I shared in a past column how my father introduced me to gambling. We were driving down a highway, and I asked him if he ever bought a lottery ticket. Dad replied by asking me if I had a dollar bill. I said yes, and he told me to give it to him. So, being an obedient son, I handed him a dollar bill out of my billfold, and I watched him roll down his window and let that dollar sail through the air. “That’s gambling,” he told me.
I recognize many of you gamble responsibly and do so for simple entertainment purposes. You are the fortunate ones. I also realize that many people lose everything they own because of this addiction. According to the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission, Iowans spent a record-breaking $2.8 billion in 2024 on sports betting alone. That’s $2.8 billion — with a b.
You can call it gambling, gaming or whatever you want, but that’s a lot of money. And it’s not money that was pulled out of thin air. It is money that may have been otherwise spent on house payments, car payments, rent, food, medical needs, clothes or many other choices.
I attended a Rotary meeting yesterday, and a representative from Community and Family Resources (CFR) presented to the club. CFR is a nonprofit organization that helps people recover from addiction and mental illness. The program I heard was specifically about gambling disorders and the recent increase in this from online gambling and video games.
The presenter explained how the demographics of problem gamblers are impacted by increased technology, and how up to 8% of adolescents now have gambling disorders. She shared how gambling is also increasing in older adults, including veterans.
Women are apparently at a higher risk for gambling disorders than men and are more likely to gamble online, use slot machines and play bingo. Men are more likely to gamble via cards and get involved in sports betting.
About 75% of those with gambling disorders also have a co-occurring disorder including depression, bipolar, PTSD, obsessive/compulsive and others. Consequences of problem gambling include interpersonal violence, separation/divorce, and emotional and behavior problems. Education and employment are also frequently impacted, as well as physical health.
I learned how today’s gambling trends include sports betting, Fish Game, online gambling and day trading (stock market). Something called Loot Boxes are also trending with youth. It is all quite concerning. Alcohol and tobacco are heavily regulated by our government, and for good reason, but the marketing aspects of some gambling seem to have free rein.
As with many addictions, gambling can be difficult to truly understand unless it affects you personally. Unfortunately, those lessons sometimes have to be learned the hard way — like by your dad throwing away one of your hard-earned dollars. And the earlier in life those lessons are learned, the better.
Have a wonderful Wednesday, and thanks for reading.
Shane Goodman
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FROM KCCI: Sen. Joni Ernst says she'll vote to confirm Hegseth as defense secretary. WASHINGTON — The confirmation hearing for President-elect Donald Trump's pick for secretary of defense wrapped up on Tuesday. Defense secretary nominee Pete Hegseth spent Tuesday answering questions from senators. ...READ MORE
FROM WHO-TV: AHeinz57 to phase out cat intake due to upkeep costs. DE SOTO, Iowa — AHeinz57 Pet Rescue and Transport will soon revert to exclusively a dog shelter again after announcing that the rescue is phasing out its cat program. The rescue’s leadership says it will uphold its contracts with Waukee and the City of West Des Moines, but when those contracts end in June, so will its cat program....READ MORE
FROM WOI: Polk County Sheriff's Office investigating 'suspicious death' in Grimes. When deputies arrived on scene, they located an adult woman deceased in the backyard. ...READ MORE |
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Clear Mortgage meteorology
Dry conditions into next week. Warming today into Friday, then the coldest air of the season arrives.
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 | | | CARS IN THE CITY
Honda Accord Touring Hybrid
By Jackie Wilson
The Honda Accord is one of the best-selling sedans of all time, claiming the top 10 best titles 39 times since 1989, often wrestling with the Toyota Camry for the top-selling car.
What’s to love about a Honda Accord? Reliability, mid-price point, safety and resale value are at the top of the list.
And I should know. I’ve owned three Honda Accords since the early 1990s. My current, yet trusty ride — a 2012 — appears tired and dated, and I was eager to see the changes for 2025. | | | READ MORE |
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Woebegone Wednesday
Staples of the pre-Y2K suburban landscape — Boston Market, Red Lobster and TGI Friday's — all declared bankruptcy last year. Some of their contemporaries, particularly Chili's and Applebee's, weathered the vagaries of time much better by offering bargain meals. The three losers faltered for a number of reasons, among them the changing tastes of younger diners, who might prefer fast-casual chains with more sophisticated, global flavors — or simply staying home and having dinner delivered. (WSJ)
But 2025 might have good news. The son of one of the founders of Mexican chain Chi-Chi’s said he is bringing the business back, along with the return of their decadent fried ice cream and chimichangas from the '70s. (WAPO)
Deals today
• Wine bottles are half price on Wednesdays at Trostel's Greenbriar (5910 Merle Hay Road, Johnston).
• Barntown's (9500 S.E. University Ave., West Des Moines) Wednesday specials are a pound of chicken tenders with fries and two sauces for $11.99, plus $13 core pitchers of beer.
• Wednesday is Biryani Festival at Chowrastha (5910 Ashworth Road, West Des Moines). Buy two and a third is free.
• Wednesdays bring steak night to Club 2000 (422 Indianola Road, Des Moines). Steaks are cooked to order with salad, potato and bread, $14.99.
• Angry Goldfish (2301 S.W. Ninth St., Des Moines) offers hot beef sandwiches with mashed potatoes and gravy for $11.50 on Wednesday.
• Kids eat free with every paying adult on Wednesdays at Chuck’s (3610 Sixth Ave., Des Moines).
• Rangemasters Training Center (10520 Hickman Road, Clive) has a Wednesday ladies day special of $13 per person for live firing range and one target. $10 handgun rentals or BYOG.
