By Shane Goodman shane@dmcityview.com

Not your typical ghost story

I’ve never seen a ghost — not even something that could be remotely compared to a ghost. But am I curious? You bet. Who isn’t? The curiosity permeates us all. What happens after human death is a question we cannot simply avoid, as we all know that day will come. For some, our faith guides us. For others, our fear does. But the idea of communicating with those who left this world is intriguing, to say the least.

I recall the evening Michael Swanger left to visit with Joe Leto and the staff of DIEPART. A full moon radiated in the sky. The wind was calm. Animals were nowhere to be seen. The setting was such that I knew Michael would be tempted to write the typical Halloween ghost story or make comparisons to the 1984 (yes, it was 1984) “Ghostbusters” movie. But instead, Swanger came home with a respect for the scientific approach these people are taking to help those who feel they have come in contact with ghosts. And the story reflects this, without the Sta-Puft marshmallows.

In an effort to debunk the myths surrounding the paranormal phenomena, these adventurers are dedicating a great deal of their time and money. They take their efforts seriously, and we think you will, too, after reading the story.

Some claim to have seen ghosts. Others portray those who have as being nuts. In the end, you will draw your own conclusions about the afterlife. Meanwhile, enjoy the journey.

A new Relish

For the past few years, we have published Relish as Des Moines’ only free guide to food and fine dining. The publication was printed as part of Cityview, but was also placed on some of our racks around the Metro. Relish was applauded by its readers for the in-depth coverage of food, particularly the work of Cityview food critic, Jim Duncan. The only complaint we received was that it was hard to locate a copy. As a result, we decided to make Relish stand on its own. And we are quite pleased with the result. The visual appearance is even stronger with a glossy cover on the outside and premium paper inside. But most importantly, you can now find Relish on hundreds more racks throughout Central Iowa.

Thanks for reading.

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