May 6 Daily Umbrella: Ultralight plane crash; most inventive restaurant; ice cube tray dilemma

Tuesday, May 6, 2025

Good morning to you!

I like ice. Not the kind on the ground that I slip and fall on in the winter, but rather the stuff I plop in my soda. I especially like crushed ice, the kind some convenience stores have in their machines. There is something about the combination that makes me smile.

Truth be told, I like to chew ice. And, truth be told, it drives some people batty. It’s like fingernails on a chalkboard, I am told. My dentist isn’t too fond of it either. So, I try to chew ice sparingly and when I am by myself, but it is a difficult habit to go cold turkey on.

I blame this obsession on the widespread accessibility we have to ice today. Ice-makers in home refrigerators are commonplace now, and I love them — except when they break down, which seems to happen more often than it should. I have tried to repair them myself, but I seem to struggle to get the right part for the right breakdown — and then I end up calling a repair guy anyway.

When those breakdowns occur, or with our office refrigerator that does not have an ice maker, I break out the old-fashioned, plastic ice cube trays and fill them with water. A simple twist of the tray, and several fall out into my hand — and one or two on the floor. Then, the ice cube tray debate happens. Do I fill the remaining spots with water and put the tray back in the freezer? Or do I simply put the tray back half-empty? Despite the frustration in being the next person and twisting an ice cube tray of barely frozen water and spilling it on myself, I tend to go with option one. When I want ice, and all the trays are empty, it is frustrating. Sure, this isn’t the biggest problem of the day, but it does make me grumble for a moment or two and wonder who was too lazy to refill the trays.

Setting the tray-filling debate aside, one has to marvel in the simple technological improvement with ice-making containers. Some of you may recall the metal ice cube trays with the lever on top and the sharp dividers that inserted in the tray of water. Some of you may still use these. I do join those of you with concerns about the overuse of plastic in today’s society, but, in the case of ice cube trays, the newer option is a great improvement.

Lately, my obsession with ice has compounded. I discovered the trays for the slow-melting, oversized balls of ice for my adult beverages, and I love them. I have also purchased a counter-top ice-maker for my garage, making a glass of water or any beverage just the right temperature for those hot summer days — and giving me something to chew on.

Have a terrific Tuesday, 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: Indianola man escapes injury in ultralight plane crash at Iowa airport. An Indianola man was uninjured when the small airplane he was piloting crashed at a central Iowa airport on Sunday. The Dallas County Sheriff's Office said Jerald Deimerly, of Indianola, was flying an ultralight airplane when it crashed at the Husband Field Airport in Dallas Center around 7:15 p.m. Sunday evening. ... READ MORE

FROM WHO-TV: Johnston man jailed for driving drunk with 3 kids in van, police say. A Johnston man was arrested early Monday morning after police said he was driving drunk with three children in the vehicle. Jesus Carranza Rivera, 45, is charged with OWI and three counts of child endangerment-substantial risk in the incident. He was also cited for open container. ... READ MORE

FROM WOI: Iowa DOT urges residents to schedule Real ID appointments to avoid long waits. Wednesday is the deadline to get a Real ID if you want to fly in the country. You can also use a passport to fly, but you will need a Real ID to enter a federal courthouse or military base.. ... READ MORE

Clear Mortgage meteorology

Warm weather throughout the week and into the weekend. Tiny rain chances Wednesday and Thursday.

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

Pollen tracker

Tree pollen: Very high

Grass pollen: Moderate

Ragweed pollen: None

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

Best Local Motorcycle Shop

1. Big Barn Harley-Davidson

2. Mean Machine Cycles

3. Struthers Bros.

See all of the results

Tuesday touts
Harbinger is the most inventive restaurant in town. While sampling their spring menu last week, we ran into Oak Park owner Kathy Fehrman and the restaurant's sommelier Sam Tuttle. Owners of other restaurants are the best touts of other restaurants. Below are a few $8 Happy Hour snacks.

