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Friday, Aug. 28, 2026
Good morning to you! 

Welcome to the Friday mailbag where you will find some of the comments, questions and ideas sent recently by readers of this newsletter or our publications. They are edited for space and clarity.

“Good morning, Shane. Recalling my memories of iconic figures like Huntley, Brinkley, Cronkite and Rather, until he fell from grace, I found comfort in their presence during times of crisis (Show up, Aug. 18, 2026). Locally, during the floods of 1993, I vividly recall coming home at 4 a.m. and tuning in to local TV to watch Ed Wilson report on the unfolding central Iowa crisis. I even took the time to write to him, commending his leadership. I am still waiting for his acknowledgment. In today's media landscape, I have observed a constant turnover of national anchors. I believe CBS missed an opportunity with John Roberts. On a local level, what concerns me is the lack of consistency in anchors during local news shows. In one case, it sometimes feels like every appearance earns two more days off. I agree with the importance of showing up for any job. Airport service providers hire part-time police and fire personnel because of their background checks and attendance reliability. The Des Moines media market should provide broadcasters contracted to be consistent and dependable, especially in times of crisis. And put the giggles on hold.” - John

So, the newscasters should show up? And limit their giggles? Check. Check. - Shane

“I just read your column (Show up, Aug. 18, 2026). As a retired teacher who loved working with At Risk students at Urbandale High School, I resonate with each word you wrote. Most, but certainly not all, the kids I worked with were never taught at home the value of being in school. They were not told at home that they were smart. They didn’t have role models at home to show them the value of showing up. The students who did show up every day were the students who learned that doing your homework reveals to you that you are smart. The students who showed up were blessed to be successful. And that felt so good to them! They no longer needed me because they found how great it feels to show up and reap what you sow.” - Cindy

Thanks for sharing that, Cindy. Hopefully, they will keep showing up! - Shane

“Great column, Shane. Informative and to the point (Mile markers, Aug. 25, 2026). Mile markers are like stationary angels, watching over all who travel and may be in need of intervention.” - John

That’s a great perspective. Thanks, John. - Shane

“Good morning, Shane. Here’s a column idea. On the way to work this morning, the folks on the radio station were talking about where the phrase ‘Out of Sorts’ came from. You probably know, and I think I did too, at one time. Apparently, it comes from when press operators had to ‘sort’ the lead type into the printer cabinets. If they were looking for say an A or an E and were out of them, they would say they were out of sorts. I thought it was interesting.” - Greg

Be sure to check out my column in the Daily Umbrella for Monday. - Shane

Have a fantastic Friday, 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: Marshalltown residents raise concerns over potential data center development. Marshalltown residents gathered to voice their concerns about potential data center development during a public meeting hosted by the city. The meeting drew more than 100 attendees, many of whom expressed worries about environmental impacts. "A huge thing on our table was environmental issues. What is going to happen visually? A huge visual concern about where it is, what it is, and what it brings forth," one attendee said. ... READ MORE

FROM WHO-TV: Warren County landowners celebrate court victory over gun club rezoning. A small group of Warren County landowners are celebrating a big victory in court. After an 8-month legal battle, a judge has ruled in their favor, saying rezoning by their county Board of Supervisors to allow for a gun club to set up shop was done illegally. ... READ MORE

FROM WOI: Des Moines plans $11.5M in budget cuts, impacting city jobs and services. More than 43 city jobs in Des Moines could be affected as the city works to cut nearly $5.5 million from its budget through job reductions. On Wednesday, the city came up with a way to cut a total of $11.5 million over the next two fiscal years. City Manager Scott Sanders told Local 5 that 15 people have already been laid off as the city looks for ways to reduce spending over the next two years. ... READ MORE

 
 

FROM AROUND THE WORLD: Six months on, the Iran war has changed the Middle East, but not in the way its architects had hoped. It’s been six months since the United States and Israel attacked Iran with the perennial goal of transforming the Middle East through military force. The region has changed, but not in the way they had hoped. The Islamic Republic survived the assassination of its top leaders and weeks of heavy bombing, and found a potent form of leverage in the Strait of Hormuz. Gulf Arab nations saw worrying gaps open up in the American security umbrella they have relied on for decades — and some are looking at alternatives. ... READ MORE

FROM AROUND THE NATION: Trump signs order renaming Lake Ontario as ‘Lake America’ in the United States. President Donald Trump said Thursday he is renaming Lake Ontario to be known as “Lake America” in the United States as he escalates his trade war with Canada. The Republican president signed an executive order directing the Interior Department to update the lake’s name in the U.S. geographic naming service. Trump cannot force Canada to follow along, however. ... READ MORE

