Brett Hopper joined the Navy for two simple reasons: “to serve his country and see the world.” Originally from Altoona, the 2016 graduate of Southeast Polk High School went on to earn his degree from Iowa State in political science. After finishing in Ames in December of 2019, Hopper was
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Posted December 02, 2020in Your Neighbors
No one named Duncan has lived there in nearly three decades, but neighbors still refer to Jenifer Owenson’s 83-year-old Waterbury abode as “The Duncan House.” The home was built by the family of arguably the best football player in Iowa history, Randy Duncan. It has seen its share of changes
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Posted November 04, 2020in Your Neighbors
Shelly Reed Thieman penned her first poetry verses for a fifth-grade Haiku contest. She won. The self-described “young and snappy grandmother of three girls” recently won another poetry competition. This time the recognition came for her words in the “Anniversary” category, celebrating The Iowa Poetry Association’s 75 years of publishing
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Posted September 02, 2020in Your Neighbors
If you’re in northwest Des Moines and somewhere near Beaverdale or Drake University, and if you happen to see a flaming hula hoop spinning around a performer who is being cheered on by her neighbors while they snap photos, then you will have met Jessica Short — also known as
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Posted August 05, 2020in Your Neighbors
As she pulled and pushed and worked the lawnmower through the rougher-than-usual grass, Johanna Hayes felt her chest tighten and her heart race. She should have been hot, but instead she felt a cold sweat. “I must be really out of shape,” she scolded herself as she stopped to rest.
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Posted July 01, 2020in Your Neighbors
“Someone on our street…has been playing the bagpipes lately, and I love it!” writes one northwest Des Moines neighbor on an online community forum. “…I heard her practicing, (too)…” types another interested ear in the area. “I’m not sure who it is,” responds a third, “but it’s greatly appreciated!! Very
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Posted April 01, 2020in Your Neighbors
“So there was one cold rainy night about five years ago, and I found myself with a crazy man with a backpack full of burritos and some fruit and some water and we were looking for homeless people…” How did this happen to Curt Carlson? Several years prior, Joe Laslo
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Posted March 04, 2020in Your Neighbors
“Jill of Many Skills” teaches local beekeepers to be honey-production maximizers. A 5,500-year-old jar of honey — the oldest known honey in existence — was found within a noblewoman’s tomb in Eastern Europe in 2012. The purpose of the honey’s placement at the VIP’s final resting place isn’t known, but
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Posted February 05, 2020in Your Neighbors
And other Terrace Hill treasures “I taught for 45 years,” says Patrick Phillips-Schrock. As his official retirement date zoomed ever closer, he remembers wondering what was next. “This was my last year, and I thought, ‘Oh, what am I going to do now?’ ” Des Moines’ first millionaire is thought
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Posted January 01, 2020in Your Neighbors
Local Dungeon Master Paul Privitera works to build the popularity of polyhedral dice in central Iowa. Maybe you pretend that Earth’s oceans have flooded, the ice caps have melted, the skies have emptied and dry land no longer exists…. Or that WWIII brought about nuclear Armageddon, and you’ve tunneled underground
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