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July 12-18, 2024

 
 
Farmers Market
 

Oliver Swenson, Brecken Schlichte and Abe Pederson were among the vendors at the Polk City Farmers Market on June 6.

 
 
Warning labels on social media?
 

Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy has called on Congress to require warning labels on social media in a way similar to what is mandatory on cigarette boxes, and I support him on this one.

Keep in mind, I am not a fan of excessive government regulation. At the federal level alone, more than 70 federal regulatory agencies currently exist, employing hundreds of thousands of people to write and implement regulations. They issue 3,500 new rules every year, and the regulatory code now is more than 168,000 pages long. Do we need another one? In the case of social media, the answer is yes.

Think about it. Car seats and baby formula are regulated, and I still won’t tear the tag off my pillow because it says I cannot do so “under penalty of law.” Not everyone follows the rules, but many do. Warning consumers — including our youth — about the perils of social media will help, and we simply can’t trust the big tech companies to regulate themselves.

Here is what Surgeon General Murthy stated in an advisory in 2023: “Children are exposed to harmful content on social media, ranging from violent and sexual content, to bullying and harassment. And, for too many children, social media use is compromising their sleep and valuable in-person time with family and friends. We are in the middle of a national youth mental health crisis, and I am concerned that social media is an important driver of that crisis — one that we must urgently address.”

And here is what he wrote recently in an opinion piece in The New York Times: “It is time to require a surgeon general's warning label on social media platforms, stating that social media is associated with significant mental health harms for adolescents. A surgeon general's warning label, which requires congressional action, would regularly remind parents and adolescents that social media has not been proved safe. Evidence from tobacco studies show that warning labels can increase awareness and change behavior."

Social media is used by most all young people, with up to 95% of those 13-17 years old reporting using a social media platform and more than a third saying they use social media “almost constantly.” Recent research shows that adolescents who spend more than three hours per day on social media (and they nearly all do) face double the risk of experiencing poor mental health outcomes, such as symptoms of depression and anxiety.

Will a warning label cure all the problems? No. But I have no doubt it will help.

Have a great week, and thanks for reading.

Shane Goodman
President and Publisher
Big Green Umbrella Media
shane@dmcityview.com
515-953-4822, ext. 305

 

Polk City Museum on the Square events

  • The Polk City Museum on the Square will be showing its video of the "History of the Saylorville and Big Creek Lakes" on Aug. 8, at 4:45 p.m. and 5:45 p.m. The film, a documentary made by the Big Creek Historical Society, includes what was lost as water covered the farms and cemeteries now underneath the lakes. The video is approximately 45 minutes long.
  • Steve Holmes, a Civil War Reenactor, will share the history of Polk City’s own Civil War soldiers on Sept. 24 at 6 p.m. at the Polk City Museum on the Square. Letters, pictures, family stories held in the Museum collection plus his extensive knowledge will make this program come alive.
    The Polk City Museum, 116 S. Third St., on the west side of the Square, is open on Thursdays from 4:30-6:30 p.m. during Farmers Market. 
 

Kids Book Bingo

The Friends of the Polk City Library will be hosting a Kids Book Bingo event at the Four Seasons Festival. Book Bingo will be at the Polk City American Legion from 2-4 p.m. on Saturday, July 19. Participation is free, but freewill donations are accepted. Get a bingo, choose a free book.

 

Garage sales

The Elkhart Citywide Garage Sales will be held July 27 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Some sales open Friday.

 

Bike Nights

Enjoy Bike Night in Elkhart, sponsored by Mean Machine Cycles, 462 W. Walnut, Elkhart. Enjoy food, music, prizes, bikes and more Fridays, July 26 and Aug. 23.

 

Polk City Community Library News

Polk City Community Library, 1500 W. Broadway St., 515-984-6119, www.polkcityia.gov/library.

  • Closures: The library will close at noon on Friday, July 19 and be closed all day on Saturday, July 20 for the 4 Seasons Festival.
  • Log your reading: Kids, teens and adults: The last day to log your reading and enter your tickets for prizes is Monday, July 31. Grand-prize winners will be announced on Monday, Aug. 5. Prizes must be claimed by Aug. 31.
  • Summer Cinema, July 15, 22 at 10 a.m. Each Monday, we will show a movie in the Library's multi-purpose room that will be fun for the whole family to watch. July 8: “Disney Nature: Earth”; July 15: “Fern Gully”’ July 22: “The Bee Movie.”
  • Story Time Tuesdays, July 16, 23 at 10 a.m. or 11 a.m. Join us at the library for stories, songs, bubbles and a craft or activity. Weekly registration is required. Registration will open on Tuesday of the previous week.
  • Comets Kids Club (grades K-5), Wednesdays, July 10, 17, 24 at 10 a.m. or 11 a.m. Join us at the library for fun arts and crafts activities. Weekly registration is required. Registration will open on Wednesday of the previous week.
  • Monday Book Club, Monday July 15, 2: p.m. Join us to discuss “Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World” by Vicki Myron. On the coldest night of the year in Spencer, Iowa, at only a few weeks old, he was stuffed into the return book slot of the Spencer Public Library. For the next 19 years, he never stopped charming the people of Spencer with his enthusiasm, warmth, humility (for a cat) and, above all, his sixth sense about who needed him most.
 