FROM AROUND THE STATE: Declining enrollment forces tough choices for Dubuque schools. The Dubuque Community School District is considering ways to cut costs through facility changes. Families heard details of the plans for the first time at a community focus group held at Roosevelt Middle School. The district says tough decisions must now be made due to declining enrollment. ... READ MORE

 
Weather forecast
Friday, August 28
 
Mostly sunny
High: 85
Low: 69
Rain chance: 20%
Saturday, August 29
 

Scattered storms
High: 88
Low: 76
Rain chance: 30%

Sunday, August 30
 

Clouds and wind
High: 94
Low: 75
Rain chance: 30%

 
Allergy alert
 
Today: 11, high range
 
Top allergens:
Nettle
Chenopods
Ragweed
 
 
The 2026 results: CITYVIEW's Best of Des Moines®
 
 
Best Local Place for a Wedding Reception
1. Destination Grille
2. Willow on Grand
3. The Monroe
 
See all of the results
 
 

Fast food news
Environmental Working Group checked the 12 largest fast food chains for ultra processed food ingredients. Only Chipotle had none. "Every menu item at Chipotle is made from some combination of 53 total ingredients. That includes the flour used to make tortillas, vegetables for guacamole and salsa, and seasonings to prepare beans, rice, meat and poultry. It also includes the rennet and cultures used to make cheese."

Chick-fil-A’s fat free honey mustard dressing alone has more than 20 different ingredients including titanium dioxide, lemon juice concentrate, cellulose gum and gel, citric acid, tartaric acid, turmeric oleoresin, xanthan gum, molasses, corn syrup and caramel color. Their avocado lime ranch dressing, which packs 310 calories and 32 grams of fat in its 2 ounces, has 30 ingredients including lactic acid, xanthan gum, reconstituted lime juice concentrate, sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate, disodium guanylate, disodium inosinate, propylene glycol alginate, citric acid, ascorbic acid, sodium alginate, calcium disodium and EDTA.

Fast food is not really even trying to get the chemicals out of their food. Supermarket products are doing a lot better. Why? Because supermarket products have to list ingredients so MAHA moms can read them. Fast food's ingredients require many clicks to find. 

Weekend deals
This weekend, East Village hosts the World Food and Music Festival, which keeps getting more catholic and magnificent each year, especially the music. 

• Jasper Winery hosts the "Iowa Wine and Cider Festival" with tastings from more than 20 Iowa wineries Saturday.

• AJ's at Prairie Meadows has a new AYCE prime rib and crab legs buffet from 4 p.m. Fridays. 
 
Guesthouse Tavern and Oyster (9500 University Ave., West Des Moines) offers fish fry lunch specials $16.49-$21 including a pint or two shrimp Fridays. Saturdays feature $33 12-ounce prime rib dinners. 
 
 High Life Lounge (200 Second St., Des Moines) has a Friday special fish fry for $11.99.
 
 Amruth Indian Grill (9974 Swanson Blvd., Clive) offers mandi rice on Fridays, with chicken, paneer and vegan choices. 
 
• Exile offers half-priced kids meals on Fridays. 
 
• Fresh Thyme (2800 University Ave., West Des Moines) has $6 buckets of eight pieces of baked chicken on Fridays. 
 
• Desi Bites (1475 S.E. Bishop Drive, Waukee) has weekend specials on nine biryanis and five pulavs. 
 
• Marianna's (1305 University Ave., Des Moines) offers green enchiladas combos for $10 Fridays and Saturdays and four shrimp tacos for $12 Sundays.
 
Talk Shop Lounge (3357 St. Charles Road, St. Charles) has a steak dinner deal Friday $16. 
 
The False Nine Social Club (206 Fifth St., Valley Junction) has wings on sale Fridays for $8.
 
Waveland Cafe (4708 University Ave., Des Moines) offers Alfredo chicken
specials today.  
 
• Friday lunch special is $12 Italian beef with fries and soda, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Striking Sparrow (1930 S.E. Sixth St., Des Moines).
 
• Most Hy-Vees offer $5 fish and chips Fridays, $14 ribs Saturdays and eight-piece chicken buckets for $10 on Sundays.
 
Sale Barn Cafe (Lamoni) is offering beef gyros specials today.
 
• Machine Shed (11151 Hickman, Urbandale) offers smoked prime rib on Saturday only. Whatcha Smokin? (Luther) offers smoked Dino beef ribs on Saturday only. 
 
