RELIEF


Free medical clinics alleviate financial concerns for many cash-strapped central Iowans

 

"Health is the greatest gift..." - Buddha

Why then, does it come at such a cost?

In Des Moines, 10 percent of the population was without health insurance in 2009, some of whom tell tortured tales of health conditions that go untreated. They learn to live with the symptoms that ail them — a wheezing cough, searing infections, sprained joints, even asthma. They either don't qualify or can't afford health insurance. And often large medical institutions turn them away because they're not taking new patients.

Meanwhile, in 2009, physicians in Des Moines averaged an estimated salary of more than $200,000.

That obvious imbalance, and "a calling from God," is exactly what inspired Dr. James Blessman to begin a string of free clinics throughout the city.


 

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Live bugs, closed doors, lost jobs and dead elk

 

Bed bugs are still biting in Des Moines, according to a Department of Administrative Services memo from its director, Mike Carroll, that was sent to Skinny. Try as they "mite" (sorry, couldn't resist) to keep this under wraps, the memo was passed along with a note saying that, despite previously known problems, State of Iowa buildings still have bed bugs.

The "Health Notice" said "bed bugs in a very limited area of Level A have been recently detected," also noting that "the bugs have been identified as adults, which points to them being carried in from outside the premises versus an infestation." The bugs were to be treated, and monitoring strips and traps were to be placed. Vacuuming was also to begin every day, and additional cleaning of the carpets was planned, too, according to the memo.

Which she’d probably win.


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Bingham wins awards, still 'drinks coffee out of the same cup'

 

Anyone remotely familiar with his artistic depth, blue-collar work ethic and humble personality knows that the last thing Ryan Bingham would be tempted to do is to cash in on the newfound fame of having recently won Golden Globe, Oscar and Grammy awards for "The Weary Kind," a song he co-wrote with T-Bone Burnett for the Oscar-winning movie "Crazy Heart." To the contrary, this former rodeo rider is satisfied playing music for a living and crossing the country with his band The Dead Horses on a never-ending series of one-nighters.

"I'm proud of receiving those awards, but at the end of the day I've never really been about winning awards or being better than anybody else, so it's not the most important thing in my life," said the 29-year-old singer-songwriter. "Having the opportunity to write music and tour and play music with these guys that I've been with since the beginning, that's the real reward there. I still drink my coffee out of the same cup."

Though Bingham is careful not to let accolades compromise his artistic integrity, he is aware that having won a trifecta of major awards within the last year has benefited his career. When I interviewed Bingham in July 2009, he was about to make his Des Moines debut at the House of Bricks where a modest crowd gathered to see him perform songs from his first two Lost Highway albums, "Mescalito" and "Roadhouse Sun," the latter of which reached the charts. This week, the New Mexico native was slated to play the Vaudeville Mews, but ticket demands forced promoters to move the show to the larger People's Court.

 

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Hats off to Uncle Mike and The Chuckwagon


Restaurants continue to open and close at the pace of new network TV series. Café dynamics in Des Moines have been considerably influenced by catering companies expanding into the restaurant business and contracting from that double duty. Catering facilitates restaurant ownership for several reasons. Bankers appreciate track records that demonstrate a business can absorb basic costs (caterers in Des Moines average around $15,000 a year just for licenses, insurance and inspections) and still show a profit; Catering builds a niche clientele; Brick and mortar kitchens often help catering businesses expand.

It's never easy, though, as competition is brutal in Des Moines. I found 184 local caterers in the yellow pages. Some of the best (Taste! to Go, Tres Hermanos) tried running restaurants in addition to catering but gave that up when the catering side of their business grew faster than the other side. Other top caterers (Smokey D's, Flying Mango, Fat Tuesday, La Rosa) successfully expanded both sides of their businesses. Hardly a month goes by that somebody doesn't get into, or out of, one side or the other.

 

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Say somethin'!

Tell us what you think about local politics, music, restaurants, bars, entertainment or anything else going on in Des Moines.

 

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On the town

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