April 03, 2024 by Brent Antisdel
in Belly Up To...
You won’t find a teacher or students writing their ABCs at this charming, refurbished one-room schoolhouse in Cumming, but you will see a chalk board with available house wines and musicians singing tunes. The Middlebrook Mercantile owners opened in 2022 in downtown Cumming. For newbies to Iowa — yes, that
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April 03, 2024 by Brent Antisdel
in Cars in the City
Whenever I see a Jeep, it screams adventure. That rugged look and jacked-up body seem ideal for off-road trips. Maybe it’s from the TV commercials of a Jeep perched on a faux boulder. Regardless, when you take it for a spin, you’re bound to experience an exhilarating ride — even
Read More →Like many youngsters across America, I played Little League baseball. I wasn’t a very good player, despite my mother’s encouragement, but I still enjoyed it. I could field the ball fine, and I was quick, but my biggest challenge was hitting. My older teammates encouraged me to line up close
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April 03, 2024 by Brent Antisdel
in Iowa Artist
As artists, being heard and valued is key to creativity, belonging and a reflection in their artwork. For young people who have been in the court system, suffered homelessness, or are immigrants, it can be a challenge. Expressing oneself through art can offer healing and provide hope. That’s where ArtForce
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April 03, 2024 by Brent Antisdel
in Art News
Chris Vance’s annual show at Moberg Gallery cements his stature as Des Moines’ most popular painter. Some 32 of the paintings were sold before the exhibition even began. Vance consciously comments each year on what he finds most interesting about the contemporary world outside his studio. This year it’s AI
Read More →2249 N.W. 86TH ST., CLIVE SALE DATE: 2024-01-15 SALE PRICE: $1,800,000 SELLER: THE RACK BILLIARDS CLUB LLC BUYER: TASTY TACOS INC ACRES: 1.053 SQUARE FEET: 5,774 915 S.E. 14TH COURT, DES MOINES SALE DATE: 2024-01-15 SALE PRICE: $550,000 SELLER: CAPITOL HOLDINGS LLC BUYER: CIT HOLDINGS-DES MOINES LLC ACRES: 0.485 SQUARE
Read More →What exactly does Heartland AEA do? The Heartland Area Education Association is the central and partially eastern Iowa “area” under Iowa’s Area Education Association. The counties included in the Heartland area are Carroll, Audubon, Guthrie, Dallas, Boone, Madison, Story, Warren, Marion, Jasper and, of course, Polk. Some of what
Read More →‘Diavola’ Family drama with all of its undercurrents and toxicity is not a new concept for a book, but mixing that particular brand of unsettling anxiety with the slow dread of a deliciously gothic haunted house story is so much fun. Jennifer Thorne is at the top of her game
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April 03, 2024 by Brent Antisdel
in Collections & Hobbies
People step on and over rocks most every single day without a second thought. They’re used in water features, gardens, concrete and more. Are most rocks just that, a rock? Not to Ken Belzer. Belzer, born and raised in Des Moines, is a rock and geode enthusiast who began his
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April 03, 2024 by Brent Antisdel
in Sound Circuit
Local music lovers and concertgoers enthusiastically embraced the newly remodeled Val Air Ballroom, which re-opened for its first concert on Feb. 29. The Val Air, an 80-year-old iconic ballroom, located at 301 Ashworth in West Des Moines, recently completed a $15 million renovation. As I had attended concerts at the
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