 

Events in the area

Email your event information to tammy@iowalivingmagazines.com

County Fairs

Ankeny Summerfest
July 12-14
The District at Prairie Trail, 1500 S.W. Main St., Ankeny
www.ankenysummerfest.com
Over the course of this three-day long event, 24 food vendors will set up shop to serve hungry attendees, 13 musical acts will be performing throughout the weekend for listening pleasure, and plenty of family-friendly activities like a parade and carnival will be in the area.

Clive Festival
July 19-20
Clive Aquatics Center parking lot/Greenbelt Landing
Highlights include the annual Thunder Over Clive Fireworks Show both evenings at 9:30 p.m., live music, the popular Clive Fire Department Slip-N-Slide, Clive Running Festival, and much more. For more details, visit https://www.cityofclive.com/parkandrecreation/programs_and_events/clive_festival.php.

Four Seasons Festival
July 19-20
Polk City
Highlights include the parade at 10 a.m. Saturday, July 20, the Bill Riley Talent Show, live music, festival food, kids activities and more. For details, visit gopolkcity.com/four-seasons-festival.

Waukee Arts Festival
July 19-20
Centennial Park, Waukee
www.waukeeartsfestival.org
Centennial Park in Waukee will host plenty of eye-catching local art from some of the area's best artists over the two-day-long festival. Live music and food trucks will be available to enjoy alongside the artwork.

National Balloon Classic
July 26 - Aug. 3
Memorial Balloon Field, 1136 150th Ave., Indianola
www.nationalballoonclassic.com
Just look up. Beautifully colored hot air balloons adorn the skies of Indianola. The National Balloon Classic has been dropping jaws of Iowans and travelers with its wondrous display for more than 50 years.


 

 
Caesar salad-inspired tacos
 

(Family Features) From putting a family meal on the table after activities to hosting a large crowd at your next get-together, a seasonal favorite like Caesar salad can serve as the perfect canvas for creating quick, easy-to-prepare meals.

With more than 100 varieties of fresh, healthy and convenient ready-to-eat salads – including 11 Caesar salad varieties like the Caesar Chopped Salad Kit – Fresh Express provides tasty, versatile salad kits that can be modified to fit nearly any kind of meal you might be craving.

Available in the refrigerated produce department, these premium mixes can be eaten as a standalone salad when time is of the essence or taken beyond the bowl and fused with another beloved classic, like tacos, for a burst of flavor and texture in every bite. These Fried Chicken Caesar Tacos, ready in just 30 minutes, feature savory Caesar salad – crisp, chopped romaine; herb-seasoned crouton crumbles; cracked pepper; grated Parmesan cheese; and a delicious Parmesan Caesar dressing — enveloped in a crispy, golden chicken shell.

Chicken caesar tacos

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients:

  • 3 eggs
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 packet taco seasoning
  • 2 chicken breasts, sliced in half horizontally
  • 3 cups neutral oil
  • 1 bag (9.4 ounces) Fresh Express Caesar Chopped Salad Kit

Directions:

In shallow bowl, beat eggs. In separate bowl, combine flour and half packet of taco seasoning.

Place chicken in resealable bag and, using meat tenderizer, pound to 1/4-inch thickness.

In medium saute pan, heat oil over medium heat.

Season chicken breasts with remaining taco seasoning.

Coat chicken in flour mixture, dip into beaten eggs then coat chicken in flour mixture again, pressing firmly to adhere.

In pan with hot oil, cook battered chicken until golden brown, flipping halfway through, until chicken reaches minimum internal temperature of 165 F, 4-5 minutes per side (depending on thickness). Fry in batches to avoid overcrowding pan, if necessary.

Once fully cooked, fold chicken over to create taco shell shape. Place sheet pan on top to hold shape, 3-4 minutes.

In large bowl, combine lettuce, dressing, croutons and cheese from salad kit.

Once chicken taco shells set, carefully remove sheet pan. Fill each taco shell with prepared salad mixture.

 
 
 
FROM YOUR NORTH POLK LIVING MAGAZINE
 

Mailed to residents of Polk City, Alleman, Elkhart and Sheldahl the third Thursday of each month.

This month's cover story:

4 Seasons Festival

Join the fun in Polk City, July 19-20.

It’s back! Mark your calendars for this year’s 4 Seasons Festival, set to take place Friday, July 19 and Saturday, July 20. This vibrant event, held in the heart of the city, celebrates the community spirit and unique charm of Polk City, offering a variety of activities and entertainment for all ages.

[...]

 
Read this month's issue
 

P.S. As a free newsletter, we rely on readers like you to grow our subscriber list. If you have friends or coworkers who you think would enjoy Polk City Living Weekly, share this email with them and they can subscribe by CLICKING HERE.

 

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