|
|
|
| Cover
Story: No Place Like Home |
|
 There
are plenty of reasons why Central
Iowa is a terrific place to live.
Here are some of the best.
We talk a lot - as a community
- about what we need, what we
want, what we don't have, what
we should have. As residents of
Central Iowa, there is much to
complain about. Our cities are
far from fiscally fit. Our property
taxes are high. Our schools aren't
what they used to be. Corporate
welfare is staggering. There are
hints of corruption and hints
of incompetence regarding our
leaders. And the list goes on
and on. >>
more
|
 |
|
|
| Jon Gaskell:
Pull some punches |
|
Toboggan tussle began for no reason
I'm all for watchdogs and activists,
but what has transpired on our city's
East Side regarding the so-called "tearing
down" of a sledding hill has been
despicable, and for no reason whatsoever.
See, you never open your mouth until
you know what the shot is, until you've
absorbed all of the facts. Being an
activist and a watchdog requires patience
and reason. Without those two qualities,
really, all you're doing is bitching.
You're background noise, a blabbermouth,
a naysayer. >>
more
|
|
| Civic
Skinny: Rainforest back in Des Moines? |
|
People are talking, but
odds are against it
According to a top philanthropist/
business type and another top
government source, Downtown Des
Moines could try to swing for
the fences with regard to the
Rain Forest project. Here's what
we know: First, federal legislation
mandating that the Rain Forest
project be built in Johnson County
(essentially on the Coralville
site, which the city is now backing
away from) is due to change to
include all of Iowa. Second, Sen.
Charles Grassley has "no
intention of getting egg on his
face" with regard to this
project after taking so much heat,
and is reaching out more than
ever before to make it happen.
Third, after hinting around to
a few business types that the
project may be interested in trying
to make it work in Des Moines
(as originally planned) and getting
rejected, we're hearing that a
number of Des Moines players who
once wrote Ted Townsend off as
"crazy" are starting
to come around. Described as a
"long shot," but also
a "sure-fire way to make
Des Moines a destination,"
a plan is being quietly discussed
regarding a scaled-down version
>>
more
|
|
|
| |
| Food
Dude : Iowa Bakery Café |
|
By Jim Duncan
CVFDude@aol.com
 November
triggers two of humankind's nobler urges:
to bake bread and to cook soup. Since
the majority of Americans no longer
do either, I went looking for people
to do them for me, at the Iowa Bakery
Café, where the specialty of
the house is scratch-water bagels, baked
fresh all day. This means hand-formed
dough is boiled in a kettle before being
baked, a process with which many bagel
joints don't bother. This gives bagels
a superior crisp texture. >>
more |
|
|
| City
Sounds : Blues Traveler |
|
By Michael Swanger
michael@dmcityview.com
 Legendary
singer-songwriter-pianist to release
new album to benefit the Crescent
City
There's so much passion for New
Orleans in Dr. John's fingers
that every time they touch the
piano it feels like Mardi Gras.
But ask him how he feels about
the way the Crescent City and
its citizens and environment have
been treated in the aftermath
of Hurricane Katrina and you can
feel the darkness of its back
alleys and floating graveyards
rise through the hoodoo-voodoo
king's voice. >>more
|
| City
Sounds 2: Watermelon Slim picks
low-down blues |
 Bill
Homan, a.k.a Watermelon Slim,
has spent years on the road earning
his living, but he seems to be
at home pickin' low-down blues.
For 18 years, he hauled industrial
waste and dry goods, but now he
drives his band, the Workers,
to blues ports around the country.
"The band I'm playing with
is responsible for my success,"
the 56-year-old singer-songwriter-guitarist
says. "They're the reason
I'm getting anywhere 'cause they
help people take me seriously."
>>more
|
|
|
|
|
We
want to know what you think. Take part in a short survey to let us know
your thoughts on various parts of our paper. It is short. It is easy. Do
it now. 
