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July 06, 2020 by Brent Antisdel in Guest View

Life is a puzzle

Don’t give in that you cannot do any better. You can do better if you put your mind to doing better. If you give up then you don’t have a chance. The only people who do better and go forward are those who try. Everyone has the freedom to try.

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July 01, 2020 by Brent Antisdel in Feature 1

Summer Arts & Entertainment Guide

COVID-19, coupled with social distancing, facemasks and cancelations, have altered central Iowa’s summer plans in a big way. That is no news flash. But as pandemic restrictions begin to lift, and local organizations adapt and improve sanitization procedures and implement other precautions, the forecast for fun in the area is

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July 01, 2020 by Brent Antisdel in Feature 2

The future of dining and Covid-19 crisis trends

The food business has long operated on the brink of terror. Before the 20th century, when the U.S. became the best-fed country in the history of the world, people were dependent on the whims of the apocalyptic horsemen to feed their families. Prayers and sacrifices were made to save the

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July 01, 2020 by Brent Antisdel in Business Feature

Stocked up

Greg Stoll learned in January from several sources, as well as his own research, that a new virus was about to break out in China. Stoll, who taught international strategic planning for the U.S. Army, regularly reads news from New Zealand and Australia because he believes it to be more

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July 01, 2020 by Brent Antisdel in Civic Skinny

Billionaire Stine gets Coronavirus loans. Cargill gets $822,000-per-job aid. Register circulation is in a free fall.

Companies owned by Harry Stine, the richest man in Iowa, are among the 60,000 or so Iowa companies that have received around $5.1 billion in forgivable loans from the federal government under the coronavirus bailout program. Stine Seed Co. of Adel and Stine Seed Farm Inc. of Adel each got

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July 01, 2020 by Brent Antisdel in Political Mercury

He saved us from deadly defective products

Walk a box store or surf a retailer’s website with one of our nation’s top product safety advocates, and you’ll see some of the horrors he’s dedicated a professional life to removing from the seemingly, but often deceivingly, safe shelves from which Americans grab the stuff of quick errands or

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July 01, 2020 by Brent Antisdel in Film Review

‘Da 5 Bloods’ can be a huge lesson

From the very first frame to the opening shots of Spike Lee’s epic new Vietnam chronicle (though referred throughout the film by U.S. veterans and Vietnamese soldiers and civilians alike as “America’s War”), “Da 5 Bloods,” it is clear where the film’s heart lies. It all starts with Muhammad Ali,

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July 01, 2020 by Brent Antisdel in Food Dude

Wingz on Wheelz and Fiesta

Change is the only constant. The frustrations of quarantine have inspired some people to become seriously cautious and others to become seriously oblivious of caution. I now get as many dirty looks for wearing a mask as for not wearing one. The city seems to have a much higher percentage

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July 01, 2020 by Brent Antisdel in Your Neighbors

Random acts of bagpipes

“Someone on our street…has been playing the bagpipes lately, and I love it!” writes one northwest Des Moines neighbor on an online community forum. “…I heard her practicing, (too)…” types another interested ear in the area. “I’m not sure who it is,” responds a third, “but it’s greatly appreciated!! Very

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July 01, 2020 by Brent Antisdel in Joe's Neighborhood

Social media updo

“Dad, isn’t FaceTime a great way for us to talk during this weird virus time?” The smiling face of my daughter locked down in England greets me. Lively, personable and true to real life. And then I make the mistake of looking at the small screen in the right corner.

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