“You wrote about showers this week (Shower at night, March 25, 2025). How about shaving? Daily? Three times a week? Electric? Straight edge? Not at all? I don’t like to shave. Takes too long, and my face really doesn’t enjoy it. I take advantage of ‘No Shave November’ by extending it to include any month that ends in ‘ber.’ My wife has grown to endure that time of the year, and my face enjoys the time off. Plus, I am sometimes mistaken for our friend who lives at the North Pole, which is fun, too. What do I do with the beard hair when I finally shave it off in late December? Well, that’s a story for another day!” - Chuck

Shaving these days involves too much fine sculpting. - Shane

“I started collecting names, numbers and addresses when I began work at the Auditorium in Sioux City close to 45 years ago now, when I first met the tour manager and training for the Harlem Globetrotters (Little black books, March 26, 2025). I started and still have the original address book. There have been several more editions, some very blurry. Many entries have since passed on to the great arena in the sky. I moved onto rolodexes and still have a collection, as I was taught to do the work yourself because if an assistant or an office-type did the work on city time, it was the property of the city. Now with computers, the resources to look up more old souls continues as a delightful way to reconnect with one’s history.” - Rex

You should save those little black books in your wires box. - Shane

Have a thoughtful Thursday, 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.

FROM KCCI: Iowans rush to buy cars as auto and other industries brace for the potential impacts of new tariffs. On Wednesday, Stew Hansen Hyundai's General Manager, Steven Amos, highlighted that the nearly empty showroom reflects exceptional sales in March. "Probably one of our biggest months in retail for new cars in a long time," Amos said. ... READ MORE

FROM WHO-TV: Iowa State Patrol ready to enforce new hands-free driving law. Gov. Kim Reynolds signed a bill into law on Wednesday that prohibits the use of electronic devices while driving in Iowa. The Iowa State Patrol stands ready to enforce the new law. “We want Iowans to know that once that law goes into effect, you know, we will be enforcing that law,” Ryan DeVault, a State Trooper with the Iowa State Patrol, said. ... READ MORE

FROM WOI: 11-year-old taken into custody after making social media threat to Iowa school. An 11-year-old was taken into custody and charged with threats of terrorism on Wednesday after threats surfaced on social media, Atlantic police said in a release. The police department's investigation reportedly found the threat not to be credible, and that students and staff at the Atlantic Community School District were not in danger. ... READ MORE

Clear Mortgage meteorology

The forecast is uneventful with the exception of a Friday night/Saturday morning rain chance. Temperatures stay cool.

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

Des Moines area theatre lights dim
Recent news of the unexpected passing of author and theatre patron and reviewer John Domini stunned many. Included in his many accomplishments are: founding member of the Cloris Leachman Excellence in Theatre Awards and CITYVIEW theatre reviewer. His sweeping knowledge of the arts and wonderful sense of humor and engagement will be missed, but his legacy has been passed along through the countless lives he touched.

Ankeny Community Theatre. “Witness for the Prosecution” by Agatha Christie. April 4-13. 

First Friday – Mainframe Studios
One of the best monthly celebrations to experience happens this Friday, April 4, 5-8 p.m. Free and family friendly. “Diverse by Design: Art and Accessibility.”

Poetry Palooza – April 4-5 at Grand View University
A significant, interactive poetry event that has quickly risen to national prominence happens this weekend in Des Moines. Featuring Ross Gay, Jane Wong, Vince Gotera (Iowa’s Poet Laureate) and Kelsey Bigelow, this two-day immersive experience for attendees has presentations, workshops, panel discussions and opportunities to purchase books (and have them autographed by attending poets). Thanks to Beaverdale Books, this is an amazing, free event.
 
Applications now open for community outreach program
The Des Moines ArtsFestival® presented by Nationwide has opened applications for the Community OutreachProgram presented by the MidAmerican EnergyFoundation. The award-winning program offers non-profit organizations the opportunity to participate in the festival and share their mission and programming with thousands of guests free of charge, thanks to funding from the MidAmerican Energy Foundation. The Des Moines Arts Festival is June 27-29 in Western Gateway Park. Applications close May 9; selected organizations notified on or by May 19.

