December 06, 2017 by Brent Antisdel
in Walks of Life
December 06, 2017 by Brent Antisdel
in Lunch With...
Josh Mandelbaum
Josh Mandelbaum was the new star in the local political sky this election cycle. He not only upset a likable Democratic party insider and party boss, but he trounced him by 22 points. Being a 38-year-old political rookie, whose campaign ended up being a single issue, he got our attention.
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December 06, 2017 by Brent Antisdel
in Our View
Freedom of information
It’s wrong to keep taxpayers in the dark One of the nastiest controversies in local government in Iowa in many years was the impeachment in May of Muscatine Mayor Diana Broderson by the city council. The case isn’t over. She has appealed her removal from office. I’m not here to
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December 06, 2017 by Brent Antisdel
in Rants & Reason
Candy canes and coal for your holiday stocking
We have surpluses of grinches and gloom this holiday season, so our stocking stuffers include lumps of coal along with the joys, people and events we rightly cherish. Consider: In the holiday season, questions are raised about separation of church and state as, for example, manger scenes placed in city hall. But little such
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December 06, 2017 by Brent Antisdel
in Sound Notes
Sound Advice
Celebrate the season with Christopher the Conquered and friends for his third annual “A Conquered Christmas” at The Basement in the Des Moines Social Club on Thursday, Dec. 7 at 7 p.m. This is part of Iowa Public Radio’s Studio One Underground series and will be broadcast live. The event
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December 06, 2017 by Brent Antisdel
in Art News
Real and imagined aspects of architecture
Amy Worthen’s works are both fantastical and architectural Amy Worthen is endowed by spirits from another age. As both an artist and art historian, she hangs around with ancient ideas and animal souls. At Iowa State University’s Brunnier Museum, a major retrospective of her last five decades of work takes
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December 06, 2017 by Brent Antisdel
in Book Review
Book Reviews
‘Long Haul: A Trucker’s Tales of Life on the Road’ Finn Murphy’s memoir is one of (most of) a life driving a truck, moving customers long distance. Called a “bedbugger,” he carefully packs belongings and loads them into his trailer, preparing them to safely reach their destination. Having dropped out
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December 06, 2017 by Brent Antisdel
in At Home With
The Heggens
Drawn to bungalow’s character Danny and Katy Heggen loved the character of the bungalow they found in the summer of 2016 in the Roosevelt neighborhood. Katy likes to joke they immediately recognized the house’s “potential.” It was well loved and needed updates, but it wasn’t anything too overwhelming for the
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December 06, 2017 by Brent Antisdel
in Tech Talk
Tech the halls
Tech gifts that don’t require taking out a home equity loan With technology and gadgets having woven themselves into the very fabric of our collective existence, it would seem that gift buying would be easier than ever. Walk the aisles of your favorite electronics section, pick up a few gizmos,
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7 Christmas wishes for Iowa’s children
In writing out my Christmas wishes for Iowa’s children, I thought I would focus on what gifts we Iowans can offer to our kids — what I wish for our kids that we can deliver to them beginning on Christmas day. Here are my seven Christmas wishes: First, I wish
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