Hello Dubuque! Hope your coffee tastes especially good this morning. In today’s bring-the-kiddos edition: Bridge delays, a magic show with Jeff Quinn, and strawberry festival and game day + excuses to get the fam out and about this week.
Your insurance won't cover a $12,000 HVAC bill: If your furnace quits before it warms up, your homeowners insurance will tell you it's a "maintenance issue" and wish you luck. Insurance covers sudden disasters. It doesn't cover the systems that wear out over time, and those are the expensive ones. A home warranty is built for exactly this. HVAC, water heater, appliances, plumbing, electrical... all covered for less than $1/day with no age restrictions on what's covered. You call, they send a tech, you pay a service fee. They handle the rest. This one's 50% off right now.* |
01 — Worth knowing In the newsThree local stories this week, plus a few worth your money.
Roadwork continues downtown: Loras Boulevard is closed between Walnut and Bluff as Dubuque’s street project continues, expanded to Henion and Cornell, with posted detours and the closure in place through July 17 -- get the full closure details.
Bridge work updates: Construction on the Julien Dubuque Bridge continues this week, with daytime eastbound lane closures to accommodate rush-hour traffic. Drivers should expect significant delays, and schedules could shift with weather -- check the bridge delays.
New home for district services: Dubuque school board approved a 21-year escrow and leaseback for a $1.9 million Keystone facility, consolidating special education, online school, and at-risk re-evaluation center, with staff back by August 1 -- see the district move.
Nothing prepares you for a pet emergency: I learned that the hard way after charging $10k to a credit card for life-saving surgery on my cat, Miss Stache. As soon as we got home, I signed up for Spot. It’s super affordable – and reimburses up to 90% of the bill.*
The bill all retirees should double check: Car insurance. If you’ve been on the same plan for years, you might be paying way more than you need to. It’s an easy one to forget about, but switching could save you up to $600 this year. Case in point: I shopped around and ended up cutting my premium in half -- this free comparison tool makes it easy.*
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02 — From our sponsor Your insurance won't cover a $12,000 HVAC billIf your furnace quits before it warms up, your homeowners insurance will tell you it's a "maintenance issue" and wish you luck. Insurance covers sudden disasters. It doesn't cover the systems that wear out over time, and those are the expensive ones. A home warranty is built for exactly this. HVAC, water heater, appliances, plumbing, electrical... all covered for less than $1/day with no age restrictions on what's covered. You call, they send a tech, you pay a service fee. They handle the rest. This one's 50% off right now.* |
03 — On our radar
Local business spotlightNearby spots we'd actually send a friend to.
Riverfront reset: When you need fresh air without a whole production, A.Y. McDonald Park nails it with Mississippi views, fishing piers, a boat ramp, a roomy playground, and an easy path for a quick stroll or pedal. Pack a snack, text a friend, call it a micro-vacation.
Local blooms, big smiles: Whether you forgot an anniversary, want to sweeten a random Tuesday, or need something tasteful for a service, Dubuque Flower Company nails it with custom designs, wedding and event florals, plus same-day delivery around town. Woman-owned, friendly, and refreshingly not fussy, they make it ridiculously easy to look thoughtful.
Rainy-day sanity saver: Whether the kids are doing laps around the living room or you just need to move, The Fun Station Dubuque packs trampoline attractions, Slick Slides, a multi-level play maze, trapeze swings, a zip line rail, and an arcade. Consider it your midweek reset when screens just aren’t cutting it.
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04 — Our recommendations
We got your backA handful of products and services we think are worth a look.
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Home insurance premiums jumped 12% last year alone: That's on top of years of increases that have outpaced inflation. Before you blindly renew with your current insurer, a free comparison tool matches your home with top-rated insurers so you can see quotes side by side, in about two minutes. Some homeowners find hundreds in savings, and if you don't find a better policy, you stay put knowing you checked. *See your options →
Buy one window treatment this summer, get the second 50% off: “My fourth order over 8 years. Product reliability, consistency to values & warranty kept me returning!” See what keeps customers coming back to 3 Day Blinds. Book your free consultation and enjoy summer savings on blinds, shades, and drapery. *Claim your summer savings →
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Have an event to share? We (and our readers) can't wait to hear about it! Submit an event → |
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05 — The event calendar Fun for the famOur favorite upcoming kid and family-friendly events. All events are subject to change. Always check official event pages before heading out.