•  Spaghetti is today's special at Crouse Cafe (115 E. Salem, Indianola). Saturday's will be shrimp Alfredo and Sunday's is fried chicken.
 
• Saturday is wine sampling day at Graziano Brothers.
 
• ShortE's BBQ (8805 Chambery Blvd., Johnston) offers  "kids eat free" deals on Friday and Saturday.
 
 Waterfront stores' Saturday special includes cocktail shrimp or raw oysters on the half shell for half price until 4 p.m.
 
• Gilroy's (1238 Eighth St., West Des Moines) does Saturday and Sunday brunch buffets for $24.99 for adults. Kids 6 and younger eat free.
 
• Rube's steakhouses offer a prime sirloin special on Sundays only, $29.
 
 Beaver Tap (4050 Urbandale Ave., Des Moines) offers $9 Philly cheesesteaks or hot honey chicken plus $8 biscuit and gravy breakfasts on Fridays.
 
Smoking Goat Pub (3015 Merle Hay Road, Des Moines) offers walleye or steak dinner specials tonight and karaoke after 9 p.m. They have a 10 for $10 wings deal on Sundays. 
 
•  Jethro's Sunday special is burger baskets with fries for $9.95. Fridays they have Texas Dip - chopped Texas brisket with sauteed onions, Swiss cheese on a hoagie with fries and BBQJus. $13.95. 
 
Paula's (Elm at Sixth, Valley Junction) has a Friday special Rachel (turkey Reuben) with fries for $14.
 
 Heavenly Asian (225 Fifth St., Valley Junction) has an all-day Friday sale on orange chicken served with soup, crab Rangoon, egg roll and rice, $14, available for dine-in and phone carry-out.
 
Destination Grille (2491 E. First St., Grimes) has a $40 prime rib dinner special Friday and Saturday. 
 
 Court Avenue Brewing Company (309 Court Ave., Des Moines) hosts Saturday and Sunday breakfast buffets for $23.99.
 
• It's French dip Friday at Club 2000 (420 Indianola Road, Des Moines).
 
Price Choppers have sales through Monday on pork butt roasts at $1.49/pound, blueberries at $2.50/pint and frozen tilapia fillets at $4.99/pound.

Aldi stores have sales through Tuesday on nectarines and plums at $1.49/pound, boneless chicken thighs at $2.49/pound, and green grapes at $1.29/pound.

Fresh Thyme (2800 University Ave., West Des Moines) is running a sale through Tuesday on lobster tails at $4.99, chicken wings at $1.99/pound and 16/20 shrimp at $4.99/pound.

Fareways have specials through Saturday on whole pork tenderloins at $2.99/pound, head lettuce at $1.77 and Iowa sweet corn at $5/dozen.
 
Dinner with a show
Kevin Best play Kelly's Little Nipper at 7 p.m. Friday... El Toreado Mexican Bar & Grill on EP True has live music from The Juan and Only on Friday from 6 p.m... Willie Shay plays Simon’s at 7 p.m. Friday... Jeff White plays Exile Brewing Sunday at 5 p.m.... Fred Gazzo Quintet plays at Anna Dolce at 6:30 p.m. Saturday... Traci Marie - Are You Ready For It?: Taylor Swift Tribute plays at The Ingersoll at 5:30 p.m. Friday and 11 a.m. Sunday. Steve Berry's Barry Manilow Tribute is there Friday at 5:30 p.m.

— Jim Duncan, jd91446@aol.com

 
Featured in the current issue of Urbandale Living magazine.
 

CAPTURING THE MOMENT
Local photographers find beauty in everyday life and unexpected places.

By Joe Baumgarten

For some, photography is a way to preserve memories. Others find it a creative outlet or even an adventure into the unknown. For local photographers, it is all of that and more. From capturing everyday moments to embracing the beauty of nature and the cosmos, each has found a unique perspective through the lens.

Brothers are bird and photography enthusiasts
Gideon and Isaiah Rouse didn’t start out as photographers. They started out as kids who loved birds.

Long before either of them owned a camera, their mother, Charity, remembers them collecting feathers on family walks — until she and her husband, Jeff, gently pointed out that was illegal (see the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918). So, instead of feathers, the boys started collecting photographs.

Isaiah, 14, got his first camera — a Canon Rebel T3 — about a year ago. Gideon, 13, followed a few months later with his own Rebel T3i, bought with money he had saved. ...

 
Read more
 
Featured home for sale
 
 Post listings here for only $50. Contact jolene@iowalivingmagazines.com for details.
 
