Certain holidays make me beam with American pride. The Fourth of July. Labor Day. Veterans Day. Flag Day. And, yes, Memorial Day.
I love the seemingly ever-growing list of other holidays, too, but these days make me want to fly the stars and stripes and sing “America the Beautiful.” And I do.
But Memorial Day is different, at least for me. As photojournalist Tamra Bolton said, “This is the day we pay homage to all those who didn’t come home. This is not Veterans Day. It’s not a day of celebration. It is a day of solemn contemplation over the cost of freedom.”
I didn’t always realize this. As a child, I would often mix up the Memorial Day and Labor Day dates, not remembering which came first. Sometimes, I still do. That may be on purpose, as my uncle and grandparents died in a horrific car accident on Labor Day of 1973 when I was 5 years old. That weekend haunted my mother for decades. As a result, I purposely tried to get it out of my mind, along with the anniversaries of any other negative events. Even so, Mom would take me out to the cemetery prior to Memorial Day each year of my youth to put flowers on the graves of her brother, mother and father, and we would say some prayers and shed some tears together.
It wasn’t until years later that I realized the deeper meaning of Memorial Day. It’s not about barbecues or beaches or Budweiser. This American holiday, originally known as Decoration Day, was created to honor the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military. It originated in the years following the Civil War and became an official federal holiday in 1971.
As an adult, I now attend a Memorial Day service every year. It gives me an appreciation of our fallen soldiers and the ultimate sacrifices they made so that you and I can experience the freedoms we have today.
I also make time for barbecues and beaches and Budweiser during the Memorial Day weekend, and I continue to shed a tear and say a prayer for all my fallen friends and family members, including my uncle, my grandmother and my grandfather — and my mother, too.
Have a memorable Monday, and thanks for reading.
Shane Goodman
President and Publisher
Big Green Umbrella Media
shane@dmcityview.com
515-953-4822, ext. 305
www.thedailyumbrella.com
See Shane Goodman's previous columns here. |
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Clear Mortgage meteorology
Spotty late-day showers and storms are possible today and Tuesday, but most will stay dry. Gorgeous weather Wednesday and Thursday. Storm chances return Friday and Saturday.
For help with pre-approvals or refinancing, get in touch with Originating Branch Manager Carrie Hansen at carrie.mortgage. |
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| From the May issue of CITYVIEW | | | ASK CITYVIEW
By CITYVIEW staff
What are some of Iowa’s most interesting ghost towns?
With the May edition containing our Summer Arts & Entertainment feature, we compiled many of the area’s most exciting, attractive and thrilling events. One of our readers posed this question that might be more suited for the fall version.
Iowa is home to many ghost towns. Rockville, aptly named, was located on the banks of the Maquoketa River. One of the only things that remains of the town is the stone grist mill. The post office closed in 1898 after a new railroad bypassed the town.
Stanzel, located by Highway 92 between Adair and Winterset, is considered a ghost town but still has an active church.
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| CITYVIEW's Best Of Des Moines® | | | The results have been tallied and published in the February issue of CITYVIEW and online!
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Last week we reported that Aldi stores were beating their rivals at attracting bargain hunters. How are they doing it?
1.) Aldi’s stores typically carry about 2,000 separate items, compared with an average of more than 31,000 at major supermarket operators, according to FMI, a food-industry trade group. 2.) Aldi’s stores are typically about 20,000 square feet, less than half the size of the average supermarket. The small-store format means cheaper rent, lower energy costs and fewer employees. A narrower selection means Aldi can purchase products from suppliers in larger volumes, at a cheaper price. 3.) The company, which accounts for only 3% of customers compared to Wal Mart's 30%, has been adding about 100 US stores a year over the past decade and plans to roughly double that pace, adding 800 stores nationwide by the end of 2028. (WSJ).
Aldi is testing Grabandgo, a technology that scans groceries as one shops to avoid check out lines, at a store in Chicago. That technology is working in the UK. (Fox Business).
Aldi has begun a Twice as Nice Guarantee: "If for any reason you are not 100% satisfied with the quality of any product we will happily replace the item and refund your money." .
Deals. Price Choppers have $6 Monday fried chicken dinners with two pieces of bone-in, two sides and a dinner roll... Bianchi’s Hilltop (2829 Hubbell Ave., Des Moines) offers cavatelli dinners with garlic bread for $17 today... Chicago Speakeasy (1520 Euclid Ave., Des Moines) serves prime rib specials Monday for both lunch and dinner and Christopher's (2816 Beaver Ave., Des Moines) does for dinner... Trostel's Greenbriar (5810 Merle Hay Road, Johnston) offers half pound burgers with fries or salad, and a beer for $14 on Mondays...
Registration deadline is May 30 for Polk County Conservation's June 13 Eco-bus tour to Hudson, Cedar Falls and Waterloo. Highlights include: Hansen Dairy Farm with a tour of the cows and kangaroos; Tall Grass Prairie Center; Lunch at Barn Happy and time to shop in its unique boutique; UNI Botanical Center followed by a tractor/wagon ride through the Cedar Valley Arboretum; Butterfly Garden and the Sesquicentennial Forest. Bus leaves from Prairie Meadows parking lot, $120 all inclusive. 515-323-5300 or pccb_info@polkcountyiowa.gov
— Jim Duncan, jd91446@aol.com |
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| Featured home for sale | | |
$278,500 3032 Scott Ave., Des Moines, IA 50317
Check out the curb appeal of this three-bedroom, two-bath home and be the envy of the eastside! Charm and character of the home shows throughout. This home sits on a 0.4 acre large lot. Perfect for entertaining! Home features a unique circle driveway with a 3+ car garage. Previous owner pretty much updated everything, which includes: new roof and gutters in 2016, Pella windows, updated electrical, kitchen completely remodeled...
