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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Posted May 05, 2021in Collections & Hobbies
The Principal Charity Classic is a definite “go” for this year, and the annual PGA Champions pro golf tournament is scheduled to be held June 1-6 at Wakonda Club in Des Moines. Only a limited number of fans will be allowed, but barring the unthinkable, Rich Hoidahl will be there.
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Posted March 31, 2021in Collections & Hobbies
Psst! Wanna know about a century-old local secret? Have you ever wondered about the copper-domed building with limestone walls that sits between fairways on Waveland Golf Course? That’s the Drake Municipal Observatory. Not only is it an architectural curiosity, but in order to stay protected from errant golf balls, the
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Posted March 03, 2021in Collections & Hobbies
Jackpot. Mushroom hunting has been a passion for Steve Roberts since a young age, but in May of 2019, he and a friend hit the motherload. Combined, the duo bagged 47 pounds in one day. That’s a lot, according to Roberts, who has been prowling central Iowa’s countryside since he
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Posted February 03, 2021in Collections & Hobbies
It was Christmas morning in 1986 or so. The unwrapping had ended, and there were no more presents under the tree. “You look a little down,” said Matt Martone’s concerned mother. “Me?” the 11-year-old feigned indignance. “Nah, I’m fine. This is a great Christmas.” Martone knew how hard his mom
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Posted January 06, 2021in Collections & Hobbies
“I buy and sell comics and have a pretty large collection,” says Jeremy Downs. The 34-year-old Des Moines-area resident might be understating reality a bit. “I’d have to get back to you on a count, but probably around 10,000 right now, at best guess.” Downs buys comic book collections of
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Posted December 02, 2020in Collections & Hobbies
Blood spit straight out of the mouth of KISS’ Gene Simmons is on display at the south-side home of Franco Tangari. The same goes for an eye-popping array of ticket stubs, concert reviews, celebrity autographs and more than 40 years’ worth of concert-going memorabilia. The neatly organized collection contains many
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Posted November 04, 2020in Collections & Hobbies
“I’m a flea market nut,” explains Dave Zaabel while gesturing to rows and rows of shelving in his Urbandale basement. “Flea markets, antique shops, garage sales… but everything was canceled this year.” Zaabel’s treasure trove contains a massive stockpile of toy farm machinery, replicas of bobcats, pickups, steam engines, jeeps
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Posted September 30, 2020in Collections & Hobbies
Diane Bacon keeps a box of Band-Aids at the ready. The skilled stained-glass artisan has had her hands bloodied more times than she can count while pursuing her passion. “Hundreds,” she estimates. “At least.” Once upon a time, Bacon was a small child who would sit in church and marvel
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