Welcome to an extra edition of the mailbag where you will find some of the comments, questions and ideas sent recently by subscribers of this newsletter or our publications. They are edited for space and clarity.

“The ship on cameras has already sailed (Privacy matters July 17, 2023). Street intersection cameras, private security cameras, etc., are seemingly already everywhere. Do you really think an arsonist, especially a self-arsonist, is going to order flame retardant clothing from Amazon? An arson suspect probably already left a suspicious trail, which is why law enforcement became interested in them as a suspect to begin with. Experienced arson investigators, and where applicable their dogs, can provide a long list of clues to help them find the guilty party. Camera video may provide assistance, but in most cases isn’t likely to be the smoking gun.” - Chuck

I don’t believe the average arsonist was a class valedictorian, if that answers your question. - Shane

“Your column on discretion in issuing a traffic ticket reminded me that many years ago, I was driving to northern Iowa to spend the weekend with my mom when, only three miles from my hometown, I saw flashing red lights in my mirror (Ticket discretion, July 18, 2023). I pulled off the road and discovered I had been pulled over by a Kossuth County Sheriff’s car with two deputies. One of the deputies approached my car and asked for my license and registration and then returned to his car. After an uncomfortably long wait, he returned and said he had pulled me over because, when they met me and I dimmed my lights, I had one headlight out. He said, ‘I’m not going to give you a ticket, or a fix-it ticket. I trust you’ll take care of this.’ Then he said, ‘You know, several years ago, I worked for your dad.’ He then let me go. Later, when I told my mom about the encounter, I said, ‘I sure am glad Dad didn’t fire that guy!’ - Bob 

“That deputy was my cousin. OK, maybe not. It’s a small world, but, thankfully, not that small. But I am guessing that you are smiling right now.” - Shane

“Oh, yes. Those dreadful birthday spankings (Birthday spankings, July 19, 2023). Glad those are a thing of the past!” - Bill

Gone but not forgotten. - Shane

“One to grow on (Birthday spankings, July 19, 2023)? I remember one for the road, but that had a different meaning.” - Dennis

Yes, Dennis, it most certainly did. - Shane

“Maybe you need a spanking (Birthday spankings, July 19, 2023)?” - Mary

Not again. - Shane

Have a thoughtful Thursday, and thank for reading.

Shane Goodman
President and Publisher
Big Green Umbrella Media
shane@dmcityview.com
515-953-4822, ext. 305
www.thedailyumbrella.com

CITYVIEW announced its 2023 Best Of Des Moines readers' choices Jan. 31. You can find all the results from the poll in the February issue of CITYVIEW magazine!

Best West Side Bar

1. Shotgun Betty’s

2. The Winchester Public House

3. The Front Row

SEE EVENT PHOTOS HERE...

Prairie growing at Lakeside Fellowship
Diversity of native plants, grasses and flowers

By Rich Wicks

A few years ago, a patch of land at Lakeside Fellowship Church was selected for a prairie restoration in Polk City, and Jason McIlravy recently gave a progress report. The area is completely overgrown, messy and disorganized. In other words, a success.

McIlravy explains how the project came about.
“We get a lot of water in the road ditch, and we were getting a lot of erosion. We’re just upstream from Saylorville Lake, so we wanted a way to control that. We went to the City and asked if we could put in a prairie. They agreed to it and gave us three years to start to get it established,” he says.

Read more in the July issue of North Polk Living magazine.

Happy Birthday Kevin Kopaska!

Happy Birthday These celebrities were born on this date: Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Julian McMahon, Maya Rudolph, Taylor Schilling, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Norman Lear, Alex Rodriguez, Indiana Evans, Donnie Yen, David Hasselhoff, Kate Mara, Amanda Seyfried, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Blair Redford, Selena Gomez, Bill Nye

SUBMIT: Send your birthday greetings and congratulatory notes to: tammy@iowalivingmagazines.com

The answer to yesterday's riddle:
Why is a dog’s nose in the middle of its face? IT'S THE SCENTER! - Judy Anderson, Rex Post, Gail Tomlinson. Or, IT MAKES SCENTS! - Lori Bluml. Also sending in answers for Tuesday's riddle were Rex Post, Kris Laurson

Today's Riddle

What do you get when you cross a dog with a calculator?

Have a guess? Email tammy@iowalivingmagazines.com

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