Posted May 06, 2026in Feature 2
My paternal grandfather died five years before I was born. I know of him only through family lore: Though only 5 foot, 5 inches and weighing more than 220 pounds, he could perform full backflips and run 100 yards in 11 seconds. After a spell in the carnival, his brothers
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Posted April 01, 2026in Feature 2
“For its root, root, root for the Cubbies,” has long been the motto of Des Moines baseball fans. Without a Major League Baseball team in the state, area fans of America’s pastime tie their allegiances to clubs across the Midwest and throughout the country. But when the sun comes out
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Posted March 04, 2026in Feature 2
Country music is a genre that music enthusiasts either love, hate or tolerate. Critics cite country as too twangy for their taste. Those who like it, love it and want some more of it. They appreciate the no-nonsense, understandable lyrics and simple, relatable melodies. Songs that leave off the ‘g’,
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Posted December 31, 2025in Feature 2
We reached out to the staff of Iowa Architect, the official magazine of The American Institute of Architects, Iowa Chapter, and requested permission to reprint portions of their cover story, Respite: Places That Restore Our Resilience, from their summer 2025 edition. In it, they featured projects by Iowa architects that
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Posted December 03, 2025in Feature 2
Established in 1948, the Des Moines Art Center has brought world-famous works of art right into central Iowa’s backyard. Whether it be at an exhibit inside one of the three unique buildings, which are considerable artworks themselves, or the renowned John and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park in downtown, the Art
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Posted November 05, 2025in Feature 2
The first movie I saw in a theater was “Ghostbusters II” at the Showcase Cinemas in Milan, Illinois. My parents asked if I wanted to see that or “Honey, I Shrunk the Kids.” It was 1989, and I was a mere 4 years old. “The Real Ghostbusters” cartoon was on
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Posted October 01, 2025in Feature 2
IOWA WILD The Iowa Wild finished the 2024 regular season in sixth place in the Central Division with a 27-37 record on 62 points. Identical to the year before. At the conclusion of the season, then-head coach Brett McClean accepted a job with the Vancouver Canucks as an assistant. The
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Posted September 03, 2025in Feature 2
I pull off Highway 44 on a chance, turn off the car on a whim, step into a farmyard of swarming chickens with trepidation, and listen to an old man weave his stories. “Meryl Streep rode that bicycle right there.” The weathered, sober-looking man, straight out of a Grant Wood
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Posted August 06, 2025in Feature 2
Historically, Iowa has been barbecue challenged. Before refrigeration became common, the BBQ genre developed in the American South as the main method of preserving meat, seafood and poultry. In Iowa, ice was more expendable than hard wood, which was better used to heat homes. So, we built ice houses, and
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Posted July 02, 2025in Feature 2
Inspired by Japan’s Living National Treasures, the idea for CITYVIEW’s CHOICE awards originated 11 years ago. The Japanese program honors “preservers of important intangible cultural properties.” In the years after World War II, anxiety arose in Japan that their unique cultural traditions — noh, kabuki, origami, kumi, sumo, teapot ceramics,
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