Daily Umbrella April 30: Bomb threat at North High; $3.42 gas; why couldn’t the bad sailor learn the alphabet?

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Thursday, April 30, 2026

Good morning to you!

Years ago, when I was much younger and significantly less wise, I was talking with a friend who had just gotten married. I asked him what married life was like. He didn’t hesitate: “All these rules.” It is difficult to argue with that. But, if we are being honest, the “rules” didn’t suddenly appear after the wedding. Marriage didn’t invent them — our parents did.

That’s right. Mom and Dad were running a full-blown rulebook long before we ever thought about vows. And the best part? None of it was written down. Just deeply embedded in our brains through relentless repetition and mild fear. See if any of these sound familiar:

1. Don’t touch the thermostat. This wasn’t a suggestion. It was a federal offense. In our house, the thermostat had exactly one authorized user: my mother. Every time that dial moved, she could hear the meter spinning like a slot machine. Unless we were prepared to personally fund the heating bill, we kept our hands off. Mittens were optional. Fear was not.

2. Don’t be late for supper. Mom didn’t text. She didn’t call. She rang a bell loudly from the front step like she was summoning villagers in the 1800s. That bell meant one thing: Drop everything and get home immediately. We’re talking a full sprint. Olympic-level urgency. Whether it was spaghetti, goulash or that mystery casserole, we were in our seat in less than a minute, or we faced consequences that were… memorable.

3. Be home when the streetlights come on. This was the original curfew. No negotiations, no extensions, no “five more minutes.” We would be outside all evening: basketball, skateboards, football, questionable bike stunts that absolutely should have required helmets and supervision. But the second those streetlights flickered on, it was like nature itself was telling us, “Go home. Now.” Occasionally, we would push it with a quick round of hide-and-seek in the dark, but we all knew we were living dangerously.

4. No evening phone calls. Back then, a ringing phone at night didn’t mean “Hey, what are you doing?” It meant something had gone terribly wrong. Nobody casually checked in after supper. There were no long chats, no gossip, no “just calling to say hi.” The phone ringing after dark had the emotional tone of a thunderclap. Evenings were for family.

5. Mom’s medical advice. Ah yes, the original internet, except every answer was slightly terrifying and completely unverified. Don’t swim for an hour after eating or you will sink like a rock. Crack your knuckles and enjoy your future arthritis. Cross your eyes and, congratulations, they are stuck that way forever. Sit too close to the TV and say goodbye to your vision. None of this was scientifically proven, but all of it was delivered with absolute confidence.

Looking back, it is amazing we survived childhood. Not because the rules were harsh, but because they were universal, unquestioned and enforced with the consistency of gravity. And now? We catch ourselves saying the same things, just with better technology and less bell ringing. How about you? What unwritten rules did your parents have? Send me a note and let me know.

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

Read more of Shane Goodman's columns here.

FROM KCCI: Historic buildings in downtown Des Moines set for potential restoration. Two historic buildings near the Pappajohn Sculpture Park in downtown Des Moines may soon be restored and repurposed as part of a preliminary plan. Des Moines City Council Member Josh Mandelbaum shared his thoughts on the importance of preserving the Butler building and the Jefferson apartment building, located at 15th and Grand. "Ideally, you want to save pieces of your history. We don't build buildings like that anymore," Mandelbaum said. ... READ MORE

FROM WHO-TV: Des Moines celebrates grand opening of Reichardt Community Center. Members of the community gathered Wednesday for the ribbon-cutting of the new Reichardt Community Center, located in the Riverbend neighborhood. The Reichardt Community Center, located at 915 College Avenue in Des Moines, offers a gym, elevated walking track, weight room, cardio equipment, several fitness and community rooms, and a multi-lane indoor pool. ... READ MORE

FROM WOI: Students evacuate North High School in Des Moines following swatting call. Students at North High School are returning to the classroom after they were briefly evacuated Wednesday morning due to a swatting call, according to a spokesperson for Des Moines Public Schools. Des Moines police received a call reporting a bomb threat at North High School around 10:40 a.m. ... READ MORE

