2013
	Map Flood gauges in Iowa By Chris Essig This map shows flood gauges in Iowa and surrounding areas, which report water levels in real time. Published: 6/14/2013
	Graph Hispanic population growing in Iowa By Chris Essig Data collected by the Census Bureau shows the state's Hispanic population has increased dramatically in the last ten years. Published: 6/13/2013
	Map 2008 tornado By Chris Essig On the five year anniversary of one of Iowa's most dangerous tornadoes, the Courier takes a look back at the dramatic storm that pummeled through eastern Iowa. Published: 5/27/2013
	Timeline A look back at the 2008 Postville raid By Chris Essig and Courier staff Here's a look at the Courier's coverage of the historic Postville raid, its fallout and all that has happened in the case the last five years. Published: 5/12/2013
	Map Waterloo's historic district By Chris Essig Main Street Waterloo and members of the Historic Preservation Commission have been working on identifying districts within Waterloo's commercial districts that have historical value. Published: 5/2/2013
	Table Distracted driving in Iowa By Chris Essig Here's a breakdown of how many accidents are caused by distracted driving in Iowa. Published: 3/18/2013
	Graph Background checks for gun purchases at all time high By Chris Essig More than 16.8 million background checks for gun purchases have been recorded by the FBI in 2012, the highest number since the agency began tracking the data in 1998. Published: 12/20/2012
	Before / After Photos of the blizzard that hit eastern Iowa By Chris Essig We asked our fans on Facebook to submit photos taken before Wednesday night's blizzard hit and after the storm had passed. We used their images to make this interactive. Published: 12/20/2012
	Map Impact of the Northeast Iowa food bank By Chris Essig The Northeast Iowa Food Bank assists more than 1,200 households a month at the Cedar Valley Food Pantry located in downtown Waterloo. Published: 11/11/2012
	Map Iowa ranks high in deer-vehicle accidents By Chris Essig Iowa ranks second among states where an individual driver is most likely to run in to a deer, according to State Farm Insurance. Published: 10/22/2012
	Map Flood buyouts in Waverly By Chris Essig The 2008 flood wreaked havoc on much of eastern Iowa, including in the small town of Waverly. Dozens of homes and properties across town were destroyed during the month-long flood that started on June 8. Published: 9/16/2012
	Timeline History of the Price Lab school By Chris Essig and Courier staff With the Malcolm Price Laboratory graduating what will likely be its last class in May, the Courier looks back at the school's 120-year history. Published: 6/17/2012
	Map The search for Lyric and Elizabeth By Chris Essig Elizabeth Collins, 9, and Lyric Cook, 10 went missing on July 13, 2012 and were found dead in December. Here's a look at their last know whereabouts in Evansdale and the investigation that has taken place since then Published: 6/16/2012
	Map 2008 Flood Buyouts By Chris Essig Cedar Falls is participating in three federally-funded programs to remove properties damaged in the 2008 flood. As part of the programs, property owners are offered a buyout. So far, the city has acquired more than 150 properties. Published: 6/2/2012
	Graph Jobless rate for young yets drops in 2012 By Chris Essig While veterans of the most recent Gulf War have historically had a harder time finding a job than other veterans, unemployment rates for young veterans has dropped dramatically recently. Published: 3/18/2012
	Timeline Twitter reacts to Price Lab closure By Chris Essig and Courier staff In the days following UNI President Ben Allen's announcement that the Malcom Price Laboratory Elementary may close, dozens of students, faculty and others have posted messages on Twitter condemning the closure. Published: 2/28/2012
	Graph How much waste Americans produce By Chris Essig This data collected by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency shows how much waste Americans have produced in 1960, 1970, 1980, 1990, 2000 and more recent years. Published: 2/26/2012
	Map Growth of wind energy across Iowa By Chris Essig By pinpointing the number wind turbines across the state from 1998 to 2009, these maps below show how much wind energy reliance has grown in Iowa. The data shows how many wind turbines were standing in a given year. Published: 2/17/2012
	Graph Historical look at gas prices across the U.S. By Chris Essig This chart shows gas prices across the United States for every week dating back to April 5, 1993. The lines are color-coded based on a region in the United States. Published: 2/8/2012
	Map A look at Iowa's historic places By Chris Essig This map shows all places in and around Black Hawk County that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Published: 2/6/2012
	Interactive A look at the AHEC students By Chris Essig Recently launched in Northeast Iowa, the Area Health Education Center is a three-year residency program housed at Allen Hospital in Waterloo. Published: 1/30/2012
	Timeline YWCA in Black Hawk County marks 100th year anniversary By Chris Essig and Courier staff The YWCA in Black Hawk County, which first got off the ground in 1911 thanks to the efforts of 25 women, celebrated its 100th anniversary in Waterloo last year. Published: 1/22/2012
	Before / After Urban sprawl in the Cedar Valley By Chris Essig These satellite images show how the Cedar Valley area has grown since the early 1990s. On the right are images taken from March 1994. On the left are images taken in June 2011. Published: 1/15/2012
	Timeline Complete coverage of the Ryan St. Anne Scott investigation By Chris Essig and Courier staff This timeline recaps our investigation into the Most Rev. and Lord Abbot Ryan St. Anne Scott, the leader of the Buchanan Abbey in Independence, Iowa. Published: 1/13/2012
	Map Poverty in Iowa By Chris Essig New data released by the U.S. Census shows poverty is dispersed across the state of Iowa. This map is broken down into Census tracts and is color-coded based on the percentage of the population that fall below the poverty level. Published: 12/13/2011

