New Ice Rink, End of the War, State of Debate: Thursday Roundup

Holiday Hoopla:

Baby It's Cold Outside! is the name of tonight's festivities, 6 to 8 p.m., on the Parkade. There will a ribbon cutting for the new Cedar Falls Ice Skating Rink, located behind near State Street. If the weather, unseasonably warm of late, stays cold enough to keep the ice frozen, this should be a delightful place for enjoying some winter outdoor fun. The Cedar Valley Ice Skating Club will perform, and students will carol. Other groups will also be caroling around downtown.

We've had a lot of Holiday Hoopla coverage, like this picture, from a of the kick-off event in November. We'll have more photos up tomorrow after tonight's event!

Back Away From That Razor:

Also on display downtown tonight will be a Santa's Beard contest at . Categories include Best Santa Beard, Scruffiest Grinch Beard, Best Design, Longest Goatee, Biggest Chops or Best Groomed, with top beards from each catergory competing for best overall beard. It should be a display of winter-scruffy at it's best.

Time for Some Politicking:

Once you get home from the Hoopla, warm up in front of the t.v. and computer for the last GOP debate before the caucus. We'll have a live blog going and from you, dear readers, after the debate is over. The showdown will be broadcast on FOX at 8 p.m.

In other news:

War's End:

KWWL had this very nice report on local ROTC students reactions to the end of hostilities in Iraq.

Crisis Center:

The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reported plans to build a new Crisis Center in Black Hawk County, to better serve people with mental illness.