$339,000

1065 N.E. 134th Ave.
Alleman, IA 50007

 
This home has been well loved and is nestled on almost a ½ acre of shaded trees and grass and beautiful landscaping. Truly a "Slice of Heaven."  Total finished is 1,865 square feet ...
  
See the listing here.
 
See more homes for sale
 
SOLD: Featured commercial real estate transaction
 
1454 30TH ST., UNIT 208, WEST DES MOINES
DATE: 2026-03-23
SALE PRICE: $267,500
SELLER: TODD SRB LLC
BUYER: 932 N SHADYVIEW LLC
ACRES: 0.496
SQUARE FEET: 5,866
 
More transactions
 
 
Sports headlines
FROM ESPN: McCarthy says all four Steelers quarterbacks have earned spots. Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike McCarthy expressed confidence in all four of his quarterbacks' futures with the organization following Thursday night's 28-27 preseason finale loss to the Buffalo Bills. Asked if he believed all four quarterbacks had earned a roster spot, McCarthy described it as "a very accurate evaluation." ... READ MORE
 
FROM SPORTS ILLUSTRATED: Why U.S. Open ticket prices are soaring. There were a lot of questions this week, but no topic generated more passion and chatter than the meteoric rise in U.S. Open ticket prices. Grounds passes with a face value of $65 are now being resold (a euphemism for scalped) for more than $300. New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani has weighed in, dedicating 1,000 U.S. Open tickets for New York residents to purchase for $100 each. Tickets for Tuesday night’s Roger Federer exhibition had a get-in price of $100 and were being resold for more than $1,000. ... READ MORE
 
FROM YAHOO SPORTS: Each Power Four conference adopts policy to ban pro football players from joining their respective conferences. Each of the Power Four conferences have banned pro football players from joining their respective leagues. The ACC was the last of the group to adopt policy prohibiting that kind of comeback, which has gained sudden popularity as several members of the 2022 high school class eyeing a fifth year of eligibility have turned to the courts to challenge a new NCAA eligibility model that excludes them. ... READ MORE
 
 

1917: President Woodrow Wilson picketed by women suffrafgists. On Aug. 28, 1917, President Woodrow Wilson is picketed by suffragists in front of the White House, who demand that he support an amendment to the Constitution that would guarantee women the right to vote. … READ MORE

1952: “Red Scare” dominates American Political spaces. As the presidential election of 1952 begins to heat up, so do accusations and counteraccusations concerning communism in America. The “Red Scare” — the widespread belief that international communism was operating in the United States — came to dominate much of the debate between Democrats and Republicans in 1952. … READ MORE

1963: Martin Luther King Jr. delivers “I Have a Dream” speech at the March on Washington. On the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., the African American civil rights movement reaches its high-water mark when Martin Luther King Jr. delivers his "I Have a Dream" speech to about 250,000 people attending the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. The demonstrators—Black and white, poor and rich—came together in the nation’s capital to demand voting rights and equal opportunity for African Americans and to appeal for an end to racial segregation and discrimination. … READ MORE

www.history.com

 
Birthdays and notables
 
Happy birthday Sunday to Greg Birkett and Gail McGaughy!
 
These celebrities were born on this date:  Cassadee Pope, Florence Welch, Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, LeAnn Rimes, Quvenzhane Wallis, Shania Twain, Honey Boo Boo, David Dallas, Armie Hammer, Valtteri Bottas, Jason Priestley
 
Historical birthdays
Elizabeth Ann Seton (1774): The founder of the U.S. parochial school system and the first native-born American to be canonized as a Catholic saint.
 
George Whipple (1878): An American physician and pathologist who later won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.
 
James Wong Howe (1899): A pioneering, Oscar-winning Chinese-American cinematographer who masterfully advanced film lighting and camera techniques.
 
Morning chuckle

The answer to the last riddle: What are the two reasons why you should never drink toilet water? Number 1 and Number 2.  - Judy Anderson, Gail Tomlinson. Other reasons: Toilet water is perfume. The dog probably was drinking out of the toilet bowl. - Carolyn Rogers. And, It's gross. You have to end over to get to the bowl and getting back up is harder for older folks. - Rex Post

Today's riddle: What keeps a dock floating above water?

Have a guess? Email tammy@iowalivingmagazines.com BY NOON to be sure your answer gets included!

 

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

Andrea Hodapp
Account Executive
Office: 515-953-4822 ext. 322
Mobile: 515-883-0523
andrea@iowalivingmagazines.com

 

 

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Johnston, Iowa 50131

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