Welcome to an extra edition of the mailbag where you will find some of the comments, questions and ideas sent recently by readers of this newsletter or our publications. They are edited for space and clarity.
“Shane, I once considered becoming a pastor because I thought they only worked about 45 minutes on Sunday mornings (Keep it short, Oct. 29, 2024).” - James
You thought wrong. - Shane
“Shane, have you tried to put something together with instructions that are only pictures and no words (Instructions, Oct. 30, 2024)? Also, I have received four items that needed a tiny screwdriver (provided) to put together. Do these people realize we semi-educated handymen own tools? I often wonder if the cost of something would drop if I only had the parts needed, they weren’t bubble-wrapped like they were delivered by a low-flying plane, and only written in English by somebody who knows English?” - James
Are you saying a thousand pictures don’t say a word? - Shane
“I agree with all your points. I particularly agree that we are a rather lazy bunch (Instructions, Oct. 30, 2024). Expectation level is so low these days, but we who know need to set the goals. Thank you for your daily columns.” - Kay
Maybe we just like the challenge of trying to put things together without guidance of any sort? Wait, you are right. We are lazy. - Shane
“Good morning, Shane. You asked us to dust off our Ouija boards and predict the future of work hours (The model work week, Nov. 4, 2024). I'm not sure that at 74, but still healthy (knock on wood), I'll be around to see any transformation. One thing that can fundamentally change hours, office attendance and a need for workers’ physical capabilities needed will be AI. Having participated in an activity yesterday, the day before election day, a manual ballot conducted by Maestro John Chido, mechanization has not been able to replace the dexterity of the human hand assuring humanity a place in the workplace, opening the absentee ballots in an election. It was pointed out by my fellow participants that as long as children send letters to Santa, Menards gives rebates, and my wife insists on putting our church offering in the plate, there will be a need for human hands in the office opening envelopes during hours yet to be determined.” - John
AI. Ouija boards. Menards rebates. I think you may have uncovered something. - Shane
“It would be helpful if media stuck to reporting what happened and stopped predicting things like ‘steaming mad.’ Your scenario ignores that some percentage of voters will be something other than happy or steaming mad (Smile, Nov. 5, 2024). Thanks for leaving some of us out!” - Chuck
We need more people like you, Chuck. – Shane
Have a thoughtful Thursday, and thanks for reading.
Shane Goodman
Publisher
Big Green Umbrella Media
shane@dmcityview.com
515-953-4822, ext. 305
www.thedailyumbrella.com |
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FROM KCCI: Donation leads to second-grade students across Iowa to receive 'Just Like Caitlin' book. WAUKEE, Iowa — In a display of generosity, second graders at Sugar Creek Elementary in Waukee received a special gift Wednesday — a Caitlin Clark picture book. ...READ MORE
FROM WHO-TV: Urbandale Schools, Safris family release statements following jury verdict. DES MOINES, Iowa — The jury’s verdict in the Safris vs. Urbandale Schools lawsuit has been published, with both the family and Urbandale Schools releasing statements. The Safris family filed a lawsuit claiming that failure to follow policy and negligence in the classroom led to their daughter being assaulted by a classmate, eventually causing her to become suicidal. The incidents began in 2018 after she shared nude photos with a male classmate, who then began sharing those photos with others and assaulting her in class after she refused to go out with him. ...READ MORE
FROM WOI: Iowa State Fair not inviting Steer N' Stein back following delayed payments. DESMOINES, Iowa — The decades-old vendor Steer N’ Stein will not be invited back to the 2025 fair, the Iowa State Fair Board announced Wednesday. This news comes days after Local 5 News reported that the fair alleged Steer N’ Stein owner, Michael Krantz, owed them over $100,000. ...READ MORE |
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Clear Mortgage meteorology
Clouds stick around early today before sun returns. Nice weather through the weekend. Rain chances increase again Monday.
For help with pre-approvals or refinancing, get in touch with Originating Branch Manager Carrie Hansen at carrie.mortgage. |
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| Read the latest CITYVIEW | | | CIVIC SKINNY
More million-dollar salaries at nonprofits. Less paid circulation for Register. More firearms at DSM airport.
By CITYVIEW staff
Nonprofit organizations are aplenty in Iowa, and the paychecks of the CEOs, presidents and other executives who manage them are often astounding. While there is little doubt about the good these varying organizations do through their services, it’s interesting to see how much those in charge are earning running a “nonprofit.” Last year, CITYVIEW initially excluded medical-related executives, much to the dismay of some of our readers. This time, those individuals will be included as we dig into the most recent 990 tax forms of the five highest gross receipts of central Iowa nonprofits according to guidestar.com.
