Welcome to the Friday 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.
“My go-to cup is a metal insulated one with an Iowa logo on it (Coffee cups, Jan. 7, 2025). I find the insulated variety keeps the liquid hotter longer. Since we winter in Florida, I have one there as well as in Iowa. The backup cup is ceramic, also with an Iowa logo. I use it mostly to heat liquids that have cooled too much. Over the years, I have received a number of cups, but they just don’t get used — not even the mustache cup!” - Chuck
Mustache cup? This I have to see! - Shane
“Shane, I enjoyed your column on coffee cups (Coffee cups, Jan. 7, 2025). I’ve been collecting different coffee cups throughout my years, whether traveling for work or pleasure. I have coffee cups for every season and holiday as well as other quirky cups. Don’t really have a favorite, but, my wife has put a halt on my coffee cup obsession.” - Kevin
Sounds like you need to start giving coffee cups to your wife as gifts. - Shane
“I have started making it a mission to have holiday-specific coffee cups (Coffee cups, Jan. 7, 2025). This year I grew my collection for Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas (almost enough to fill up half a tub)! Now my family knows, and my mom enjoys picking up fun ones she finds for me. Nothing better than a great coffee cup to start the morning!” - Samantha
Half a tub? A bathtub? This is where you store your coffee cups? Maybe I should give that a try. - Shane
“Oh, you jenius, you... I predict an avalanche of response to your masterpiece homage to coffee mugs today (Coffee cups, Jan. 7, 2025). I reply as I sip from this year's Christmas gift of a Yeti tall mug... which requires me to remove the tray to get my coffee. Small inconvenience.” - John
As a youth, when a friend would annoy me, I would tell him he was a jerk with a capital G. Some laughed. Most didn’t. - Shane
Have a fantastic Friday, and thanks for reading.
Thank you for reading.
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FROM KCCI: Iowa Supreme Court ruling shifts sidewalk liability to cities. CLIVE, Iowa — A recent Iowa Supreme Court ruling means cities could be held liable for sidewalk defects instead of homeowners. The court confirmed that homeowners are still responsible for clearing snow and ice from their sidewalks to prevent accidents. ...READ MORE
FROM WHO-TV: Iowa made Tone’s Spices being dropped from Hy-Vee stores. DES MOINES, Iowa — Hy-Vee confirmed on Thursday that the grocery store chain will no longer be stocking Tone’s Spices. In a statement sent to WHO 13 Hy-Vee said it would no longer stock the Iowa made spices due to inconsistent product availability. ...READ MORE
FROM WOI: State grants elevating charter schools, offering new paths to success. The Iowa State Board of Education is offering public forums for community members to share their opinions and concerns over charter school funding and standards. ...READ MORE |
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Clear Mortgage meteorology
A little less chilly going into the weekend, and a chance for flurries or light snow Saturday night into Sunday.
For help with pre-approvals or refinancing, get in touch with Originating Branch Manager Carrie Hansen at carrie.mortgage. |
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| Weekly fuel report | | | The price of regular unleaded gasoline rose 15 cents, averaging $2.91 across Iowa according to AAA. Prices are up 12 cents from a year ago. The national average on Wednesday was $3.07, up 3 cents from last week’s price.
Retail diesel prices in Iowa rose 6 cents this week with a statewide average of $3.34. One year ago, diesel prices averaged $3.60 in Iowa. The current Iowa diesel price is 20 cents lower than the national average of $3.54.
Wholesale ethanol held steady and is currently priced at $2.16.
Natural gas prices were down $.07 at the Henry Hub reporting site and are currently priced at $3.63/MMbtu.
Propane prices averaged $1.58 per gallon in Iowa.
Home heating oil prices had a statewide average of $2.88 per gallon. |
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| Read the latest CITYVIEW | | | JOE'S NEIGHBORHOOD
A simple room above an Irish pub — a New Year’s resolution
By Joe Weeg
I tired of New Year’s resolutions long before I became an old man. But, before I did, my resolutions were the typical nutty variety that I always circumvented by the end of January. Let’s just take a gander at a few.
“20 Days to Better Spelling,” a book with not a single romantic twist or turn, exited years ago from my resolution list with my discovery of spellcheck.
