Does it have to get?

The local resistance movement that recently lost its battle to stop the closings of more neighborhood schools has inspired a full-fledged guerrilla attack on the status quo at the Des Moines Independent School District. Besides recruiting fresh candidates for upcoming school board elections and demanding audits of school building fund expenditures, the rebels are also mounting a "hearts and minds" information campaign spotlighting some horrifying school district failures. One analysis of DMISD test results, written by Bystander publisher Jonathan Narcisse, is being widely distributed, to the dread of the school district's spin-doctors. Narcisse pointed out that while the school district's Web site brags about high school graduation rates increasing >> more

By Jim Duncan
CVFDude@aol.com

Sometimes you win by losing. If U.S.-backed forces had won the war in Vietnam, where would today's budget diner go for true scratch cooking in America? But because the Viet Cong won, hundreds of thousands of Southeast Asian refugees exported a rich cuisine that still does things the old fashioned way. Their timing was perfect. When the Vietnamese Diaspora began, America was converting to fast-food-nation status. Now processed foods account for three-fourths of all food sales and few chefs outside four-star kitchens bother cooking anything from scratch. >> more

By Michael Swanger
michael@dmcityview.com

From traditional big bands to world music grooves to urban funk and dance, "Jazz in the Junction," an all-day free music festival to be held Saturday in West Des Moines' Historic Valley Junction, promises to appeal to a wide range of music lovers with its broad lineup of performers.

Liquid Soul, the Grammy-nominated ensemble from Chicago whose blend of funk, dance and jazz has earned them a loyal following in Des Moines over the years will headline the fest. In addition to mainstage acts, the event will include street performers and food vendors. Coolers are prohibited. >>more