... | | | READ MORE |
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Debunking food myths
Food & Wine editor Merlyn Miller wrote a piece in this month's magazine debunking seven food myths that somehow persist long after they were debunked. Here is a quick retelling. These are all true statements, despite what you might have heard.
1.) Searing meat does not lock in juices. But that doesn’t mean searing isn’t worth it, as the process will produce a more flavorful, browned crust on your meat.
2.) Decaf coffee is not caffeine free.
3.) The red juice from your medium-rare steak is not blood.
4.) Eating cookie dough is dangerous even if there aren’t raw eggs in it.
5.) Adding olive oil to pasta water does not prevent noodles from sticking together. Oil and water do not mix. When cooking pasta, this means that, when you put oil in your pasta cooking water, it’s not going to evenly disperse.
6.) You can use soap to clean a cast-iron skillet.
7.) Cheddar cheese is not naturally orange. Most cheddars today achieve their golden hue thanks to annatto, but some are dyed with paprika or artificial coloring agents.
Deals today
• Irina’s Steak and Seafood (650 S. Prairie View Drive, West Des Moines) now offers a USDA prime version of steak night. Choose a filet, New York strip or sirloin with a side for $25.
• Ribeye sandwiches are tonight's feature at The Station on Ingersoll (3124 Ingersoll Ave., Des Moines), and chicken fried steak or liver and onion dinners are at Mickey's in Yale (217 Main St., Yale).
• Red Lobster (3838 Westown Parkway, West Des Moines) offers a Thursday special of Maine lobster tail with shrimp scampi and a side for $20.
• Chicago Speakeasy (1520 Euclid Ave., Des Moines) has fried chicken on special every Thursday with the ice-cooled salad bar.
• Whatcha Smokin (Luther) offers its decadent pork belly burnt ends today.
• Hy Vee Market Grill has a Thursday special sirloin steak dinner with potato and green beans for $10.
• Price Choppers have Sugardale bone-in half hams at $1.99/pound and asparagus for $1.99/pound through Monday. Sugardale is a preferred buyer of legendary Niman Pork products, which are free ranged, happy pigs raised to the highest level of animal welfare. Fall asparagus is the best of the year. Through Tuesday.
• Bubba (200 10th St., Des Moines) runs a dine-in “Sips & Sliders” promotion every Thursday, 4 p.m. to close — $6 select drinks and $10 mix-and-match BBQ slider trios.
• Aldi stores have a sale on whole smoked turkeys at 77 cents/pound and lamb shanks at $5.99/pound though Tuesday.
— Jim Duncan, jd91446@aol.com |
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The 2024 results ...
CITYVIEW's Best Of Des Moines® | | | Best Local Roofing Company
1. Right Roofing & Siding
2. Walter’s Roofing + Solar;
3. Recon Roofing & Construction
Cast your votes in the 2025 Best Of Des Moines Poll now! Open until Nov. 22. Results to be published in the February 2025 issue of CITYVIEW. |
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Motion Comic Premiere (8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 15): Sensi’il Studios rolls out the red carpet for the premiere of "Gethsemane," an animated motion comic about people on the moon. Before the screening at the Fleur Cinema, walk the red carpet and enter a raffle for prizes.
The Queen’s Cartoonists
Friday, Nov. 15 at the Temple for Performing Arts.
In an engaging and most appealingly different performance, this ensemble performs music, interlaced with comedy and unexpected delights, with a bevy of cartoons from early 20th century classics to modern animated wonders. The band matches the energy of the cartoons, leading the audience through a world of virtuosic musicianship, multi-instrumental mayhem, and comedy.
Iowa Stage Theatre Company. 2025 Season Reveal. Sunday, Nov. 17. Salisbury House & Gardens.
Simpson Productions presents Speed Dating. Friday, Nov. 15 - Sunday, Nov. 17, 7:30-9 p.m. Blank Performing Arts Center, Pote Theatre, Indianola
Tallgrass Theatre Company. Broadway Karaoke. Sunday, Nov. 17.
DMACC Theatre, Ankeny. "The Swindlers: A Truish Tall Tale." Nov. 15-24.
Iowa Stage Theatre Company - Scriptease. “Bear Hunt” by Emily Golden. Monday, Nov. 18, 7-9 p.m. At Iowa Stage Theatre Company, 1472 N.E. 69 Place, Suite 101, Ankeny.
— John Busbee, The Culture Buzz |
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| Featured home for sale | | | |
$725,000 25742 338th Lane Adel, IA 50003
Come see this fantastic Adel acreage on 7 acres that's just waiting for its new homeowners. This home boasts 3 (above grade) finished levels. The second you step into this home, you'll notice the gorgeous real wood floors and countertops which came from a tree on this property! The main level consists of an open-concept which is great for entertaining in the dining room, family room, kitchen, or sun room. ...