“No eating after 7 p.m.” was no longer a challenge when I decided buttered popcorn was an exception. Duh. | | | READ MORE |
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Trends a coming? Wall Street Journal reports that ultra high end retail stores are adding restaurants in order to take advantage of the free advertising that Instagram, Tik Tok and Facebook users provide by posting photos of what they eat and where they eat it. "Louis Vuitton and the owner of Le Coucou, a refined French restaurant in New York City, opened a posh eatery in the designer’s Manhattan store. Coach opened its first restaurant, choosing Jakarta for its debut. Armani replicated its European Ristorante on Madison Avenue. And Alaïa opened a cafe and bookstore at its flagship store in London."
Ingersoll Dinner Theater has been awarded $728,818 in state historic tax credits for its rehabilitation. The place, which brought big name acts like Glen Miller Band, Mills Brothers and The Platters to town last century, has also secured 80-100 parking places. That was good going since city planners have seen fit to remove seven parking places on Ingersoll within one address of the dinner theater and its neighbors, Manhattan Deli and Greenwood Lounge. All three businesses are now without any handicapped parking that faces handicapped accessible entrances. But Ingersoll has lots more weirdly angled curbs and flowerless concrete areas for planters.
Weekend deals
• Irina's Steak and Seafood (650 S. Prairie View Drive, West Des Moines) offers an all you can eat crab, lobster bisque and prime rib buffet for $55 this Friday through Sunday.
• The Station (3128 Ingersoll Ave.) has a chef's special today of clam chowder in a bread bowl, $8.
• Fresh Thyme's (2900 University Ave., West Des Moines) winter open house is Saturday from 11 a.m. Samples, giveaways and exclusive offers are promised.
• Fish Fry Friday night specials can be found at Machine Shed (11151 Hickman Road, Urbandale), Red Lobster (3838 Westown Parkway, West Des Moines), Cracker Barrel (11701 University, Clive) and Bevy’s Tavern (1300 50th St., West Des Moines).
• Brenda Trang offers her fabulous Friday buffets every Friday at Vietnam Cafe - Merle Hay Mall Food Court, 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., $18.95.
• Bawarchi (6630 Mills Civic Parkway, West Des Moines) has Friday through Sunday specials on paneer kebabs, chicken curry and goat curry.
• Mickey's in Yale (217 Main St., Yale) has hot beef sandwich lunches and all you can eat fish dinner specials today.
• Chicago Speakeasy (1520 Euclid Ave., Des Moines) offers BBQ beef and marinated roast beef sandwiches on special for Friday lunch.
• 801 Chophouse (801 Grand Ave., Des Moines) offers Sunday supper specials that deliver deep discounts on filet, prime rib and red king salmon dinners.
• Tito’s Lounge (3916 N.W. Urbandale Drive, Urbandale) now has brunch on Fridays.
• Court Avenue Brewing Company (309 Court Ave., Des Moines) hosts Saturday and Sunday breakfast buffets for $23.99.
• Friday night is paella time at Purveyor (505 E. Grand, Des Moines, officially, but really on E. Fifth), real Valenciana paella.
• Wendy's Fry Days mean free fries Friday with a purchase.
• Maxie's Supper Club's (1311 Grand Ave., West Des Moines) Friday special is chicken and noodles over mashed potatoes - $16.95 all day. They also have prime rib dinners on Friday and Saturday for dinner only, $30-38.
• Irina's Steak and Seafood (650 S. Prairie View Drive, West Des Moines) has a Jan. 10-11 buffet with crab legs and prime rib for $55.
• Fresh Thyme (2900 University Ave., West Des Moines) has Coho salmon fillets on sale for $5.99/pound through Tuesday.
• Westown Tap (3530 Westown Parkway, West Des Moines) offers $12 flatbreads on Fridays.
• The Juan & Only plays Friday at El Toreado Mexican Bar & Grill, 3751 EP True Parkway, West Des Moines) from 6 p.m.
• Willie James Shay plays Sonny’s Pizza Bistro (6594 Sixth Drive, Des Moines) from 5:30 p.m.
— Jim Duncan, jd91446@aol.com |
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The 2024 results ...