Spring green dumplings

Enokis wrapped in pork belly

Crispelle with cheese and spring greens

Django commenced a Sunday special $30 dinner that includes half a roast chicken, salad, potatoes, green beans and a fresh baguette with butter. That's comforting.

Deals today
• Jethro's Tuesday special is 2 pounds of bone-in smoked wings for the price of one.
• Paula's (524 Elm St., Valley Junction) runs a Tuesday special hot beef sandwich with mashed potatoes, gravy and drink for $13.50 till Memorial Day.
• Irina's Steak and Seafood (650 S. Prairie View Drive, West Des Moines) offers live lobsters at half price on Tuesdays.
• Opa! (2800 University Ave., West Des Moines) has a buffet featuring fried shrimp, manicotti, chicken piccata, chicken meatballs, garlic knots, pasta alfredo, lamb and chicken, pizza, and all-you-can-eat dessert for $22.99 tonight till 8 p.m.
• Kids meals are half price till 2 p.m. today at Machine Shed (11151 Hickman Road, Urbandale).
• Taco Tuesday brings serious discounts to Mariscos El Pirata (6050 S.E. 14th St., Des Moines), La Familia (1610 Sixth Ave., Des Moines), all Taco John's, The Dam Pub (2710 Beaver Ave., Des Moines), all Abelardo's, all Fernando’s, Malo (900 Mulberry St., Des Moines), Beaver Tap (4050 Urbandale Ave., Des Moines), Los Laureles (1518 E. Grand Ave.), Club 2000 (422 Indianola Road, Des Moines, Des Moines) and Faustino’s (4944 Franklin Ave., Des Moines).
• Today is beef and noodles day at Maxie's Supper Club (1311 Grand Ave., West Des Moines).
• Django (1420 Locust St., Des Moines) has happy hour all night Tuesdays. That means super deals on oysters, shrimp, duck frites, poutine, charcuterie, cheese boards, beers, wine and classic martinis.
• Sully's (806 First St., West Des Moines) has a burger basket special for $12 today.
• Destination Grille (2491 E. First St., Grimes) hosts a Tuesday Burger and Beer special: half-pound burger, chips and dip, with a tap beer of choice, $15.
• The Station on Ingersoll (3124 Ingersoll Ave., Des Moines) has a tenderloin Tuesday special with BPT and fries for $10.
• Curbin Cuisine (1325 S.W. Oralabor Dr., Ankeny) offers cheeseburgers and fries for $7.99 on Tuesdays.

— Jim Duncan, jd91446@aol.com

Featured in the current issue of CITYVIEW

CIVIC SKINNY
Most valuable NCAA basketball teams. Some concerning scores. No sweat. And the ‘model’ governor?

By CITYVIEW staff

In the aftermath of March Madness, the Wall Street Journal released a ranking of the most valuable NCAA college basketball teams. As you may expect, two of the sports’ most dominant, blue blood programs — the University of North Carolina and Duke University — grossly outrank the rest, each eclipsing $370 million. Indiana University is in third at $279 million.

Several scrolls later, we found where our state universities rank. The chart shows cash flow, revenue and enterprise value. Iowa State University ranked 28th in enterprise value at $130 million, with $8,853,000 in cash flow and $19 million in revenue. The University of Iowa ranked 45th. Its enterprise value is $93 million, with $6,457,000 in cash flow and $19.2 million in revenue. Des Moines’ own Drake University ranked third among the Iowa colleges and 139th overall, with an enterprise value of $18 million, no noted cash flow and $4.6 million in revenue. The University of Northern Iowa was just behind the Bulldogs, ranked 149th with an enterprise value of $17 million, $87,000 in cash flow and $4.2 million in revenue. …

Featured home for sale

Post listings here for $50. Contact jolene@iowalivingmagazines.com for details.

