‘Hemlock’ Melissa Faliveno’s “Hemlock” is a story about addiction, isolation and a creepy deer. This is a haunting novel that balances psychological tension with an intimate exploration of identity and that indefinable sense of place that roots so many people. Set in a small Wisconsin town, the story follows a
Read More →“28 Years Later: The Bone Temple” R | 109 minutes Director: Nia DaCosta Writer: Alex Garland Stars: Jack O’Connell, Ralph Fiennes, Emma Laird “28 Years Later: The Bone Temple” takes us into a realm where the most terrifying threat may no longer be the infected, but the believers. Spike —
Read More →
Posted December 31, 2025in Iowa Artist
A stunning, vibrant nativity scene displayed at the Polk City United Methodist Church in 2023 may have resembled a typical decoration at Christmas time. Yet, upon inspection, each colorful square was a piece of trash, including an empty pistachio bag, a mouthwash ad and a cereal box. All of these
Read More →To what extent has the decision to allow taxpayer dollars to be used to pay for private school education impacted the rosters of these private school football teams? This question was presumably sparked by the recent IHSAA football state championships, in which six classes had a Catholic team, in other
Read More →
Posted December 31, 2025in People & Pets
Two friends, who are both dog lovers, took several steps beyond caring for their furry friends. They established a nonprofit foster rescue, host a dog “pawdcast” and installed microchip stations for lost dogs. Kara Berhow and Holly Kilstrom began fostering rescue dogs 13 years ago. The pair established a nonprofit,
Read More →
Posted December 31, 2025in Your Neighbors
Robert Fisher has become a local celebrity in Adel — not for acting, singing or dancing, but for his constant drive and passion for his mission, which is helping to open doors for others. Fisher has been working tirelessly to get businesses in his community to add button powered handicap
Read More →
Posted December 30, 2025in The Culture Buzz
From Iowa’s cultural epicenter, Mainframe Studios at 900 Keosauqua Way in Des Moines, Iowa comes your Listener-supported Community Voice, the Award-Winning indie radio station, KFMG-LP 98.9 FM (streaming simultaneously at www.kfmg.org), bringing you music, literature & cultural content. Quote of the Week – “And now we welcome the new year. Full
Read More →Des Moines, IA — Variety – the Children’s Charity of Iowa’s annual Two Days of Compassion Radiothon, presented by Hy-Vee, raised a record-breaking $221,000 (net) to support Iowa children and families facing pediatric medical crises. The funds will directly benefit the Variety Compassion Fund, which provides immediate emotional and financial
Read More →
Posted December 25, 2025in Morain
The American writer James Agee, together with photographer Walker Evans, in 1941 released Let Us Now Praise Famous Men, a book documenting the lives of impoverished Southern sharecroppers during the Depression. The title is an apt referent for the subjects of this column: men and women whom I admire for
Read More →