Destination worthy – April 4-6 in Cedar Rapids. 
“The Cedar Rapids Independent Film Festival stands alone as one of the best produced, richly represented festivals celebrating cinematic excellence. With a staff dedicated to giving attendees, from cinephiles to filmmakers, a warm welcome and enriching experience.”
– The Culture Buzz

Des Moines Symphony presents “O Fortuna - Carmina Burana”
April 5-6. Explore fate, fortune and the joys and sorrows of the human experience when more than 100 voices join the Orchestra for Orff’s powerful “Carmina Burana.” Wagner’s grand “Prelude to Die Meistersinger” opens the concert, with a poignant interlude from Brahms, “Nänie, Op. 82.”

— John Busbee, The Culture Buzz

Asian food news
~ Japan continues to struggle with rice inflation. February rice cost more than twice the price a year before, and Tokyo stores are running out. Government policy to support rice prices and increase rice exports are blamed for record low production. Cabbage prices are also up 67% in a year, causing major diet shifts. (NHK Japan)

~ Vietnam, the country with the third highest trade surplus with the U.S., cut tariffs on U.S. agricultural products and automobiles last week. (NHK Bangkok) 

Thursday specials
•  Sirloin steak dinners are featured specials today at Sully's Irish Pub (860 First St., West Des Moines); Front Row (9956 Swanson Blvd., Clive); Winn’s Pizza and Steakhouse (122 W. Ashland Ave., Indianola), and Hy-Vee Market Grilles. The Station on Ingersoll (3120 Ingersoll Ave., Des Moines) has a ribeye special on Thursdays. 

• Thursday nights, Moroccan couscous — lemon chicken, beef keftas, five vegetables, harissa — are $17 at Purveyor (505 E. Grand Ave., Des Moines).

• Sprockets (2314 University Ave., Des Moines) offers a breaded pork tenderloin special on Thursdays for $9.99 

• Kids eat free at Scornovacca’s (1930 S.E. 14th St., Des Moines) on Thursdays

• Mariscos El Pirata (6050 S.E. 14th St., Des Moines) offers $2 off all sushi on Thursdays 

• Chuck's (3610 Sixth Ave., Des Moines) has karaoke tonight from 6 p.m.

• ShortE's BBQ (8505 Chambery Blvd., Johnston) has $1 smoked wings Thursdays.  

• Table 128 (220 S.W. Ninth St., Des Moines) is running a chef's special through Saturday that features pork shoulder Delmonico with quinoa, sweet potato curry, celery and apple slaw. Lunch $19 or $25 at dinner through Saturday. 

• Bevy’s Tavern (1300 50th St., West Des Moines) has a special of beef stew and cornbread Thursdays for $13.   

• Amruth Indian Grill (9974 Swanson Blvd., Clive), a recent Tuesday Tout, offers an all-you-can-eat dosa (gram/rice flour crepes) buffet on Thursdays 5:30-9 p.m. $18.95.  

• Destination Grille  (2491 E. First St., Grimes) has a "Comfort Thursday" special chicken fried De Burgo, a gluten free spin on DSM's classic. $16.

• The Dam Pub (2710 Beaver Ave., Des Moines) has a throwback Thursday special goulash with garlic toast.  

• Red Lobster is celebrating the return of its once signature “Lobster Fest” through April 20. Ten lobster specials are on the menu.

• Aldi is selling pure maple syrup for $5.29/12.5-ounce bottle, baby bellas for $1.29/8 ounces and mandarins for $2.89/3-pound bag through Tuesday.

— Jim Duncan, jd91446@aol.com

1996: Unabomber arrested. At his small wilderness cabin near Lincoln, Montana, Theodore John Kaczynski is arrested by FBI agents and accused of being the Unabomber, the elusive terrorist blamed for 16 mail bombs that killed three people and injured 23 during an 18-year period. ... READ MORE

1882: Jesse James is murdered. One of America’s most famous criminals, Jesse James, is shot to death by fellow gang member Bob Ford, who betrayed James for reward money. For 16 years, Jesse and his brother, Frank, committed robberies and murders throughout the Midwest. Detective magazines and pulp novels glamorized the James gang, turning them into mythical Robin Hoods who were driven to crime by unethical landowners and bankers. In reality, Jesse James was a ruthless killer who stole only for himself. ... READ MORE

1936: Bruno Hauptmann, convicted of kidnapping Lindbergh’s son, executed. Bruno Richard Hauptmann, convicted in the 1932 kidnapping and murder of the 20-month-old son of Charles A. Lindbergh, is executed by electrocution. On March 1, 1932, Charles Lindbergh Jr., the son of the famous American aviator who made the first solo, nonstop transatlantic flight in 1927, was kidnapped from the nursery of the Lindbergh home in Hopewell, New Jersey.... READ MORE

 www.history.com