Posted December 07, 2020in Stray Thoughts
Tone-deaf. That’s the dismal state of the political discourse in our nation these days. Regrettably, Iowa has an all-too-prominent role in this bumbling lack of awareness of how our democracy is being eaten away by the people who want to be our leaders. Pour yourself a glass of Maalox. You
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Posted December 02, 2020in Feature 1
Publisher’s note: Thirty-eight years ago, when Michael Gartner was editor of The Des Moines Register, he walked over to the desk of writer Bob Hullihan and said, “How about writing me a Christmas classic for the holidays?” Hullihan said, “Sure.” And he did. It ran in the Register and years
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Posted December 02, 2020in Feature 2
The building that is now known as Buccaneer Arena opened 60 years ago. Back then, the Des Moines Buccaneers didn’t exist. Instead, the venue housed minor league professional franchises, but by the late 1970s, the rink was vacant and struggling to attract another team. At this same time, the 1980
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Posted December 02, 2020in Business Feature
For business leaders, each year presents its own set of challenges. However, none have been quite like the challenges of 2020, which included the COVID-19 pandemic. But, as with most challenges, area leaders demonstrated innovation and perseverance, and successes are to be found. Each and every day — even in
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Posted December 02, 2020in Civic Skinny
Twelve drummers drumming… …for Helen Eddy, the very busy Polk County health commissioner…and Karen Schunk and all the other women (and men) who make and give away masks to help protect us from the virus…including Linda Cravens, who sends masks to Iowa friends from far-off Salt Lake…and the men and
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Posted December 02, 2020in Political Mercury
He knew them by their eyes. That’s about all Wiltsie Cretsinger of Coon Rapids could see of the physicians and nurses who shepherded him through a brutal, 21-day, take-his-breath-away fight with COVID-19 at St. Anthony Regional Hospital in Carroll. The medical professionals there were all “gowned up” with two sets
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Posted December 02, 2020in Film Review
“If Anything Happens, I Love You” is a beautiful but excruciatingly painful portrait of a tragedy. It’s the kind of art that is so moving, and so honest, that it feels like it must be coming from personal experience. Instead, it’s the tale that is sadly known by far too
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Posted December 02, 2020in Food Dude
Comedian Shirley Fong-Torres liked telling her audiences that “the Chinese word for vegan translates as lousy hunter.” Vegan comedian Dick Gregory told folks that “only the most evolved level of animal intelligence has been able to raise edible foods.” Those two opinions represent 1,000 years of arguments as to whether
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Posted December 02, 2020in Des Moines Forgotten
The holiday season is in full effect, and those close to me know that this is the time when I typically fall into my normal Scrooge behavior. Why? Well, it starts with Thanksgiving, then numerous November and December birthdays, then Christmas, then New Year’s. Before I know it, every weekend
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Posted December 02, 2020in Joe's Neighborhood
“Joe, this is going to hurt.” No kidding. I lie on my back trying to visualize a white sand beach with crystal blue water and a cabana worker offering an ice-cold beverage in an oversized glass. Instead, my go-to visualization usually involves buying a footlong hotdog with extra mustard from
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