FROM AROUND THE WORLD: Analysis: US blockade is squeezing Iran’s all-important oil industry. Even as Iran squeezes world energy supplies with its chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz, its own oil industry is increasingly being threatened by an American blockade. With no way to export the oil it is pumping out and diminishing room to store it at home, Iran may be forced to dramatically reduce or cease production from some of its wells, perhaps beginning in as little as two weeks, experts say. ... READ MORE

FROM AROUND THE NATION: Push for raw milk intensifies across the US, despite illness outbreaks and scientists’ warnings.Backers of raw milk are pushing to make the potentially dangerous product more widely available and easier to obtain, even as a new disease outbreak — one of at least five in the past year — sickens U.S. children. More than three dozen bills supporting raw milk have been introduced in statehouses across the nation, The Associated Press found. A growing number of states are making it legal to sell. Dairy farmers say they can barely keep it in stock, even though prices can exceed $10 or $20 a gallon. ... READ MORE

FROM AROUND THE STATE: Fire destroys Cascade trucking businesses, causes $1M in damage. A commercial building housing three trucking businesses was destroyed in a fire on April 28. The Dubuque County Sheriff's Office and fire departments from Cascade, Monticello, Farley, Bernard and Dyersville responded to 951 Highway 136 in Cascade around 3:51 p.m. Crews found the building fully engulfed in flames when they arrived. ... READ MORE

Thursday, April 30

Mostly cloudy

High: 58

Low: 38

Rain chance: 20%

Friday, May 1

Partly cloudy
High: 57
Low: 37
Rain chance: 0%

Saturday, May 2

Mostly sunny
High: 64
Low: 44
Rain chance: 0%

The 2026 results: CITYVIEW's Best of Des Moines®

Best New Local Store
1. Celebrations Couture
2. Tulip Bloom Boutique
3. Black Sheep Craft Shop

See all of the results

Beaverdale Books – Poet Sam Piccone
Wednesday, April 29, 6:30 p.m. Samuel Piccone reads from his newest work, “Domestica.” He will be joined in conversation by poets Jennifer L. Knox and Tara Labovich.

First Friday at Mainframe Studios - Critters & Creatures
May 1, 5-8 p.m. Free admission. Immersive arts experience, never the same schedule. Critters & Creatures is a joyful exhibition celebrating the critters and creatures from our world and our imaginations. Juried by Melanie Jacobs of Cat Loaf Studios, the show explores shared connections to animals and the stories artists tell through their spirit, personality and presence. In addition to the main exhibition, the event also includes NetWORK, a showcase by artists of the 2025 Work of Art Program.

The Little Book, Friday, May 1, 7 p.m.
Adult fantasy author Sarah Glenn Marsh stops in Des Moines to share her latest adventure, “Our Rogue Fates.”

In Our Backyard: A New Eco-Play Festival, produced by The EcoTheatre Lab, May 1-3. Four distinct events, all free and open to the public. Sign language interpretation provided at all events. There is also a Facebook event for each of the four festival events that can be shared.
• Friday, May 1, 7 p.m.: "Event Horizon" by Taylor Sklenar with music by Ben Schrag
• Saturday, May 2, 10:30 a.m., 10-minute plays inspired by the Ames Climate Action Plan with music by De'An Keys and The Unique Vibrationz.
• Saturday, May 2, 2 p.m.: "The Monarchs" by Emily Golden with music by Ben Schrag and Barbara Fisher
• Sunday, May 3, 2 p.m.: "Jonah and the Flood" by Charissa Menefee with music by De'An Keys and The Unique Vibrationz.

Spirit Seeker's Fair - May 2
Unity Center of Des Moines, 441 31st St., 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. No admission fee. Free massage and reiki, self-care products, tarot masters, intuitive readers, workshops, door prizes, gift certificates.

2nd Annual DSM Book Festival
Saturday, May 2 at Franklin Event Center, 4801 Franklin Ave. Admission is free. 11 a.m. and wraps up with a special AViD Author Series program at 7 p.m. Hosted by the Des Moines Public Library. The Beaverdale Books Pop Up Book Shop will be there with titles from the amazing authors who will be in attendance, so come early and stay late. If you love to read, you are sure to love this event.
Check out the headlining author schedule: 

• 11:30 a.m. - Allen Eskens, “The Quiet Librarian” 

• 1:30 p.m. - Art Cullen, “Dear Marty, We Crapped in Our Nest” 

• 3 p.m. - Julie Murphy, “The Undergrads: Student Union”  

• 5 p.m. - “Pieowa: A Piece of America” with Beth M. Howard

•  7 p.m. - AViD presents Taylor Wolfe, “Just a Busy Season”

Central Iowa Wind Ensemble – FEAST!
Sunday, May 3, 3 p.m. at the Staplin Performing Arts Center, 3650 Woodland Ave., West Des Moines. Free admission.