• Basic Bird (2607 Beaver Ave., Des Moines) offers $1 chicken wings on Wednesdays.
• It's cavatelli night at Eastside Eddie's (3517 E. 26th St., Des Moines) served with garlic bread for $10.
• Bordanaro's (6108 S.W. Ninth St., Des Moines) has a Wednesday-Thursday only special on carryout pizza. They start at $6.50 for a 10-inch cheese pie. Each ingredient added is an extra charge, but this pretty much adds up to half-price pies.
• Maxie’s Supper Club (1311 Grand Ave., West Des Moines) has a Tuesday special beef and noodles over mashed potatoes for $16.95.
• Marianna's (1355 University Ave., Des Moines) has steeply discounted tacos on Wednesdays.
• Westown Tap (3530 Westown Parkway, West Des Moines) has a Wednesday deal on gyros — lamb, chicken or steak with a choice of side $10.
— Jim Duncan, jd91446@aol.com |
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The 2024 results ...
CITYVIEW's Best Of Des Moines® | | | Best Local Place to Take Your Kids
1. Blank Park Zoo
2. Des Moines Children’s Museum
3. Science Center of Iowa
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 | | | |
$324,900 1104 Phillips St. Polk City, IA 50226
Now priced below assessed value. This exquisitely renovated residence is situated in a prime location in Polk City. The home has undergone a comprehensive update, showcasing unique features that are rare to find within this price bracket. With three bedrooms, a spacious addition and a finished basement, there is ample space to accommodate every family member.
See the listing here.
| | | See More Homes For Sale |
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| SOLD: Featured commercial real estate transaction | | | 4201 CORPORATE DRIVE, WEST DES MOINES
SALE DATE: 2024-09-05
SALE PRICE: $3,179,240
SELLER: LIFESPACE COMMUNITIES INC
BUYER: KAVI VENTURES LLC
ACRES: 3.001
SQUARE FEET: 30,786 |
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Featured in the current
issue of Johnston Living magazine | | | Enhancing services to residents
NorthPoint Church announces community center.
By Lindsey Giardino
NorthPoint Church is undertaking a $7 million renovation to transform its building into a community hub — a project that reflects the church’s commitment to serving its neighbors.
“Most churches sit dark for a lot of their time, and we don’t want to do that,” Executive Pastor John Sorrell says.
The renovation is part of the church’s Cultivate Initiative and will be carried out in two phases. Phase one includes the construction of a 9,000-square-foot addition on the building’s east end, designed to house a childcare center operated by Pathways Learning Academy. Expected to open in fall 2025, the childcare center will provide an important resource for local families. | | | READ MORE |
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FROM ESPN: Football, frostbite and a 'borderline inhumane' NFL playoff night. ... READ MORE
FROM SPORTS ILLUSTRATED: Former Orioles Pitcher Brian Matusz Died of Suspected Overdose, Police Say. ... READ MORE
FROM Yahoo Sports: Alleged Caitlin Clark stalker disruptive in court appearance, held on $50K bond. The Texas man arrested for allegedly sending threats and sexually explicit messages to WNBA star Caitlin Clark was held on $50,000 bond following a disruptive court appearance in Indianapolis on Tuesday. ... READ MORE |
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2009: Pilot Sully Sullenberger performs “Miracle on the Hudson." On January 15, 2009, a potential disaster turns into a heroic display of skill and composure when Captain Chesley Burnett Sullenberger III safely lands the plane he was piloting on New York City’s Hudson River after a bird strike caused its engines to fail. David Paterson, governor of New York at the time, dubbed the incident the “miracle on the Hudson.” ...READ MORE
1559: Elizabeth I crowned Queen of England. Two months after the death of her half-sister, Queen Mary I of England, Elizabeth Tudor, the 25-year-old daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, is crowned Queen Elizabeth I at Westminster Abbey in London. The two half-sisters, both daughters of Henry VIII, had a stormy relationship during Mary’s five-year reign. ... READ MORE
1919: Boston shocked by deadly molasses flood. Fiery hot molasses floods the streets of Boston on January 15, 1919, killing 21 people and injuring scores of others. The molasses burst from a huge tank at the United States Industrial Alcohol Company building in the heart of the city. ... READ MORE
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| Weekly fuel report | | | The price of regular unleaded gasoline rose 3 cents, averaging $2.88 across Iowa according to AAA. Prices are up 16 cents from a year ago. The national average on Tuesday was $3.07, steady from last week’s price.
Retail diesel prices in Iowa rose 6 cents this week with a statewide average of $3.35. One year ago, diesel prices averaged $3.58 in Iowa. The current Iowa diesel price is 23 cents lower than the national average of $3.58.
Wholesale ethanol held steady and is currently priced at $2.16.
Natural gas prices were up $.12 at the Henry Hub reporting site and are currently priced at $3.75/MMbtu.
Propane prices averaged $1.59 per gallon in Iowa.
Home heating oil prices had a statewide average of $2.93 per gallon. |
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| Birthdays and notables | | | These celebrities were born on this date: Dove Cameron, Grace VanderWaal, Pitbull, Kevin Álvarez, Myke Towers, Valentina Zenere, Drew Brees, Regina King, Chloe Kelly, Christopher Convery, Chad Lowe, Caroline Arapoglou, Vern Willey
SUBMIT: Send your birthday greetings and congratulatory notes to: tammy@iowalivingmagazines.com |
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The answer to the last riddle: What do they say about the Viking who was reincarnated? He was Bjorn again! - Gail Tomlinson.
Today's riddle: Who invented fractions?
Have a guess? Email tammy@iowalivingmagazines.com |
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