Posted March 02, 2022in Collections & Hobbies
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 it, streams local sporting events, specifically for the Waukee Northwest Wolves and the Waukee Warriors. The father-son duo began their
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Posted February 02, 2022in Collections & Hobbies
“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 well as in other capacities. The current potentate is Randy Weldon, but you might know him as Mr. Wuzzles the
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Posted January 05, 2022in Collections & Hobbies
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 — and they live 15 years or so on average. At least they do as long as they aren’t let
Read More →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 clearly not from there, entered. “What’s it like in Iowa?” This stranger wanted to know. A young local named
Read More →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 Ankeny basement and clear a spot for baby Jesus. “They may have run out of room in the inn in
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Posted October 06, 2021in Collections & Hobbies
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 Big Pumpkin Contest. Their entry needed a forklift to hoist it onto the scale, and the monstrosity topped out at
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Posted September 01, 2021in Collections & Hobbies
Dangerous on the board, this couple’s life mission is to “fix” chess. GIRL MEETS CHESS Her ride home from school was delayed. Bored, the 15-year-old Ankeny High School student looked for a fun way to fill the time. Since she couldn’t find one, Katie Gordinier stopped into Ankeny High’s Chess
Read More →Dan Umthun excels at finding and accumulating action figures and comic books. Meet Dan Umthun. “When I was 8, I brought a Superman figure with me to Grandma’s farm house in Eagle Grove. A calf jumped a fence and started running towards town. My dad and uncles managed to catch,
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Posted June 30, 2021in Collections & Hobbies
Waldorf professor retraces 300 miles of Dragoon history. Road signs for Iowa’s Dragoon Trail are a common sight in central Iowa. As a boy, Kevin Mason couldn’t help but wonder: “What the heck is a Dragoon?” Now he knows. “They were soldiers who were sometimes on foot and sometimes on
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Posted June 02, 2021in Collections & Hobbies
Local wonder woman wows at bodybuilding competition. The backstage atmosphere before a bodybuilding competition is unlike almost any other. “You go in the competitor entrance, and you see all these beautifully sculpted bodies pumping up and getting ready to get on stage,” says Renee Schneider. It takes gumption, grit, determination
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