Thursday, March 28, 2024

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Posted July 06, 2022in Collections & Hobbies

From paralysis to the Paralympics

At age 18, Justin Phongsavanh was shot in the parking lot of an Ankeny McDonald’s and paralyzed from the waist down. Today, the 25-year-old javelin thrower is a medaled Paralympian. [...]

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Posted June 01, 2022in Collections & Hobbies

The power of the dark side

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away… the “Star Wars” saga was born, and a cult following developed soon after. Not quite as long ago — in [...]

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Posted May 04, 2022in Collections & Hobbies

COVID kindles candle-making career

Kourtney Perry started making candles during the slow days of the pandemic. Laid off from her job, Perry had an abundance of time on her hands. She did some research, [...]

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Posted April 06, 2022in Collections & Hobbies

A one-two punch

Los Gallos Bravos Boxing Club is literally an “underground” boxing club in Windsor Heights. Not only is it the only boxing club in Windsor Heights, it is one of the [...]

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Posted March 02, 2022in Collections & Hobbies

Sports is in their blood

The French Connection. That’s the name that Gary and Tyler French go by on their Facebook Live streaming channel called Pardon My French Media. PMF Media, as they sometimes call [...]

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Posted February 02, 2022in Collections & Hobbies

Clowning around!

“I’m Pete the clown,” says Craig Matzke, “My son is re-Pete the clown.”  Matzke is a past potentate for the Za-Ga-Zig Shriners and serves as this year’s circus chairman, as [...]

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Posted January 05, 2022in Collections & Hobbies

One man’s pigeons are another person’s pet peeve?

Life is good for the 200-plus pigeons living in domestication within the detached structures behind Larry White’s southside home. Food is plentiful for the pigeons — they eat mostly grains [...]

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Posted December 01, 2021in Collections & Hobbies

Life-long hippie and music lover

5-plus decades of concert-going results in two books for James Taylor. Once upon a time, it was 1972 or so, and, in a bar in Fairfield, a man, who was [...]

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Posted November 03, 2021in Collections & Hobbies

Running out of room at the inn?

Merrilyn Mohan’s 150-plus nativity sets come in many shapes and sizes. If it’s mid-November, then it’s time for Merrilyn Mohan to pack away the large teddy bear collection in her [...]

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Posted October 06, 2021in Collections & Hobbies

Giant pumpkins

Two local gourd growers plan to smash the world record. Jaws dropped at this year’s Iowa State Fair when Don Young and his son- in-law, Tommy Rhodes, arrived at the [...]

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