Beaverdale Books – Nick Narigon. “Montuga: The Sphere of Trivandré,” Tuesday, May 5, 6:30 p.m.

Worth a road trip: THE BLACK ANGEL: Music, Myth, and Memory
April 30 – May 2, Iowa City
MusicIC, Iowa City’s premiere chamber music festival exploring the connections between music and literature, presents THE BLACK ANGEL: Music, Myth, and Memory, a three-day festival examining how composers across centuries have engaged with themes of mortality, symbolism and the unseen, while also drawing inspiration from Iowa City’s own Black Angel legend. Now entering its 16th season, MusicIC continues its long-standing mission of innovative, text-driven programming rooted in Iowa City’s identity as a UNESCO City of Literature. At the heart of this year’s festival is George Crumb’s “Black Angels,” “Thirteen Images from the Dark Land,” (1971), a landmark work for amplified string quartet, marking the 55th anniversary of its publication in 2026. All of the events are free and open to the public.

Last chances for these shows:
Tallgrass Theatre Company. "Peter Pan on her 70th Birthday." Through May 10.

Des Moines Young Artists’ Theatre. "Clue – High School Edition." Through May 3.

Des Moines Performing Arts. "Suffs." Through May 3.

— John Busbee, The Culture Buzz

Downtown Farmers Market opens the 2026 season Saturday while other events vie for attention:

The Soul Food Festival at Forest Avenue Library will offer chicken and ribs from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. as part of a fundraiser for the library. Cash only. Last year, most of the food sold out by noon, so move on this if you are interested in Des Moines' best soul food.

"Vino in the Village" begins at The Contrary and continues at various storefronts around the East Village.

PBR and Grillo's Pickles are releasing a limited-edition pickle beer on Monday, May 4.

Tequilahas been hit hardest by America's declining booze consumption. The tequila industry is going all out this year for Cinco de Mayo with "Don Julio Cinco’s" promotions, providing digital vouchers (worth roughly $5) to spend at local bars on Cinco de Mayo. Chili's has a nationwide margarita promotion. In Des Moines, American Outlaws Bar has a tequila crawl organized Saturday with select tequila drinks at $4.01. Splash hosts "Tequila Class" today with tastings of rare tequilas and mezcals, $60.

Deals today
• Cowboy (1234 E. Euclid Ave., Des Moines) has ribs on special today, $2.99/per rib.

• The False Nine Social Club (206 Fifth St., Valley Junction) has jacket potatoes on sale Thursdays for $10.

• The Waveland (4708 University Ave., Des Moines) has taco salad on special today.

• B&B (S.E. Sixth and Hartford, Des Moines) has a Thursday special Killer's double hot Polish with fries and a soda for $12.95.

• Thursdays are triple decker Reuben day at Graziano Brothers (1601 S. Union St., Des Moines).

• Quarter pound cheeseburgers and chicken sandwiches are $3.39 each on Thursdays at Kwik Star.

• Striking Sparrow (1930 S.E. Sixth St., Des Moines) has a Thursday special breaded pork tenderloin with fries and soda for $12.

• Bennigan's (4800 Merle Hay Road, Urbandale) has a $10.99 burger, fries and a pint deal on Thursdays.

• Taco pizzas are the Thursday special at Walker's Place (475 N.E. Broadway Ave., Des Moines).

• Sale Barn Cafe (Lamoni) is offering brisket and cheese potato specials today.

• Meat loaf is today's special at Crouse Cafe (115 E. Salem, Indianola).

• AJ's (Prairie Meadows) has an early bird menu on Wednesday and Thursday from 4-6 p.m. Half pound burgers with frites, $15; pasta and chicken dinners, $20-22; seafood and steak dinners, $27-30. Prime rib dinners for $30 all night.

• Guesthouse Tavern and Oyster (9500 University, West Des Moine) offers spaghetti dinners with 8-ounce meatballs and salad for $22 on Wednesdays.