See the listing here.
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| SOLD: Featured commercial real estate transaction | | | 3619 AMHERST ST., DES MOINES
SALE DATE: 2024-07-22
SALE PRICE: $168,150
BUYER: USA
SELLER: LARA CERVANTES, JOSE C
ACRES: 0.153
SQUARE FEET: 832 |
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Featured in the current
issue of Clive Living magazine | | | Free clinic meets needs in Clive and beyond
Dr. O’Shea and other health care professionals donate time
By Rich Wicks
With the cost of medical care and insurance rising, many Americans struggle with tough decisions in trying to stretch finances to cover medical expenses as well as routine expenses. In Clive, and in many other places, medical professionals are stepping up to help solve that dilemma.
Clive Community Services Free Clinic opened its doors in the summer of 2017 and is a member of the Free Clinics of Iowa Network. The clinic offers basic healthcare through volunteer physicians, nurses and other health professionals at no cost to patients. One of those physicians is Dr. Noreen O’Shea, who joined in the fall of 2017 and has served as the medical director since 2021.
Pat Sammler of Clive personally learned about the volunteerism of Dr. O’Shea and the free clinic.
... | | | READ MORE |
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FROM ESPN: Fever's Caitlin Clark draws big crowd for LPGA pro-am ... READ MORE
FROM SPORTS ILLUSTRATED: NCAA President Hints March Madness Field Could Expand. ... READ MORE
FROM Yahoo Sports: Raiders QB Gardner Minshew to start vs. Dolphins despite his struggles, team’s 2-7 start. ... READ MORE |
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1970: Plane crash devastates Marshall University football team. On Nov. 14, 1970, a chartered jet carrying most of the Marshall University football team clips a stand of trees and crashes into a hillside just two miles from the Tri-State Airport in Kenova, West Virginia, killing everyone onboard.The team was returning from that day’s game, a 17-14 loss to East Carolina University. Thirty-seven Marshall football players were aboard the plane, along with the team’s coach, its doctors, the university athletic director and 25 team boosters–some of Huntington, West Virginia’s most prominent citizens–who had traveled to North Carolina to cheer on the Thundering Herd. “The whole fabric,” a citizen of Huntington wrote later, “the whole heart of the town was aboard.” … READ MORE
1832: NYC’s first mass transit debuts: a horse‑drawn streetcar. On Nov. 14, 1832, New York City’s New York and Harlem company premiered the nation's first horse-drawn street car. Making its debut on Bowery and Fourth Avenue in Manhattan, between Prince and 14th Street, it marked New York’s first-ever mass transit offering. Within two weeks, passengers were charged 12.5 cents a ride.. … READ MORE
1960: Ruby Bridges desegregates her school. On Nov. 14, 1960, a court order mandating the desegregation of schools comes into effect in New Orleans, Louisiana. Six-year-old Ruby Bridges walks into William Frantz Elementary School, accompanied by federal marshals and taunted by angry crowds, instantly becoming a symbol of the civil rights movement, an icon for the cause of racial equality and a target for racial animosity. … READ MORE
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| Weekly fuel report | | | The price of regular unleaded gasoline fell 5 cents, averaging $2.80 across Iowa according to AAA. Prices are down 25 cents from a year ago. The national average on Wednesday was $3.08, down 3 cents from last week’s price.
Retail diesel prices in Iowa fell 3 cents this week with a statewide average of $3.31. One year ago, diesel prices averaged $4.30 in Iowa. The current Iowa diesel price is 24 cents lower than the national average of $3.55.
Wholesale ethanol held steady and is currently priced at $2.16.
Natural gas prices rose 22 cents at the Henry Hub reporting site and are currently priced at $2.98/MMbtu.
Propane prices averaged $1.54 per gallon in Iowa.
Home heating oil prices had a statewide average of $2.80 per gallon. |
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| Birthdays and notables | | | Happy Birthday Darren Tromblay!
These celebrities were born on this date: Patrick Warburton, Olga Kurylenko, Josh Duhamel, Vanessa Bayer, James Young, Yanni, Reverend Run, Brian Yale, Travis Barker, Brian Dietzen, Tobin Esperance, Graham Patrick Martin
SUBMIT: Send your birthday greetings and congratulatory notes to: tammy@iowalivingmagazines.com |
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The answer to the last riddle: What do robot pine trees grow? SILI-CONES! - Gail Tomlinson. Or, from William Snyder: Robocones or Autocones.
Today's riddle: Why did they call the new guy in the band the prison guitarist?
Have a guess? Email tammy@iowalivingmagazines.com |
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Mary Fowler
Account Executive
515-953-4822 x311
c: 641-485-0555
mary@dmcityview.com
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