Posted August 31, 2022in Civic Skinny
The Prairie Meadows Board of Directors recently voted to extend the contract of CEO Gary Palmer, who had formerly planned to retire at the end of 2023. “I had a group of Prairie Meadows board members ask if I’d stay a little bit longer, and I told them I’d think
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Posted August 03, 2022in Civic Skinny
It’s that time of year again: Several athletics coaches at Iowa’s state-funded universities have amended their employment contracts. Although most took pay cuts in 2020 during the pandemic, they are back in the game. Last July, University of Iowa (UI) wrestling coach Tom Brands received a contract extension through June
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Posted July 06, 2022in Civic Skinny
Ever wondered about surveillance at Prairie Meadows Casino? With the jaw-dropping amount of cash traveling through the establishment every day, it’s no wonder the casino needs an equally astonishing amount of surveillance to discourage criminal activities. Technology includes 1,264 cameras, five LPRs (license plate capture cameras), 12 servers and 47
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Posted June 01, 2022in Civic Skinny
As more employees return to the office and in-person events are scheduled, the City of Des Moines is nearing the completion of its transition away from traditional parking meters. The ParkDSM mobile app launched in December 2021, with all metered spaces expected to be fully converted by August this year,
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Posted May 04, 2022in Civic Skinny
A petition to rename George Flagg Parkway was posted on March 30 as a joint effort by the Des Moines Black Liberation Movement (DSM BLM) and Des Moines Peoples’ Town Hall. George Flagg, who died in 2006, served as an at-large Des Moines City Councilmember for 22 years. In a
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Posted April 06, 2022in Civic Skinny
One would correctly assume that the use of Des Moines Area Regional Transit Authority, better known as DART, dropped during the COVID-19 pandemic. But how much? In DART’s fiscal year 2019, the usage number was 4.5 million. In 2020, that number dropped to 3.75 million. In 2021, it sunk to
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Posted March 02, 2022in Civic Skinny
Five days after Apollo 14 launched in 1971, Alan Shepard and Edgar Mitchell walked on the moon. Stuart Roosa, a former U.S. Forest Service wildland firefighter, orbited above in a command module. Roosa’s personal kit had small containers with hundreds of tree seeds, part of a joint project with NASA
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Posted February 02, 2022in Civic Skinny
The following excerpts are a sample of the professional development assignments, also known as sabbaticals, that were approved by the Board of Regents for 2022-23 at the University of Iowa, Iowa State University and the University of Northern Iowa. Iowa State University: Debra Marquart, a distinguished English professor and former
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Posted January 05, 2022in Civic Skinny
The Johnston City Council started hearing complaints in July regarding a sign posted at The Boat House, a bar located across from Hyperion Field Club at 7695 N.W. Beaver Drive in northern Johnston: “Trump 2024 National Headquarters,” the banner read, along with a message against defunding police and a reference
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Posted December 01, 2021in Christmas Skinny
Twelve drummers drumming… …for “Max and Amy in the morning” — WHO radio’s morning duo of Max Schaeffer and Amy Sweet — but we miss Van (Harden) and Bonnie (Lucas)…for baseball announcer Alex Cohen…and football announcer Joe Stasi…and weatherman Ed Wilson…and public radio’s Charity Nebbe — but we still miss
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