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SOLD: Featured commercial real estate transaction

6050 S.E. 14TH ST., DES MOINES
SALE DATE: 2024-12-30
SALE PRICE: $1,800,000
SELLER: DANLEE CORP
BUYER: AI INVESTMENTS LLC
ACRES: 2.191
SQUARE FEET: 10,230

More transactions

Featured in the current
issue of Urbandale Living magazine

Homes away from home
Local families share experiences hosting foreign exchange students.

By Joe Baumgarten

The decision to host a foreign exchange student can come with a myriad of worries. Will the student want to eat the food we make? Will everyone get along? How will we keep the student entertained? Will he or she get homesick? However, many of those who decide to give it a try find their fears to be unfounded as they gain an appreciation of the student’s homeland and culture, see their own country from a new perspective and build bonds that endure. Local residents share their stories about the adventure of being a host family.

Big house offers opportunities
Jia Xuan Gao, a.k.a. Bruce, has been in the United States for two years, and Paula Foster has provided a host home for him through Education Without Borders.

“It was a first for both of us,” Bruce says. “It took us a bit to get into the rhythm and work out the kinks, but now it’s fantastic.”

Sports headlines

FROM SPORTS ILLUSTRATED: How the Josh Allen process led the Giants to Jaxson Dart. The Giants looked high and low for the guy with some of the same qualities the Bills’ quarterback once showed New York GM Joe Schoen and the requisite talent to win at the position. ... READ MORE

FROM ESPN.COM: Knicks come from 20 down, beat Celtics 108-105 in OT as Bridges' steal preserves Game 1 win. Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby each scored 29 points before Mikal Bridges stole the ball from Jaylen Brown with a second left in overtime as the New York Knicks stunned the Boston Celtics 108-105 in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference semifinals series on Monday night.. ... READ MORE

FROM YAHOO SPORTS: Cubs send pitcher Shota Imanaga to 15-day IL with hamstring injury after leaving loss to Brewers early. The Chicago Cubs will be without pitcher Shota Imanaga for the foreseeable future. The Cubs sent Imanaga to the 15-day injured list on Monday, just one day after he left their 4-0 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers early with a hamstring injury. As a result, the Cubs recalled reliever Gavin Hollowell from the Iowa Cubs. ... READ MORE

1937: The Hindenburg disaster. The airship Hindenburg, the largest dirigible ever built and the pride of Nazi Germany, bursts into flames upon touching its mooring mast in Lakehurst, New Jersey, killing 36 passengers and crew-members, on May 6, 1937. ... READ MORE

1955: West Germany joins NATO. Ten years after the Nazis were defeated in World War II, West Germany formally joins the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), a mutual defense group aimed at containing Soviet expansion in Europe. This action marked the final step of West Germany’s integration into the Western European defense system. ... READ MORE

1994: English Channel tunnel opens. In a May 6, 1994 ceremony presided over by England’s Queen Elizabeth II and French President Francois Mitterrand, a rail tunnel under the English Channel is officially opened, connecting Britain and the European mainland for the first time since the Ice Age. ... READ MORE

www.history.com

Birthdays and notables

These celebrities were born on this date: Adrianne Palicki, Alan Dale, Chris Shiflett, Jose Altuve, Mark Bryan, Meek Mill, Noah Galvin, Roma Downey, Angel Reese, Aryan Simhadri, Meek Mill, George Clooney, Naomi Scott, Sadie Sandler, Chris Paul, Emily Alyn Lind

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

Morning chuckle

The answer to the last riddle: Who do you call to clean the ocean? MERMAIDS! - Gail Tomlinson, Lori Bluml. Other answers: Carolyn Rogers, William Snyder

Today's riddle: What kind of socks does a gardener wear?

Have a guess? Email tammy@iowalivingmagazines.com

To advertise in the Daily Umbrella or West Des Moines/Jordan Creek, Waukee or Norwalk Living magazines, contact:

Martha Munro
Account Executive
Office: 515-953-4822 ext. 314
Mobile: 515-321-5246
martha@iowalivingmagazines.com

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