Posted May 01, 2024in Political Mercury
Deep in the warm hurricane of 1980s nostalgia-minded groups on Facebook are the occasional references to fearful school-kid preparation exercises for a forefront haunt to humanity at the time — the night-shaking stalk of the prospect of a world-ending nuclear holocaust. Remember duck and cover under the chewing-gum-ridden desk chairs?
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Posted May 01, 2024in Film Review
Zack Snyder’s latest foray into the realm of epic sci-fi, “Rebel Moon,” is a grand spectacle of ambition and visual prowess, yet it struggles to break free from its own limitations. Boasting a star-studded cast including Sofia Boutella, Ed Skrein and Djimon Hounsou, the film presents a tale of rebellion,
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Posted May 01, 2024in Food Dude
The meaning of “heirloom” has been extended this century in American vernacular. It’s not just for nouns anymore. I have seen it used to describe baseball fans, tomatoes, pigs, brand new wrist watches and stocks. There’s nothing wrong with that, but here’s what Oxford now has to say: “heirloom: 1.)
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Posted May 01, 2024in Des Moines Forgotten
The year was 2011, and I had been in Des Moines for four years. My first feature documentary, “Brent Houzenga: Hybrid Pioneer,” premiered at the Des Moines Social Club at its former location at 1408 Locust St. that previous November. It was now April, and the weather was finally breaking.
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Posted May 01, 2024in Joe's Neighborhood
The graves sprawl over the bright green and faded brown grass like grazing cattle over the stubble of an Iowa corn field. Narrow blacktop roads meander here and there across the 65 acres. Pools of sunshine dance on the white granite tombstones and the half-buried markers of grey river rock.
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Posted May 01, 2024in Center Stage
There is a special beauty about great stage scripts for children’s theatre. In the hands of an experienced producer such as the Kate Goldman Children’s Theatre at the Des Moines Community Playhouse, true magic manifests when the actors and the audiences combine to create meaningful memories through the power of
Read More →The Greenbelt Music Festival in Clive returns for a second year. This year’s two-day event on May 17 and 18 includes bluegrass, folk, string and rock among a laid-back atmosphere on two stages — off the Clive Greenbelt Trail and the Horizon Events Center. Friday’s headliner is Yonder Mountain String
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Posted May 01, 2024in Walks of Life
For many people with organ failure, a transplant is their one hope for a return to good health. In the U.S., more than 100,000 people are waiting for an organ donation — and, for many, the wait can be five or more years. For 17 people each day, time runs
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Posted May 01, 2024in Belly Up To...
As the Court Avenue district seeks solutions to revitalize the area, one restaurant – The Stuffed Olive — is eager to showcase its food and drink offerings. The Stuffed Olive, a martini bar and restaurant, found success just off Third Street — so much so that the owners were turning
Read More →With all the gloom and doom in the newspaper industry today, one might assume print publications of all sorts are also on the out. It is true that paid subscription newspapers and national magazines are struggling to find ways to be profitable and relevant. Even many of the once-thriving alternative
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