• Chelsea's Courtyard (100 MLK, Des Moines) has buck burgers Thursdays. $1!

• Istanbul Grill Cafe & Bakery (3281 100th St., Urbandale) has a Thursday special of $11.99 for a döner wrap with fries as well as $5 off döner plate which comes with Turkish salad and your choice of rice or bulgur.

• Hot beef sandwiches are a Thursday special at Club 2000.

• Maxie's (1311 Grand Ave., West Des Moines) Thursday special for $20.95 is half a fried chicken with potato, side of spaghetti, and a salad. Lunch and dinner.

• Mullets Norwalk offers two, two-topping pizzas for $20 on Thursdays, 4 p.m. to close.

• Buzzard Billy's (615 Third St., Des Moines) has $2 off appetizers on Thursdays.

• Whatcha Smokin? (Highway 17, Luther) has a pork belly burnt ends special on Thursdays.

• Beaver Tap (4050 Urbandale Ave., Des Moines) offers $10 country fried breakfasts and $9 tenderloins or shrimp/fish tacos on Thursdays.

• Ruth's Chris (Ashworth Road at Jordan Creek Parkway) has a Thursday special with their decadent RBAR burgers and fries going for $16.

• Steak Nights: Sirloin steak dinners are featured specials today at Johnny's Italian Steakhouses (before 4 p.m.), 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 $12 ribeye sandwich special on Thursdays. Gilroy's (1238 Eighth St., West Des Moines) offers ribeyes and sirloins only on Thursdays after 5 p.m.

• Mullets has a Thursday pizza special — buy one large specialty pizza and get a free 14-inch two-topping pizza.

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

• Jethro's Thursday special is a pound of boneless "wings" for $8.

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

• 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.

• The Continental (407 E. Fifth St., Des Moines) has $7 loaded fries on Thursdays.

• G Mig 's (128 Fifth St., Valley Junction) hosts taco night tonight.

• Aldi stores have sales through Tuesday on avocados at $.49, mangos at $.69, chicken legs at $.89/pound mandarins $2.89/3-pound bag and wagyu burger at $4.99/pound.

• Fresh Thyme (2800 University Ave., West Des Moines) is running a sale through Sunday on colossal 13/15 shrimp at $17.99/2-pound bag and whole beef tenderloins at $16.99/pound and through Tuesday on red or yellow mangos at $.99/each.

— Jim Duncan, jd91446@aol.com

Featured in the current issue of West Des Moines/Jordan Creek Living magazine.

CELEBRATING HERITAGE
Residents reflect on the traditions that connect them to home.

By Jackie Wilson

In a state often defined by its small towns and Midwest roots, Iowa’s cultural fabric is far more diverse than it may first appear. From Costa Rica to the Philippines to Scotland, residents across central Iowa are preserving traditions, celebrating heritage and building community — all while making Iowa home.

Cherished holidays
When Nela Blanco graduated from high school in Costa Rica, her mother’s job at Pioneer’s Costa Rica office ended. The company offered her a transfer to the United States.

Blanco planned to attend college in the U.S., learn English and eventually return to Costa Rica.

“It was a culture shock and not as diverse,” she recalls. “I knew French, but not a lot of English.” ...

Featured home for sale

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

$499,000
4601 Ashworth Road
West Des Moines, IA 50265

Architecturally distinctive and fully remodeled, this West Des Moines multi-level residence offers striking design just minutes from Jordan Creek and quick access to I-235/I-80. Designed to be unique, the dramatic sunken living room showcases a whitewashed brick wall and illuminated glass railings - an eye-catching focal point rarely found at this price point. ...

See the listing here.