See the listing here.
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| SOLD: Featured commercial real estate transaction | | | 6701 CORPORATE DRIVE, JOHNSTON
SALE DATE: 2024-03-05
SALE PRICE: $3,400,000
SELLER: EDGE BUSINESS CONTINUITY CENTER LLC
BUYER: JORDVERT LLC
ACRES: 2.136
SQUARE FEET: 32,874 |
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| From the May issue of Bondurant Living magazine | | | Bondurant Summerfest delivers for 50 years
Celebrate Bondurant adds to the fun.
By Chantel Boyd
It’s that time of year. Community celebrations abound with the start of summer — and Bondurant is no different. Bondurant Summerfest and Celebrate Bondurant are right around the corner, along with all the other fun that the season brings.
While many community celebrations today share some features, such as food trucks, parades, carnivals, live music and more, each is still unique, with its own flare and flavor. Bondurant residents understand what makes the town one-of-a-kind, and Summerfest and Celebrate Bondurant are ways to extend a welcome to neighbors and visitors.
This year’s Bondurant Summerfest will be extra memorable as it is celebrating a milestone — its 50th anniversary — June 10-11.
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FROM KCCI: Arrest made after gunshots reported outside of Roosevelt High's graduation ceremony
DES MOINES, Iowa — One person was arrested and charged after shots were fired outside Rosevelt High School's graduation ceremony at the Knapp Center at Drake University Saturday afternoon. 22-year-old Bradwick Michael Tukes was arrested and charged with going armed with intent, carrying weapons on school grounds and reckless use of a firearm. ....READ MORE FROM KCCI
FROM WHO-TV:Thrills without chills! The new Sleepy Hollow attraction is finally open
DES MOINES, Iowa — Thrill seekers of all ages headed out to the slopes of Sleepy Hollow Sports Park over the weekend. Six hundred feet of fun opened up to the public. The newest Snow Flex attraction is already breaking world records. .... READ MORE FROM WHO
FROM WOI-DT Local 5: Yes, Iowa's early morning storms on Friday were part of a derecho
DES MOINES, Iowa — A week of violent weather and deadly tornadoes was brought to a close early Friday morning as a massive front of storms barreled eastward across the state. The line of intense thunderstorms made its way across Iowa starting around 2 a.m., leaving heavy rain, hail damage and brief tornado touchdowns in its wake. Yes, the more than 500-mile long line of storms was technically a derecho.....READ MORE FROM WOI-DT Local 5 |
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ESPN: Family says PGA Tour golfer Grayson Murray died by suicide... READ MORE
SPORTS ILLUSTRATED: Huge Crash at Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix Leaves Sergio Pérez's Car Demolished. ... READ MORE
YAHOO! Sports: Southampton back in the Premier League after winning playoff final, the richest game in world soccer ....READ MORE |
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1887: Chinese gold miners are slaughtered in the Hells Canyon Massacre. The Hells Canyon Massacre begins on May 27, 1887, in Lewiston, Washington Territory, in what is now Idaho. The mass slaughter of Chinese gold miners by a gang of white horse thieves was one of many hate crimes perpetrated against Asian immigrants in the American West during this period. ... READ MORE
1943: U.S. Olympian Louis Zamperini’s plane goes down in the Pacific. On May 27, 1943, a B-24 carrying U.S. airman and former Olympic runner Louis Zamperini crashes into the Pacific Ocean. After surviving the crash, Zamperini floated on a raft in shark-infested waters for more than a month before being picked up by the Japanese and spending the next two years in a series of brutal prison camps. His story of survival was featured in the 2010 best-selling book Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand. ... READ MORE
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| Birthdays and notables | | | Happy Birthday Jeff Pitts!
These celebrities were born on this date: Zach Herron, Lily-Rose Depp, Chris Colfer, Andre 3000, Jamie Oliver, Paul Bettany, Ben Feldman, Roberto Soldado, João Cancelo, Daniel Jones, Jack McBrayer, Shanola Hampton
SUBMIT: Send your birthday greetings and congratulatory notes to: tammy@iowalivingmagazines.com |
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The answer to yesterday's riddle:
What happens when you sing country music backward?
World returns to perfect.
In the words of rascal Flatts:
[Chorus]
You get your house back
You get your dog back
You get your best friend Jack back
You get your truck back
You get your hair back
You get your first and second wives back
- Mike Chiston. And answers along those lines from Rex Post, Carolyn Rogers. Or, from William Snyder, Gail Tomlinson, Lori Bluml: It comes out “ouY ot sliarT yppaH.”
Today's riddle
How do you make Budweiser?
Have a guess? Email tammy@iowalivingmagazines.com |
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To advertise in the Daily Umbrella or Johnston Living magazine or Weekly, contact:
Andrea Hodapp
Account Executive
Office: 515-953-4822 ext. 322
Mobile: 515-883-0523
andrea@iowalivingmagazines.com
©Big Green Umbrella Media, Inc., all rights reserved.
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