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Politics & Government

	Graph Where the Democratic candidates running for House District 1 are getting their PAC money By Chris Essig and Christinia Crippes These graphs show how much PAC money each Democratic candidate running for House District 1 in the June 3 primary has received in the last 10 years. The data was collected by the Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board. Published: 4/10/2014
	Graph Contributions to Iowa's GOP Senate candidates By Chris Essig and Christinia Crippes How much money did the GOP candidates for Senate bring in during the last quarter of 2013? These graphs compare the total contributions to each candidate during that time. Published: 2/23/2014
	Interactive Iowa Bill Tracker: 2014 Legislature By Aaron Frerichs, Justin Houtz, Chris Essig, Zack Kucharski, Mike Wiser, Rod Boshart and James Lynch The political reporting teams of The Gazette and Lee Enterprise's Iowa newspapers have teamed up to follow the most important pieces of legislation and will be tracking the progress of the proposals as they wind through the Iowa Legislature this session. Published: 1/31/2014
	Interactive Election 2013: Municipal election in the Cedar Valley By Chris Essig, Tim Jamison, John Molseed and Mike Anderson Here's the Courier's guide to the 2013 municipal election, which was Tuesday, Nov. 5. This page shows results from many of the races in the Cedar Valley. Published: 10/29/2013
	Graph Net jobs created in Iowa: Monthly since 2008 By Chris Essig The pledge was straightforward: 200,000 jobs in five years.That was one of the promises now-Gov. Terry Branstad made to Iowans in the campaign for his fifth term as the state’s governor. Published: 11/3/2013
	Interactive Iowa Bill Tracker: 2013 Legislature By Aaron Frerichs, Justin Houtz, Chris Essig, Zack Kucharski, Mike Wiser, Rod Boshart and James Lynch The political reporting teams of The Gazette and Lee Enterprise's Iowa newspapers have teamed up to follow the most important pieces of legislation and will be tracking the progress of the proposals as they wind through the Iowa Legislature this session. Published: 3/11/2013
	Table How Iowa will be affected by the sequestration By Chris Essig Program reductions in Iowa caused by the federal budget sequestration likely will total about $46.5 million and hit education reading programs, public health areas and workforce development areas the hardest. Published: 3/7/2013
	Map Black Hawk County votes By Chris Essig Precinct-by-precinct voting data shows residents in Waterloo and Cedar Falls voted more heavily for Democratic candidates, while rural Black Hawk County residents voted more favorably for Republican candidates. Published: 11/13/2012
	Interactive Iowa votes: Live election 2012 results By Chris Essig All eyes will be on Iowa tonight as voters take to the ballot and vote in one of the most important elections in recent memory. Published: 11/8/2012
	Interactive Local candidates generating campaign cash By Chris Essig Each candidate running for office in Iowa has raised money from a variety of sources in and out of state. This page takes a look at five local races and who is funding the candidates in those races. Published: 10/20/2012
	Interactive Grassley-Sweeney race generating campaign cash By Chris Essig Because of last year's redistricting process, two incumbent Republicans will square off for House District 50 during the primary election on June 5. The contentious race has also brought in a lot of money. Published: 5/22/2012
	Table Projects in Waterloo funded by bonds By Chris Essig The Waterloo City Council is expecting to sell $12 million of general obligation bonds this year to pay for several capital projects and equipment. Published: 5/20/2012
	Map Voter registration across Iowa By Chris Essig The maps show how Iowa's political districts break down between Republican and Democratic voters. The figures are based how many voters in a given district registered with a particular party, which were last updated on May 1, 2012. Published: 5/13/2012
	Table Property valuation appeals in Black Hawk County By Chris Essig Hundreds of people and businesses in Black Hawk County are appealing their property tax assessments because they believe the county assessor placed the value of their properties too high. Published: 4/1/2012
	Interactive A look at the candidates who ran for office in Waterloo and Cedar Falls By Chris Essig On Nov. 8, residents in both Waterloo and Cedar Falls voted in a series of local elections. Both mayoral races were contested, as well as other city council seats. Here's a look at the candidates who ran. Published: 10/31/2011
	Map Property tax rates across Iowa By Chris Essig A map of property tax rates for every city in Iowa. Cities are colored by their overall tax rate per $1,000 of taxable property value. Published: 9/18/2011