CITYVIEW's Best Of Des Moines® | | | Best Local Place to Bowl
1. Spare Time Entertainment
2. Warrior Lanes
3. Air Lanes
The 2025 Best Of Des Moines Poll is now closed. Results will be published in the February 2025 issue of CITYVIEW. |
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| Featured home for sale | | |
$525,000 2304 W. Henderson Ave. Indianola, IA 50125
Quiet location backing to green space. Spacious and quality-built Van Dam resale. Walkout 5-bedroom, 3-bath ranch with over 3,800 finished square feet. Signature barrel entry with French doors leads to office (or fifth bedroom). The vaulted living room with impressive gas fireplace with built-ins and large windows overlooking nature and wildlife behind. New carpet (2024), kitchen appliances (2024), farm sink (2024) along with raised bar for seating and roomy dining area to accommodate your extra large table and slider to the freshly painted deck.
See the listing here.
| | | See More Homes For Sale |
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| SOLD: Featured commercial real estate transaction | | | 1221 ILLINOIS ST., DES MOINES
SALE DATE: 2024-09-03
SALE PRICE: $1,830,000
SELLER: ELDRIDGE WELDING & MACHINE COMPANY
BUYER: MIDCOUNTRY HOLDINGS LLC
ACRES: 1.966
SQUARE FEET: 23,408 |
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Featured in the current
issue of Adel Living magazine | | | Guild weaves communities together
Weavers and Spinners Guild welcomes all levels.
By Rachel Harrington
The Des Moines Weavers and Spinners Guild began in1945. It was formed to generate and inspire interest and instruct members and the general public in the various arts of weaving, spinning and fiber arts. With more than 70 members, the guild welcomes anyone who would like to learn new skills or advance existing ones to join them. The current membership includes local individuals as well as others from as far away as Marshalltown and Waterloo.
Adel’s Lorinda Inman has been a member of the guild for the last 10 years, though she attended classes that the guild offered before that time as well. | | | READ MORE |
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FROM ESPN: Bengals' Jermaine Burton allegedly involved in domestic dispute ... READ MORE
FROM SPORTS ILLUSTRATED: Rams-Vikings Wild Card Game Moved to Arizona Due to Southern California Wildfires ... READ MORE
FROM Yahoo Sports: Eagles' Jalen Hurts elevated to full participant in practice ahead of wild-card game vs. Packers ... READ MORE |
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1901: Gusher signals new era of U.S. oil industry. On January 10, 1901, a drilling derrick at Spindletop Hill near Beaumont, Texas, produces an enormous gusher of crude oil, coating the landscape for hundreds of feet and signaling the advent of the American oil industry. ...READ MORE
1962: Avalanche kills thousands in Peru. On January 10, 1962, an avalanche on the slopes of an extinct volcano kills more than 4,000 people in Peru. Nine towns and seven smaller villages were destroyed. Mount Huascaran rises 22,000 feet above sea level in the Andes Mountains. Beneath it laid many small Peruvian communities, the inhabitants of which farmed in the Rio Santa Valley. On the evening of January 10, as most of the region’s people gathered in their homes for dinner, the edge of a giant glacier suddenly broke apart and thundered down the mountain. The block of ice was the size of two skyscrapers and weighed approximately 6 million tons, and it made a loud noise as it fell, which was heard in the towns below. ... READ MORE
2008: World’s cheapest car debuts in India. At the New Delhi Auto Expo in India, Tata Motors debuts the Nano, billing it as the world’s cheapest car. The anticipated price tag is around $2,500. Tata, India’s largest automaker, called the four-door, bubble-shaped mini-vehicle (it was just 5 feet wide and 10 feet long) the “People’s Car” and declared that it would be a vehicle for families who previously hadn’t been able to afford a car. (At the time, it wasn’t uncommon to see an entire family precariously packed onto a single motorbike.) ... READ MORE
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| Birthdays and notables | | | Happy birthday Michel Pogge-Weaver and Megan Martens!
These celebrities were born on this date: Reneé Rapp, Hrithik Roshan, Rod Stewart, George Foreman, Pat Benatar, Chris Smith, Evan Handler, Bobby Rahal
SUBMIT: Send your birthday greetings and congratulatory notes to: tammy@iowalivingmagazines.com |
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The answer to the last riddle:Why did the police officer cry after making the arrest? IT WAS A MOVING VIOLATION! - Randy Lagerblade, Gail Tomlinson, Rex Post. Or, Because he had to pepper the perp with questions! - William Snyder.
Today's riddle: What king of medieval England was famous because he spent so many nights at his Round Table writing books?
Have a guess? Email tammy@iowalivingmagazines.com |
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KERRY JACOBSEN
Account Executive
Office: 641-332-2707
Mobile: 515-619-2788
kerry@iowalivingmagazines.com
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