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Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025
Good morning to you!

A few decades ago, I was hired to manage a commercial printing plant in rural Nebraska. The company was flush with revenue and had about 80 employees, but it struggled to show a consistent and predictable profit. Before I arrived, one of the owners of the company implemented an employee attitude survey, and the results were quite clear. Employees felt the company was overstaffed with many people not pulling their weight, and those who were working as they should felt they were underpaid. Other issues were uncovered as well, but staffing levels and compensation were the big ones.

I was handed a copy of the results and instructed to fix it. I knew I couldn’t do it on my own, so I pulled in a group of employees, and we created teams to measure our performance by department, set realistic expectations and suggest changes. As part of that process, I met with every employee and asked them to explain what they did for the company. More than 20 could not come up with more than a couple hours of tasks they were doing each week. This surprised me. It did not surprise most of the other employees.

I let 20 people go that week. It wasn’t easy, and those who were dismissed were not happy. I am sure my name was mud in their circles in the community. I promised the remaining staff members that their tasks and compensation would be evaluated and would be adjusted to get them to regional averages. Fortunately, most of them trusted me, and they received significant raises and proved to be valuable and loyal employees.

Not surprisingly, our revenues grew, our quality of work improved, most of our remaining employees were happier, and our profits increased. In short, the company was on solid ground. Was it perfect? Far from it, but we made a great deal of progress in a short amount of time by simply digging in, asking questions and implementing change.

This process isn’t groundbreaking. Good managers of private companies across our nation do this every day, continually questioning where every penny is spent and making tough decisions to ensure the companies will be operating for years to come.

This basic management process is now being implemented in our federal government, and it is long past due. Those whose work — or lack thereof — is being questioned are not happy about it. Those who have been let go are downright mad. Change isn’t easy, and, unfortunately, this has become a politically divided issue with much hatred and angst aimed at the people uncovering the tax-funded waste instead of the tax-funded waste itself. Yes, the process seems forced and fast, although it is easy to judge from the outside — just like many did to me a few decades ago.

Maybe those working in the federal government should participate in an employee attitude survey? And maybe key government employees should be involved in the process of creating and implementing the solutions? The findings may be just as surprising as the ones I discovered in rural Nebraska a few decades ago.

Have a watchful Wednesday, 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 more of Shane Goodman's columns here.

 
 
News headlines

FROM KCCI: Cancer in Iowa report: Iowa estimated to have 21,200 new cancer cases in 2025. DES MOINES, Iowa — Iowa continues to have the second-highest rate of new cancers in the United States. The Cancer in Iowa 2025 report released today estimates that 21,200 Iowans will be diagnosed with the disease this year, a 0.7% increase from 2024's estimate. ...READ MORE

FROM WHO-TV: Mercy College to build new $15 million nursing school. DES MOINES, Iowa — Mercy College of Health Sciences in Des Moines is raising money to build a new nursing school that the college’s president says will help address Iowa’s health care crisis.  ...READ MORE

FROM WOI: How to get tickets to Fever vs. Brazil game in Iowa City. Caitlin Clark makes her return to Carver-Hawkeye Arena's hardwood on May 4. Here's how you can get tickets to the exhibition matchup. ...READ MORE

 
 

Clear Mortgage meteorology

Nice weather continues into the weekend!

For help with pre-approvals or refinancing, get in touch with Originating Branch Manager Carrie Hansen at carrie.mortgage.

 
The 2025 results: CITYVIEW's Best of Des Moines®
 

Best Local Mexican Food

1. Fiesta Mexican Restaurant

2. Monterrey Mexican Restaurant

3. Old West Mexican Restaurant

 
See all of the results
 
 

Woebegone Wednesday
No other place in Iowa conjures the farm-to-table authenticity of pre World War II Iowa like Wallace House. They introduce new chef/farmer Gabriel Kerr (Table 128 and 503 Cocktail Lab and Tasting Room), accompanied by the unveiling of the 2025 program schedule, newly anticipated Abundance products, plans for the Farm and geothermal greenhouse. March 5, 6:30 p.m.
 
Happy Joe's, the Iowa-born pizza chain known for birthday parties, arcade games and the first taco pizza, is making a comeback. Following a bankruptcy of its parent company and closing of West Des Moines and Pella stores, they now plan to expand to 250 dine-in restaurants in the next 10 years.

Deals today
• 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. 

• Curbin' Cuisine (1325 S.W. Oralabor Road, Ankeny) offers traditional gyros for $7 Wednesdays. 

• 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.

• Kids eat free with every paying adult on Wednesdays at Chuck’s (3610 Sixth Ave., Des Moines).

• It's cavatelli night at Eastside Eddie's (3517 E. 26th St., Des Moines), served with garlic bread for $10.

• Jethro's Wednesday special is a pork tenderloin bundle with a choice of a side for $9.95. 

• 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.

• It's lasagna night at Maxie's Supper Club (1311 Grand Ave., West Des Moines).

• Panka Peruvian (2708 Ingersoll Ave., Des Moines) has live jazz Wednesday. 

• Gilroy's (1238 Eighth St., West Des Moines) has fried chicken specials tonight.  

• Flying Mango (4345 Hickman Road, Des Moines) has moved its prime rib night to Wednesdays.

• Cheese Shop (833 42nd St., Des Moines) hosts a Piedmont wine tasting tonight, 4-6 p.m. $20 buys a tasting glass to sample myriad Piedmont wines. 

• Kwik Stars' Wednesday special is eight pieces of fried chicken for $10. Their fried chicken is ridiculously good for a convenience store.  

• On Wednesdays, you can get any burger, wrap or sandwich with fries for $9.99 at Tito's Lounge (3916 N.W. Urbandale Drive, Urbandale).