See more homes for sale

SOLD: Featured commercial real estate transaction

10331 UNIVERSITY AVE., CLIVE
SALE DATE: 2025-11-20
SALE PRICE: $7,875,000
SELLER: KIMVEN COMPANY LLC
BUYER: AT HOME INVESTORS LLC
ACRES: 8.819
SQUARE FEET: 91,030

More transactions

FROM ESPN: 'Learning' Rockets outlast Lakers to stretch series to Game 6. The Houston Rockets found themselves in a familiar scenario Wednesday night in Game 5 of their first-round series against the Los Angeles Lakers, leading by five points with under a minute remaining. Two games before, they had led by six points with under 30 seconds remaining, on the verge of their first victory in the series. However, things quickly fell apart, as costly turnovers by the team's burgeoning stars, Jabari Smith Jr. and Reed Sheppard, upended the moment. ... READ MORE

FROM SPORTS ILLUSTRATED: The NBA’s proposed anti-tanking fix could create a bigger problem. Lottery reform is coming to the NBA, solving a significant league-wide problem. But is it creating a bigger one? League officials informed their 30 top basketball executives this week that new anti-tanking reforms will go into place next season, a source briefed on the call confirms to Sports Illustrated. ... READ MORE

FROM YAHOO SPORTS: Angel Reese returns to Chicago as Dream hold on for preseason victory over Sky. Angel Reese returned to Chicago for her first WNBA action since being traded from the Sky to the Atlanta Dream. Like most of the Dream’s starters, Reese played only the first half of Wednesday’s preseason game. She recorded 8 points, 7 rebounds, 3 steals and 2 assists in an 87-78 victory over the team that drafted her seventh overall out of LSU in 2024. ... READ MORE

1789: George Washington gives presidential inaugural address. On April 30, 1789, George Washington is sworn in as the first American president and delivers the first inaugural speech at Federal Hall in New York City. Elements of the ceremony set tradition; presidential inaugurations have deviated little in the two centuries since Washington’s inauguration. … READ MORE

1803: United States and France complete the Louisiana Purchase. On April 30, 1803, representatives of the United States and Napoleonic France complete negotiations for the Louisiana Purchase, a massive land sale that doubles the size of the young American republic. What was known as Louisiana Territory comprised most of modern-day United States between the Mississippi and the Rocky Mountains, with the exceptions of Texas, parts of New Mexico, and other pockets of land already controlled by the United States. A formal treaty for the Louisiana Purchase, antedated to April 30, was signed two days later. … READ MORE

1993: World Wide Web (WWW) launches in the public domain. On April 30, 1993, four years after publishing a proposal for “an idea of linked information systems,” computer scientist Tim Berners-Lee releases the source code for the world’s first web browser and editor. Originally called Mesh, the browser that he dubbed WorldWideWeb becomes the first royalty-free, easy-to-use means of browsing the emerging information network that developed into the internet as we know it today. … READ MORE

www.history.com

Weekly fuel report

The price of regular unleaded gasoline rose 33 cents from last week's price and is currently averaging $3.84 across Iowa according to AAA. Prices are up 86 cents from a year ago. The national average on Wednesday was $4.23, up 21 cents from last week’s price.

Retail diesel prices in Iowa rose 3 cents this week with a statewide average of $4.94. One year ago, diesel prices averaged $3.35 in Iowa. The current Iowa diesel price is 52 cents lower than the national average of $5.46.

The current Des Moines Terminal/Rack Prices are $3.06 for U87-E10, $3.48 for Unleaded 87 (clear), $4.06 for ULSD#2, $4.21 for ULSD#1, and $2.49 per gallon for E-70 prices.

Natural gas prices were down 6 cents at the Henry Hub reporting site and are currently priced at $2.65 MMbtu.

Cheapest fuel in the metro. www.gasbuddy.com

Casey's in Des Moines (2541 N.W. 66 Ave.) - $3.42

Mega Saver in Urbandale (4860 N.W. Urbandale Drive) - $3.48

Mega Saver in Urbandale (4585 N.W. 156th St.) - $3.48

Birthdays and notables

These celebrities were born on this date: Adrian Pasdar, Brandon Lancaster, Clark Vogeler, Dianna Agron, Isiah Thomas, Kirsten Dunst, Lloyd Banks, Travis Scot, Mac DeMarco, Justin Vernon

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

The answer to the last riddle: Why do mushrooms get invited to all the parties? BECAUSE THEY ARE THE FUNGIS (FUN GUYS)! - Bill Snyder, Judy Anderson, Gail Tomlinson, Brent Hoover, Kris Laurson

Today's riddle: Why couldn’t the bad sailor learn the alphabet?

Have a guess? Email tammy@iowalivingmagazines.com

To advertise in the Daily Umbrella or Ankeny Living magazine, contact:

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

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