…To the nation’s 14,000 air-traffic controllers — especially those who kept working without pay after the politicians closed down the government while continuing to get their own pay…and to the quarter-million or so of Iowans — including 50,000 in Polk County — whose SNAP benefits were cut off by those
Read More →One afternoon 50 years or so ago, when I was president of The Des Moines Register and Tribune, Bill Knapp called me. “What are you doing?” he asked, and before I could answer, he said: “I’m on my way to pick you up. We need to raise $250,000 this afternoon
Read More →Twelve drummers drumming… …To the anonymous person who is giving $250,000 to match dollar-for-dollar contributions to help the Des Moines Area Religious Council feed the needy this Christmas-time. And to Matt Unger, who runs that oh-so-important operation…and to the not-anonymous donors who helped Drake exceed by $40 million its three-year
Read More →Twelve drummers drumming… …for some folks who are stepping down — Frank Cownie, who served 20 years as mayor and now can go back to selling fur coats…and proud East-sider Randy Peterson, after 50-some years writing about sports…Jay Byers, who guided the Partnership and now is the perfect guy to
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‘Do justice. Love mercy. Walk humbly with God.’
On Friday night, Sept. 4, 2009, just before the baseball game between the Iowa Cubs and the Albuquerque Isotopes was scheduled to start, Federal Judge Robert Pratt stepped to the microphone set up near home plate at Principal Park. He was fully robed. A court official had just announced that
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