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Crime

	Map A year in review: Crime in the Cedar Valley By Chris Essig What areas had the most reported crimes in the Cedar Valley this year? The Courier has been working hard to find out the answer to this question. Using data from the Cedar Falls, Waterloo and University of Northern Iowa police departments, we have created two crime maps for both Waterloo and Cedar Falls. Published: 1/5/2014
	Timeline Rasberry Williams’s sentence commuted By Chris Essig and and Courier staff Rasberry Williams is one step closer to freedom after serving more than 37 years in prison for killing his neighbor. Published: 4/26/2013
	Map Crimes reported in the Cedar Valley By Chris Essig These maps display crimes reported in Waterloo and Cedar Falls, Iowa. All data is gathered and released by the Waterloo Police Department and the Cedar Falls Police Department. Published: 8/1/2012
	Map The 11 businesses Jay Harkless robbed By Chris Essig Between Nov. 2008 and Jan. 2010, Jay Harkless robbed 11 businesses in Iowa, including six banks and credit unions in the Cedar Valley. Here's a map and timeline of the alleged robberies. Published: 4/10/2012
	Map Child abuse reports by county By Chris Essig Reports of Iowa children being abused or neglected are on the decline after two years of increases, according to new yearly data issued Tuesday by the state Department of Human Services. Published: 3/20/2012
	Map Heroin usage in the United States broken down by state By Chris Essig The figures below represent the percentage of people in 2009 who were admitted to a substance abuse treatment center for heroin. Published: 1/8/2012

