Celebrated roots sextet Clay Street Unit brings its energetic live show to xBk Live on Feb. 20. Hailing from the heart of the Rockies, Clay Street Unit is supporting it new album, “Sin & Squalor.” The album captures the spirit of the west, folk and country traditions of the south and the
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February 04, 2026 by Brent Antisdel
in Cars in the City
As SUV sales soar among seemingly all car manufacturing brands, inching in the market with an affordable version is essential. When it comes to BMW, can those two words — affordable and BMW — be used in the same sentence? BMW believes “The Ultimate Driving Machine” can with its compact
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February 04, 2026 by Brent Antisdel
in Your Neighbors
The stigma over those born and living with Down syndrome has lightened over the years, but it has not been an easy journey. The positive actions of Jennifer Baldon are helping parents in the area educate themselves about their children, while also celebrating them. She does this with the help
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February 04, 2026 by Brent Antisdel
in Sound Circuit
As a child, Brandon Hudspeth was intrigued with Big Bird and other characters from “Sesame Street.” When the show featured various guest stars, Hudspeth took note of a man dressed in black, playing guitar and singing. The famed musician, Johnny Cash, commanded more attention than Kermit the Frog, and Hudspeth
Read More →“Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die” R | 134 minutes Director: Gore Verbinski Writer: Matthew Robinson Starring: Sam Rockwell, Haley Lu Richardson, Michael Peña Director Gore Verbinski makes his return to theaters with this gonzo time-traveling adventure, his first feature in a decade. Academy Award winner Sam Rockwell stars as
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February 04, 2026 by Brent Antisdel
in Walks of Life
It’s time for the big game, and that’s the perfect reason to gather with your fellow fans around the big screen to see which team finishes the year with a championship ring. And, you won’t be alone. Record-breaking viewership has been reported the last two years, with 127.7 million U.S.
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February 04, 2026 by Brent Antisdel
in Belly Up To...
Des Moines’ newest sports bar, Heroics, is like most any sports bar in some ways — a full bar, fascinating conversations and the latest game on the big-screen TV. However, there is one distinction that sets it apart from other sports bars — all the games shown feature women athletes.
Read More →‘Honeyeater’ This is not an easy book to read. Just throwing that out there if you’re not the kind of person who likes a challenging read. This is a slow-burn, convoluted, stream of consciousness style story that performs literary acrobatics while it breaks your heart. If you are up for
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February 03, 2026 by Brent Antisdel
in 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 – “A man of genius makes no mistakes. His
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February 02, 2026 by Brent Antisdel
in Stray Thoughts
January ended with a notable week for federal courts because of the voices of its judges. Judges in Minnesota and Texas spoke with clarity in these troubled times. In between them, a longtime Iowa federal judge’s voice fell silent after a quarter century of delivering justice, along with lessons in
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