🎬 Yankee Doodle Dandy @ Carnegie-Stout Public Library | Wednesday (6/24) at 2:00 PM – Afternoon at Carnegie-Stout means a free matinee, classic vibes, and popcorn that actually tastes like Dubuque. They’re screening Yankee Doodle Dandy, Cagney hoofing and hammering through George M. Cohan’s glory days, big tunes, bigger grin. First 100 are handed the good popcorn, civic duty satisfied.
🪨 Little Goose Makers Club @ Goose & Giggles Play Cafe | Thursday (6/25) at 3:30 PM – Round up the kids and let them make a garden stepping stone with their own handprints, paint, and wildly earnest designs. It is messy, sensory fun, and you get a keepsake that will outlast their current shoe size, your patience, and probably the geraniums.
🎩 Magic of Jeff Quinn @ Dubuque Arboretum & Botanical Gardens | Friday (6/26) at 10:00 AM – Think you have seen every rabbit-out-of-hat routine? Jeff Quinn brings polished, genuinely baffling magic to the Dubuque Arboretum as part of the Summer Library Program, with jokes that land, tricks that fool adults, and enough shade for grandparents to pretend they are not impressed.
🍗 Taste of Dubuque: Friday Night 'BIRDS. Fried Chicken @ Goose & Giggles Play Cafe | Friday (6/26) at 4:30 PM – Taste of Dubuque is serving up BIRDS. Fried Chicken curbside and Knockout Froyo inside, with open play taking care of the wiggles. Dinner outside, dessert inside, kids occupied, you caffeinated, and not a dish to wash, which is the real miracle.
🎨 Flamingo- Little Artists Paint Party @ Captured on Canvas | Saturday (6/27) at 10:00 AM – Got a small Picasso who keeps turning your mail into modern art? This in-studio kids paint party walks ages 6 and up through a flamingo masterpiece on a 9x12 canvas, no experience required. They create, you sip something civilized, and everyone goes home proud.
🍓 Strawberry Festival and Game Day @ Immanuel Congregational United Church of Christ | Saturday (6/27) at 11:00 AM – Around here, Strawberry Festival and Game Day means one thing, your kids will be sticky and happy while you sneak in a real conversation between tosses of the beanbag. Expect strawberry everything, lawn games, and activities that wear them out, not you.
🍦 A-foggat-o bout you…Ice Cream Social @ Planted. | Sunday (6/28) at 12:00 PM – Think your sweet tooth and caffeine habit can't be friends? Dubuque’s Ice Cream Antisocial teams with The Slow Sipper for smoked cream cheese ice cream drowned in fresh espresso, finished with bourbon caramel. First come, first deserve, while supplies last.
Want more? Browse our full events calendar | Submit an event |
06 — From our sponsor Heads up for pet parentsTogether with our sponsor Lemonade. Nothing prepares you for a late-night emergency at the vet. I learned that the hard way after charging $10k to a credit card for life-saving surgery on my cat, Miss Stache. From the initial exam fee just to be seen, to x-rays, surgery, medication, and follow-up visits… the bill racks up fast (to say the least). And at that moment? You’re not thinking about your savings, you’re just saying yes to whatever keeps them thriving. As soon as we got home, I dug around online and ultimately signed up for Pet Insurance. It was too late for me, but you could save thousands on your next vet bill with *Lemonade. |
07 — The Dubuque report Weather forecastToday — High: 79°F — Low: 59°F — Precip: 54%
A chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1pm, then a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny. High near 79, with temperatures falling to around 77 in the afternoon. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%. Later: A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms before 7pm. Partly cloudy, with a low around 59. West wind 0 to 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
Tomorrow — High: 79°F — Low: 58°F — Precip: 8%
Mostly sunny, with a high near 79. Later: Partly cloudy, with a low around 58. This house is wildThis charming Cape Cod in Elmwood Estates rests on 2.69 wooded acres, blending quiet privacy with easy access to town. Inside are 3 bedrooms, 3 baths, hardwood floors, granite countertops, custom cabinetry, and a gas fireplace with country views. The finished walkout level adds bonus space, a reading nook, hidden retreat, and plenty of storage.
Take a peek inside → |
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