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Education

	Graphs Funding at Iowa's public universities By Chris Essig How has funding at Iowa's three public universities changed over the last several decades? These graphs show how much money each school has received from the state, compared to how much it raised from tuitions and other sources since 1981. Published: 3/15/2014
	Table Graduation rates by school in Iowa By Chris Essig Here's a look at graduation rates at all schools in Iowa for the 2013 school year. Published: 3/13/2014
	Table Dropout rates by school in Iowa By Chris Essig Here's a look at dropout figures at all schools in Iowa for the 2011-2012 school year. Published: 2/2/2014
	Table Detailed information on every bullying incident in Iowa high schools By Chris Essig, Mike Wiser This table shows the number of bullying incidents statewide reported to the Department of Education as certified by local school districts. The figures are broken down by category, location and method. Published: 11/7/2013
	Table Funding for home school programs in Iowa By Chris Essig This table shows how much the state of Iowa is allocating to school districts for home school programs. Published: 9/6/2013
	Table Homeschooling in Iowa By Chris Essig This table shows the number of home-schooled students in every school district in Iowa. Published: 9/6/2013
	Table Iowa school districts budget for allowable growth next year By Chris Essig A table below shows where school districts set their budgets at for the coming year. Published: 4/30/2013
	Table Proficiency rates for students in Waterloo schools By Chris Essig A table showing the percent of students in Waterloo Community Schools who are proficient in math and reading. Published: 4/8/2013
	Table The cost for each school in Iowa to increase teacher salary minimums up to $35,000 By Chris Essig This chart shows how much money it would take each district to cover the cost of providing the stipends for teacher leaders, to cover the cost of bringing teacher salary minimums up to $35,000. Published: 1/28/2013
	Table Iowa enrollment figures By Chris Essig Here are two tables showing enrollment trends for each Iowa school district. They are broken down by five year one year enrollment changes Published: 1/3/2013
	Table Dropout rates for school districts in Iowa By Chris Essig Here's a complete list of dropout rates for almost every school district in Iowa dating back three school years. Published: 9/2/2012
	Table List of censured universities By Chris Essig A list of universities that have been censured by the American Association of University Professors. The group says these institutions have been placed on this list for "not observing the generally recognized principles of academic freedom and tenure approved by this Association." Published: 3/16/2012
	Table Enrollment figures for school districts in Iowa By Chris Essig The certified enrollment accounts for each school district in the state of Iowa were released earlier this week. Here's a look at those figures, as well as a historic look at enrollment accounts for each school district in Iowa. Published: 1/8/2012
	Graphs Tuition rates and revenue figures from UNI By Chris Essig In the last decade, the University of Northern Iowa has increasingly relied on tuition and fees to help balance its budget. Published: 12/7/2011
	Table SAVE local option tax payment history By Chris Essig This table shows the history of SAVE local option tax payments from the state to local school districts. Published: 12/5/2011

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Sports

	Stats High school prep football By Chris Essig and Courier staff A breakdown on how well area prep football teams are doing. Published: 8/30/2013
	Stats UNI sports By Chris Essig and Courier staff A breakdown on how well UNI sports teams are doing. Published: 8/30/2013
	Timeline A look back at the Black Hawks season By Chris Essig and Courier staff After a big win on Monday, the Black Hawks are headed to the Clark Cup finals for the fourth time in nine years. Here's a look back at the Black Hawks lengthy season and our coverage along the way. Published: 5/7/2012
	Map Area golf courses By Chris Essig A map of golf courses in the Cedar Valley. This accompanies the Courier's annual golf guide. Published: 4/2/2012
	Map Public hunting grounds in Iowa By Chris Essig A map of the more than 2,000 public hunting areas listed in Iowa by the state's Department of Natural Resources. Also marked on the map are bodies of water, parks, trails, streets and interstates. Published: 3/25/2012
	Timeline Timeline: A look back at UNI's football season By Chris Essig and Courier staff After starting the season with a loss to Iowa State University on Sept. 3, the UNI Panthers went on to win all but one of their remaining games. Published: 11/29/2011
	Map Road to the Dome: A look at the prep teams in the semifinals By Chris Essig Four teams from each of the state's six divisions made it to the semifinals, which are being played in The Dome. Those 24 teams are color-coded on the map based on their league. Published: 11/9/2011

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Entertainment

	Guide The Courier's guide to the National Cattle Congress By Chris Essig The National Cattle Congress Fair will take place Sept. 12-15 and will feature live music, a carnival, kids activities, livestock shows, art displays and more. Published: 9/11/2013
	Guide The Courier's guide to Irish Fest By Chris Essig Iowa Irish Fest is dedicated to celebrating Irish culture in Iowa and takes place annually during the first full weekend of August. Published: 8/1/2013
	Guide The Courier's guide to Sturgis Falls By Chris Essig This year, the 38th annual Sturgis Falls Celebration will cover 80 acres, marking this year's festival as the biggest one yet. Published: 7/27/2013
	Map Pulse magazine racks in NE Iowa By Chris Essig Looking for the freshest copy of the Pulse magazine? Here's a map showing where you can grab the latest copy. Published: 7/24/2012
	Timeline 'Extreme Makeover' builds new home for West Union family By Chris Essig and and Courier staff Producers with 'Extreme Makeover: Home Edition' first announced they had selected a Northeast Iowa family for the show on Sept. 13. After unveiling the family, local contractors and volunteers built the new home in just one week. Published: 10/6/2011

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