It’s puzzling that no one has drawn the obvious links between the sinister Grigori Rasputin and his efforts a century ago to save Russian czar-to-be Alexei Romanov and today’s sinister Vladimir Putin, president of the Russian federation, and his efforts to save President Trump. Consider: Rasputin was a figurative and
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February 12, 2018 by Brent Antisdel
in The Sound Exclusive
Superstar banjo slinger Béla Fleck and Abigail Washburn bring all the banjo you can handle to Des Moines on Saturday, Feb. 17 at Hoyt Sherman Place. The husband and wife duo have been dubbed the “the king and queen of banjo” by Paste Magazine, and have even won a Grammy
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February 06, 2018 by Brent Antisdel
in The Sound Exclusive
Very much alive A friend’s bizarre joke, some weird vocal tricks and a former English teacher with a love of music, that’s what created the band Handsome Ghost. This isn’t just a man claiming to be a handsome ghost, because that’d be vain, according to the founder of Handsome Ghost,
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February 06, 2018 by Brent Antisdel
in Stray Thoughts
It’s nothing short of a miracle that the people of Iowa have not taken up pitchforks and marched on Des Moines demanding the attention of government officials. As things now stand, don’t be surprised if the folks in charge simply wait for the dust to settle and then get back
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January 31, 2018 by Brent Antisdel
in Feature 1
And the winners are… Being the best at anything is a tall order. Being the best in the entire city — including all of its surrounding territories consisting of a population of more than 500,000? That’s even more challenging. Every year CITYVIEW embarks on a journey to find this city’s best of
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January 31, 2018 by Brent Antisdel
in Feature 2
Iowa Barnstormers boast the league’s best wide receivers and a coach who won’t hide his intent to use them “We did it last year, and we’re going to do it again this year,” says Iowa Barnstormers Head Coach Dixie Wooten. The coach isn’t talking about 2017’s franchise record 11-game winning streak. Instead, he’s offering up his
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January 31, 2018 by Brent Antisdel
in Feature 3
Funding conundrums lead to head scratching “Is DART fiscally unstable?” I ask. I’m on the phone with Elizabeth Presutti, the CEO of the Des Moines Area Regional Transit Authority (DART). If you are like I used to be, then you don’t give much thought to public transportation. This is Iowa, and
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January 31, 2018 by Brent Antisdel
in Civic Skinny
Matt McCoy isn’t talking, but friends say he almost certainly will leave the Iowa Senate and run against John Mauro for Mauro’s seat on the Polk County Board of Supervisors. Both are popular Democrats with deep followings, especially on the south side of town. A McCoy-Mauro race could complicate South
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January 31, 2018 by Brent Antisdel
in Political Mercury
Hail King and Crania Americana! In the snowy white, diversity-free future Steve King envisions for Iowa, a blonde-haired, milky-skinned paradise parade of pure-bred Caucasians, white women had better get pregnant early and often. Carroll County has a 1.9 percent unemployment rate, and over in Greene County, that number has dipped
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