• Dan Trilk plays Stuffed Olive at 6 tonight and Krantz, Schumacker & Ward Trio is at Louie’s Wine Dive at the same time.  

• Fresh Thyme (2900 University Ave., West Des Moines) begins a week-long sale on jumbo red, green and black grapes at $1.99/pound, jumbo (16-20) shrimp at $4.99/pound and grass fed ribeyes at $8.99/pound. 

• Price Choppers have sales on strawberries and grapes, red or white, at $1.99/pound, avocados at 88 cents and Talenti ice cream for $3.99/pint. Through Tuesday.

• Hy Vee Market Grilles have $7 pork chop dinners tonight with potato and carrots.

— Jim Duncan, jd91446@aol.com

 
 
Featured in the current issue of CITYVIEW
 

YOUR NEIGHBORS
Local librarian focuses on youth services

By Cyote Williams

Librarians are much more than what is portrayed in the media as “TV librarians,” Alissa Cornick, the youth services librarian at the South Side Library, said.

“They usually still have a ‘shushy’ librarian in there, and that’s just very much not what libraries are anymore. We really do seek to connect organizations, to connect people to the right services that they need in the community, and, if they can find it here, awesome,” Cornick said.

Cornick has been working at the South Side Library since 2019. Although she loves the job now, it wasn’t always her first choice. Before this, she was teaching college students at DMACC.

 
Read more
 
Featured home for sale
 
Post listings here for $50. Contact jolene@iowalivingmagazines.com for details.
 
$799,900

1011 N.E. 59th Court
Ankeny, IA 50021

Design meets function in this stunning Palmer plan by Kimberley! Situated at the end of a culde sac on nearly a half acre lot in the desirable Kimberley Estates, this 4 bedroom ranch home features over 3350 sf of finished living space.10' ceilings, 8' doors, awe-inspiring finishes, and flooded in natural light with floor to ceiling black Marvin windows. The kitchen is perfect for entertaining, with a GE Cafe 36" gas range, dishwasher drawers, refrigerator, and built-in microwave in the butler pantry. ....

 
See the listing here.
 
See More Homes For Sale
 
SOLD: Featured commercial real estate transaction
 
1333 13TH ST., DES MOINES
SALE DATE: 2024-11-12
SALE PRICE: $260,000
SELLER: MARY GUZMAN REVOCABLE TRUST
BUYER: HK WORLDWIDE LLC
ACRES: 0.139
SQUARE FEET: 2,940
 
More transactions
 
Featured in the current
issue of North Polk Living magazine
 

A special bond
Local grandparents share why living close to their grandkids is so important to them.

By Lindsey Giardino

Family is at the heart of Dawn Teig and her husband, John’s, life. Living close to their grandchildren makes it even more special.

Their daughter, Lindsay, and her husband, Nick, both North Polk graduates, live in Polk City with their daughters, Addison and Grace. Their son, Dustin, and his wife, Alyssa, now reside on the family acreage in Elkhart with their baby boy, Cooper. The Teigs’ youngest daughter, Ali, lives in Raleigh, North Carolina, but still remains closely connected to the family.

With three grandchildren, Dawn and John have embraced their roles as “Cocoa Grandma” and “Cocoa Papa,” a nickname that originated when their oldest granddaughter, Addy, was learning to talk. To differentiate between sets of grandparents, she attached their dog’s name to their titles. The name has stuck for more than a decade.

 
READ MORE
 
Sports headlines
FROM ESPN: Diana Taurasi, WNBA's all-time leading scorer, announces retirement ... READ MORE
 
FROM SPORTS ILLUSTRATED: Report: Tom Brady Contacted Matthew Stafford's Camp About Joining Raiders   ... READ MORE
 
FROM Yahoo Sports: Georgia fends off late comeback attempt to stun No. 3 Florida, keep NCAA tournament hopes alive  ... READ MORE
 

1993: World Trade Center is bombed. At 12:18 p.m., a terrorist bomb explodes in a parking garage of the World Trade Center in New York City, leaving a massive, multi-story crater and causing the collapse of several steel-reinforced concrete floors in the vicinity of the blast. ...READ MORE

1919: Grand Canyon is designated a national park. On this day in 1919, President Woodrow Wilson officially designated the Grand Canyon as a national park. The geological wonder would go on to become one of America's most popular tourist attractions.  ... READ MORE

2012: Florida teen Trayvon Martin is shot and killed. On February 26, 2012, Trayvon Martin, an African American teen walking home from a trip to a convenience store, is fatally shot by George Zimmerman, a neighborhood watch volunteer patrolling the townhouse community of the Retreat at Twin Lakes in Sanford, Florida. Zimmerman later claimed to have shot the unarmed 17-year-old out of self-defense during a physical altercation. ... READ MORE

 
 
Birthdays and notables
 

Happy Birthday to Jewel Johnson, Steve Matthews, Ron Sorenson and Harold Cross!

These celebrities were born on this date:  Corinne Bailey Rae, Erykah Badu, Greg Germann, Greg Rikaart, Jonathan Cain, Taylor Dooley, Jamal Musiala, Michael Bolton, Mariah Linney, Nate Ruess, DeRay Davis, Teresa Palmer

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

 
Morning chuckle

The answer to the last riddle:  Why are shopping centers boring? Because, if you've seen one, you've seen the mall!

Today's riddle: Why isn’t the photon taking any baggage on its trip?

Have a guess? Email tammy@iowalivingmagazines.com

 

To advertise in the Daily Umbrella or Ankeny, Altoona or Bondurant Living magazines, contact:

Angela Ossian
Account Executive
Office: 515-953-4822 ext. 307
Mobile: 515-979-5585
angela@iowalivingmagazines.com

Add webmaster@dmcityview.com to your address book to ensure delivery. 

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